Ive never been hog hunting yet so....    how effective is the 300blk on big hogs?   Would subs take down a hogzilla?

I'm sure a cranked up 300blk would take down most any hog, no?

Any input would be appreciated.

Last time I went hog hunting I used a 300BLK (borrowed from Dehoganator) shooting suppressed subsonics.  We killed many hogs that night.  Shot placement is all that matters.

EDIT:  For reference, see clharrs post about 5.56 on hogs.  Just reinforces the point.

I think I've seen a pig shot and killed with just about every different pistol and rifle caliber available, and as said above, where they are shot is most often more important that what they are shot with.  Many times I've asked to land next to a pig so that I could examine the wounds because I just couldn't except that I had whiffed that many times, only to find out that it took 5 or more hits to stop its movement.  Other times it's a pull of the trigger followed by a roll in the dirt, and I've never flown with anyone who could hit a silver dollar moving 35 MPH while they too were moving 35 MPH repetitively, so sometimes you just get lucky and your bullet landed well.  Larger calibers do help when you're sucking at getting lucky, but then again, I've seen some stuff that has caused me to never loose my respect for a wild pig.  300blk with subs is how we clear golf courses and residential developments when being quiet is the number one goal, and I'm confident in my ability and the round's ability out to about 75 yards to place a hit with stopping power ( I don't like chasing pigs or leaving them wounded for some kid to find ).  I wouldn't push it much further than that if you're using subs and don't want to crawl through acres of brush to find your hopefully dead pig. Supers on the other hand are fine out to a couple hundred yards just like the other pig staple rounds from an AR.

Unless you're using a suppressor, just go with the hardest hitting round you can. Even with a suppressor they don't just stand there and let you keep shooting them.  Whatever you choose, have something stronger than a subsonic 300blk for back-up, because I've seen pigs charge through shooters while they empty mags of subs into them.  A 45 on your hip can come in handy, while a buddy with a shotgun and buckshot is even better.

Good luck and have fun.

I just want to bring one gun.
And I don't need to be quiet so I guess subs would be unnecessary.

Also from a heli......accuracy wont be good.     Ive never hunted from a helicopter either.  

Maybe the Beowulf would be better to bring, shot placement isn't as critical with that.... ?

Maybe just 300blk supers and subs.....?

Using the right ammo is important, you need both penetration and expansion to drop hogs. I use Barnes 110 gr, Vor-Tx black tips, or Nosler 125 gr ballistic tips, both are awesome rounds. There are more ammo choices so do some homework.

Just bought my first 300 blk carbine. It is one of the camo dipped M&P15s. Can't wait until a hog steps in front of it. All the shop had was Hornady 110 VMax, but I am guessing it will work well. Anyone tried it on hogs/deer?

 

Vmax is OK, but Barnes black tips is better.  I've been shooting some kind of softnose 125gn stuff that works well enough and didn't cost an arm and a leg.


Don't use subs unless you want a challenge or have a good reason to use them.

Do tell. Cheaper 300 ammo would be nice.

In the end, I'll end up reloading the round. That is a project I am looking forward to. May use the Barnes black til for the reloads.

Have you guys seen the thread on expanding 300BLK subsonic loads? Check out the super and sub sonic loads in this thread: https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_9/682367_REAPR_Ammo.html

JPK

I run a NV and thermal hog hunting and eradication service and we utilize the Super sonic 125 Nosler bullets in the 300blk guns, they work very well inside their envelope, 300 yards and in. And honestly all of our shots have been inside of 150 yards.
300 works plain and simple, and several of these hogs were 250-350 lbs. a central nervous system shot is the best way to drop and stop a pig of any size and can be accomplished with just about anything out there.

My husband uses a 300blk pistol and NV setup and has no problem taking large hogs on a regular basis. As the poster above said, 250-300 lbs dies just fine if the shot placement is decent. He stalks them, though, so his shots are all well inside the 200 yard range.

Barnes VorTx 100gr TTSX, or the equivalent load with the same bullet from others like Gemtech.
Make sure you get the 110gr TTSX, not the 130gr TSX loaded in the Rem Hog Hammer loads, they don't expand very well at all at 300blk speeds.
I've killed several with it, most drop right there with good shots.  Had only one round fail to pass through, and that was into the off-side shoulder of a ~200lb sow after shredding the important bits.
Deer and hog hunted all last year with an 8" suppressed 300blk with the Barnes load.







If you want subsonics, G2 has a new (insanely expensive) expanding subsonic copper round that has been tested to good effect on hogs by Ed Sr.
Not sure about the Lehigh expanding subs.
I've killed a couple hogs with Gemtech 187gr subs, shot placement is even more critical with subs.

Everybody I've talked to loves 300 blk for supressed hog hunting. It's going to be the next rifle I build. For now I use 5.56 and honestly have no complaints, if I do my part they're DRT.

Yeah, I read up on them after posting, I'll end up with some of those subs sooner or later.
For reference, the VorTx 110gr is ~$29 at the local Academy when they have it, and Gemtech puts their stuff on sale occasionally for a little less, but nothing comes close to the REAPR price for expanding subs.

110gr TTSX is the tits.  
However, if you are doing serious high volume shooting, it really isn't worth the extra pennies.  The softnose I've been using is plenty good enough.  I think they are 125gn Sierra Pro Hunter.


 

https://www.sierrabullets.com/store/product.cfm/sn/2120/308-dia-125-gr-SPT

All of these have been killed with either 110gr Barnes TacTX or 125gr Ballistic Tips. I've killed more with it, but these are pics I could find quickly.

Wow great info.   It seems 300blk sub and super ammo is starting to evolve and catch up to all the other more traditional cartridges as far as ballistics and hunting go.


After reading on how critical shot placement is with hogs I'm thinking the Beowulf would be good for aerial hog hunting where perfect shot placement isn't as easy to accomplish.
I think even if it hits it in the ass or back half somewhere with the .50, its going down right now.  There might be less wounded pigs to chase.

Whats your opinions on using the .50 from a chopper?

The 50BW was developed for the USCG to take out boat motors from S-65 Helo in the HItRON squadrons so it's definitely a viable option. However it's gonna be expensive and I think the mags hold like 10 rounds so you're gonna reload a lot, why not just shoot .308 or 300blk. For les recoil and fewer proprietary parts.

Never plan on a bigger caliber making up for shitty shot placement. It doesn't work the way you think it will.

This is true, but an equally shitty shot with a larger caliber has got to be better.

Fwiw, a guy who does helicopter hog eradication wrote on 6.8forums that it takes less gun/load/bullet when shooting from a helicopter since less penetration is required and there is no shield to penetrate on heart/lung shots. He is a fan of the 6.8 and TSX's but I think Shooter's Pro Shop was his sponsor and was providing him with cheap or free ammo. When he lost the sponsorship he switched back to 5.56 for ammo cost savings, and I think is using the 70 grain ish OTM's now.

My son used a borrowed 5.56 shooting the Hornaday 68gr boat tail hollow points to shoot seven hogs and the load was very effective.

The helicopter eradication guy also wrote that a shotgun with buckshot was really effective from the air, but that magazine capacity and reloading speed favored the AR platform.

JPK