.223 ok for hogs??

[gantt]

Going hog hunting for the first time Friday night. Boss is taking me to his club. I was going to take my 30-30 since the moon was going to be bright enough to see through the scope. Now the forecast is calling for possible rain, and most likely overcast. My father was going to loan me his ruger mini 14 that has a good night vision scope. We only have fmj Ammo and a handful of that hollow point match Ammo that really does not expand much. Is a .223 Adequate? we will be hunting open area, and more than likely a head shot will be used. guys at work say fmj is fine for head shot.

 

[Hooked On Quack]

Yes !!

 

[gantt]

Front shot between the ears even with the ears? side shot aim for the ear hole??

 

[SC Hunter]

Take the 223 with the night vision scope, load said rifle with the hollow point match ammo and shoot them in the ear. It will kill them no doubt about it.

 

[stonecreek]

223 will work fine. Good luck

 

[gantt]

Sounds good. I’m going to shoot it tomorrow to get used to it, and make sure it hasn’t gotten off sight while being stored. We don’t shoot this rifle often.

 

[crackerdave]

Good luck....hope you get a whopper!

 

[GeorgiaGlockMan]

223/556 will kill them deader than dead.

 

[bfriendly]

Yassss! Have fun and Good luck!

 

[lampern]

Military spec FMJ ammo should fragment inside the hog's body and cause damage.

 

[tracker12]

Not that a 223 won't work but I would Take the 30-30

 

[Kestas69]

.223 will work. Have used 62 gr Fusion on several occasions. Always shooting to the neck. Very often they are constantly moving. Step forward or back you are still in the kill zone.

 

[sea trout]

Same situation for us last year on a planned hog hunt. My friends came down and we intended to use 30-30 and 243 but the night vision scope we got only would mount to the rail on our 223. But it killed this boar dead.
Good luck!!

 

[chase870]

I shoot a pigs at night a good bit and the 223 / 5.56 will kill them. I prefer a heaver jacketed soft point bullet 62 to 75 grain. Head shots kill and I have had satisfactory results with body shots with the heavier jacketed bullets

 

[Curtis]

So Gnatt, how did it go? Any luck?

 

[gantt]

We

So Gnatt, how did it go? Any luck?

saw a raccoon. Lol but the cams were loaded the next day with every pig in the county. I scored a German starlight scope. Supposed to be safe for a full auto .308 recoil level so it should work great on my 30-06. hoping to go again soon. Coyote hunting is on my radar now as well.

 

[chrislibby88]

62 gr federal fusion and 64 gr winchester deer season rounds work great. I know it’s too late to find those, but they work very well.

I would shoot those open tip match rounds. They will expand more than you think.

 

[ditchdoc24]

I would shoot those open tip match rounds. They will expand more than you think.

I agree with this. I use hollow point match ammo in my AR-10 for hogs and they work great. I shot a big boar in the right ham with one while it was quartering hard away from me. The bullet went through the hog and stopped in the left shoulder. He went another 30 yards and piled up. Never used them in .223 but I think the performance of the bullet would be similar.

 

[chrislibby88]

I agree with this. I use hollow point match ammo in my AR-10 for hogs and they work great. I shot a big boar in the right ham with one while it was quartering hard away from me. The bullet went through the hog and stopped in the left shoulder. He went another 30 yards and piled up. Never used them in .223 but I think the performance of the bullet would be similar.

My brother shoots .308 Sierra match king and has nice results on deer.