Double Naught Spy
Well-Known
The bottom line is that if you do not do significant damage to the central nervous system, either directly or indirectly, the hogs will run, regardless of caliber. Directly would involve actually hitting the spinal cord, brain stem, or brain. Indirectly would be most commonly via hitting a bone that goes into the spinal cord, brain stem, or brain, or my hydrostatic shock.
When using a smaller caliber such as .223, shot placement, trajectory through the animal, and penetration are all that much more critical than when using larger and heavier calibers.
Unless you are meat hunting off your back porch, worrying about the cost of ammo (Barnes TSX being 'rather pricey') is pretty silly in the grand scheme of fuel costs, lease prices, all the snacks and beverages you take when you go hunting, meals on the road, etc. Buy a box of 20. Get sighted in with 5 or so. Then shoot 10 hogs and have a few to spare for coupe de grace shots that may sometimes by needed.
When using a smaller caliber such as .223, shot placement, trajectory through the animal, and penetration are all that much more critical than when using larger and heavier calibers.
Unless you are meat hunting off your back porch, worrying about the cost of ammo (Barnes TSX being 'rather pricey') is pretty silly in the grand scheme of fuel costs, lease prices, all the snacks and beverages you take when you go hunting, meals on the road, etc. Buy a box of 20. Get sighted in with 5 or so. Then shoot 10 hogs and have a few to spare for coupe de grace shots that may sometimes by needed.