Just returned from Tx where I got to do some extensive testing of shot guns on hogs. We killed 16 hogs in two days. Slugs work fairly well though not as well as a hot 45-70. Just about every one needed a finishing shot even the ones hit good in the shoulder.
Buck shot was a complete LOOSER. Out side of about 10 yards 3 inch 000buck is a completeley unreliable killer on hogs. We shot 3 hogs two 150 lbers and one 250 or so all of them ran off with almost no reaction all of these shots were at 30 yards and closer one much closer. Two were backed up and killed with slugs.
To clarify on the slugs we were using 2 3/4 inch one ouncers. In all but 2 or 3 cases (head shots) the hogs took one or more back up shots to put them down. I think a 3 inch mag load would do better.
As a matter of fact I had one of my closest piggy encounters of the scariest kind with a little 200 lb boar in the open. After recvieving a heart shot at about 15 or 20 feet (the last round in my gun)the piggy squealed spun once and came right at me. I was empty and in the process of reloading at the time as we had just jumped a herd of about 40 hogs in a swamp. I just had time to throw a slug in the open chamber and shoot porkey in the spine at real close range. I guess Sept was my month for charges.
Buck shot was a complete LOOSER. Out side of about 10 yards 3 inch 000buck is a completeley unreliable killer on hogs. We shot 3 hogs two 150 lbers and one 250 or so all of them ran off with almost no reaction all of these shots were at 30 yards and closer one much closer. Two were backed up and killed with slugs.
To clarify on the slugs we were using 2 3/4 inch one ouncers. In all but 2 or 3 cases (head shots) the hogs took one or more back up shots to put them down. I think a 3 inch mag load would do better.
As a matter of fact I had one of my closest piggy encounters of the scariest kind with a little 200 lb boar in the open. After recvieving a heart shot at about 15 or 20 feet (the last round in my gun)the piggy squealed spun once and came right at me. I was empty and in the process of reloading at the time as we had just jumped a herd of about 40 hogs in a swamp. I just had time to throw a slug in the open chamber and shoot porkey in the spine at real close range. I guess Sept was my month for charges.