30-30 Pig Ammo

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dwstone1227

dwstone1227

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I have an upcoming pig hunt. This is a new experience for me. I plan to use a 1950's era Marlin 336 in 30-30 caliber equipped with a Weaver K2.5 scope. I have some Fusion 150 gr ammo. I have been told that Barnes Vor-Tx would be even better, but I cannot find that anywhere. I have sighted in the gun using the scope for 100 yards. It sure does shot well and it is a lot of fun to shot.

Any ammunition recommendations? Does the ammo used matter that much?

Dwstone1227
 
If you shoot a hog through the boiler room at 100 yards with any conventional 150 or 170 grain factory SP 30-30 ammo?
It's in the bag.

Federal Fusion is a plated, bonded core bullet, and is even better.

You make a good shot?
The hog will fall down and die just as dead as if you shoot it with a Barnes magic copper bullet made out of Unobtainium.

rc
 
Vortx is terribly expensive. Good stuff no doubt, but pricey. I have heard a lot of stories of hogs falling to 3030 and 300blackout with standard lead bullets. No need for fancy stuff.
 
I've used a 336 for years to take hogs as it's a very handy rifle to get out of the truck window while on the ranch. This rifle is most accurate with Federal blue box ammo, and it's just the simple jacketed lead core ammo. 150 or 170 grs will work very well.
 
Have to agree with just get some Remington or Winchesters, and go. Some hogs are really tough. But you grab any box of standard 30-30 ammo, and put the bullet where it needs to be, and "down goes Frazier!" Just be sure to put it directly behind the shoulder. Key word is "directly". You shoot a hog 5-8 inches behind the shoulder, and you have fun field dressing it (sarcasm). Be sure to look at the difference between a hog's and a deer's anatomy. You don't shoot them in the same place. Good luck!! We expect a follow up post and pics!
 
Any 150-170 gr 30-30 bullet is more than adequate for hogs. Barnes makes good bullets and they have their place. They are not needed here.
 
ColtPythonElite said:
I would just grab a box of Rem Core-lokts at Walmart and go hunting.
Click to expand...

Yep, any basic soft point hunting bullet will work. A .30-30 is plenty of gun and you don't need special bullets for hogs. I use Hornady Interlocks, which are essentially the same as Remington Core-Lokt or Winchester Power Point.

Good Luck !!
 
Take note on what BigBore44 said. A hogs anatomy is different and a well placed shot on a deer can have you tracking or losing a hog if the hog is shot in the same place. Good luck and prepare yourself for some great eats.
 
Thanks to all for the responses. I plan to hunt in South Carolina on a guided hunt this coming June. I will be using the Marlin 336 my father recently gave me. He asked which firearm I would like and I choose that one above all others. The good news he gave me the gun. The bad news is he gave me the gun for a reason. Some of you will understand what I mean by saying that. Getting old stinks. Lots of memories contained therein. I love the simplicity of the Marlin lever action. After nearly 50 years of never having been fired, I sighted the Marlin in this week. The Weaver K2.5 was off by about 1 inch right with me firing. The elevation was right on. The box of 20 Remington 30-30 shells (also 50 years old) all fired flawlessly. I have now moved on to Fusion ammunition as my first choice (based upon availability). I had a blast this week getting it ready.

My primary goal is to come home successfull. Thanks for the feedback.

Dws
 
In a .30-30 any cup and core bullet works great because at the low velocity of a .30-30 bullets don't blow up. They do what they are supposed to do. They mushroom and penetrate. There is absolutely no reason to shoot a premium bonded bullet out of a .30-30 and your 150 gr bullet will be just fine. On a big boar hog don't be embarrassed to be free with your bullets. If you can still see him and he's up shoot him again.
 
H&Hhunter is spot on. Hogs of the size most often come across are no harder to kill than white tail although as noted above, the kill zone is different. I still like the 170 gr in the 30-30 but 150 gr will give you another 30 - 50 yards of Maximum Point Blank Range. In any event, in my experience, most hog killing is done at 10 - 80 yards in any event. Remington Core-Lokt will serve you just fine.
 
RPRNY..."H&Hhunter is spot on. Hogs of the size most often come across are no harder to kill than white tail although as noted above, the kill zone is different. I still like the 170 gr in the 30-30 but 150 gr will give you another 30 - 50 yards of Maximum Point Blank Range. In any event, in my experience, most hog killing is done at 10 - 80 yards in any event. Remington Core-Lokt will serve you just fine."


OK...move on everyone...nothing more to see here. It's done be did with the how to make the pig be dead thread. Remington round nose 30-30 Core-lokts. Back up the reefer train cars and load up the deer, hogs and bear that load takes every year. :cool:
 
I use remmy corelokt 170's in my .30-30's, and I don't recall having ever lost wounded hog. In my experience they go down more easily than whitetail, but most hogs here rarely exceed 220 lbs. Hogs are not armor plated, assuming you know where to hit them. Their flight response does not seem to be as finely tuned as deer; unlike a marginally shot whitetail, even gut shot hogs tend to go down at the shot and stay there, at the most spinning in the dirt, unless they are walked or startled back up.

My guns tend to shoot remmy core lokt ammo better than any other load, they are the cheapest, they drop animals brilliantly, so why look for anything else?
 
Last edited:
I have been hitting all the local haunts trying to find my beloved Remmey core-lockt 170 gr. 30-30 to no avail. Midway and Brownells are also out, but Cabelas had them in stock, and with free shipping on orders over $100, I ordered 10 boxes.
 
AKElroy said:
I have been hitting all the local haunts trying to find my beloved Remmey core-lockt 170 gr. 30-30 to no avail. Midway and Brownells are also out, but Cabelas had them in stock, and with free shipping on orders over $100, I ordered 10 boxes.
Click to expand...
I happened to be in Walmart here in west Houston the other day and they had both Remington Core-lokt variants sitting in the cabinet. $15 bucks and some change. This thread caused me to look. :)

Core-lokts...sounds like...well...success. :p
 
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