I have an opportunity to hunt feral hogs in middle Tennessee with my uncle.  I hunt white tail with a 243 and it works great, but I suspect it's too light for feral hogs and need some input.

I've got two firearms on hand I could put into service as pig guns, though neither may be ideal.  Or maybe they are and I just don't know it, which is why I'm here asking.  I have a Mossberg 500 pump shotgun, but it has a choke, so I'd need to get a cylinder bore barrel and some foster slugs.  The new barrel would cost almost as much as the gun, and the cost of slug ammunition is not inconsiderable.  I'm also not set up to cast slugs and reload shotshells.

The other gun I have on hand is a Savage Model 10 in 30-06.  All it really needs is a scope.  I'm set up to handload for it so I'm good on ammo.  My concern with the Savage is that a bolt gun with magnifying optic might not be the best if I'm heavy brush.

Maybe either of these would work fine.  Maybe there are better options.  I'm considering putting together a 6.8 upper or getting a lever gun, either a 44 magnum or a 45-70 and using a red dot sight or ghost rings.  The appeal of both of these is the ability to get on target fast at short range.

What does ARFCom think?  The terrain in Middle Tennessee suggests heavy brush and woods, so most shots will probably be pretty close.  I expect 50 yards or less to be the norm.

just get a 6.8 spc and use and use Barnes bullets and you will have the ultimate setup in no time flat.

If you use a good bullet, the .243 will do its job if you do yours.

Are you hunting for the meat or for eraditication/pest control?  If the former, then either bolt gun would be fine. However, unless in a large open field you will only get one, maybe two shots.  For pest control, a 6.8 in an AR platform will do some serious damage.  On the plus side, the 6.8 can also be used to take whitetail.  The 6.8 has become my go to rifle for deer, hogs, and 'yotes.

If you use your .243 just get Barnes VOR-TX TTSX cartridges and you'll be good to go.

Are you going to be stand hunting? Was wondering, because I wouldn't worry about having a variable scope on the 30-06 if you were.


If your stalking I wouldn't worry about having a variable scope either, 9 times out of 10 you'll have plenty of time to get on target, you'll see them before they see you if the wind is right. If the wind is wrong, you'll never see them.

Probably both.  I'm not too interested in a cartridge that's going to be "shoot a pig, it runs 300 yards and lays down and dies somewhere."  I want to drop them on the spot as much as possible.

NEMO   300 Wm ........we all want one.....

What you have is fine. The 243 with any well placed round will drop em DRD. There is no magic caliber/rifle for hogs and don't let the taught of these "ferocious" beasts intimidate you...they die like anything else. The shield is not a concern generally except on a sure enough big un, and even then a well placed shot behind the shoulder does the trick.

I have had great success with with 223 55gr FMJ as have a lot of members here. I have also had them run off with 2 RDS of 308 165 PSP. In both situations I was the variable. The 243 and 30-06 will both work fine, and depending on your shot placement, could be overkill. Which we all like for eradication purposes. My next riffle I am going to buy is an old pump action 30-06. My dad uses one for hogs and loves it and oftentimes dares me to "man up" from my 308.

Grab a gun a shoot at OP. The rifle doesn't make the smile any bigger when ya dragging the sumbitch up hill to the truck

A casual walk in the woods turned into a slaughter one morning. 55 gr FMJ and whatever FMJ I had in .40. I wish I had never sent the eotech in now

</a>" />

Linkie

You 243 will work fine in the daytime, but the 6.8 with a red dot and a PVS 14 to mount behind it will work day or night!

But then you'll soon be shopping for a thermal scanner, then a thermal scope....

JPK

I usually use my AR-15 in either 5.56mm or 300BLK suppressed.

7.5 inch super redhawk in 44 mag with red dot, done

what you have will work fine the 243 with a premium bullet or the 06 with any old soft point.  I don't think bolt guns with scopes would be ideal for that hunting but they will work.  A lever gun in 30-30, 35 rem, 45-70 or 44 mag would be a great setup as well as a ar in 6.8, 6.5 or any of the big bore's would be ideal as well.

Tromix .458Socom

As a died-in-the-wool 6.8spc fan I am biased and would choose 6.8 every time. I have yet to use it hunting, but have no reservations about it's abilities within it's limitations.

I have been dying to go on a pig hunt with my 6.8 AR, especially on an eradication trip, I couldn't imagine a better rifle to use for this purpose. Heavy hitting, light recoil, hi capacity mags, I imagine it would be very effective on a group of hogs, especially with a good red dot mounted.

Use any excuse you want to stay with what you have or to buy another rifle, but right now the 6.8 is the most powerful rifle caliber I have. I have been searching for a more powerful caliber for larger game hunting and I want it significantly more powerful than 6.8 to justify it and that has been the .35 Whelen.

" />

.243 win will kill them just fine
DPMS lr 243 lite hunter w/ PPI 100gr soft points

If you're going to be walking and stalking in the woods and want to kill as many as possible then the 6.8 AR would probably be best.
If you're gonna sit in the woods in a blind over some bait and pick out the one u want when they/it comes in, then either of your bolt guns should be good to go. My fiend shot a really big boar at about 125 yards with his .243 (can't specify bullet) in the shoulder. Hog ran 50 yds with a big blood trail before dying. Two inches behind and an inch below the ear DRTs them and leaves u a couple inches room for error in every direction (just don't hit high on the neck).. High on the neck is just meaty and the shot will knock them out momentarily but they may get up and run off after a few seconds/minutes if the shot didn't permanently damage the spinal cord.

X2 killed more with a .22 pistol than most have with a rifle. Heavy brush just use the M500 with buck shot. I've killed a truck load or two across large fields with the .243 and 95 gr. Ballistic tips. Just kill a few and then start your dream weapon cause you will want better and better equipment.

Barnes TSX .223 does the trick just fine; your .243 with decent ammo is enough

Put a 2x-7x scope on the .30-06 and go kill pigs.

I have killed hogs with a lot of different weapons and different calibers.  I have ended up as my all around gun is a 308 AR.  Its not much heavier then a standard 223 AR, ammo is easy to get, mags are easy to find, and it has enough power and distance for what I do.  Buddy has a 458 socom and he loves it, but ammo is not as easy to get and he doesn't like to blast away at herds due to cost.

Killed lots of pigs over the years with 223/556.  But these days I use 450Bushmaster and the crew I hunt with runs 6.8 and 450B.

243 will do the job very well.   But when hog hunting it is a very good idea to have a semi-auto so you can get two maybe three hogs........where as a bolt action will only get you one shot before the group disappears.

6.8spc is a very good choice.  An upper would be easy to install on your AR.   You might also consider a red/green dot sight as most hogs hunting is low lite or night conditions.  

Good luck

Semi-auto is best for hog hunting.   Never know if you will see 1 or 20+.    Bolt action will get you one.   Semi-auto will get you maybe 3.
AR is good for this.   6.8spc will work well.   Good idea to have a red / green dot site for fast shooting
Good Luck