Planning a Hog hunting trip that I want to use my 686 with 8 3/8” Barrel. According to the guide they have blinds where shots will be 100 yds and under. Got plenty of time so I want to work up some loads and practice. Depending on who you ask, some suggest JHP for expansion and others suggest JSP for penetration. Have shot Hornady XTP and Speer Deep Curl in 158gr both very accurate in the 1200fps range. Most of the hogs taken at this place are 250lb and down but there are some monsters on the property. Anyone had any experience with.357 on hogs?
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.357 Mag Load for Hog Hunting Suggestions?
- Thread starter Eddietruett
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elpac3
Member
Try a 170 cast Keith ahead of 13.5 grains of 2400. Give me 1200 FPS from my 4” model 19. Bullet retains its shape and penetrates very well.
Check out the hard-cast lead loads produced by Buffalo Bore. It's good stuff. I would think for hogs you want to avoid expanding bullets and go for penetration.
THE PILGRIM
Member
Big and solid.
You want all the Penetration you can get.
I wish I could be there to back you up!
If we are going 357, probably also a 686 for me too.
You want all the Penetration you can get.
I wish I could be there to back you up!
If we are going 357, probably also a 686 for me too.
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Copy the Buffalo Bore load and then make it a little hotter?
Buffalo Bore makes two lead free .357 magnum rounds. One uses a 140 grain Barnes XPB bullet and the factory clocks it at 1550 fps. The other uses a 125 grain Barnes XPB and the factory clocks it at 1650 fps.
If I was deliberately bringing one of my L frames (M586 6" I reckon) to hunt hogs as opposed to rifle hunting with the revolver as back up I'd probably go with the heavier bullet. It seems fast enough.
Hard cast lead does sound like an even better choice, now that someone mentioned it.
Buffalo Bore makes two lead free .357 magnum rounds. One uses a 140 grain Barnes XPB bullet and the factory clocks it at 1550 fps. The other uses a 125 grain Barnes XPB and the factory clocks it at 1650 fps.
If I was deliberately bringing one of my L frames (M586 6" I reckon) to hunt hogs as opposed to rifle hunting with the revolver as back up I'd probably go with the heavier bullet. It seems fast enough.
Hard cast lead does sound like an even better choice, now that someone mentioned it.
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old&slow
Member
I've never hunted hogs, so my opinion doesn't count for much.
A .357 might not be my first choice... If I were to use a .357 I would probably go with a 158 to 170 gr.
hard cast coated or gas check SWC , or a 158 to 170 gr JSP, with a healthy dose of 2400.
( I don't really care for W296 or H110 but there are lots of folks that do)
My 158 gr SWC & RNFP, 2400 loads chronos at 1250 fps out of my 4" revolver and 1677 fps out of my 16" m92 Rossi. I figure a 8" 686 would be somewhere in the middle.
The .357 is one of my favorite calibers and 2 or 3 well placed .357s would probably get about anything attention.. But, I'd probably op for a .41 or .44
A .357 might not be my first choice... If I were to use a .357 I would probably go with a 158 to 170 gr.
hard cast coated or gas check SWC , or a 158 to 170 gr JSP, with a healthy dose of 2400.
( I don't really care for W296 or H110 but there are lots of folks that do)
My 158 gr SWC & RNFP, 2400 loads chronos at 1250 fps out of my 4" revolver and 1677 fps out of my 16" m92 Rossi. I figure a 8" 686 would be somewhere in the middle.
The .357 is one of my favorite calibers and 2 or 3 well placed .357s would probably get about anything attention.. But, I'd probably op for a .41 or .44
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Protocall_Design
Vendor
I would go with 160 to 180 hard cast lead or FMJ bullet. A very good magnum powder is H4227. I'm shooting that powder in the .44 mag with 300 gr. bullets, getting around 5" to 6" groups at 200 meters with an 8-3/8" 629.
You also won't have to worry......
You won't have to worry about over penetration in this case.
You won't have to worry about over penetration in this case.
cowboy4evr
Member
Yes I agree , a 180 gr hard cast bullet and a max charge of H 110 ( 13.5 grs) will do the job for you . The Keith 173 gr will work also .
bluetopper
Member
Expect it to run off and you having to track it down.
OP
Have you tried a coated 180gr or just hard cast?
cowboy4evr
Member
Never shot coated bullets . I cast / size / lube all my own .
Eddie Southgate
Member
+1 on what elpac3 said .
Eddie
Eddie
Dieseltech56
Member
I did a similar hunt last fall and let me tell you, most potential shots were not in my comfort range for a revolver, even with a long barrel sight radius. I was thinking 50yds would be the norm. They weren't, it was more like 75-100yds and the hogs we were watching didn't stop moving long enough to get a good shot off.
I had thoughts of taking my 629-4 8 3/8" with open sights but ultimately I opted for a rifle, a 1895GS. The last week before the trip I broke down and put a scope on it. I made the right choice, with lighting conditions when we hunted early in the morning a handgun would have given me a strong disadvantage.
Even with the 45-70 I had a nice 250lb+ boar run off and we had to track it. Found it again, still alive and well, shot again through the shoulders and it ran off again but dropped about 50 yds away. Both shots fully exited but the first was too high to do any real damage. Both shots I could have never made with a handgun and I would feel very underpowered with a .357.
That being said I shoot a home cast 180 grain WFNGC bullet out of my Rossi 92 with 14.5gr H110. I have not shot any of these out of a revolver so I'm really not sure how hot they are. I would start with 13.5 grains and if it doesn't seem too crazy don't be afraid to work up a little.
I had thoughts of taking my 629-4 8 3/8" with open sights but ultimately I opted for a rifle, a 1895GS. The last week before the trip I broke down and put a scope on it. I made the right choice, with lighting conditions when we hunted early in the morning a handgun would have given me a strong disadvantage.
Even with the 45-70 I had a nice 250lb+ boar run off and we had to track it. Found it again, still alive and well, shot again through the shoulders and it ran off again but dropped about 50 yds away. Both shots fully exited but the first was too high to do any real damage. Both shots I could have never made with a handgun and I would feel very underpowered with a .357.
That being said I shoot a home cast 180 grain WFNGC bullet out of my Rossi 92 with 14.5gr H110. I have not shot any of these out of a revolver so I'm really not sure how hot they are. I would start with 13.5 grains and if it doesn't seem too crazy don't be afraid to work up a little.
Confederate Tyrant
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I haven't gotten a chance to use these loads on any game, but here are the two loads I worked up for my 6" 686+:
*WARNING - USER'S PERSONAL LOAD DATA - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK*
13gr of Vihtavuori N110 with a Cast Performance 187gr WFN bullet with an OAL of 1.6-1.61".
13.5gr of Vihtavuori N110 with a 170gr Keith SWC (T&B Bullets) bullet with an OAL of 1.65-1.66".
Both loads use Federal small rifle primers.
*WARNING - USER'S PERSONAL LOAD DATA - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK*
13gr of Vihtavuori N110 with a Cast Performance 187gr WFN bullet with an OAL of 1.6-1.61".
13.5gr of Vihtavuori N110 with a 170gr Keith SWC (T&B Bullets) bullet with an OAL of 1.65-1.66".
Both loads use Federal small rifle primers.
Rpg
Member
Forget any expanding bullet for this application.
You want a hard cast swc or Keith bullet weighing 158 gr or more.
Velocity in the 1,100-1,200 fps range is fine.
Not only do you want great penetration, you want a bullet that will smash heavy bones and keep on going.
You need to break big, structural bones (shoulder, pelvis, spine) or a cns hit to drop one on the spot or anchor one to the spot.
Have a good hunt! Sounds like you’ll have fun.
You want a hard cast swc or Keith bullet weighing 158 gr or more.
Velocity in the 1,100-1,200 fps range is fine.
Not only do you want great penetration, you want a bullet that will smash heavy bones and keep on going.
You need to break big, structural bones (shoulder, pelvis, spine) or a cns hit to drop one on the spot or anchor one to the spot.
Have a good hunt! Sounds like you’ll have fun.
I have loaded the old style Speer 160gr Lwc/Jacket bullet out of
my M19 and 6" 686 with a maximum load to take down BIG Nevada Mule Deer, inside of 75 yards.
A heavy lead WC tip should do the job, better than a copper HP that expands and will not penetrate
as much as a solid design, if you hit a shoulder bone.
All the better if you can get them into 50 yards, though.
Got Knee pads ?
Have fun.
my M19 and 6" 686 with a maximum load to take down BIG Nevada Mule Deer, inside of 75 yards.
A heavy lead WC tip should do the job, better than a copper HP that expands and will not penetrate
as much as a solid design, if you hit a shoulder bone.
All the better if you can get them into 50 yards, though.
Got Knee pads ?
Have fun.
XTP's are good bullets,, but in this case Id go for a hard cast 158 plus.
2400 is perfect burn rate for this application.
Aim for the shoulders for an anchor shot, vs a heart lung,, kill but run off shot
Right now I am experimenting with 180gr flat nosed Missouri Coated hardcast for bowling pins. Probably be an ok pig load.. Pigs are tough though.. Ideally a heavier gun would be in order
2400 is perfect burn rate for this application.
Aim for the shoulders for an anchor shot, vs a heart lung,, kill but run off shot
Right now I am experimenting with 180gr flat nosed Missouri Coated hardcast for bowling pins. Probably be an ok pig load.. Pigs are tough though.. Ideally a heavier gun would be in order
Benchrest1
Member
Heavy hard cast bullets with a lot of 110 or 2400 is the way I would go.
Davinman
Member
I have taken 2 hogs with handguns, a 150 pounder with a 357mag, and a 200 pounder with a 454 casull. the 357mag did the job well with a 158gr swc & 15gr of 2400 powder, but the casull with a 265gr CPB LBT bullet & 35gr lil gun knocked the living heck outta that hog @ 50 yards. hardcast bullets are the way to go, a 357 will do the job fine but i would prefer to stay with a larger caliber than a 357mag if i were to do it again.
