Best long gun for feral pigs

[BrokenolMarine]

We are moving to the midwest, looking at small farms in the 30 to 60 acre range. We will be hobby farmers, I guess. I will be woodworking, reloading and shooting, and reading. Miss T will have a large garden, run a half dozen cows, dozen goats, dozen chickens, couple horses. 20 or 30 acres of hay. I have a couple 223 ARs, but they are carbines, more appropriate for close in work.
I would look for a scoped bolt gun for coyotes and problematic feral pigs.

My inclination is to go with .223 in the bolt gun to limit the calibers I deal with, but if that won't do the job on the pork? .308? .270? What say you with more experience? I haven't hunted in years. Other than things that shot back.

[GunnyGene]

One of my neighbors is into hog hunting in a big way. He prefers .308 for the job and I believe he normally uses a scoped M1A when he goes to his land in OK to thin them out. .223 is a little light for hog, imho, although proper placement in a small hog (130lbs or so) would likely get the job done. Trouble is that big tuskers are gonna need bigger bullets.

You might consider trapping, since that's really more effective for control purposes. What's the rules where you will be?

[BigAl52]

Marine
You will get alot of different answers here and Im sure all will be good. 223 will do it with good shot placement on the pigs. I get the not wanting more calibers I have to many now. But if it was me Id go for 243 or 308 for the extra range on the coyotes and more knock down power on those hogs. Those hogs are tough.

[Rifletom]

Marine, I think what Al said is pretty spot on. If you handload, the .308 will take care of coyotes and feral hogs. Lighter bullet for coyotes, heavier for hogs. In factory, 150-165gr for heavy, not sure what is offered in lighter factory rounds. I'll look around for you. I have plenty of time.

[brm4450]

.243 very versatile caliber

[John E Davies]

Depending on the terrain, a small farm might make me worry about sending an errant bullet into the neighbors property. What distances would you be shooting? If flat, consider a more short range cartridge. You also need to research the state laws for allowed calibers in case you want to hunt off your private property. I personally would wait until I saw the actual terrain before I decided on a gun or caliber.

What states are you considering? Midwest is pretty vague and represents a dozen states...

FYI a 30 acre square shape is less than 1200 feet on each side..... and a 60 acre square is about 1600 feet per side.

I don’t hunt either, so this is all theoretical....

John Davies
Spokane
WA

[Rifletom]

Hmm, Mr. Davies brings up some good points. In the meantime Marine, there are plenty of factory ammo options just from Midwayusa.com. Fed, Hornady, Nosler etc all make 150 and heavier and most have 110gr, 125 gr options. If you handload, you nave it made. I don't mind some handload questions for the .308. Be safe.

[bandit1250]

Several years back in fall turkey season I was hunting turkey/small game with my Sako 223 that I owned at that time. I was loaded with hand loads using 10 grs. of Unique and a 53 gr. bullet that chronographed at just under 2400 fps. This load would be more than a Hornet and maybe less than a 218 Bee. There was a fair amount of feral hogs in the area at that time. A pretty large group of hogs came by while I was waiting on a turkey and I shot two hogs with 1 shot each and they kicked their hind legs a little but never got back up after the shot. They were both in the 100- 120 lb size. I now use a Sako 222 with the same load of Unique in the fall and would not hesitate to shoot a hog with the right shot being available. Shot placement is key to all game shooting. The guy who owned the ground shot several with a 243 100 gr. factory load and never kept one down. He found the ones he shot when he saw the buzzards circling two days later. Shooting at the center of the hog or in the south end of a north bound hog more than likely won't get you one. By the way both were very fine eating.

[BrokenolMarine]

We are looking at OK and just over the line in KS. .As a former Marine and LE Firearms Instructor, I would always be sure of my backstop. The rifles I was thinking of would likely be the M1A in 308 or a nice Remington 700. I do reload, but I don't know if buying the conversion for my dillon would generate enough savings over buying factory ammo in bulk to recoup the cost of the setup for the press.

I am currently set up for 9mm, 38, 40, 45. But, I have extra dies and tool heads set up for i can swap out instantly for 9, 38 wadcutter, 38 semiwadcutter, 40, 45 semiwadcutter, and 45 ball. Back when I was shooting competition, I was shooting about 10,000 rounds a year, so rather than swap dies and powder drops in toolheads, and recalibrate, I had toolheads set for match loads for the various guns/classes.

I have read that Savage makes a very accurate bolt gun as well. Input?
Thanks.

[roddy]

If you're thinking Savage, and .223, I have read many positives on the model 25 Walking/Lightweight Varminter. I'm considering a .223 myself, and that one is in the running, along with a CZ 527. I'm leaning towards the CZ, with its set trigger and Walnut stock...

[bandit1250]

I have read that Savage makes a very accurate bolt gun as well. Input?
Thanks.

Out of the box a Savage rifle will shot as well or better than some guns that cost more money. Savage barrels are button rifled barrels and most other factory rifles are cold hammer forged. It is usually said that button or cut rifled barrels are more accurate. Most if not all target barrels are cut rifled or button process. I don't believe any competition barrels use hammer forged barrels. Of course hammer forging equipment is quite a big investment. Hammer forged is much faster to produce and faster is not usually better. The Savage has a very precise way of setting head space. They chamber the barrel screw it in until the gauge shoulder is against the chamber shoulder and tighten the barrel nut. I loaded for three Savage heavy varmint 223's I owned at the same time. Prairie dog rifles for Montana summer time hunts. I never ever had to change the die adjustments as all three were spot on with head space. Didn't have to worry about ammo mix ups. If you tried that with other brands you would have to change die adjustments from gun to gun or have 2 or three die sets. Savage rifles accuracy are from good to exceptional for mass produced over the counter rifles.

[MuddyWaters62]

This is the 2nd time I have tried to post this reply. My grandson bought a Savage Axis with the cheapo scope, about 2 years ago. He is a Pig Killin' Machine. He loves that .308. He started with 150gr and he changed to the Nosler BT 165gr. He thinks that the BT works a bit better on the older sows and boars. He got his fair share of pigs in 2018-2019 season. We killed 150+ pigs that year. We were at 55 by Christmas this past year. I know the GS has been a pig terrorist this spring since China Virus. He is in his Sophomore HS year. I have finally got most of the Honey-Dos done and the garden has been planted. We have snow peas, spinach, and swiss chard coming on. Tomatoes are starting to blossom. I guess I better get some 45 Boolits loaded up. I sure like my Henry BBB and it's companion Ruger Blackhawk in same 45. My best spots to hunt are short range in the bends of the Angelina River. I have plenty of brass and 255 gr Hard Cast boolits waiting on me to sit in front of my Dillon press to make them whole.

Muddy Waters

[Mags]

.
If you decide to go .223, I'd suggest using soft point ammo. FMJ can go clean through without causing enough fatal tissue damage, whereas the soft points will expand going through tissue.

[BrokenolMarine]

Most of our top candidates for new farms are in OK, and rural by choice. The OK laws let the landowners shoot the piggies year round on their property. No season, no permits, no limit. Nights are fine, spotlighting is allowed, as are nightvision, and thermal. If you are a Jedi, you may use the force. Not spelled out in the law, but implied. I think it falls under the, "Huge Problem, Kill them all," clause.

[JEBar]

as has already been mentioned, the distances you anticipate firing and the type of terrain .... for open shots reaching out 125 or more yards, 308 is a fine hunting caliber .... I've taken more bear, boar, deer and even elk with my 308 Browning BLR than with any other firearm .... if I was in the market today for a 308 I'd go with a Long Ranger .... with shots less than 125 yards and specially in thicker areas, I like a 44 Mag

you do have a great many options, I'm looking forward to following your selection process

[BrokenolMarine]

If I can find one, I may lean toward the M1A just because.
Because the Ooh Rah in my soul tells me to.
Because I shot match grade M14s in National Match competitions in the Corps out to 600 yards.
And because as a 16 year old, I carried one marching on the silent drill team in High School ROTC and lettered.


Yup, after I refamiliarize myself with that old warhorse, we would make a good pair, But...
I'll keep an open mind. I had a Sig with a Mannlicher stock and double set triggers and butter knife bolt that was evil up to 300 yards. 22-250 l think it was. It was beautiful.

[BigAl52]

I can attest to Savage rifles being shooters. I have one now and have had a 223 bolt gun in the past. A Savage 112. They both out of the box out shot any rifle I currently own.

[RanchRoper]

I think Al's new Hawken qualifies as the longest gun for pigs....

[Rifletom]

If I can find one, I may lean toward the M1A just because.
Because the Ooh Rah in my soul tells me to.
Because I shot match grade M14s in National Match competitions in the Corps out to 600 yards.
And because as a 16 year old, I carried one marching on the silent drill team in High School ROTC and lettered.


Yup, after I refamiliarize myself with that old warhorse, we would make a good pair, But...
I'll keep an open mind. I had a Sig with a Mannlicher stock and double set triggers and butter knife bolt that was evil up to 300 yards. 22-250 l think it was. It was beautiful.

Marine, that M1A is a solid idea! You'd be right at home with that one. There are other choices we've discussed, but, that M1A, oh yeah! I like it.