anyone using 5.56 for deer and hogs?

[PhulesAu]

I like Orbie's plan, take away the food source.... What kinda range were they shot at?

 

[MCA]

Stick with your 6.8 idea. Hunting bullets in 6.8 or 223/5.56 are similarly priced and lately there has been a lot of cheaper ammo (less than $14 per box of 20) for the 6.8 readily available.

 

[Orbie]

I like Orbie's plan, take away the food source.... What kinda range were they shot at?

Just outside of 50 yards.

 

[h223]

300BO, 223/556 will do just fine, always with hogs, if you want to take pictures later, you'd better double tap, with deer, I prefer the surgical shot, neck or lung, haven't had to track but 1 out of 20 or so (and found the 1). As long as your enjoying your rifle and it will group, you'll be happy with whatever you use. Most recommend what they shoot, I've shot more than a few hogs with 22LR that didn't leave the pasture and shot them with 556 with multiple hits and they just wouldn't stop running.

 

[35Remington]

I like my hogs $#@! up, DRT. I use bigger calibers.

Hog Takedown From 240 Yards With AI/338LM - YouTube

One Shot, One Kill Hog Hunting In Texas - YouTube

Some badass shots there.

 

[Vern1]

Deer and pigs are different ends of the spectrum
A good shot on a deer with a 55gr SP is meat in the freezer.
The same bullet on a pigs chest plate might just make him mad.

For 223/5.56 pig punching, a 70gr TSX handload is king.
If you can do good head/neck shots, almost anything will do but I have seen 55gr SPs bounce off their forehead when they are looking right at you. It did stun the sow long enough to tag her with a followup shot.

I still use the 223 Wylde AR on occasion when friends want smaller meat pigs.
Most of my pig hunting is done at night with a pair of NV equipped 6.8 ARs shooting 120gr Hornady SSTs.
We have dropped 51 total so far this year with the pair of 6.8s.

 

[Vern1]

I like my hogs $#@! up, DRT. I use bigger calibers.

Hog Takedown From 240 Yards With AI/338LM - YouTube

One Shot, One Kill Hog Hunting In Texas - YouTube

That's the way you do it allright, allright!

 

[Governors20]

Looking at the one shot video, I see a tan colored hog is on top of the berm behind it. That thing looks HUGE! Good shot

 

[35Remington]

Looking at the one shot video, I see a tan colored hog is on top of the berm behind it. That thing looks HUGE! Good shot

Good catch; didn't see that until now. Renegade, how far was he? Guessing 400+ based on the dead pig.

 

[Sniper John]

I have shot a few hogs with 55 and 69 grn softpoints. Shot placement is important.

 

[Howard]

I was thinking about using 270 for deer and 5.56 for hogs this fall. I am a new hunter. Maybe it should be the other way around.


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[35Remington]

I was thinking about using 270 for deer and 5.56 for hogs this fall. I am a new hunter. Maybe it should be the other way around.


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Howard, keep it just the way you have it.

 

[dee]

I was thinking about using 270 for deer and 5.56 for hogs this fall. I am a new hunter. Maybe it should be the other way around.


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Why not use the 270 for both.

 

[Saltyag2010]

Why not use the 270 for both.

I'm guessing his 270 is limited in capacity and not
semi auto for big groups of pigs.

 

[dee]

I'm guessing his 270 is limited in capacity and not
semi auto for big groups of pigs.

Yet the likelihood of the other shots doing any good at putting meat on the ground are slim. I would also say it is a negligible advantage unless in very open terrain as they will be in cover or headed there fast at the first shot.

Use a well constructed hunting bullet and get a couple pigs in one shot with the 270.

 

[Saltyag2010]

Yet the likelihood of the other shots doing any good at putting meat on the ground are slim. I would also say it is a negligible advantage unless in very open terrain as they will be in cover or headed there fast at the first shot.

Use a well constructed hunting bullet and get a couple pigs in one shot with the 270.

We're not too worried about meat on the ground when dealing with feral hogs. Were trying to take back our pastures and kill as many as we can. I've killed most of them with a semiauto 22.

 

[dee]

We're not too worried about meat on the ground when dealing with feral hogs. Were trying to take back our pastures and kill as many as we can. I've killed most of them with a semiauto 22.

Yet the op is talking about going on a hunt.

I don't disagree about taking back pastures but terrai and hunting style is a very important factor when deciding on a weapon.

 

[Saltyag2010]

Yet the op is talking about going on a hunt.

I don't disagree about taking back pastures but terrai and hunting style is a very important factor when deciding on a weapon.

I assumed his 6.8 build was an AR platform or other modern sporting rifle. The best hunting rifle is the one that makes you happiest to shoot caliber is shooters choice. I like .243 or .257 Roberts with the hornady +p rounds in bolt guns but it's because that's what's sitting in the case. It's way more fun with a semiauto for hogs.

 

[Howard]

Yeah I thought AR with ACOG for hogs as I might need a quick second shot. My place is a wooded 50 acres in ETX, so there won't be any long shots.


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[OnyxATX]

I think 5.56 is fine for deer with a good shot. I prefer something bigger, but it will do the job.

.223/5.56 is the smallest I would use for pigs. Yup, lots have been dispatched with .22... but I prefer more punch. I used .308 for distance, and carried a 5.56 with +p loads of TSX for groups pigs (or zero light conditions). Finishing a 300 Blackout this week to replace the 5.56 AR for pig hunting.

If you care about meat, I would say use something more substantial than 5.56 and make the shot count. If you are just laying waste to a pest problem, use whatever and light them all up.

It depends on the pigs too... for the old, scarred up, nasty ones you may (or may not) have some penetration issues if you try for a quartering shot instead of behind ear.

Personally, if I ever see this 500lb+ pig again I want as devastating a round as possible. I hunted him for almost a year, only had one good shot but he got too close and ran before I could pick up the rifle. Hey, I was slacking but that's how my daughter was made, so I won't complain!