The Hog Rifle

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What is the “perfect” hog rifle? Is there such a thing?

It’s just like me, I suppose, to ask a question that I really can’t answer…at least I can’t answer definitively. I do, however, have some ideas and opinions.

The first prerequisite is a rifle that shoots accurately. If you can’t hit a hog cleanly, in the vitals, then nothing else is really very important. The only variable in the rifle’s accuracy should be the shooter (YOU).

Unfortunately, this doesn’t narrow the field very much. There are a LOT of accurate rifles on the market today. You don’t have to pay a fortune for a good centerfire that will consistently shoot MOA groups with the right ammo.

But accuracy isn’t much good if the gun doesn’t have enough power to cleanly kill the animal. Hogs are tough, and I’ve seen some hogs absorb hits from a 30-06 without so much as a flinch. I also know of (but have never witnessed) a lot of guys who claim instant, clean kills with much lighter calibers than I would ever dream of… stuff like the .243, .22-250, or even the .223 (5.56).

There can be a lot of factors, but I believe that if you must err, err on the side of caution. I prefer not only the possibility of a clean, quick kill, but also something that’s going to create a significant blood trail, in the event that the shot doesn’t go quite right and I have to follow the animal. I also want something that will penetrate the thick bones and shoulder plate of a big boar.

With that in mind, I generally recommend the more powerful .30 caliber rifles. The .308, 30-06, and .300 Winchester Magnum are well represented in recent “Favorite Hog Caliber” poll for good reason… they’re effective under almost all conditions, and from big boars to “meat hogs”. Of the three mentioned, the 30-06 is well known as one of the most versatile hunting cartridges of all time, and if someone asked me what rifle to get for hunting everything from coyotes to moose, that would be the one I’d choose.

The .270 got a lot of votes on that poll too, by the way… and it’s a great caliber… ideal for deer and antelope, good for hogs, and acceptable in a pinch for elk. I wouldn’t advise anyone against the .270 if they asked, but it wouldn’t be my own first choice. There are several other sub-30 caliber rounds that would also be acceptable or even perfect, but the simple fact that they don’t spring instantly to mind tells you where I place them on my personal list.

So with accuracy and power, what else is there? What about long-range shooting?

Well, I’m not a fan of shooting long distances. Most hunters have no business shooting more than 200 yards, even with modern rifles and optics. They don’t practice those shots enough, and for the most part, they can’t tell the difference between 150 yards and 300 yards. Almost any of the calibers I’ve mentioned so far would be fine at those ranges.

Hog hunting and hog habitat vary pretty widely across the country… even across the state of CA where I do most of my own hunting. I’ve shot or shot at hogs at distances ranging from about 10 yards to over 225. For that kind of wide variety, I like a quick-handling rifle that’s chambered in something that will stretch out, but won’t just punch through or blow-up on the close-range shots. (Actually, those surprise close-ups are the reason I carry the .44mag revolver…)

If I were hunting a place with more close shots, such as the Hawaiian jungles, then an open-sighted, close-range levergun, like the Model 94 Winchester, in .30-30 would be an excellent option. A semi-automatic carbine chambered in something like .308 or 30-06 would also be good, although I feel that semi-autos tend to encourage spray-and-pray shooting… especially in less experienced hunters.

Speaking of action types, which one is “best”?

That’s partly a personal choice and partly a question of hunting style and habitat. Back east, I was a really big fan of lever-actions. My little 30-30 was perfect for the swamps and pocosin, where I often had to shoot fast, and have a quick back-up. Some folks say a levergun isn’t as accurate as some other action types, but I have a .243 BLR (Browning Lever Action) that would put a quick stop to that kind of talk.

As I mentioned, I’m not a fan of the semi-autos, although they are pretty popular in some parts of the country. Pump-action rifles are pretty cool and useful in the same applications as lever guns. Unfortunately, this configuration never seemed to catch on in big-game rifles, and I believe the Remington 7600 and variants is about the only option available there.

Since moving to the West a little over a decade ago, I’ve become a big fan of bolt action rifles. While there can still be a lot of quick action in tight quarters, we also have a fair amount of longer range shots. Quick follow-up doesn’t seem to be as important here. Bolt actions are also generally the most reliable and accurate under a wide variety conditions, and they’re available in a huge array of calibers and configurations.

There are a few other choices, of course. Single-shot rifles like the Ruger #1 and the NEF Handi-Rifle occasionally show up in the field. However, even a well-hit hog sometimes needs more than one bullet, which puts the single-shot at a little too much of a disadvantage for my tastes. Double rifles are pretty cool, and I’d love to have one. However, the price and selection is a big limiting factor there.

So, with all that said, where does that leave us? Well, in my own opinion, “perfect” is way too much of a limitation. Perfect in the chemise or a deep, southern swamp may not be the same as perfect on a high, western ridgetop. Even so, if I were pressed to make a choice knowing that someone might take my choice as advice, I’d go with a bolt-action rifle, chambered in 30-06.

Since I already have one of those, though, my most recent acquisition is a Browning A-bolt, chambered in .325wsm. That’s a lot of gun, but it will serve dual-purposes as a primary elk and hog hunting rifle.

Here’s my newest hog-slayer, a Browning A-bolt stainless stalker. It’s a bit of overkill for hogs, chambered in .325wsm, but it shoots and handles like a dream. It’s light as a feather which will be great for trekking across the ridges and canyons, and has plenty of “oomph” when the time comes to make the shot…whether at 30 yards or 300.