.223 with heavy projectiles as a pig gun?

Game hunting and large prey. Deer stalking, hunting with hounds. Boar, pigs etc., large prey, culling, hunting large feral animals.

Re: .223 with heavy projectiles as a pig gun?

Post by Billo » 18 Mar 2024, 7:52 pm

gunderson wrote:hit it in the thinkbox and it wouldnt care the diff between 30cal and 22cal


Thats fine for the first 90kg Boar but what about the other 4 or 5 >

throw the 223 in the bin if you chase pigs regularly and want to knock em over. :drinks:
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Re: .223 with heavy projectiles as a pig gun?

Post by Blr243 » 18 Mar 2024, 7:56 pm

Peter who and I are goin to start up a club .. two sad blokes wishing they still had their mini 14 rugers. Anyone else want to join us ? Sks wielding not welcome sorry
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Re: .223 with heavy projectiles as a pig gun?

Post by Billo » 18 Mar 2024, 8:01 pm

Blr243 wrote:Peter who and I are goin to start up a club .. two sad blokes wishing they still had their mini 14 rugers. Anyone else want to join us ? Sks wielding not welcome sorry


Browning Bar 243 with a Lucky 13 mag would be my pick :thumbsup:

Mini 14s with there legendary accuracy LOL yeah nah :thumbsdown:
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Re: .223 with heavy projectiles as a pig gun?

Post by Bello » 19 Mar 2024, 4:22 am

Hi Guys
My main rifle these days is my 223, loaded with hand loaded 55gr V-Max. ( 1 in 12 twist) (I also load the 55gr game kings)
This rifle has taken more rabbits (Although quite scarce lately), foxes, hares, small pigs and most of the Deer I have shot in the last several years.
I keep my shots within 200 meters, and only shoot if I know I will successfully drop the animal I am targeting.

The 223 is ALWAYS accompanied by one of its close friends being either a 308, 270, 30-06 or 300 Win Mag just in case. :thumbsup:

I agree with the above comments, if I am targeting pigs then I will either use the 308 or larger calibres.
But to answer your question, MY 223 has dropped more pigs than any other calibre.

These are MY experiences :thumbsup:
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Re: .223 with heavy projectiles as a pig gun?

Post by bigpete » 19 Mar 2024, 7:18 am

My bow has dropped more pigs than all my rifles put together.... ;) :D
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Re: .223 with heavy projectiles as a pig gun?

Post by gunderson » 19 Mar 2024, 10:12 am

bigpete wrote:My bow has dropped more pigs than all my rifles put together.... ;) :D



Same G5 Prime has the goods to put piggy in his dirt nap.
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Re: .223 with heavy projectiles as a pig gun?

Post by Jorlcrin » 19 Mar 2024, 2:21 pm

Bello wrote:Hi Guys
My main rifle these days is my 223, loaded with hand loaded 55gr V-Max. ( 1 in 12 twist) (I also load the 55gr game kings)
This rifle has taken more rabbits (Although quite scarce lately), foxes, hares, small pigs and most of the Deer I have shot in the last several years.
I keep my shots within 200 meters, and only shoot if I know I will successfully drop the animal I am targeting.

The 223 is ALWAYS accompanied by one of its close friends being either a 308, 270, 30-06 or 300 Win Mag just in case. :thumbsup:

I agree with the above comments, if I am targeting pigs then I will either use the 308 or larger calibres.
But to answer your question, MY 223 has dropped more pigs than any other calibre.

These are MY experiences :thumbsup:


This has been my experience, as well.

If I go out with the intent of looking for pigs, I'll take the .243, 7mm-08, .30-30, or the .308.
If I'm going out around the run, and want a rifle that is easy to cart around, I will often take the .223 in the knowledge that for most instances, it's going to nail the pork if I do my part.
I run either 69BTHP or 75gn BTHP pills, and I havent found either lacking for knock-down over the past 12 months.
And we have nailed hundreds of Hot Pork with them in that time..

Tikka T3x CTR with 20" 1:8" twist.

Your mileage might vary..
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Re: .223 with heavy projectiles as a pig gun?

Post by Lazarus » 22 Mar 2024, 7:47 am

Rexem makes both a 77 and 80.

I did some testing for James, they both arrive like runaway moons and wreaked havok on my 30kg gel block.
The 80gn, pic, retained over half its original weight.
Admittedly, that was gel, but......
rsz_120231113_180908.jpg
rsz_120231113_180908.jpg (724.53 KiB) Viewed 819 times


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7IGOOKbLoM
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Re: .223 with heavy projectiles as a pig gun?

Post by Jorlcrin » 22 Mar 2024, 8:33 am

I'm happy with the Rexem F-Bomb 69's and the 75's, though I've looked at his heavier pills.
I load for both the managers rifle (a 1:9 twist Howa 1500), and mine (Tikka 1:8 twist CTR), so I'm keeping about close to the heaviest that a 1:9 can handle it.

Had an interesting result with the REXEM 75gn pill the other day; shot a large sow at maybe 20 metres.
The projectile exited leaving a large star-shaped pattern; maybe 2 inches across.
It had opened up amazingly; at a bit more distance, that projectile would have done a LOT more damage.

I havent shot enough of the Rexem 75's to say I'm a devotee for certain(Previously shot a LOT of the Hornady 75gn BTHP Match), but the 2-dozen or so pigs I've nailed with them so far dont go far before gravity attacks them.
[I just need more data.....ie pigs on the ground..]
I like the extra expansion over the Hornady pills, which are really target pills(though they still kill pigs..).
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Re: .223 with heavy projectiles as a pig gun?

Post by Lazarus » 22 Mar 2024, 8:48 am

The beauty of what James is doing, is getting around the limitations of slower twists.
My Howa is a 9 twist, and doesn't particularly like long pills, but James manages to use the same jacket for 69-80gn.
My1500 loves them.
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Stupidity is the same
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And that's why life is hard
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Re: .223 with heavy projectiles as a pig gun?

Post by Border_Bloke » 05 Apr 2024, 1:50 pm

The bloke in the video below uses a little badger in 22 magnum with a laser on it, puts the laser on the pigs head at a few meters and goes "pop".

If you hit it in the head with anything it's instantly dead.
If you hit it in the chest a 308 will drop it faster than a 223 but they'll both kill it.

Just don't expect to anchor a pig with a 223 if you hit it in the bum.

https://youtu.be/5fA9ytFsM24?si=XWFJAQ8z09DrD5UK
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