Advice on double rifle for wild hogs

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

"223 or 243 because the bullet failed to get thru the fighting pads."
Thank you for bringing this up.
I have been hearing about "fighting pads" for years and have never seen such that can resist even a .243 or .308. The issue may be the bullets being used, as I have shot feral hogs from their tails to their nose and never seen fighting pads. When I asked my game processor to show some to me , it was nothing that would slow down a good bullet at a proper angle.
I saw a picture of a 1200 pound Russian Boar taken from a half track and it was shot with a military rifle, not a cannon.
Has anyone else had bullets bounce off "fighting pads" If so, please explain how that works.

@crs
You get even a 60kg boar covered in dry mud and fighting pads I've seen 243s explod on the mud and even a 308 with 150 sierra gane kings just blow a saucer size shallow crater in the hide. Not enough to kill it and needed a follow up shot
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

@crs
You get even a 60kg boar covered in dry mud and fighting pads I've seen 243s explod on the mud and even a 308 with 150 sierra gane kings just blow a saucer size shallow crater in the hide. Not enough to kill it and needed a follow up shot
Bob

Bob, you should know better than to use a .243 on pigs, or anything in Australia. What were you thinking?

I reckon your young fella will sort the pigs for Ya, he has a .308 and good form.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob, you should know better than to use a .243 on pigs, or anything in Australia. What were you thinking?

I reckon your young fella will sort the pigs for Ya, he has a .308 and good form.

@CBH Australia
Maaate I didn't say I used it I said I've seen it. If'n you ever see me with a 243 either get me to counselling ASAP or shoot me. Just don't shoot me with that pissant cartridge.
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

Bob, I do dont shoot people, not even if they shit me, it's frowned upon.
You don't shit me but I have fun poking shit at you.,it's the Australian way.
Maybe you need counseling?

 

[crs]

Reminds me of another true .243 hunting story.
A hunting buddy and his teenage daughter and I were hunting deer years ago and she shot a doe with her .243 . The doe jumped and ran so Jim shot and killed it with his rifle. They called me over to examine the doe and showed me the hairless spot where her bullet struck, leaving only bare skin in the heart-lung area. I asked what ammo she used and wait for it, ,, it was varmint ammo with a light bullet at high velocity.

I have seen 100 grain .243 bullets shoot through deer, but not 80 grain varmint bullets that are meant for prairie dogs, wood chuck, and such.

BTW, I began with 150 grain bullets in my .308, but soon switched to Hornady Light Magnum with 165 grain bullets and still shoot the Hornady 165 grain --just works for me on pigs, deer, coyotes, feral cats (big hole) pronghorn etc.
BTW 2 I rarely hunt areas where the swine are mud covered (dry Texas you know) , but have had luck with shooting the in the back of the head with my .405:

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob, I do dont shoot people, not even if they shit me, it's frowned upon.
You don't shit me but I have fun poking shit at you.,it's the Australian way.
Maybe you need counseling?

@CBH Australia
If'n the counselling didn't work surely you could make an exception. Oh the shame of it me even using those numbers 243 that annoy me so much.
Bob

 

[Sabattiboy]

Well, to start I've never met anybody that said it will be my last gun and turned out to be true. (Unless they died soon after)
I've handled a 45-70 DR and they are delightful, light and quick handling. In modern loads they are a lot more potent then in original load ranges.
I buy cast lead bullets from Montana Bullet Words and load them down in my 500 NE. If hog hunting from a feeder stand in Texas would be delighted to wait until I could drill 3 or more with one shot.
So, loading down a real DG double is an option but think you would be delighted with a 45-70 DR.
Handloading to get the bullet performance you want would be icing on the cake.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

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

What about a lever .45-70 makes you nervous? Four in the mag tube, chamber empty, work the lever to load & you're ready.

 

[mikesheree]

You make a good point and with the proper setup (bait, in a stand, etc) any suitable deer cartridge kills hogs just fine.

I can think of situations where I wouldn't use a .243 though. Spot and stalk thru the brush, drives, etc. where you could get raking and texas heart shots - in those cases I'd much rather the 9.3x74r and it's peers that are capable of much deeper penetration.

I have had great success with my Heym 9.3 o/u with the 286 gr as well as the .460 S&W or .454 Casull out of my Thompson Center Prohunter carbine. I am in FL and the hogs i have hit were DRT. Same with a .270 or .308. Only hog I lost was a 12 ga sabot with poor shot placement; above the heart/ lungs but below the spine. Dropped like a sack of potatoes and then got up in a flash and took off never to be seen again.

 

[crs]

"Depending on action type, a good SxS 12 ga. can be turned into a 45/70 double rifle."

Agreed and saw one just this afternoon. It was shooting 400 grain bullets at 1900 fps and though I did not shoot it, the shooter sure was pushed back by it. He did shoot some small groups though.

 

[Rell]

A Chapuis SxS with two battles, one I. 9.3x74r and the other a 30-30!

 

[375FLM]

I have a few doubles that I've shot feral hogs with here in the US Southeast. My 470 is overkill in the extreme, but the 375 Flanged I shoot a fair amount has taken its share. That said, I prefer 30 caliber rounds and have recently picked up a Chapuis UGEX in 30-06 and an RGEX 2 barrel set in 30-30 Win and 22 Hornet the 30 calibers are specifically for feral pigs on my property.

Now that Chapuis has been purchased by a much larger firm, I don't believe they will make these models anymore, however, Guns International has several listed for sale in many of the smaller double rifle calibers listed in this thread. I have found these French doubles to be very well regulated, and quite well appointed for the money. Recommend you take a look at the Chapuis listing online, as a double for hogs I think you'll be surprised.

I'll close with this, feral hogs are a problem here, and provide a great excuse to pull one of my doubles out of the safe and shoot it. In reality, I have taken more pigs with 22-24 caliber rounds than anything else, so use the pigs for practice between your dangerous game hunts, or stick with a smaller caliber double for pigs instead. BTW, the 45-70 idea that started this thread will solve any feral pig problem anywhere.

Good Hunting...