Hog hunting is one of the most common wild hunters sought out each year. You may be surprised that it’s common for a hunter to kill a hog and find healed gunshot wounds. Therefor is it important to know which gun and ammo is best suited for successful hog hunting.

Choosing the Best Rifle

Hunters agree that a .22 rifle when the shot is properly placed has the ability to kill even the strongest hog. You as hunter are obviously familiar with the brute strength these big and tough animals have. Even when fatally wounded they can outrun hunters in order to get unrecoverable. Wounded hogs are also extremely dangerous and you want to shoot to kill. Choosing the best gun is key as well as a clean kill is preferred by all hunters.

You must have heard that bigger is better where hog hunting is concerned especially new hunters with no experience. A 30 caliber rifle using .308 and 7.62 x 39 mm bullets are of the most common for newbies. There is a downside to these large calibers however as the larger bullets cause more damage. Larger calibers also have a serious recoil which are often too much for smaller people.

Seasoned hunters opt for smaller calibers such as .220 Swift and AR 15 style weapons chambered for 5.56 and .223 cartridges. Reason for this is its lighter weight, large ammunition capacity and semi-automatic action. The only downside here is that skilled hunters should use these calibers as the smaller caliber requires well-chosen precise shots to kill.

Choosing the Best Rifle Ammunition

The ammunition also plays a big role and with the many kinds for different guns it can be confusing. It is important however to know that a heavy bullet has more punch and delivers more energy on target and handles brush and bush better. A small bullet deflects easily by brush and twigs and lacks the penetration of the heavier counterparts. Choosing rifle ammunition from any manufacturer you will find big game, soft point hunting bullets, which will be perfect for most hunters.

It is not recommended to choose a handgun to go hog hunting however and if you do, opt for the biggest caliber. A smaller caliber will require several headshots and the animal will still not fall until you take out the big guns or at least a shotgun. In some countries and certain regulations you will find that hog hunting is restricted to shotgun use only.