45-200 Lehigh Penetrator for hog hunting

[BJung]

Has anyone tried or heard of anyone using a solid copper Lehigh 45-200 in a wild hog? I've read about their shield and would think a 200gr would be more effective than a .357-140gr load. I live in CA.

 

[Anchorite]

Have you ever hunted hogs before? They aren’t that hard to kill, despite what the internet says about them. Your 357 would be fine, and so would the 200 solid in a 45, be it a Colt or ACP.

Here in Alabama we shoot them with 22 Hornets and up. Some guys that trap them use 22LR for head shots. I know one guy that bow hunts for them. We consider them pests and targets of opportunity and if any shot presents itself we shoot.

 

[BJung]

I live in CA and have tried hunting hogs once. CA requires copper bullets. That sucks for someone who casts bullets. I am starting to carve my own bows starting with plum wood that belonged to my grandparents. I'd like to use a bow first and have the handgun as backup or an option. The conditions in CA are different too. You have to drive far to find a place to hunt and sometimes even have to pay.

 

[Anchorite]

I live in CA and have tried hunting hogs once. CA requires copper bullets. That sucks for someone who casts bullets. I am starting to carve my own bows starting with plum wood that belonged to my grandparents. I'd like to use a bow first and have the handgun as backup or an option. The conditions in CA are different too. You have to drive far to find a place to hunt and sometimes even have to pay.

In your case then give those copper 45s a try…they should do just fine, probably like our solid hard cast revolver loads we shoot ‘em with.

 

[CraigC]

Their WFN is a better game bullet.

 

[alsaqr]

About three years i ago i tried the .429 225 grain Barnes XPB bullet on hogs. Fired from My Encore and a Navy Arms side hammer rifle, The 225 grain XPB bullet has accounted for at least 40 large hogs. The bullet penetrates both so called "shields" of a 250 pound boar and exits. Many bang flop.

 

[jmorris]

I have killed hundreds with .22 lr, you have to shoot the right spot with such low power but they get just as dead. I have also driven over some that got up running, so lots of energy isn’t a guarantee, if it’s not applied in the right spot.

 

[Anchorite]

I have killed hundreds with .22 lr, you have to shoot the right spot with such low power but they get just as dead. I have also driven over some that got up running, so lots of energy isn’t a guarantee, if it’s not applied in the right spot.

Exactly. They are not that hard to put down with a reasonable amount of skill.

 

[jmorris]

Exactly. They are not that hard to put down with a reasonable amount of skill.

To be fair, almost all of them I killed were pretty close shots, I could take all day on, if I wanted.



I never grab a .22 for hunting them but a well placed one will do the job from a distance. I came across that blob on the far bank in the center, when I was after squirrels.

this guy

1, 40 grain standard velocity .22lr in just the right spot. Almost any other spot though and all bets are off.

That said, I don't have photos of the ones that got away due to less than ideal shot placement, even with MUCH more powerful rounds.

 

[horsey300]

I live in CA and have tried hunting hogs once. CA requires copper bullets. That sucks for someone who casts bullets. I am starting to carve my own bows starting with plum wood that belonged to my grandparents. I'd like to use a bow first and have the handgun as backup or an option. The conditions in CA are different too. You have to drive far to find a place to hunt and sometimes even have to pay.

So, several folks have not been thrilled with the screwdriver bullets, the wfn as Craig mentioned, or the barnes xpbs would probably serve you better.

 

[Kevinq6]

It's good to have some more penetration on a hog. The .45 ACP Leigh copper bullet is lighter than lead but it will penetrate deeper like a hardcast bullet would.

The shield would be on a larger more mature boar, the ones I have seen that had decent shields have been over 150lbs and it depends on the boar whether it's a few inches thick.

Pigs and their lungs/heart/skull/shield are not bullet proof. A large boar can be very dense though. If you get a nice broadside shot with your 200gr copper bullet then I would not be concerned with it penetrating the lungs or heart.

I would actually give the advantage to your .357 loaded with the 140gr penetrator at 1550fps. You can search on Youtube for tests in gel and see it penetrates a lot more. But I do think the .45 would be fine.

The .22lr can dispatch pigs or deer with an ear shot but they are not recommended as a pig or deer caliber. They are best used to dispatch them up close like when they are in a trap.

If you are new to pig hunting I suggest you google shot placement on hogs, their lungs and heart and a lot further forward than a deer's.

 

[Packrattusnongratus]

As above the heart is in front of the crease behind the leg. Shoot farther forward than on a whitetail. 150 gr federal blue box SP 308 worked on four of them for me and 5 for my son on a Texas hog hunt. I was off a bit on one and put a 230 gr flat point in his head for a finisher. Be Well Brothers, Packy.