Shot placement on pigs...especially the big ones...need some advice

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  • catorres1
    Bloodstained
    • May 2016
    • 60

    Shot placement on pigs...especially the big ones...need some advice

    Had an interesting hunt for pigs the other day, and during that hunt, we saw, but could not close on, what appears to be a very large boar that I really want to take, and that the land owner wants me to get for sure off his property.

    Maybe I'll put the details in another post about the hunt, but suffice it to say if we get a crack at him, I suspect the shot will be relatively long. While I cannot say how big he really is, I can tell you we thought he was one of the farmer's calves, he was so big. Through my 7 power rangefinder, I could easily see his tusks at 700 yards, and he absolutely towered over other hogs that we estimate at 175-200 lbs.

    So my question is, especially for the highly experienced hog killers here (of which I am definitely not), if you were to shoot a, lets say 400lb boar, other than head or kneck shots, where would you put your bullet, lets assume you are shooting a 200 grain ELDX from a 300 win mag.

    Were I shooting other large game, I would put it right behind or right into the shoulder, depending on angle and situation. But I have felt the shield on a much smaller boar, and I wonder if there is a better choice considering. To my mind, a shot slightly quartering away, aiming for the offside shoulder would seem to make sense, but don't know the anatomy of the hog as well.

    Also, what about other presentations?

    Obviously, I don't want him getting into the brush for a follow up job. I'd also like to have it mounted if it turns out to be as impressive as it seemed, so I'd like to avoid too much damage forward of the shoulders if possible.

    Thanks!
  • Slappy
    Warrior
    • Feb 2014
    • 711

    #2
    Here is a picture. Or you can send me a PM and I will come out and help in any way I can!!! Were you hunting during the day?? I can do that and I have thermal also?? BANG BANG!!

    1530feralhog2copy_zps5073b113.jpg

    Comment

    • kmon
      Chieftain
      • Feb 2015
      • 2095

      #3
      The pic posted shots would work no doubt. For an anchoring shot I like the high shoulder shot but on a 400lb hog you never know what kind of resistance will be encountered with the plate. Quartering away is a very good choice depending on how hard he is quartering either drive the bullet into the off side shoulder or if sharply quartering away shoot more so the bullet will exit if it does right in front of the off side leg. Expect them to run some but not that far since they will not have much for lungs to breath with and perhaps no working heart. Shoot at the same height as the dots in the pic above for he quartering shots.

      Comment

      • mdram
        Warrior
        • Sep 2016
        • 941

        #4
        Lung shots will take down anything in time
        just some targets for printing
        https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...xQ?usp=sharing

        Comment

        • JASmith
          Chieftain
          • Sep 2014
          • 1620

          #5
          Ask yourself what the maximum range you think you might need to take that guy.

          Then look at your ability to hit the area you want to hit at that range in to winds that may exist.

          Then look at the impact velocity for your bullet at that range. Compare that with the minimum recommended impact velocities in Volume 2 of the Grendel reloading handbook.

          If your impact velocity is lower than the threshold, a larger capacity case, or getting closer, might be suggested.
          shootersnotes.com

          "To those who have fought and almost died for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know."
          -- Author Unknown

          "If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished!" -- Milton Berle

          Comment

          • catorres1
            Bloodstained
            • May 2016
            • 60

            #6
            Thanks for the replies! I guess my question boils down to how tough that shield will be on a pig that size. My instinct is to put that 200 grain bullet right through both shoulders on a broadside presentation if at all possible. Ideally, I want to break that near shoulder, send the bullet and pieces of bone right through the vitals and have that bullet blow through the off shoulder. Such a shot should break him down nicely. I just wonder about that shield...not sure how tough it will be. Might be a better bet to try for a quartering shot to slip it behind the shield and break the off shoulder.

            I have not shot much with the ELDX and don't yet have enough information on how it will respond to that type of challenge. I'd feel better if they had bonded it. If the bullet holds together sufficiently, should be plenty of horsepower coming out of the 300 to get the job done decisively.

            Comment

            • Slappy
              Warrior
              • Feb 2014
              • 711

              #7
              It will do it. They are tpugh and can take a whole lot. Keep it under the 130 yrd range and you will be fine. There are not that many true 400 lbers out there. They are few and far between. I nailed one last year taped out at over 300 and he was a monster and saw a couple that were bigger that night also, how much bigger do not know?? BANG BANG!!IMG_Porker.JPG

              Comment

              • kmon
                Chieftain
                • Feb 2015
                • 2095

                #8
                Horse power is not my concern with the 300, like you mentioned bullet integrity would be my concern especially if you get a shot at closer than expected range. For big hogs and bigger critters like elk I am a fan of partitions and accubonds in other words bullets that will hold together when hitting big solid animals. If you were shooting either of those bullets or several others I would just go for a solid shoulder shot or even a high shoulder shot taking out the back bone along the way.

                Comment

                • kmon
                  Chieftain
                  • Feb 2015
                  • 2095

                  #9
                  Slappy is right about there not being many 400lb hogs out there but they do exist. Biggest one I have killed was just under 300 per the tape method of weight. He took on partition quartering to me in near side shoulder and dropped on the spot then kicked around for about 20 feet. That was with a 140gr Partition from a 7X57 at 230 yards. That was the only partition I ever recovered and it was under the hide on the off side in the guts just the mangled jacket and rear core.

                  Comment

                  • catorres1
                    Bloodstained
                    • May 2016
                    • 60

                    #10
                    Yeah, I cannot really say how much he weighs, I'm just taking a WAG based on the two I killed that day and their relative size. If he is broadside...not sure whether I'll hit him in or just behind the shoulder. Quartering will actually be an easier decision. I'll be studying that picture you posted, Slappy. Hell, don't even know if we will see him again, hope to try and give a spin this weekend. But one thing I want to know is how this bullet reacts when pressured. I have talked to the folks at Hornady a few times, and done lots of searching on the web, but I've not killed anything big with it, so I can't say for sure and there is not enough experience out there yet that I have found that I trust....so maybe this is my chance to find out for myself.

                    Comment

                    • Slappy
                      Warrior
                      • Feb 2014
                      • 711

                      #11
                      Originally posted by catorres1 View Post
                      Yeah, I cannot really say how much he weighs, I'm just taking a WAG based on the two I killed that day and their relative size. If he is broadside...not sure whether I'll hit him in or just behind the shoulder. Quartering will actually be an easier decision. I'll be studying that picture you posted, Slappy. Hell, don't even know if we will see him again, hope to try and give a spin this weekend. But one thing I want to know is how this bullet reacts when pressured. I have talked to the folks at Hornady a few times, and done lots of searching on the web, but I've not killed anything big with it, so I can't say for sure and there is not enough experience out there yet that I have found that I trust....so maybe this is my chance to find out for myself.
                      If you are seeing him during the day and in Texas or anywhere else for that matter that is unusual to say the least right there. Most hogs are killed at night and shooting over 100 to the 125 range is unusual too. If you can bait there area with some sour corn (that is the easiest) and hope for the best!! Would like to see a picture IF you get him!! BANG BANG!!

                      Comment

                      • A5BLASTER
                        Chieftain
                        • Mar 2015
                        • 6192

                        #12
                        Killed one that went 346 on a scale at a local meat processing plant, hit him broadside throw the plate at 115 yards with my .35 wheeler bullet smashed the onside shoulder went throw and destroyed the offside shoulder he hit the dirt and never moved.

                        Can't remember the exact bullet I used right off hand I would have to go dig my primitive hunting gear out and check but it was a 200 grain for sure out of my H and R Handi rifle.

                        So I would think a 300 would be throwing a 200 grain bullet faster then my rifle does so I don't see why it wouldn't work, all that being said I'm a head shooter only reason I took that shot was because I couldn't see his head.

                        I can only speak for where I hunt but a head shot is much more preferred because the brush is so thick you don't want to go trailing a shot hog to dangerous.

                        Comment

                        • LRRPF52
                          Super Moderator
                          • Sep 2014
                          • 8569

                          #13


                          Last edited by LRRPF52; 03-07-2017, 04:21 PM.
                          NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO

                          CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor

                          6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:

                          www.AR15buildbox.com

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                          • JASmith
                            Chieftain
                            • Sep 2014
                            • 1620

                            #14
                            If you are using a 300 Win Mag, a 125 all-copper hunting bullet will do fine. Penetration and overexpansion will not be issues with these bullets.

                            To be sure, 200 gr bullets will work OK for the recoil masochist too...

                            PS the diagram LRRPF52 just posted is excellent because it helps one visualize where the top of the heart is.
                            Last edited by JASmith; 03-07-2017, 07:18 PM.
                            shootersnotes.com

                            "To those who have fought and almost died for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know."
                            -- Author Unknown

                            "If at first you do succeed, try not to look astonished!" -- Milton Berle

                            Comment

                            • Hunter307
                              Bloodstained
                              • Jan 2017
                              • 77

                              #15
                              Pigs are not bullet proof (their "shields" are not made of ceramic armored plates), if you shoot it anywhere in the vitals and or CNS it will die. You could kill it with the 6.5 Grendel if you wanted to. A 300win mag is suitable for the largest animals in N.A., I doubt a pig will slow it down.
                              Last edited by Hunter307; 03-07-2017, 07:28 PM.

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