Wild Boar/Pig hunting... which sidearm to carry?

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zjeepgozweeln

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I'm going to be hunting some pig with my .308 here in CA. I like being prepared... Is a model 1911 .45 ACP or another semi auto 9mm enough to stop a charging pig? Should I pickup a .357 or .44 revolver? I've read some people recommend a magnum with a 6" barrel minimum for wild swine.

I don't own a real handgun, yet. (I don't consider my .25 ACP Ortgies antique much firepower) I've shot them all and can handle anything. There is no such thing as all purpose, but it would be nice to be able to take it to the range and not empty my wallet every time. I like the fact that the 1911 is semi auto and the 9mm or .45 ammo would be cheaper than the magnum. The .357 would be acceptable because I can shoot .38 specials as well.

Budget is definitely a consideration. So I'm thinking a basic 5" 1911 that I can customize later. Magnum wise I'm looking at a Ruger GP161 double action 6" bbl.

Any thoughts?

P.S. If you're about to recommend a Desert Eagle, forget it. I'm not impressed with those unreliable Hollywood POS(sorry if I offended any owners).
 
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.45 On one hip and an easy to draw 6 inch blade on the other... Likely hood of being "charged" really are limited to 2 situations and one of those is extremely hard to create. First and most common charge will come from a wounded hog you get in close to and find it is not only NOT dead but very much alive. If you can get your gun drawn and finish it off before it charges or before it is knocking you over than GREAT the .45acp will poke a hole in their head better than a .22lr at the slaughter house.
If he gets the jump on your draw and you find yourself down, go for the blade and stick it in the arm pit and/or neck, the gun is too risky to yourself when your only thought is getting the pig off of you.
The other risk of charge is to actually sneak all the way up on pig/s. This is very difficult to accomplish with their hearing and sense of smell. If you make a pig squeal at your hand you really need to be lookin' all around as they can come to the defense of others.
Brent
 
If you really want a new handgun go fer it, but if you are hunting with a rifle and plan on using that rifle, then use the rifle.

I've never seen an unwounded pig charge. I've seen plenty of less curly tails and wide furry butts heading away from me, but never toward me if they had any inclination I was there.

If I were to handgun hunt piggies, I'd look at a 45LC or anything in that genre.
 
My friend was charged by a one and took it with his 44 magnum lever action rifle. It saw him and squared off and started charging. All before a single shot was fired.
 
Fisherman I can amend that statement somewhat...
"I have never seen an unwounded hog charge unless there have been dogs working them..." I don't mean that dogs have to be on their tail at the moment either. I have had several pigs and hogs charge me when the dogs were not around at that moment...Usually a RRRRAAAHHHH will turn the little ones. But on the same note... My son "free tipped" (caught a wild hog by hand no dogs involved) a nice 200+ sow as she tried to put the slip on the dogs and ran right by him in tall grass. Funny thing is he never let go of them ears while sitting to his waist in swamp water and a hornet nest right behind him on a reed that he had disturbed from their siesta:eek: Hollerin' for help for 10-20 minutes until anyone came to grab her hind legs... Once you got a bigun' by the ears you better not let go until they are held fast somewhere else:D
Brent
 
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Ya'll must breed dem pigs like you do yer bass. I've had the wind bust me and send a whole pack headin to the hills. Last one I shot was very close, but she was trying her best to outrun 150 grains. She finished second.

I carry a .357 on my side while out hunting (or used to). I don't go out unarmed, but I'm a lot more afraid of rabid lions or any lions for that matter. I'll take a rifle most every time. I just got sick of hikin my drawers up.
 
I never carry a side arm. It is just me and my muzzleloader. I do put on chainsaw chaps when going into thickets after wounded hogs. Bring charged by hogs is what keeps my 70 year old heart working.

BTW: They're hogs not rhinos.
 
Had a wounded boar charge me form 60 yards...fast as hell and meaner, too!! Dropped it with my last rifle round...I wish I had brought my .45 as backup b/c it was getting a little hairy!
 
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While not a Rhino, the wild hog is to be considered "dangerous game".
Brent
 
Here is the link, Scrap,
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=283454
It was copy/pasted from a hog/dog hunting board. I am not any involved in the hunt. I simply posted it as at the time there were many here at TFL/Hunt going back and forth that
A)Hogs are just piggies
B)Hogs are dangerous game capable of inflicting serious injury.
It was an exciting hunt to be sure. I have never had these level of injury but been bitten several times and both junior and I have had britches torn. A little 60 pounder ran 'tween juniors legs and with one thrash of his head his little 3/4 inch tusks slashed his brand new jeans from knee to knee... Junior thought he had gotten castrated and didn't feel pain due to shock but on inspection he didn't even have a scratch...

Brent
 
Wowwwwwww, thanks for the link...holy crap!! The one that charged me was about 220 pounds, would have definitely done some damage on me!
 
HD, I wouldn't make the assertion that feral pigs aren't dangerous, but I'd guess most stories that involve injury or threat come from cornered, chased or injured hogs (perhaps even rabid). There are exceptions to every rule, and Mother Nature like to throw curve balls.

I'm sure you have killed many, many times the number of hogs our family has, so I will defer if you say unprovoked hogs are likely to attack.

BTW I'm eatin some of my latest pig as I type. Brined then smoked shoulder.
 
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Unprovoked and not cornered are very LOW risk... It is those wounded, cornered and provoked ones we worry of. I think as far as unprovoked the elephant is far more likely to attack.
Not that it isn't going to happen but I have never thought of a rabid hog until your post and I have been in rabies warning areas where the coons and wild dogs were mentioned... Maybe I better pay attention to that too.
Brent
 
I can share with you my personal experiences using a handgun to hunt boar and white tail deer size game. I always had good success using my Glock 20 in 10mm. For home defense I use the DoubleTap Gold Dot 165gr hp but for hunting the game listed above I use DoubleTap 200gr XTP, or DoubleTap Beartooth WFNGC 200gr to 230gr. The Beartooth WFN ammo will penetrate straight through white tail deer and hogs/boar from a radius of around point blank to 100 feet and create a small exit wound and leave a blood trail to chase the animal, but they do kill the animal. My friends have had better success using hollow points on smaller deer and hogs/boar. Best ammo I seen for quicker shock and knock down power on that size game are the Winchester Platinum Tip and Winchester Partition Gold which blow a hole around the size of a golf ball or bigger out the other end.
I personally think the best rounds to use for that size game is anything from 10mm, 45Long Colt, 41mag, 44mag, 50AE, 454 Casull with a good quality HP like the Platinum Tip and Partition Gold from Winchester.
 
P.S. My friend was using his Desert Eagle in 44mag using Platinum Tip's, it can hold 8 rounds of either 41mag or 44mag. You can also use the D.E. chambered in 50AE holding 7 rounds. Great gun for hunting small to medium size game. And I love how you can buy all three barrels for the DE as their option, you can convert your DE to 357, 44 mag or 50AE by purchasing their kit.

Magnum Research has so many great options for you to choose from and you can choose from so many different kinds of holsters whether you want hunting holsters outside your jacket or underneath, hip holsters and what not, I was impressed with Magnum Research's customer service and their catalogue for DE customer, they treat you first class especially for DE buyers.
 
P.S. If you're about to recommend a Desert Eagle, forget it. I'm not impressed with those unreliable Hollywood POS(sorry if I offended any owners).
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, I had too.

Seriously, my friend's DE is very reliable and dependable, just clean it after every use and it works fine, he's had his since 2000 with no problems, and if you take care of it like a 1911 you'll be fine. I just love the fact you can put 8 rounds of 44mag and 7 rounds of 50ae in a semi-auto magazine.
 
I've killed lots of hogs in Texas and have never had one charge. The ones we trap will ram the sides of the cage trying to get to you, but they've had plenty of time and reason to get crazy. never had one charge me in the woods. I've never wounded one either. Could you be charged, sure, but I wouldn't base my next handgun purchase based on that scenario. I carry a .45 colt blackhawk in the woods just b/c I like to shoot deer/hogs if they are close w/it. If you want a hunting handgun I say get a good .45 Colt,.44 Mag, .41 Mag (pick one) and have fun hunting. If I wanted a good all around gun for target shooting and possibly hunting with i'd go w/a good .357 Mag.
 
I am with publius on this too.... Nothin' wrong with getting a reason to buy another gun. One reason I suggested the .45ACP is that the 1911 is the coolest Auto loader platform on the face of the earth...:D
Brent
 
shot placement when under guned

I have hogs tearing up my ranch. I have NEVER seen one though. If I happen on one with a 22 MAG rifle or a 40 cal auto. Where should my shot placement be?

Do you bait them in? They come up to about 20 yards to the back of my house at night, but try as I might I have never gotten a flashlight one one.
Now coyotes and deer are a different story.

suggestions?

hope I haven't hijacked the thread
Thanks for any info.
 
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