South Texas hogs: 44mag, 308, or 300 Win mag?
- Thread starter Richard.Howe
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Too Many Choices!?
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I will use my M4gery or WASR 10 later this month/year thankyou very much...
...We got little piggies down here (50-150lbs in tree-line brush, from15yds-125yds max distance,head and neck shots only)
...We got little piggies down here (50-150lbs in tree-line brush, from15yds-125yds max distance,head and neck shots only) 
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A hog hunters nightmare!!!
The day had been long, the sun nearly unbearable. This hog was somehow different. At the time I couldn't place the subtle differences.
looking back with clear unclouded hind sight it was painfully obvious that this was no regular hog. Unfortunatley it's too late for the other members of this ill fated expidition.
The first big clue that didn't register at the time was the scat. Not like normal hog scat, this scat was rich in unusual content for the area. Lots of macadamia nuts and pinapple remains filled the large and numerous steamy piles.
The track was also unusual. It appeared normal at first but every once in awhile the track would seem to "hang ten" and then go back to normal.
Looking back however the most revealing clue as to the true and evil nature of the critter we were dealing with was the pretty pink flower petals we kept seeing in the vicinity of this massive hogs tracks. latter investigation found them to be hibiscus petals.
I should have known at that time that we weren't dealing with a normal boar. Maybe it was the sun, maybe it was my ego but I failed to see the danger into which I was leading my party of merry hunters.
When it happened it happened fast and furious. The main group of hunters had entered a bush to the left of my track and against my wishes had seperated themselves.
All I remember hearing was a snort but I could swear it sounded like that hog grunted out something like " ALOHA HOWLEE!!" and soon his guteral toneations were drowned out in the blaze of gunfire followed by screams and then only silence, occasionally broken by the sounds of the beast crunching on the bones of the fallen gunmen.
The last I saw of the beast he was meandering down the ridge wearing a very colorfull flower patterned shirt, stylish raybans, and had a beatifull red hibiscus flower tucked behind his right ear.
I never took a shot at the beast as my nerve wouldn't allow, for I was frozen in terror. My .600NE rifle lay harmless at my feet where I'd droped it, sweaty palms no longer able to grip the fine walnut stock.
It was the last time I ever attempted to hunt the rare and deadly Hawaiin Chupahoga Boar!
Beware fair lads and lasse of the hunting creed the Chupahoga travels and frequent flyer miles are easiert han ever to come by. Let this be a lesson to all...................
The day had been long, the sun nearly unbearable. This hog was somehow different. At the time I couldn't place the subtle differences.
looking back with clear unclouded hind sight it was painfully obvious that this was no regular hog. Unfortunatley it's too late for the other members of this ill fated expidition.
The first big clue that didn't register at the time was the scat. Not like normal hog scat, this scat was rich in unusual content for the area. Lots of macadamia nuts and pinapple remains filled the large and numerous steamy piles.
The track was also unusual. It appeared normal at first but every once in awhile the track would seem to "hang ten" and then go back to normal.
Looking back however the most revealing clue as to the true and evil nature of the critter we were dealing with was the pretty pink flower petals we kept seeing in the vicinity of this massive hogs tracks. latter investigation found them to be hibiscus petals.
I should have known at that time that we weren't dealing with a normal boar. Maybe it was the sun, maybe it was my ego but I failed to see the danger into which I was leading my party of merry hunters.
When it happened it happened fast and furious. The main group of hunters had entered a bush to the left of my track and against my wishes had seperated themselves.
All I remember hearing was a snort but I could swear it sounded like that hog grunted out something like " ALOHA HOWLEE!!" and soon his guteral toneations were drowned out in the blaze of gunfire followed by screams and then only silence, occasionally broken by the sounds of the beast crunching on the bones of the fallen gunmen.
The last I saw of the beast he was meandering down the ridge wearing a very colorfull flower patterned shirt, stylish raybans, and had a beatifull red hibiscus flower tucked behind his right ear.
I never took a shot at the beast as my nerve wouldn't allow, for I was frozen in terror. My .600NE rifle lay harmless at my feet where I'd droped it, sweaty palms no longer able to grip the fine walnut stock.
It was the last time I ever attempted to hunt the rare and deadly Hawaiin Chupahoga Boar!
Beware fair lads and lasse of the hunting creed the Chupahoga travels and frequent flyer miles are easiert han ever to come by. Let this be a lesson to all...................
St. Gunner
Member
Digme,
I have a story to tell about hogs, guns, and just what may not work....
Monday we took some dogs over to a small patch of brush to chase the hogs around, about 5 minutes into the hunt they found a 100lb sow and bayed her up real nice. I went to em and they caught her when I got close, ran a knife in her and that was it. While dragging her out the struck another and this time it was a boar. He was coming my way so I dropped my drag rope, unslung my 870 and got to a spot I could see him cross. Out of the brush came a boar hog about 15yds away. I raised the gun, found my lead and sent a 1oz Winchester slug directly into his shoulder. He rolled hard and when I got to him he was popping his teeth and trying to get up. He wasn't a monster, maybe 150lbs on the hoof but he was rank looking with a thick shield. I went ahead and poked him in the heart with my knife just to be safe when I noticed a real lack of blood streaming from the hole. At the knife stick the blood started spraying. Hmmmmm......
So I flipped him and started gutting....
No bullet hole in his lungs or chest at all....
Only sign of a hit was a bruise near the top of the chest cavity behind the shoulder and what appeared to be some broken ribs....
So I rolled him over stuck a finger in the bullet hole. I could feel the slug...
So I cut into him with the knife, split the shield and found the slug flattened against his spine. It never broke it, never seemed to really put much pressure on it. The shield was about an inch thick....
So on a 150lb hog with a 1" shield how much penetration did I get with a 1oz slug? About 4-5" knocking a hole in the shoulder blade but not having enough oomph to make the ribs break or the spine shatter and let the slug bounce around in the chest cavity....
So I have decided against the 12 gauge slug gun for cape buffalo.... And I am sorta wondering exactly how much gun it is going to take to make that shot lethal on a big boar hog. Maybe H&H isn't to far off on that 375H&H. 
I have a story to tell about hogs, guns, and just what may not work....
Monday we took some dogs over to a small patch of brush to chase the hogs around, about 5 minutes into the hunt they found a 100lb sow and bayed her up real nice. I went to em and they caught her when I got close, ran a knife in her and that was it. While dragging her out the struck another and this time it was a boar. He was coming my way so I dropped my drag rope, unslung my 870 and got to a spot I could see him cross. Out of the brush came a boar hog about 15yds away. I raised the gun, found my lead and sent a 1oz Winchester slug directly into his shoulder. He rolled hard and when I got to him he was popping his teeth and trying to get up. He wasn't a monster, maybe 150lbs on the hoof but he was rank looking with a thick shield. I went ahead and poked him in the heart with my knife just to be safe when I noticed a real lack of blood streaming from the hole. At the knife stick the blood started spraying. Hmmmmm......
So I flipped him and started gutting....
No bullet hole in his lungs or chest at all....
Only sign of a hit was a bruise near the top of the chest cavity behind the shoulder and what appeared to be some broken ribs....
So I rolled him over stuck a finger in the bullet hole. I could feel the slug...
So I cut into him with the knife, split the shield and found the slug flattened against his spine. It never broke it, never seemed to really put much pressure on it. The shield was about an inch thick....
So on a 150lb hog with a 1" shield how much penetration did I get with a 1oz slug? About 4-5" knocking a hole in the shoulder blade but not having enough oomph to make the ribs break or the spine shatter and let the slug bounce around in the chest cavity....
So I have decided against the 12 gauge slug gun for cape buffalo.... And I am sorta wondering exactly how much gun it is going to take to make that shot lethal on a big boar hog. Maybe H&H isn't to far off on that 375H&H.
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I've seen hogs killed with all sorts of stuff from .22Mags to .50cal express guns.
The smaller stuff works most of the time. Slugs work most of the time. Buckshot fails more often than not.
But a .375 works EVERYtime.
There is never a question on penetration or if it gonna leave a blood trail.
Really and truely in my opinon one of the very best close cover rounds on hogs is a .45-70 with 405 gr soft point bullets starting at 1600fps and up. In a good lever gun it's a mud stomper in a light easy to handle package.
I'll say it one more time. I don't use the heavy stuff because it's necesary or because hogs are dangerous. I use it because I like to and it's GREAT practice for the real world of Dg hunting. I am not recomending anyone go out and slap a ten thousand dollar bill on the table for a double gun in .470 for hog hunting. But if you have one and want some great real world practice I can't think of a better critter than hogs.
Now as far as a .375H&H goes same thing except that you can buy one for like $650.00 and it's just a .338 with some good breeding. I use mine for just about everything. It's accurate easy to shoot and it thumps everything with authority. Not to mention it's as flat shooting as an 06. So if a guy has a jones for an "African" rifle that is way useable here in the US then a .375 is the way to go.
GOSH DANG IT ST Gunner, you went and got me on my soap box again!!!!!
The smaller stuff works most of the time. Slugs work most of the time. Buckshot fails more often than not.
But a .375 works EVERYtime.
There is never a question on penetration or if it gonna leave a blood trail.
Really and truely in my opinon one of the very best close cover rounds on hogs is a .45-70 with 405 gr soft point bullets starting at 1600fps and up. In a good lever gun it's a mud stomper in a light easy to handle package.
I'll say it one more time. I don't use the heavy stuff because it's necesary or because hogs are dangerous. I use it because I like to and it's GREAT practice for the real world of Dg hunting. I am not recomending anyone go out and slap a ten thousand dollar bill on the table for a double gun in .470 for hog hunting. But if you have one and want some great real world practice I can't think of a better critter than hogs.
Now as far as a .375H&H goes same thing except that you can buy one for like $650.00 and it's just a .338 with some good breeding. I use mine for just about everything. It's accurate easy to shoot and it thumps everything with authority. Not to mention it's as flat shooting as an 06. So if a guy has a jones for an "African" rifle that is way useable here in the US then a .375 is the way to go.
GOSH DANG IT ST Gunner, you went and got me on my soap box again!!!!!
Buzztail
Member
I agree, and love the .375 H&H. I never shot hogs with it, but I have no doubt in it's ability to make them dead. I may end up with another one shortly just for hogs. I really like the Ruger #1, and have owned one in .375 in the past. I'm open to suggestions for the next .375
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This particular rifle has been cut to twenty inches and fluted and now has a McMillian stock
Without any modification at all you can get the right scope to sit REAL low and fast over the receiver. Use Leupold QD bases and Weaver low 1" rings on a Vari X II scope 32MM
This gun shoots better than this when I do my part
Stainless M-70 .375H&H. Just about the best buy in the world for a rough and ready .375H&H working gun. No two ways about it.
I've done quite a bit of customizing to mine but all a guy really needs to do is install a recoil pad and take the "Lawyer" off the factory trigger. Real simple to do.
I highly recomend this rifle.
Without any modification at all you can get the right scope to sit REAL low and fast over the receiver. Use Leupold QD bases and Weaver low 1" rings on a Vari X II scope 32MM
This gun shoots better than this when I do my part
Stainless M-70 .375H&H. Just about the best buy in the world for a rough and ready .375H&H working gun. No two ways about it.
I've done quite a bit of customizing to mine but all a guy really needs to do is install a recoil pad and take the "Lawyer" off the factory trigger. Real simple to do.
I highly recomend this rifle.
When I was watching The Nuge elephant hunt on Spirit of the Wild once he was using a custom-made Remington .375 H&H (based on the m700 of course) that he claimed would put 3 bullets in the same hole at 100 yards.
If the gun can do it then I don't doubt Nuge can make it happen...he's an insanely good shot with a bow and probably as good with a rifle.
He put one shot right in the brain.
Anyway, I know the M-70 vs. M-700 debate has raged on for years. What do you prefer about the 70 over the 700? Is it just the method of extraction?
brad cook
If the gun can do it then I don't doubt Nuge can make it happen...he's an insanely good shot with a bow and probably as good with a rifle.
He put one shot right in the brain.
Anyway, I know the M-70 vs. M-700 debate has raged on for years. What do you prefer about the 70 over the 700? Is it just the method of extraction?
brad cook
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Brad,
I REALLY do want to get into a CRF vs PF thrash here!!
But what I perfer about the M-70 classic over the M-700 are the following.
1. Positive controlled feed
2. More postive extraction
3. A simple bomb proof sear block safety
4. A simple bomb proof unshrouded trigger group (read can't get cloged up with dirt and crud.)
What I don't like about MODERN day Winchesters. The quality control on these rifles has gone to hell in the last 5 years on the USRAC line. Those plastic mold injected stocks make me want to PUKE
. These new plastic magazine followers and noncapturing magazine springs are great for little boy toys but should be kept away from a mans rifle!All of these except the Quality control issues are easily fixed.
I have personally seen M-700's bust extractors in fact you'll not find many military or police snipers who don't carry an extra extracor in their gear bag in case they have a "Remington" moment. I've also witnessed, twice now, a M-700 fire on safety release.
I won't own one and I will not hunt with one ESPECIALLY not dangerous game.
Just my personal observations I think remington makes some really neat rifles but they need to fix a few things before I'll ever have another one.
db_tanker
Member
I know that it was specifically said at first to not mention the 45-70...but dang it...you can get no better in Texas when you need to bring somthing that is large and doesn't want to go down.
A 400 grain slug at 1600 FPS is good medicine for a stubborn boar.
If you have a good single, like a ruger, then by God you can take that Cape Buffalo with a 500 grain Solid and load that bad boy up to 2100 FPS for about the same slam factor as an old Nitro Express.
450 Marlin would be an excellent second choice, I feel.
Darrell
A 400 grain slug at 1600 FPS is good medicine for a stubborn boar.
If you have a good single, like a ruger, then by God you can take that Cape Buffalo with a 500 grain Solid and load that bad boy up to 2100 FPS for about the same slam factor as an old Nitro Express.
450 Marlin would be an excellent second choice, I feel.
Darrell
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