I bought a home in the Southwest Texas country land of hogs and snakes. I have the CCI pest control rounds for the snakes but I'm needing a good hog round and the catch is this a 5'2 110 lbs woman is going to be shooting it.

This is going to be my wife's carry gun around the property she does not have much experience shooting (That will change after my range is built on the property.) I can do snake drills before the range is built that will be easy!

Yet it's her shooting at hogs that she also needs to do and that will not be done until the range is built. So what I'm looking for is a bullet that will not kick like crazy but if it hits a hog good chance ballistics will take over for the lack of shot placement.

I know to ask for a magic bullet that I'm thinking is two rounds right now if you have another please tell me. First a heavy FMJ or lead the other Liberty Ammo 50gr 357 mag that comes out at 2100 fps.

I like to hear what you all have to say! I know Liberty Ammo has 38 spl also but after shooting there 9mm and 45 ACP ammo recoil was like shooting a 22lr.

Thanks for the advice and help!

Which revolver? Barrel length? Grips on it? Since you're really asking about recoil.

Welllllllll.............
My advice is to get her a .22 and when she is THOUROUGHLY comfortable with it then step up to light loads in .38/.357.It is a serious mistake to even ALLOW new shooters to shoot guns with a lot of recoil and muzzle blast until they have become totally familiar with lesser guns.......it's a damned easy way to introduce bad habits and scare off a new shooter.

Not likely to find what you're looking for.  You need a heavily constructed bullet, properly placed.  I good bullet that doesn't strike a vital area isn't going to help you.

45 Colt is what you seek. Heavy lead bullet in the cowboy round. Hardly any kick. They may make a 38 special, but I wouldn’t trust it on hogs. The heavier the pistol, the less the recoil.

inexperienced shooter with a 38 revolver hoping to get a lucky shot on a wild pig? What exactly is she supposed to do if it charges her?

These might be worth a shot in a .357, have not ever used them before though. Not as stout as the 180 .357's.

38 Special +P 158 Grain Hard Cast Keith

The 45 colt is a good answer also.

https://beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/index.htm

185g  FN

0r

173g  Keith  

I'll second the Underwood suggestion.  I thought they made a standard pressure version,  but can't find it.  They make a 150gr wadcutter, that in a gel test from a few years ago penetrated 23".  Not sure I'd use it for hogs, but figured I'd put it out.

When we went to Academy the one she liked was Taurus 692 stainless it's 35 oz 3 inch barrel. She has shot my Taurus Air weight in 38 spl she liked it but she wants something with a longer sight radius.

Stock black rubber grip but checking if Houge or other grips out there that would help with recoil and not be to big for her hands.

It's better the a stick or a rock! Is it not? Or nothing at all? Should I just allow her to go unarmed and hope she does not run into snakes or a hog?

She is going to have to practices and if she does not have a weapon she can't practice. Not like she is totally new to shooting she just has not shot in a few years. I could give her a 20 ga with slug and birdshot? Bad part about that is it's going to be a little hard for her to carry that and work around the yard or do anything.

A shotgun slung will also be slower to draw then a pistol. No flame to you at all I'm looking for information so please tell me what would you do in my situation? Don't say a 22lr that has less power then the light kicking 38 spl only other thing I can think of is 5.7x28mm only thing it will not be good for snakes.

Hard cast lead bullets for hunting. I'd feel more comfortable with 357 mag, but if she can't handle it, then go 38 Special. I'm sure either will work.

My step mom carries a 38 Special S&W Model 10 I got for her. Loaded with snake shot shells and hard cast lead billets. Works for her. It's a 4" barrel K frame 6 shot. Galco owb belt holster. Lot of snakes and hogs on my dads ranch. The hogs usually run away when shot at. No issues so far.

My pick was the Smith & Wesson Governor.

.410, .45 acp, .45 lc (yes I know it is not Long Colt).

Shot cartridges are available in both .45 rounds, and all kinds of .410 shells!

Get her a glock 19. Loaded with 15 rounds and she will be fine.

Get her a braced AR pistol in 5.56 with 70 gr TACTX.

Low recoil, high penetration, and devastating wounding effects.

This should have less kick than a .38 with a smaller barrel.

People want the magic round and magic gun.  

Grip strengthening and fundamentals are more important.

How about snakes? Mostly worried about them? It's also large for her to lug around and not secure. Also she already has a 10 inch AR-15 pistol and if we could find a good holster or scabbed for it she would just keep the AR on her back and a wheel gun for snakes.



The 5.7x28 beats a 9mm in both cases 33 rounds of ammo less recoil and more penetration. Right?

Also she hates Blocks when I took her to a range when she was looking for a pistol that was the one pistol she shot one round of 9mm thought and said that was enough. I also don't thing a 9mm will do any better then the 38 spl on a hog and with the CCI pest control rounds it does not cycle the weapon I'm told in 9mm.

I'm also not a 9mm fan have used them in combat on humans they could not do the job there I doubt they will do the job on a hog without shot placement.






Have to have a firearm to get the fundamentals? She does a lot of rock climbing pretty sure she has grip strength.

That being said I do believe shot placement is key but a person can not get that skill unless they practice. She will get the practice trust me! Yet I'm not going to toss a full hot 357 mag load in her wheel gun on day one.

That's how you make people have bad habits or they just don't carry the gun at all. I said not asking for the magic bullet. I'm just asking for advice on a good penetrating bullet in 38 spl?

I'll work her up to the 357 mag full power but have to start with baby steps.

See my post above about the Underwood ammo. Get that and a Ruger LCRx 3" in .357 and you're close to what you are looking for.

What has me is the 5 Rds when I can get other wheel guns with 7 rounds little more weight to help with recoil. But Looking at the Underwood ammo!

A 3" L-frame Smith, 7 shot, is going to weigh about 37 oz.
If that weight isn't bothersome to her (surely you have a gun somewhere around 37 oz that she can test carry to determine if it is), and the trigger reach is doable,  that gun gives you a very wide range of abilities, mild to wild.
And is pretty "shootable".

If this is all true, then why include her height and weight in the original post?

a 158-178gr KEITH style SWC over a fairy warm load of UNIQUE or win231 (357mag)

loaded in a K or L frame S&W or a GP100

much easier to shoot than full magnums but will penetrate and then some

taurus is fucking garage, your wife deserves better quality

.

Because I have been here long enough to know most of you are bigger is better! Also, let's face it my wife is well below average hight and well well below the average weight for a woman even for her hight!

Be different if she was 5'2 and 175+ lbs then 5'2 and 110 lbs! I'm 5'10 and 200 lbs but don't want a 500 S&W. Size and weight batter.

I advocated that a small frame female at my last police department should be allowed to use Glock 23 or 19 instead of the issued Glock 22 that they had a problem qualifying with. I watched 7 women from 5'2 to 5'6 all within weight at the academy struggle to shoot the Glock 22. Yet at another Academy, they allowed the females and makes to use SIG 229 over the issued P226 and also allowed them to use 9mm over the 40 S&W or 357 SIG. Many more qualified because of the weapon they used because of there size.

We did have one lady who at the academy was 5'4 but I'm guessing close to a duce she shot the Glock 22 very well! She dropped out because she could not PT!

My neighbor lady down the road carries her husband's Judge loaded with .410 and .45 Cowboy action loads. She uses a fanny pack. That being said a .22 sounds like the best starter solution until she masters it and then go up the ladder to bigger and better as she progresses.

Federal 357 Mag 125 grain jacketed hollow point works I used it for several years in a 6" s&w Mdl 27 N Frame .