I am going Hog hunting now that deer season has ended. I have a single shot rifle. I carry a handgun with me when I am in the woods. My question is what handgun should I have with me for Hogs. I currently have a single action .357 Mag (Western Marshal), a Taurus 7 shot total Ti .357 Mag ( 2" barrel), a Glock 17, a Browning Hi-Power (both 9mm) and lastly my duty weapon, a Sig 220 .45 cal.. At this time I can't go out and buy another handgun. From those listed what should I carry?
Another Hog Question
- Thread starter JKump
- Start date
I like the Sig, myself, but the SA .357 loaded with hot 180 JSPs would be a nice companion, too, if you're decent with it.
I've carried my duty .45 (Kimber 1911) with me hog hunting several times, and have used it for coup de grace. I have to admit that, in the rain and dark with little or no light, I wasn't spectacularly impressed with Gold Dot 230's against a wounded 200 lb sow, but I didn't hit her very well, either (no night sights). Especially with a single-shot, I think it's imperative to carry a sidearm when hunting hog. I would put preferance for accuracy first, then power, then speed. If you hit a hog with a middlin' hard hit and see it dragging off into the brush, your sidearm may well be what you use to anchor it. The more and more I think about it, the answer comes to the SA or the Sig, whichever you can hit more accurately with.
Oh, and when trying to anchor a retreating hog with a pistol, shoot it anywhere you like-- so long as it's just behind the ear.
I've carried my duty .45 (Kimber 1911) with me hog hunting several times, and have used it for coup de grace. I have to admit that, in the rain and dark with little or no light, I wasn't spectacularly impressed with Gold Dot 230's against a wounded 200 lb sow, but I didn't hit her very well, either (no night sights). Especially with a single-shot, I think it's imperative to carry a sidearm when hunting hog. I would put preferance for accuracy first, then power, then speed. If you hit a hog with a middlin' hard hit and see it dragging off into the brush, your sidearm may well be what you use to anchor it. The more and more I think about it, the answer comes to the SA or the Sig, whichever you can hit more accurately with.
Oh, and when trying to anchor a retreating hog with a pistol, shoot it anywhere you like-- so long as it's just behind the ear.
Smokey Joe
New member
Loads for hogs
I'd have to second Long Path's reccommendation for weapon, but have to disagree with him on the load for the .357 mag. For hogs, to put 'em down but good, you want a hard cast lead bullet, with a fairly large meplat and probably gas-checked, going as fast as safety and accuracy will allow. I use 180-grainers from Beartooth Bullets for this—also my deer load—but you probably can get them locally.
A lead bullet will expand and still penetrate. For hogs you want both, as they are noted for being tenacious of life, as well as having that cartilage collar from ears to shoulder.
I'd have to second Long Path's reccommendation for weapon, but have to disagree with him on the load for the .357 mag. For hogs, to put 'em down but good, you want a hard cast lead bullet, with a fairly large meplat and probably gas-checked, going as fast as safety and accuracy will allow. I use 180-grainers from Beartooth Bullets for this—also my deer load—but you probably can get them locally.
A lead bullet will expand and still penetrate. For hogs you want both, as they are noted for being tenacious of life, as well as having that cartilage collar from ears to shoulder.
Dixie Slugs
Inactive
I don't know Smokey Joe, but he knows his business with heavy Beartooth Bullets and the .357! After a nice operation on my hand, I retired my .44, and started useing my Smith & Wesson 686-3 and 180's with a big meplat. Some will say the .44 is 30% better than the .357........I say how can one kill something 123% dead!..........James@Dixie Slugs
It's always good to have a sidearm while hog hunting. About the only time I use mine is to clean up pigglets 
. I like to knock down a sow with pigglets. The pigglets will stay with the sow. Then knock them off with my Ruger single action in 45 colt. The 45 just puts a big hole in the pigglet and knocks them over dead. The 45 load don't expand and leaves lots of pigglet for the Q. I don't count on my sidearm to kill a sow but if I have too! I will try.
. I like to knock down a sow with pigglets. The pigglets will stay with the sow. Then knock them off with my Ruger single action in 45 colt. The 45 just puts a big hole in the pigglet and knocks them over dead. The 45 load don't expand and leaves lots of pigglet for the Q. I don't count on my sidearm to kill a sow but if I have too! I will try.FirstFreedom
Moderator
I named my 4 kids Meplat, Ogive, Cannelure, and Cordite. 
JK. Actually, I forgot what meplat means.
JK. Actually, I forgot what meplat means.from the SAMMI glossary:
MEPLAT
A term for the blunt tip of a bullet, specifically the tip’s diameter.
http://www.saami.org/glossary/display.cfm?letter=M
MEPLAT
A term for the blunt tip of a bullet, specifically the tip’s diameter.
http://www.saami.org/glossary/display.cfm?letter=M
Smokey Joe
New member
.22 mag, hmmmmm
PSE--well, while I've seen piglets taken quite effectively with a .22mag, I would doubt its penetration ability on an adult pig, especially through the cartilage collar. I've had shots @ pigs at over 100yd, at which range a .22mag has slowed down considerably. Can you give some examples of effective use of this cartridge on adult boars at a distance, perhaps through some intervening brush or weeds?
If it works for you, good! I would however cite the old dictum of "use enough gun" for an effective, humane kill under less than ideal circumstances.
PSE--well, while I've seen piglets taken quite effectively with a .22mag, I would doubt its penetration ability on an adult pig, especially through the cartilage collar. I've had shots @ pigs at over 100yd, at which range a .22mag has slowed down considerably. Can you give some examples of effective use of this cartridge on adult boars at a distance, perhaps through some intervening brush or weeds?
If it works for you, good! I would however cite the old dictum of "use enough gun" for an effective, humane kill under less than ideal circumstances.
Smokey Joe
New member
Dog has it down, do the kill shot.
PSE--Yeah, of course. Shoulda known. Yeah, a .22mag will do it for you in that circumstance. Sorry, I was thinking of hog hunting w/o dogs, where you are shooting at "hunting distances." Please pardon my presumption.
Back when we were farming, my father-in-law kilt hogs for butchering, with a .22 Long hollow-point, as a standard procedure. But his muzzle was right on the pig's head. Worked every time.
PSE--Yeah, of course. Shoulda known. Yeah, a .22mag will do it for you in that circumstance. Sorry, I was thinking of hog hunting w/o dogs, where you are shooting at "hunting distances." Please pardon my presumption.
Back when we were farming, my father-in-law kilt hogs for butchering, with a .22 Long hollow-point, as a standard procedure. But his muzzle was right on the pig's head. Worked every time.