Hog Hunting With The AR-15

Discussion in 'Turf and Surf Hunting and Fishing' started by E.L., Feb 6, 2008.


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  1. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    A friend of mine invited me hog hunting in March, and while I have killed quite a few hogs, with my .300 Win Mag. ,my .270, and even a .45 ACP, I want to use my RRA AR-15 for this trip. Two things I am not sure of, are what bullet I should use, and what optics I should top with it. The hunting will be some stand, some riding around, a little walking, and even some by spotlight. Any ideas on bullets and optics to make this hunt more productive and fun?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 30, 2015
  2. Mountainman

    Mountainman Großes Mitglied Site Supporter+++

    Before I escaped from Commiefornia I shot quite a few wild boar using an AR-15 with a 3x9 scope. Even though not legal, I always used FMJ bullets to make sure the bullet would go through the animal, SP’s with a thin jacket would have probably blown up. Almost all were shot behind the ear and dropped in their tracks at ranges between 50 to 125 yards. The pigs were shot for meat and ranged from 125 to 175 pounds. I even shot a small (600 pound) buffalo in Oregon with the same results. Good luck on your hunt!!!
     
  3. melbo

    melbo Hunter Gatherer Administrator Founding Member

    Sounds like fun E.L.
    Maybe SS109? I'd go with Irons so you can brag louder later ;)
     
  4. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    I would figure the kind of sights you would want would depend on terrain. Whit is the terrain in the area you will be hunting?

    If its open area where shots are likely to be over 100 yards or varied terrain then an adjustable scope might be best. If its hilly or sparse growth where shots will be likely 25-100 or so then a 3x fixed would likely do well and if its mostly gonna be heavy groth where you arent likely to ever be able to see over 50 yards and shots are most likely gonna be up close and you might be on the ground close to a hog that could feel cornered I would go with a halodot scope that gets on target quicker.

    Then too, we dont even really have wild hogs around here and have never had a chance to hunt them so Im just going on a basic idea of what glass I figure works best for what general type of shooting.
     
  5. Seacowboys

    Seacowboys Senior Member Founding Member

    What experience that I have had with hogs are that they use cover really well, come out of no-where, and my Trijicon parallax free glass is about the quickest thing I know of for a fast and accurate target acquisition.
     
  6. the dog

    the dog Monkey+++

    this is why you need a pair of cur dogs and some snare wire and a rifle to still hunt with.the 3 of them will keep you in meat for sure and more.i bet the 223 with hunting point will blow a nice hole through the pig if shot behind the shoulder.please get some pic's of hogs you kill and the damage the 223 does.
     
  7. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    If I take anything I will take some pics. The shot placement will depend upon the pig, if it is a big Russian boar like I have killed before, I won't be shooting it in the shoulder area unless it is quartering away. I did that once before with a 140 gr. 270 and it knocked the hog down, but that was it. I killed him with another shot further back when the fence stopped him long enough for me to get a bead on him. When I skinned him out the .270 did not even penetrate the plate, it just gouged out a crease, then was deflected. Now I did shoot a little bit smaller pig the following year with my .300 Win. Mag, and that time it did penetrate the shoulder. I won't even think about it with the 5.56, unless it is just a feral hog. I am contemplating just putting a 3x9 on it, either a Nikon or a Leupold with quick detach mounts. That way during the day I can use the advantage of the variable power scope, and at night use the sights. I am going to put a set of night sights on it, at least the tritium front post.
     
  8. CarsandGuns

    CarsandGuns Monkey+

    To carry the topic a little further: what do you all think about using 55gr penetrator rounds. My line of thinking is that it would have no problem penetrating the skull or working it's way though any tough gristle on body shots.

    I've also heard plenty of stories about hogs charging. I would think the semi-auto riffle would be better for use than reaching for a sidearm. One could get off many more shots before even the best trained weapons expert would go through the process of dropping the AR, reaching for the sidearm, aiming and firing. [drooling]
     
  9. VisuTrac

    VisuTrac Ваша мать носит военные ботинки Site Supporter+++

    We pretty much can not hunt, threaten or harm hogs here in Michigan. Something about killing elected officials. I guess it's too easy to put them down because they are always listening to themselves bloviate through megaphones making it easy to locate them, and with them bent over all the time picking up the money that's thrown at them they are not paying attention.

    [cow]
     
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  10. Disciple

    Disciple Monkey+

    E.L. be ready to fire a second or third shot just in case cause some of them suckers just wont go go down on the first shot. Some 400 lb boars will take a .308 so be ever ready and ever vigilant. and most of all good luck.
     
  11. BAT1

    BAT1 Cowboys know no fear

    Shot placement, 69-77gr pills in the head or neck, the shoulder is thick, and carry a 44 too.
     
  12. Disciple

    Disciple Monkey+

    last time I went hog hunting I was hunting with a 44 mag. for a backup the guide that took me had a 12 gauge with slugs, and his son carried a rifle. so it can get hairy out there. specialy if there are more than one huge hog in the bunch. I had one hog to charge after I popped him good, the guide shot and put him down. thank god. it truly was a scary moment. I swear, but what made the best was getting that hog back to the camp and roasting it over an open spit. even a 350 lb russian tastes pretty dad gum good bbq'ed.
     
  13. franks71vw

    franks71vw Monkey+++

    I thought you can shot a hog with anything...??
     
  14. VisuTrac

    VisuTrac Ваша мать носит военные ботинки Site Supporter+++

    You can. It depends on shot placement. You can kill them with a sharp stick but i don't want to get that close.
     
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  15. johnjmw

    johnjmw Monkey+

    Even Ohio has open Hog hunting, no rules and no restrictions. They have not gotten close enough to my place for me to want to try yet, but they are spreading.
     
  16. Dubs Chops

    Dubs Chops Monkey+

    I would stick with 68gr or heavier if you have a barrel that will stabilize it. if youjust have a 1 in 9 twist barrel stick with 68gr
     
  17. ISplatU

    ISplatU Monkey+

    Fussion brand .223 bullets worked great for me for deer hunting. It went clean through both deer I used them on. It is made to expand but not break apart. At over 3000 FPS, I bet a hog would not know what hit it.
     
  18. content

    content On Hiatus Banned

    60 gr Nosler Partitions work fine. the shoulder shot is stupid with any load, on any critter, really. it is too likely to be stopped or deflected by heavy bones, and it destroys too much meat. Aim for both lungs, behind the shoulder, and your Noslers will exit anything short of a monster hog. Military fmj's are a very, very bad idea. Not enough blood loss will be caused, unless you use the 55 gr "ball' and keep the ranges inside 100 yds, (20" barrel). Even then , the tumbling, fragmenting bullet will not exit the far side of the hog, so you will have no blood trail to follow, and the lack of an exit wound means it will take the hog longer to die, since there will likely be no lung collapse from the exit hole letting in the air.
     
  19. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Which beggars the question, why would the entrance hole not let in air?
     
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  20. Tikka

    Tikka Monkey+++

    Can you spell sucking chest wound?

    That is a classic.

    I stand in appreciative awe.
     
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