Handgun for Hogs & Pigs

I've never hunted hogs but if I did I'd probably go with a my Model 57 or my Ruger SBH with 10.5" bull barrel in .44mag. With either I'd also pack my Buck 651 "Pigsticker".

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It was designed for hog hunting in Australia and I believe has been used there with much success plus it just looks very cool and it's a Buck.

Same knife compared to a standard Buck Nighthawk.

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In my experience wild pigs die easy. Any hit in the boiler room kills. Mostly now I use a 223 with Barnes copper bullets (thank you California Condor). Anything 9mm 38 Special up is fine. Lots die from 22 mag. At my cousins in Texas I saw a 100 pound sow killed with a 17 mag rim fire. The only time I have ever heard of pigs getting agressive is when they are cornered.
 
If the hog is making fairly regular appearances, I would put out some bait, try to get an elevated position on him, and ear-hole him with something like a .22 Magnum. I have executed quite a few trapped hogs with the .22 Mag and it's very effective with a base of the ear shot.
 
I suggest a 629 44 Magnum for killing hogs. and I shoot them in the ear. I carry a Model 25-5 when i deer hunt, and have finished off many hogs with it. Longest shot I have made with the Model 25-5 is 30 yards. Recently I added a Rossi lever action in both 44 Magnum and 45 Colt. Sweet shooters both of them. Enjoy.

MrN
 
Interesting necro-thread.

I'd go with a 16" lever gun in 44 magnum. The (relatively) short barrel isn't going to make the 44 mag into an elephant stopper, it will only give you two or three hundred more FPS than a 6" or 7" revolver, and you can always use milder loads - like "cowboy" 44 magnum loads, or even 44 specials - if you want to limit it's ballisitics. BOth cowboy loads and 44 specials with 240gr bullets are common and easy to find.

The reason I'd go with the short lever action is that they are very handy, relatively light, and most people can shoot even a short rifle much more accurately than a handgun. That alone should reduce the likelyhood of a bullet ending up going somewhere you don't want it to.

JMO.
 
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I’ve seen buckshot fail to penetrate especially a front on shot to the chest. Use slugs. Penetration is the key. I’ve had success with 180gr coated lead flat point in 357 but the best bullet I’ve tried is the Lehigh Penetrator especially in 357. it will break a shoulder if loaded hot enough at 50 yards, but a 44 mag with Lehigh penetrator or Lehigh and Cutting Edge Solid Copper Flat points are way better.
 
I would use a PCC, also. loaded with SWCs. Not that much more velocity in case of a wild shot or richochet, but much better aiming at up to 100 yds range. A 3x or 4x scope or red dot would do just fine. I made the point on another thread that I go from pistol to PCC to rifle, depending on the job/threat.
 
I did a javalina hunt in Texas some 35 years ago, and shot one with a .357 Magnum Ruger Blackhawk. It took three more rounds to kill the thing, I swear it was trying to kill me! ANYWAY, I had the head mounted (it had great tusks); some years later I gave it to my police chief who commented, "I want that! If you're going to be a pig, be a bad-ass pig!" He had it on the wall of his office for years....
 
kwselke said:
I carried my .454 Cassul a couple of times while hog hunting and then I realized the error of my ways. If you are hog hunting you need to be able to listen for them, as well as smell them, and see them. Firing a .454 without ear protection is not foolish, it is stupid. Hog hunting is fast action and you have to be ready to shoot when the shot presents itself. Trying to put ear protection in place is too slow if you are on foot. If you are in a stand and have time, use a rifle.
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Use electronic headphones. You can hear the hogs better and protect at the same time
 
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