hog hunting with a .40 cal

[grendel]

Hi all, am new to the forum so not sure if this has ever been covered, but has anyone ever hunted hogs with a .40 cal? If so, how far out do you think I can reach? I will be using a hi-point carbine. Thanks for any help.

 

[DirtyDave]

As far as you are comfortable and can accurately shoot.

 

[socalkid]

are you using dogs?

 

[grendel]

no dogs, but i figure i won't need to shoot past 50 yards or so...

 

[DirtyDave]

If you can consistently hit the vitals at 50yds then go for it

 

[doccherry]

40 cal what? What specific caliber and firearm are you considering?

 

[Antonio]

40 cal what? What specific caliber and firearm are you considering?

If it leaves a Hi-Point Carbine, then it is the .40 S&W.

 

[w8_liftr]

Even with deep penetrating bullets, I would opt for something with more pop.

 

[BelchFire]

The .40 S&W is a favorite of law enforcement because of it's diameter and the fact that it won't "over penetrate" the target. You know; all that liability about killing an innocent person in the next apartment.

Personally, I'd rather "over penetrate" a hog. If I had a choice, I'd opt for a 10mm. You get the same bullet and diameter, with considerably more power.

Now, to address your question: My father once killed a hog at 65 yards with a .357 Sig. He is, however, a much better pistol shot than most and was practicing regularly when he did it. I wouldn't try that at home.

I think you have enough energy to dispatch a hog at 75 yards or so, but you've gotta hit it in the boiler room to do it. Your own practice and skill will answer your question.

 

[EvBouret]

Just pretend you're bow hunting and practice your stalking skills.

 

[bigboarstopper]

If youve hunted hogs plenty of times and have been succesful than id say go ahead. It sounds as if you havent hunted hogs much just by the question. And if your new your first hog probabally wont be within 50 yards. Add to the equasion the shakes your gonna get just before you pull the trigger. Ive shot one of those hi-point carbines. I wasnt impressed by its sights. Its a short range self defence kind of gun. 40 is underpowered by almost everyones standards for hogs. Heck a 30-30 is almost not enough sometimes. Especially if a hog is a few hundred pounds. Or a hog thats got an armor plate. If your new to hog hunting id say use something larger. What other firearms do you own or possibly borrow from somone? Shotgun with slugs? A varmint cartrage would be better. Even one of those 99$ surplus guns from tim-buc-too would be better. Id use a scoped 22mag before a 40.cal.

 

[easymoney]

IMHO, it all depends on the type of gun, type of bullet and the realistic ability of the shooter. Pigs are tough to put down and deserve a clean one shot kill. I have skinned a pig with a 45 cal bullet under the skin that didn't pentrate the armor shield. But I have seen a friend shoot one behind the ear with a 17hmr and it dropped like a stone.

 

[hunterdoug]

I aggree with all the above. hogs are tough skinned critters not to mention bones and plates on even med sized pigs. more pop the better unless your really close. the fun ends when you think you made a good shot and the pig takes off and all you can find is a drop of blood here and there, lack of penetration, no pass through. usually end it a lost pig

 

[REM3006]

I'll use a big caliber to put it down. Not a wimpy .40 cal. Hogs are hard to find. I won't waste my time tracking a wounded pig. One shot one kill.

 

[larrysogla]

No matter how hard I stabbed, I couldn't make my 4" hunting knife penetrate all the way thru the other side of the 2" thick gristle plate(shoulder armored shield) of that 300+ lb. boar my friend harvested with his 45-70 rifle. That 2" gristle plate was like solid cartilage in composition, sort of like leatherized bone in stopping ability to resist penetration from that 4" very sharp hunting knife. Also we found a .22 Long Rifle bullet laying between the skin and the bridge of the nose. The bullet never even scarred or dented the bone on the bridge of the nose. The .22 bullet wound on the skin healed perfectly and you couldn't tell there was a bullet laying underneath the skin. It was of course a one shot kill with that 45-70 rifle with the bullet from the treestand position passing downward thru the chest of the hog and tunneling about a foot under the ground. That my dear friend is what you should be looking for...........a one shot kill. I would use that .40 S&W calliber only if I could consistently hit the earhole of the hog for a one shot kill. That 2" gristle plate will likely stop a .40 S&W bullet from penetrating and an escaped and wiser hog will be your result. Practice hitting the bullseye at 50 yds. and then aim for the earhole as that is your only chance on a big hog..........or get a suitable caliber high powered rifle or borrow one.
'Nuff said
larrysogla

 

[Band Collector]

Larry mentions the thick gristle plate that is extremely hard to penetrate. This is normally found on large boars and is used to protect them from being gored by another boar while fighting. Small calibers will have a hard time penetrating deep enough to cause a fatal shot anywhere near the front shoulders. Head shots behind the ear are a whole different story however.

We have taken several large hogs inside of 100 yards with a .22 mag out of a scoped rifle with a steady rest in that manner. If you are highly profecient with your weapon and can routinely get tight groupings at 50+ yards head shots are the way to go with smaller calibers. Properly placed the hog will not take one step.

If however this is your first hunt for hogs in an area where hogs are not all that plentiful, a high powered rifle with a good scope sighted in to 200 yards will greatly increase your odds of success.

Below is a picture of the thick gristle plate( cartiledge) found on large mature boars as well as a couple of head shots that stopped the hogs in their tracks.

Good luck with whatever weapon you choose...

 

[myfriendis410]

Even a .44 magnum is a wimp compared to a relatively weak rifle cartridge, and it's way more gun than the .40 "short and weak". Here's another example of the fighting plate found on mature boars. The consistency is somewhat like pressed cardboard, and really dense.

 

[BelchFire]

Wow. That's a real eye-opening picture. Impressive. Makes you wonder how an arrow gets through at all.

 

[myfriendis410]

Wow. That's a real eye-opening picture. Impressive. Makes you wonder how an arrow gets through at all.

Generally, you don't shoot an arrow through the gristle plate, you shoot one behind it angling forward. I haven't put an arrow in a BIG hog yet, but if I get the opportunity I probably will.

 

[larrysogla]

That thick gristle plate(2"-3"+) is so dense.........it is really very, very heavy in weight and very, very dense in mass...............sort of like flexible, leatherized heavy bone................a really amazing piece of nature's self-defense architecture. A 185 grain hollow point .44 magnum bullet fired from a short barreled 4" revolver probably will not penetrate a 3" gristle plate. The hollow point will instantly expand and slow down and lack penetration. Probably need a heavy 265+ grain solid hard cast .44 magnum hot load bullet fired from a long barrel 6"+ barreled revolver to do the job on those big boars with chest shots. Even with that if you hit the big shoulder bones, the penetration will suffer. Really need a suitable caliber high powered rifle loaded with tough construction bullet to do the job properly on those big boars...........and those hogs are powerful animals........they can jump a 5 foot fence very easily from a standing start. Don't fool yourself.......you are dealing with animals that can run uphill at a 45 degree angle. And they have tusks that can cut an artery leg.......and if that happens.......without a properly applied tourniquet........a cut artery leg is buh-bye!
'Nuff said
larrysogla