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Q:
I'm going hog hunting in Texas. I have limited options on what to use. What would be the best gun to bring out of these.
30-06 w scope
243 w scope
45-70 lever action without scope
Would really appreciate it if I could get some opinions from experienced boar hunters. Thanks
Question by Cannonball. Uploaded on October 28, 2009
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Answers (25)
i'm not a boar hunter but from a hunter's standpoint i would take the 30-06. it is an all around amazing cartridge and can drop the boar in its tracks..you dont want to be tracking a boar..also the '06 will give you a great range for a shot
I havent hunted boar myself either. But I have seen what a 30-06 will do to a deer at 100 yds. I have also seen what a 45-70 will do at 50 yards it a big hole! If your gonna be runnin through the brush i would go with the lever action. I use one in a 32 special. Great lightweight brush gun. Accurate out to 100 no prob, the 45-70 is a little larger and not as much of a distance shot. Thats where your 06 would come into play.
30/06,most versitle caliber
30-06 with scope seems like the most reasonable choice here. I wouldn't go as small as a .243 with an animal as dangerous as a boar.
Sling the '06 and carry the 45-70. Shoot 'em with the lever gun while you can, and grab the '06 for the ones that are out a ways. Hog hunting is a great excuse to carry two rifles, and our government has provided us with two great cartridges for those rifles.
If it's thick and brushy, go with the 45-70. If it is more open and longer shots, go with the 30-06.
in texas you'll have long shots, go with the 06.
30-06
I hunt hogs alot on my our property near austin. I would use the 45-70 if you think youll be hunting in heavy brush. I usually use my 44 mag. But if you dont know what kind of terrain your gonna be in you should use the 06 because it is much more versatile. good luck!
I'd say go with the 06. cover's more "ground" brush/open lands. You'll need a QUALITY round for the tuskers though. We have used the .243 with "fusion" rounds on the sml. hogs here in Ark.
Good luck, Good Hunting, and BE CAREFUL ! ! They CAN kill you !
30-06 with a 150-165 grain any soft point will do you a fantastic job.
30/06 has probably killed more species of medium to Large animals than any other.
I do alot of hog hunting in South Central Texas and the 30-06 will do just fine. I've taken many hogs with my old 06 and have never had any problems. Good luck on your hunt. You'll have fun.
My wife shot her first hog a couple weeks ago with a 17 hmr right through temple at 50 yards. Dropped like a rock. That being said I wouldnt recommend using a 17 lol. If your shooting behind the shoulder i would prob want the 30-06 If your head shooting either one will do the job, so i would take whichever you feel the most comfortable with and shoot where you feel the most comfortable.
ive killed feral hogs with a bow,30/30,30/06,243 and 50cal blk pwder.
30-06 all the way
The 30-06 with a 180 grain or larger bullet is the most versatile but the 45-70 will do the job too. Although you can kill a boar with a .22 long rifle targeted right under the ear, there is litterly no hope of stopping a charging 300 pound+ boar with one. After having been charged by two 300 lb + critters myself, I am all for stopping power and no longer hunt on the ground with a .44 Magnum. They attack FAST and they are deadly slashers. A 12 gauge slug will drop one as will a 30-06 or 45-70. It would not surprise me at all to see a 100 grain .243 stick in their shield without even penetrating the hide. Any of these will kill a hog if you get the right shot... if he is charging you, you want a heavy bullet. If you hunt hogs, you should be prepared for the charge of a VERY dangerous animal (unless your PH puts you up off the ground in a stand for the hunt).
Long range or short, the old ought six is the number one choice for this kind of work. The wild boar is often called "the poor man's grizzly bear", and the last thing you need to worry about is destroying too much meat.
As an afterthought I might add that if a hunter's only rifle was a .243, he would probably be OK provided he could pass up on the iffy shots and wait for a perfect braodside.
a 30-06 would bring them down like a ton of bricks. good luck.
i too would use the 30-06.
45-70 lever is my favorite gun of all time but more suitable in only a limited number of scenarios -- like a charge as mentioned above... The 30-06 would be much more versatile, especially with a scope and the potential for longer shots.
If you are in the southern half of texas the 45-70 if you are in the the northern part of texas use the 30-06. with the 45-70 or 30-06 use the best loads(hornady makes some nice ones for 45-70) and for the 30-06 use atleast 180 grain bullets.
I have taken down 3 hogs:
the first with a 22 mag in the head. didnt even take a step
the second and third with a 30-06 body shots they both died withing 2 yards
i plan to try with a 17 hmr
I have always used a 223 and have never had a problem, but the 30-06 will surely knock them out.
I'm going to Texas this November to hog hunt and had the very same questions.Thanks for your answers.I will be taking my 30-06.
Post an Answer
If it's thick and brushy, go with the 45-70. If it is more open and longer shots, go with the 30-06.
30-06 with scope seems like the most reasonable choice here. I wouldn't go as small as a .243 with an animal as dangerous as a boar.
i'm not a boar hunter but from a hunter's standpoint i would take the 30-06. it is an all around amazing cartridge and can drop the boar in its tracks..you dont want to be tracking a boar..also the '06 will give you a great range for a shot
I havent hunted boar myself either. But I have seen what a 30-06 will do to a deer at 100 yds. I have also seen what a 45-70 will do at 50 yards it a big hole! If your gonna be runnin through the brush i would go with the lever action. I use one in a 32 special. Great lightweight brush gun. Accurate out to 100 no prob, the 45-70 is a little larger and not as much of a distance shot. Thats where your 06 would come into play.
Sling the '06 and carry the 45-70. Shoot 'em with the lever gun while you can, and grab the '06 for the ones that are out a ways. Hog hunting is a great excuse to carry two rifles, and our government has provided us with two great cartridges for those rifles.
30/06,most versitle caliber
in texas you'll have long shots, go with the 06.
30-06
I hunt hogs alot on my our property near austin. I would use the 45-70 if you think youll be hunting in heavy brush. I usually use my 44 mag. But if you dont know what kind of terrain your gonna be in you should use the 06 because it is much more versatile. good luck!
I'd say go with the 06. cover's more "ground" brush/open lands. You'll need a QUALITY round for the tuskers though. We have used the .243 with "fusion" rounds on the sml. hogs here in Ark.
Good luck, Good Hunting, and BE CAREFUL ! ! They CAN kill you !
30-06 with a 150-165 grain any soft point will do you a fantastic job.
30-06 all the way
The 30-06 with a 180 grain or larger bullet is the most versatile but the 45-70 will do the job too. Although you can kill a boar with a .22 long rifle targeted right under the ear, there is litterly no hope of stopping a charging 300 pound+ boar with one. After having been charged by two 300 lb + critters myself, I am all for stopping power and no longer hunt on the ground with a .44 Magnum. They attack FAST and they are deadly slashers. A 12 gauge slug will drop one as will a 30-06 or 45-70. It would not surprise me at all to see a 100 grain .243 stick in their shield without even penetrating the hide. Any of these will kill a hog if you get the right shot... if he is charging you, you want a heavy bullet. If you hunt hogs, you should be prepared for the charge of a VERY dangerous animal (unless your PH puts you up off the ground in a stand for the hunt).
30/06 has probably killed more species of medium to Large animals than any other.
I do alot of hog hunting in South Central Texas and the 30-06 will do just fine. I've taken many hogs with my old 06 and have never had any problems. Good luck on your hunt. You'll have fun.
My wife shot her first hog a couple weeks ago with a 17 hmr right through temple at 50 yards. Dropped like a rock. That being said I wouldnt recommend using a 17 lol. If your shooting behind the shoulder i would prob want the 30-06 If your head shooting either one will do the job, so i would take whichever you feel the most comfortable with and shoot where you feel the most comfortable.
ive killed feral hogs with a bow,30/30,30/06,243 and 50cal blk pwder.
Long range or short, the old ought six is the number one choice for this kind of work. The wild boar is often called "the poor man's grizzly bear", and the last thing you need to worry about is destroying too much meat.
As an afterthought I might add that if a hunter's only rifle was a .243, he would probably be OK provided he could pass up on the iffy shots and wait for a perfect braodside.
a 30-06 would bring them down like a ton of bricks. good luck.
i too would use the 30-06.
45-70 lever is my favorite gun of all time but more suitable in only a limited number of scenarios -- like a charge as mentioned above... The 30-06 would be much more versatile, especially with a scope and the potential for longer shots.
If you are in the southern half of texas the 45-70 if you are in the the northern part of texas use the 30-06. with the 45-70 or 30-06 use the best loads(hornady makes some nice ones for 45-70) and for the 30-06 use atleast 180 grain bullets.
I'm going to Texas this November to hog hunt and had the very same questions.Thanks for your answers.I will be taking my 30-06.
I have always used a 223 and have never had a problem, but the 30-06 will surely knock them out.
I have taken down 3 hogs:
the first with a 22 mag in the head. didnt even take a step
the second and third with a 30-06 body shots they both died withing 2 yards
i plan to try with a 17 hmr
Post an Answer