Back up weapon for Hogs

[Wild Turk]

I use a .308 for hogs and dont expect to use my back up pistola, but is a .45 enough to stop a hog if it comes down to it? I am a decent shot, so I know I could score a head shot if a hog came at me. I also have a .357, but I may lend it to the guy I am hunting with for his back up gun. I know the .357 is effective, I put one in a big boar's skull a couple of years ago and he didnt take another step. Let me know your thoughts on the ol' 1911.

Wild Turk

 

[superduty]

Turk, I'm not sure what the rest of the guys will have to say but what I've been told is it's not a good idea to carry anything smaller than the 357. Let's see what everybody else has to add.

 

[chavarriamj]

I have killed many a hog with my 45 with one shot at about 25 to 30 yards...

 

[F350]

If your talking .45 ACP as in M1911A (.45 Auto), Definately not too small but way too slow.

.357 Mag's are fast enough but can take multiple shots.

I recomend; 454, .44 Mag., 10mm,.41 Mag, or .357 Max.

I shot a hog running straight at me with my .357 and he took 2 in the shoulder and 4 in the head before stopping and I was using "Cast Cores".

This is just my opinion though.

 

[Rick]

To be perfectly honest, I see no reason to carry a handgun for backup. If the hog is chewing on my leg, I can probably still manage to put the muzzle of my rifle against him! I just just don't want the extra weight, my rifle may bang against the handgun on my hip, scratching up one or both of them, and I have never needed one in shooting dozens of hogs. I have hunted hogs with just a handgun (a .44 or .41 mag), though. If I am going after a hog someone has wounded in the thick stuff, I want a shotgun with slugs. If you just want to carry a handgun while hunting because you can, that's fine.

Are you talking about a .45 Colt or a .45 ACP? If I was going to use a .either 45, I would use either a RNFP hardcast or I'd handload a Sierra FPJ jacket, which just has a little dimple of lead exposed at the tip. The versions of that bullet in .41 and .44 have worked great on hogs - they penetrate and still expand. (The problem with pistols on pigs is usually lack of penetration, and if a bullet is designed to expand on people at .45 ACP velocities, it will NOT penetrate far enough on a big boar.)

 

[F350]

Originally posted by Rick@May 7 2004, 09:29 AM
To be perfectly honest, I see no reason to carry a handgun for backup.

Rick,
For what it's worth, I'd rather not hunt without a sidearm.
I've needed mine and was glad as heck it was there. I also have friends who've had to climb into tight spaces with hogs and had to finish the job with thier handgun. It's only a couple of pounds for that peace of mind and you can carry on a lowered rig so it doesn't interfere with the rifle.
Just my

 

[superduty]

I try not to leave home without one on any long trip. I used to do allot of hunting alone and eventually did have a fall. D-11 deer hunting can be very steep country. The rifle didn't fair very well by the time we hit the bottom and wouldn't have been awhole lot of help if I couldn't have made it out under my own steam. A handgun is much more durable in this type of situation and is most lickley to be straped to your body and won't leave your side durring a fall. A rifle might end up somewhere else that you won't or can't go to retrieve. From then on I carried a side arm while hunting.

 

[wmidbrook]

I think a .45 ACP is good as a secondary weapon for coup d' grace shots under 10-15 yards. I don't think anything except a grizzly-sized animal could handle a .45 230 grain slug even if only at ACP velocities under 15 yds.

The polishing off shots with a .44 Mag are much more dramatic to see. The .45 slug doesn't 'cause such a body jolting reaction in the two pigs I've finished with it.

 

[wmidbrook]

Found a good article on huntin' hawgs with a .45 ACP:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Deadly And Efficient

As it turned out, I had two opportunities with the Kimber while skulking around the ranch. I closed to about 20 yards on the first pig which weighed something less than 175 lbs. He was broadside and my shot entered behind the shoulder. He staggered about 15 yards downhill and dropped in a drainage ditch.

In field dressing him, it appeared that a major artery had been hit, but both the lungs and most of the heart were intact. The bullet was lodged just under the hide on the opposite side of the body. The XTP slug was nicely mushroomed and retained 228.5 grains of its original 230 grains. Perfect performance and no ruined chops!

The second pig was smaller, but the terrain prevented getting any closer than 43 yards. He was facing me at an angle with his left front shoulder closest to me. The bullet entered the front of his left shoulder, missed the bone, and penetrated completely through the chest cavity.

I found some damage to the right flank, but despite the absence of an obvious exit wound, could not find the bullet The lung damage was major, and while the pig had taken off like he was unhurt, we had heard the bullet impact, and he piled up within 35 yards with no finishing shot required.[/b]

The Whole Article

 

[pitdog]

I use my Gerber Gator with a gut hook and a 357 mag with core locks

.

 

[huntducks]

I'm with Rick I quit going John Wayne 30 years ago, if my rifle can't kill it nothing on my hip will do any better.

Some of you sure have trouble with wounded pigs, I have NEVER fired more then 2 shots at a pig and have never had one go 50 yards after being hit, most drop and flop.

 

[ozstriker22]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

The bullet entered the front of his left shoulder, missed the bone, and penetrated completely through the chest cavity.[/b]

You won't always miss the bone.

 

[Speckmisser]

WildTurk,

To stay immediately on-topic, the .45acp will work ok for finishing shots and close range hunting. It's not ideal, but it will work. If it's all you have, by all means go for it. If you have options, consider your needs.

When I was looking for a hog hunting sidearm, here's what I considered:

First, I want something that'll do the job cleanly. I don't want to have to make hamburger out of my hog in order to drop it, and I sure as hell don't want to be in a position where I'm actually defending myself with a sub-par gun (rare as that likelihood may be). That ruled out many of the common "back-up" calibers... the .380, .38spl, 9mm, etc. I think anything from .357 mag on up would work here.

Second, my long-term plan is to leave the rifle in the truck on some hunts, especially in the brush. So I need a handgun that will kill cleanly at slightly longer ranges... maybe as far as 50-60 yards. I'd probably get a lot of argument, but to me, this ruled out the .357 mag, the .45 acp and made the .41 mag a marginal choice.

My final pre-requisite was the easiest... I wanted something fun to shoot, relatively economical, and not too painful. That could be anything up to the .454. The .480 and .500 handguns are simply too big, physically, for my tastes.

When all was said and done, I ended up with a Ruger Super-Blackhawk .44mag. It's not the most powerful thing on the market, but it's accurate, it's strong enough for hogs and deer at the ranges I'm considering, and while it's a little heavy for backup with my choice of 7.5" barrel, it's still comfortable to carry. And it's a TON of fun to shoot.

By the way, to those who think a handgun is extraneous...

When I'm hunting, I don't carry a handgun for security. I carry it because I like handguns. I'd love to take a hog or deer with it (I missed my opportunity last spring, when I shot under a meat pig at about 25 yards). I also carry it because it gives me more versatility.

I have been in several situations where opportunities arose, but the brush was too thick or the range was too short to use the rifle. At least one of those situations cost me a true trophy boar, and another situation cost me a nice blacktail buck. At the time, my only handgun was a 9mm Browning. If I'd had the .44 then, I still may have missed, but at least I could have taken the opportunity.

I bought the .44 shortly after that scenario with the big boar.

 

[huntducks]

Speck I truely have no problem with using a handgun my first Javelina I took many years ago was with a Ruger 357 60 to 70 yards open sights it was a blast same hunt I also took a 170 lb Mt Lion with the 357.

I only take one or the other with me not both.

 

[Wild Turk]

Thanks for the insight. As with anything gun related, there will always be a debate. I think that from reading the posts above, the .45 ACP is a marginal choice for a primary weapon, but will probably work OK for a backup. I wasnt planning to try to put one in a pigs shoulder to drop him as my primary shot. I was thinking if a wounded hog gets up as I approach, 3-4 rounds at 10- yards would at least save my skin. I would rather pull a handgun if a boar got up when I approached than try to find him in my scope. Lets hope the .45 ends up staying in the holster and my rifle does the trick.

Thanks again for all the great info, especially the article.

Wild Turk

 

[Bishop]

One very important thing you have to keep in mind is: that most ammo loaded for 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45ACP is made to kill people. It is made for low penetration on soft skin with rapid expansion.
If your going to use one of these cartridges you need to either handload a deep penetrating bullet like a hard cast, or find a factory load that is specially made for deep penetration.
My back up in pig or bear country is a 4" S & W mdl 629 (.44mag). A 4 5/8" Super Blackhawk is also a excellent choice.

 

[DILPRXO]

I carry a Kimber Eclipse as back up while rifle hunting.It's usually loaded with 230gr Black Talon at +p velocity.(yes..they are still out there ..now called Ranger T's ..easy to find at gunshows). In a Galco high ride holster it's a easy to carry package that has worked well for me.

 

[F350]

Bishop,
lemme guess...Service pistol?

 

[Bishop]

Nope,

Glock 23C, .40 cal. is my service weapon.

 

[jmabbott888]

OK, I can't believe I'm doing this again but here goes....... I got a Ruger Blackhawk 45 LC with a 5 1/2 inch barrel, what do you got for trade???? If it ain't a gun let me know I might still be interested or if you don't wanna trade whats it worth to ya. I've been shooting 228gr cast hollowpoints thru it with 9 gr of unique & it seems to hit pretty hard & its accurate. Let me know if your interested.