Thread: .223 for bailed pigs?

Gidday

Just curious if anyones got any experience on using a .223 for pig hunting, particually on the bail?

Have recently switched tact to the .223 for deer and is now my main goto. Just wondering about projectile choice and performance up real close / at a bail up?

Regards
D

I've dropped two pigs (each approx 60kg) from 5m with 55gr SPs. One was a frontal headshot, dropped on the spot. Eyes bulged out and found the projectile in the spine. Vertebrae smashed and spinal cord severed. The second was a side-on neck shot. Went down but squirmed around for a bit.

I snuck up on both piggies myself. Don't have dogs, so can't comment on the high-tempo bail up scenario.

Awsome stretch, sounds like quite a feat! Had figured the 55gr would be the goto for any bailing situations. For deer im using a 62gr SP but am picking too risky a pill during a bail up as far as exiting out the other side? Though im yet to test it.

Originally Posted by Dublin

Awsome stretch, sounds like quite a feat! Had figured the 55gr would be the goto for any bailing situations. For deer im using a 62gr SP but am picking too risky a pill during a bail up as far as exiting out the other side? Though im yet to test it.

A 62 grain SP shouldn't exit if placed in the right place but imho the 223 unless suppressed gives a crack and the dogs ears take a hammering and as you are aware that the projectile needs to punch through undergrowth at times and it's not an ideal calibre. Will it work? Definitely yes. I've used 223,22, 30-30, 303, 308, 7x57, 3006, 12 Gauge and they all work well but the 44 mag is the best at the bail.
I've seen three dogs killed at the bail, one with 308 and one with 44 mag and one with 30-30. All mistakes by operator. The 308 passed clean through the neck and socked the dog who was in behind.
That my friend was a very very sad day.
I use a low loaded 44 magnum.

Of more significance is possibly the sights on the rifle, opens are what I would always say are best.

if you make sure of your back stop or where your bullet is going to go if you miss or it goes through your target a 62 will be fine

50 grn speer hollow points doing somewhere just over 3000fps work for anything Ive poked them into,including a 110lb boar at 25ish yards.smacked into head front on,dropped on the spot. unless using FMJ or barnes type pills overpenertration SHOULDNT be an issue and you shouldnt be shooting a bailed pig UNLESS you KNOW for certain where everydog is.
Ive shot over a dozen with my .223 with different loads nothing huge the 110lb is biggest. the fly in ointment is you either go soft so it wont go through and hope you never have to take on big pig from bad angle or go harder and have to be extra careful of background.

Hunting big boars and crawling under the tight scrub. Take a 44mag.

How about a 12g with slugs

12g w slugs is still a Big Bang for the dogs. I took mine once and became paranoid about shit getting down the barrel in the scrub.

I tape my rifle muzzles but honestly not sure if it's a safe option w a thinner-barreled 12g.

guys hunting the pines up north have been using .12ga with slugs for years as thats all thats allowed,SiB your .12ga is running at low pressure the insulation tape over the end is far less obsticle than the crimp on the shell and the choke will create more pressure than a thin wee bit of rubbery plastic ever will. having had shotgun barrel split/burst from being plugged with clay....tape the hua and be done with it.

Suppressed .223 works fine. It will go straight through, but take that into account prior to taking the shot and you'll be fine.

I've shot most of my pigs with a .223


Kj

Thanks very much all!!! Some awsome info. Going to get out and field test now, in time will report back successes/failures as they arise.

At this stage will be testing 55gr SP, 62gr SP, some subs and also some 62gr FMJ rounds and poss some other weights. Oh and yes will be testing 12g variations.

Found some very interesting reading here too (hence the FMJ testing): .223 Remington

Thanks again for all the advice!

subsonic .223 will be piss poor...only marginally better than .22lr as similar projectile weight and speed...55 vs 40 both 1000fps -/+ also have to be very aware most will bounce off hard objects at subsonic speeds......

If you are looking at subsonic why dont you look at the 75-80 grain amax and get them to tumble?

dont believe even a tumbling Amax will expand/break up at subsonic......may as well use FMJ of same weight.