Hogs - .223/5.56 Ammunition Options

[Rathmatik]

Howdy,

I’m going hog hunting in a few months, and curious about .223/5.56 ammo suggestions. I’ve seen that Winchester had the Hog Special, which has decent ratings. There is also Federal Fusion. Has anyone had experience with either of these, or have any suggestions for some specialty ammunition for hogs?

Thanks!

 

[Sam Colt]

Are you hoping to keep one? If not, just drill holes in them with FMJ. If so, get the max expansion and aim for 1" behind the ear.

 

[Pops1955]

Used Hog Hammer. Good stuff. Can not find it any more. Now I just use my 45-70 Trapper. More fun.

 

[kenboyles72]

Hog Hammer was a good round, but no longer available. Anyways, the Winchester Power Point Hog Special 64 grain ammo would be a good choice and readily available at most sporting good stores, my local Academy keeps them in stock.

 

[Rathmatik]

Hog Hammer was a good round, but no longer available. Anyways, the Winchester Power Point Hog Special 64 grain ammo would be a good choice and readily available at most sporting good stores, my local Academy keeps them in stock.

Good to know, did not realize hog hammer was not around anymore. Excellent, yeah they always have it in stock at Academy.

I’m also interested in the Fort Scott 62gr 5.56 Brush Hog, anyone familiar with this one?

 

[Hoji]

Meh. Hogs are not magically super armored beasts.

Killed plenty with 55gr fmj.

Do your part and shoot vital organs and they will die in short order.

 

[FireInTheWire]

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/223-remington-75-gr-bthp-match-black#!/

 

[Pops1955]

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/223-remington-75-gr-bthp-match-black#!/

Used them some. Work well.

 

[dee]

Not sure if its offered in a loaded ammunition but the Nosler 64gr bonded sp is a tough killing sucker.

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[kenboyles72]

Meh. Hogs are not magically super armored beasts.

Killed plenty with 55gr fmj.

Do your part and shoot vital organs and they will die in short order.

Right, all my hogs have been taken with 55-62 gr Monarch FMJ. Most folk will argue that it's an ineffective round, you need some super-duper, state of the art projectile. Every hog I have shot with FMJ, dropped on the spot or maybe took a step or two. Shot placement is key, no matter what round you are using.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Are you hoping to keep one? If not, just drill holes in them with FMJ. If so, get the max expansion and aim for 1" behind the ear.

I would suggest also being 1-2" below the ear. I have killed two hogs that were shot "behind the ear" where the hogs were not killed. The bullets tore holes through the neck muscle and that was it. Both had nearly healed wounds. Going lower puts you into the vertebrae, hence the spine, assuring the CNS damage you want.

This is a 185 lb boar that I shot. It had a mostly healed behind-the-ear shot. This is showing the exit side.

100_1988

• Double Naught Spy
• Jul 23, 2019

Mostly healed 'behind-the-ear' exit wound on 185 lb boar.

 

[Rathmatik]

Right, all my hogs have been taken with 55-62 gr Monarch FMJ. Most folk will argue that it's an ineffective round, you need some super-duper, state of the art projectile. Every hog I have shot with FMJ, dropped on the spot or maybe took a step or two. Shot placement is key, no matter what round you are using.

Ha, that is good to know. I asked someone at Academy about the Monarch FMJ SP 55gr, but they shooed me away from that. Are the Monarch rounds you used just the regular brass FMJ or SP? Guessing the 62gr was steel then?

For context, I don't plan to keep any this time around, this is to help with eradication. Although, I may donate in the future if they have that set up where I'm going.

 

[Hoji]

Ha, that is good to know. I asked someone at Academy about the Monarch FMJ SP 55gr, but they shooed me away from that. Are the Monarch rounds you used just the regular brass FMJ or SP? Guessing the 62gr was steel then?

For context, I don't plan to keep any this time around, this is to help with eradication. Although, I may donate in the future if they have that set up where I'm going.

Illegal to donate pigs.

 

[Rathmatik]

Illegal to donate pigs.

Well then I won't do that! I would have only done it through some official capacity, which clearly can't exist I suppose. At any rate, I know this place needs help with eradication. Thanks for letting me know! (I would have found out at some point )

 

[Rathmatik]

@Hoji Do you have a source for that, by the way?

From what I'm reading, it sounds like you can follow the right process and it's fine to donate to a food bank. Given that it goes through proper inspection first.

 

[kenboyles72]

........Are the Monarch rounds you used just the regular brass FMJ or SP? Guessing the 62gr was steel then?

I use the Monarch steel cased FMJ, both 55 and 62gr. I do have a few boxes of better brass ammo, some Hornady American Whitetail 60 gr and some of the Winchester Hog Special, but hardly shoot those.

 

[Hoji]

@Hoji Do you have a source for that, by the way?

From what I'm reading, it sounds like you can follow the right process and it's fine to donate to a food bank. Given that it goes through proper inspection first.

https://articles.extension.org/page...eral-hog-meat-that-i-do-not-plan-on-consuming

One second on google.

The only way it can be donated to any organization outside of you giving the meat to a friend or family is to have a USDA pre and post slaughter inspection.

They also have to be quarantined live for up to six months to get the USDA inspections.

 

[Rathmatik]

https://articles.extension.org/page...eral-hog-meat-that-i-do-not-plan-on-consuming

One second on google.

The only way it can be donated to any organization outside of you giving the meat to a friend or family is to have a USDA pre and post slaughter inspection.

They also have to be quarantined live for up to six months to get the USDA inspections.

Right, so I would imagine that any legitimate processor would follow these USDA regulations. I assume the quarantine would be if you donated them live, rather than the processed meat. Anyhow, not planning on looking into this more in the near future, but good to know the details a bit.

 

[Hoji]

Right, so I would imagine that any legitimate processor would follow these USDA regulations. I assume the quarantine would be if you donated them live, rather than the processed meat. Anyhow, not planning on looking into this more in the near future, but good to know the details a bit.

A lot of processors in Texas do not even take feral swine anymore. Most do, but it is processed as wild game which has different rules.

But ,yes, you would generally have to take them to a live facility( there is a list of authorized places in Texas) and pay to have them boarded.

I do not know of any that take boarded pigs, but you can ask. They generally buy them and resell to Europe and Asia.

 

[dee]

Right, so I would imagine that any legitimate processor would follow these USDA regulations. I assume the quarantine would be if you donated them live, rather than the processed meat. Anyhow, not planning on looking into this more in the near future, but good to know the details a bit.

Problem is a majority of processors (at least in my area) shutdown outside of deer season. If they are a processor of domesticated animals they have to completely shutdown their operation to do wild game. Before starting back up they must deep clean everything including equipment, floors and tables then get inspection done before starting back to domestic meat.

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