Advice on double rifle for wild hogs

[Red Leg]

Never seen side locks like that before...presume work with the lever

Yes the two panels extend outward and the underlugs are retracted when the top lever is thrown. Not an action for a computer or the faint of heart to build.

 

[358 Norma]

When using a "big boards" on hogs to you prefer a 2x4 or 2x6?

Don't you just love spellcheck?

Yes unfortunately I fat fingered the spelling and spell check took over! Lol

 

[spike.t]

Yes the two panels extend outward and the underlugs are retracted when the top lever is thrown. Not an action for a computer or the faint of heart to build.

Neat

 

[calling4life]

Sure sounds like a lot of people are saying a lot of things that would lead one to lose the excuse to buy a double rifle, and that ain't right.

470NE double sounds great, solids should go through without damaging meat and without the lead exposure to cut away. May even find you need the second shot as they may go through quick and not dump much energy. Good practice

As good an excuse to buy a double rifle as I can think, good luck, my 458 lott is a coyote rifle a lot, black bear protection, and black bear hunting.

Make sure dog nor person is behind your target, of course...

 

[SFRanger7GP]

Of course any properly placed bullet will kill a hog. Hogs are great animals to try new cartridges and shoot your favorite double rifle. When we lived in South Florida, hog hunting was the most affordable and accessible. I loved to use my Merkel 9.3x74R double or my drilling in 16x16 over 7x57R.

Safe hunting

 

[tarawa]

45-70 or 8x57JRS both work well. Here is my first with the 45-70. Florida hogs aren’t real particular!

 

[deewayne2003]

Sabatti made a 45-70 sxs double, they occasionally come up for sale; I thought about getting one as a dedicated swine rifle.

 

[HWL]

For those who are still interested.

Made two loads for the 8x65RS Herkules drilling.

250 gr Woodleigh round nose and 220 gr Woodleigh round nose.

Both perform well on paper.

The 250 gr comes with +2400 fps and should be good even for African plains game.


HWL

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

everyone:

i could use some advice ---- one of the relatively crazy things I do is hubt wild hogs in southern florida --- this is done usually over dogs from a contaption known as a swamp buggy---so it involves rapid target aquistion, multiple people and dogs....sometimes shooting from the ground (my favorite ) --- in this situation, a break open gun that can be closed at the last minute and has fast bewteen the hands balance has great appeal (I should add I am totally addicted to side-by-side shotguns). Now , the perfect caliber for this is a 45-70 and I have successfully used a lever action in that caliber but it makes me nervous----now, no doubt I could have a custon 45-70 double rifle made but i wonder if I should get a "normal" double rifle, like a 470 NE and use appropriately modified loads ? -- thats really my question, would 470 NE solids at some slightly reduced velocity do reasonable damage to a 150-200 lb hog and not be totally destructive---I really like to eat thrm

@peter Council.
Alas and fear not your prayers have been answered and for less than 1,000 bucks
Bakail make s 45/70 double that's is built like a brick out house. The beauty of this beast is that it has a lockable regulating wheel so YOU can regulate the barrels to any load.
It also comes in 30 ought six.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Quoting a concern - "where you could get raking and texas heart shots"
It does not take a cannon to kill a pig with a Texas heart shot ( my son does it easily with his .223 ) . The bullet and shot placement are very important- IMHO, more than caliber.
"If you shoot one in the eye, it is gonna die"

It may be that one reason we see so many Express cartridge and big bore rifles recommended for hogs, is that hunters like to shoot those rifles. I also have and do use 45-70, 45-90 (.458 2.4), 405WCF, in addition to smaller "deer rifle" calibers, including .357 Magnum. I KNOW GUYS THAT USE ONLY AR 15 .223 RIFLES with good success.
However, it seems that suggesting that a big bore or Express rifle is needed to kill hogs is wrong and wrong headed.


JHT,
My congratulations to you and your daughter for that good shot on the hog. Reminds me of the wife of a Colorado outfitter - her elk rifle is a .243 and her answer as to where to shoot a big elk was "right behind the ear".
My daughter is also deadly with her .243 and her 7mm Wby magnum. She, my son, and I are headed out for some feral pigs as soon as the range dries up from recent rains .

@crs I would prefer to shoot a pig up the arse with a 405 grain 45/70 than sting it's arse with a 223. With the bigger cal I know this will get to where it needs to or smash the hips.
The 223 is hopeless for rear end shots, that's speaking from experience. I've also seen a lot of pigs run off after being chest shot with a 223 or 243 because the bullet failed to get thru the fighting pads. The 444 Marlin and 45/70 don't have that problem even with close up shots.
Bob

 

[lwaters]

My phone changes correct spelling.

Yes unfortunately I fat fingered the spelling and spell check took over! Lol

 

[lwaters]

I think a 450/400 loaded with 300 grain Hornady bullet would be fun.

 

[HWL]

@peter Council.
Alas and fear not your prayers have been answered and for less than 1,000 bucks
Baikal make s 45/70 double that's is built like a brick out house. The beauty of this beast is that it has a lockable regulating wheel so YOU can regulate the barrels to any load.

Bob
View attachment 399897

It only regulates azimuth, not elevation ...... and, it's a beast

HWL

 

[Longwalker]

In reply to the first post, one does not "load down" most big bore double rifles. The regulation is fixed for one load in all .470 Nitro express rifles that I am aware of. And actually, meat damage from a big, heavy soft nose bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2100 fps or so is less than most "normal" hunting cartridges, so no need to use a solid or load down for meat preservation. But even with a soft, penetration will almost certainly be excessive when shooting past and around a bunch of hunting dogs. A 45-70 regulated for the 300 gr. HP load would be a great hog killer, and not penetrate too much, but meat damage would be a likely side effect.
As others have already explained, the 9.3x74R or 8x57R are made for this job.

 

[crs]

OK and just remember "the Devil Made Me Do It"

My 600 pound feral sow shot at 40 yards with my .308. Same rifle , same property next hunt three hogs with .308 (two head shots) and one shoulder shot running - all 40-50 yards.
Next hunt in Texas hill country with .308 two hogs running, one at 40 yards and other at 100+ yards- one shot each. I could go on but it is hard to beat a good medium caliber rifle with a scope that you have shot for many years.

I hunt with my doubles for fun, but when something HAS to die, I use my old M70 .308.
Same for my M19 .357 Mag.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

OK and just remember "the Devil Made Me Do It"

View attachment 414376
My 600 pound feral sow shot at 40 yards with my .308. Same rifle , same property next hunt three hogs with .308 (two head shots) and one shoulder shot running - all 40-50 yards.
Next hunt in Texas hill country with .308 two hogs running, one at 40 yards and other at 100+ yards- one shot each. I could go on but it is hard to beat a good medium caliber rifle with a scope that you have shot for many years.

I hunt with my doubles for fun, but when something HAS to die, I use my old M70 .308.
Same for my M19 .357 Mag.

@crs
A hell of a lot of ham, bacon and sausage there plus you already have the sausage casing in the small intestine.
Bob

 

[Saul]

The 9.3x74R is the standard in Hungary.

 

[crs]

Bob,
After the sow came back from the meat processor all wrapped and such, we kept the primo cuts (backstrap, tenderloins, ) and gave the rest to the church for their weekly food pantry for folks in need. That big old hog had lived in the trophy pasture (where dogs chased only boars) unseen for nearly 10 years.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

A 9.3x74 mm R Sidelock Ejector side by side rifle , loaded with 293 Gr RWS TUG soft points . If money is no object , I'd recommend Lebeau Courally in Belgium .

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob,
After the sow came back from the meat processor all wrapped and such, we kept the primo cuts (backstrap, tenderloins, ) and gave the rest to the church for their weekly food pantry for folks in need. That big old hog had lived in the trophy pasture (where dogs chased only boars) unseen for nearly 10 years.

@crs
That's a very kind gesture. A lot of people would of have some fine eating pork.
I hate seeing good game go to waste.
Bob