Wild Boar 'varmint' gun?

James Howlett

James Howlett

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Ok so a co-worker is apparently getting a 'varmint' gun from her hubby on her birthday, she doesn't know the make/type/caliber but I'm curious as to what it could be.
She's moving to an area that has wild boar and that's the expected target, so *at least* a large enough caliber to take down a boar.
We told her request he get you a pink gun since it's for you ;)

My question: What is it/what would you get?

P.S. I don't know if I'll ever get her answer on what it is/was but hopefully I will.
 
I shot some in the spring, one was 350 pounds, so there is no way I'd hunt - or shoot them as varmits - with anything less than a 30 caliber rifle or a 12 guage with 00 buck or rifled slugs. They shoot em in the states with .223 but they have high capacity mags. The big boars have a cartilage plate that surrounds thier shoulders and vitals. On the one I shot it was a full 1 " thick, under a hide that was also at least 1" thick.
 
My "varmint" rifle is a .223 but my boar rifle is a Russian SKS. If the 5 rounds of 7.62x39 don't stop it, the bayonet will! lol On a serious note, I picked up a sporterized 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser with a cut down stock for my wife. I'd trust it for boars with good 120-140 grain bullets and 90-10 grain for varmints.
 
From my Google searching I'd say boar and varmint aren't the same class at all (or blow the sh*t out of the varmint maybe)

I'm surprised to see 12ga in here, I didn't think boars were THAT tough, but then again I've never come across a boar in a dark alley. I have seen 223 mentioned in my search though.
I really hope I find out what gun this ends up being bc she's not a shooter (yet) so I doubt the hubby will get her something crazy, but this may be an excuse for him to get himself something so you never know.

I do like the SKS option though, if the rounds don't kill 'em the bayo will ;)

223 can do the job with the right shot but for a newish shooter how likely is that?
I'm thinking a 30-30/30-06 as a 'normal' minimum?
 
I shot all my boar running with a 12 gauge and slug but 270, 280, 30 caliber will do the trick. If you shoot small boar at close distance and stopped a smaller caliber should work.
 
SHELL SHUCKER said:
Check out the cool videos on the Gamo USA site on hog huntin'
with .177 & .22 airguns. The piggies couldn't tell if they were
hit with a pellet gun or a .308! :eek:
Click to expand...

I had to see it to believe it. I have read about guys using "high powered"pellet guns to shoot rabbits and even a fox in Australia.

In the video he hits the pig in the brain for an instant kill. It is probably the best option to kill one. I can't imaging a body shot would kill very quickly and effectively.
 
a nice 308 rifle with some 140 gr or even some federal fushion reduced recoil rounds. they are 170. but belive me you donot want a 223 or even and other 22 cal rifle when bore hunting because that little 62 grin bullet wont even make it into the vitals of a 350 pound hog.
 
I talk to a bunch of guys who are serious about their hog hunting in the US.

Most of them favor the 223 with a tsx of some flavor or another, with the 53gr being a favorite, as well as the 60gr. Enough of them kill them with 50gr vmax's that I'd not be too worried about it too much either.

22-250 being a close second, as well as a 243.....
 
if this is still of interest there's a great article in June's "Guns and Ammo" entitled "Hog Specific,"that talks of .308 and .223 for hog huning. Have a look, it focuses on ammo but its a good read none-the-less.
 
I'm likely going back to hunt them early next year and I'll be taking along my 12 guage again. Its a bow/ shotgun area but, if I had an option, I'd likely use a .308 or a .30-30. I've seen these things up close in the bush and the big ones are intimidating to say the least.

They are surprizingly fast, quiet, and agile, in closed country and there's no way I'd want to face down a wounded boar with anything less than the above if I was shooting hogs that are 200+ pounds. IMHO if you were after smaller "meat" hogs - 70 to say 150 pounds - I think that a .243 or similar would be suitable. I shot a 120 pound sow with a 12 guage last year, at approx 25 yards. While it dropped her in her tracks, the slug produced a significant exit wound that took a big chunk of shoulder along with it.

Lets face it though, whatever you use to drop them, there's no arument that they taste good and are fun to shoot !!
 
I shot two with a 17 Rem FB. Both were head shots. I would consider the .223 to be on the lower end of the scale if I was going out specifically for them. I talked to a buddy of mine today and we might go this weekend to an area where they are a bit of a problem right now. I'll take the XCR with a few 10 round mags just in case we come across a few flocks of them.
 
.243 with a well constructed bullet. 12gauge slug gun would be what id bring. like a tar-hunt. that would be some good old fun
 
The only one I shot was with a .300 Win, I don't remember it even kicking. I did headshoot a warthog with a .375 H&H if that counts.

We're planning on hammering up the pigs in Australia come August. They shoot thousands of feral pigs on that ranch, usually with the cheapest Federal 150s in a .308 or 30-06. Order 'em by the pallet.
 
I carry 2 guns on the side by side ATV for wild boar, one is an 870 with an extended mag and slug barrel and the other is a 742 Carbine in 308. The only problem is that I never see any! There was a whole bunch let loose from a farm near here quite a number of years ago, but they have all ventured further away or are so far back in the swamps now. Some folks around say there are still some around, but they only come out in the dark!
 
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