SCJ429 wrote:What sort of damage did you do with the rounds that hit the heart and lungs? Did you open her up and have a look?
Was she just standing there after the first hit or was she running?
I have used a 22/250 a bit myself and anytime I have hit the heart, with 55 grain Vmax, the animal has not moved off more than half a dozen metres.
TassieTiger wrote:I’m not offay with pig hunting - no one has the balls to release em in Tassie - lol.
But I hear and read a lot of different stories about some pigs falling to a Shanghai and a river pebble and others that swallow a 338 and spit it back at you...has me thinking left of field.
Is it possible that wild pigs (not unlike their farmed cousins) have hard / soft areas on their hides - like really hard. We had a farmed pig once that slept continuously in the exact same place and on the exact same side - when time came to harvest her, the side she slept on was insanely difficult to skin, like benchmade knife really, really struggled - whilst the other side was easy...I think a bullet impact would have had vastly different results depending on which side bore the impact. Just a thought.
TassieTiger wrote:I’m not offay with pig hunting - no one has the balls to release em in Tassie - lol.
But I hear and read a lot of different stories about some pigs falling to a Shanghai and a river pebble and others that swallow a 338 and spit it back at you...has me thinking left of field.
Is it possible that wild pigs (not unlike their farmed cousins) have hard / soft areas on their hides - like really hard. We had a farmed pig once that slept continuously in the exact same place and on the exact same side - when time came to harvest her, the side she slept on was insanely difficult to skin, like benchmade knife really, really struggled - whilst the other side was easy...I think a bullet impact would have had vastly different results depending on which side bore the impact. Just a thought.
Oldbloke wrote:Seems to me if the OP wants 1 gun then 243 is the go. Other wise 223 & 308.
RoginaJack wrote:Actually, I've reckon the .243w is very much underrated for Austalian conditions.
Having said that, I've shot more pigs with the Ol' 303 (7.7mm) SMLE, heavy barrel and iron sights than any other rifle. It just does the job all the time,
Blr243 wrote:Today we are bred to weak to cart smle in the scrub
RoginaJack wrote:What's that you say, a 303 has recoil? Bugger me, ya learn something new everyday.
i used to carry one around in the local school cadets from 1st year high school, 4 mile marches out to the range at Singleton army camp for range practice with the Bren and Rifle and never noticed..
ScottyD wrote:I've been continuing my online research (whilst I wait patiently for my licence to come through), and have a possible solution that I'd like to run by you guys for comment/suggestions.
Seems my main issue when going after the dogs and pigs (possibly deer - I hear they're around but haven't seen any yet) will be either trying to take them at relatively short distances in thick bush, or else over longer distances in more open terrain. I think this distinction means I'll need to have two different rifles entirely.
I've read articles/seen videos suggesting that slower moving blunt rounds are more effective/efficient in scrub, where the range is much closer and branches/foliage must be penetrated without deflecting the shot. In this scenario I'm wondering if something like a 30 30 might be more appropriate, perhaps with a forward mounted scope (red dot?) so that it becomes something like a scout rifle (fast target acquisition).
Then for when I'm patrolling the more open areas, I'd then possibly go for something more 308ish/sniper-like.
Anyway, what do you folks reckon? Am I on the right track or going off on a tangent?
ScottyD wrote:I think you might’ve hit one of the biggest issues with the two gun option right on the head GQshane. I can only carry one rifle at a time, and sure as s**t it’ll be the wrong one when it’s needed. So it looks like I’m back to the one gun route again.
ScottyD wrote:Hmmm, as usual some excellent & helpful points raised. Thanks very much guys.
I think you might’ve hit one of the biggest issues with the two gun option right on the head GQshane. I can only carry one rifle at a time, and sure as s**t it’ll be the wrong one when it’s needed. So it looks like I’m back to the one gun route again.
I am pretty interested in the scout rifle concept, it seems to be the sort of tool with the flexibility I’m needing. And you’re right bigrich, the Ruger does look like a great example of the genre (I enjoyed reading about caveman’s Ruger scout in the scout rifle thread). I didn’t know it came with a 20” barrel, that does make it even more appealing. Especially if I go 308, which I’m starting to think might be best for when my only shot is a long one (might also help with pushing through bushes at shorter ranges too perhaps).
When it finally comes time to buy, I’m hoping to go and shoulder the different rifles, and see if there’s a discernible difference to the fit/handling for me. The Styer scout also has me curious, but it’s pretty bloody expensive. It’d have to be a pretty decent rifle to warrant that sort of expense.
I’ve also heard people recommending the Weatherby carbine, although it’s not really a scout type rifle (no detachable magazine nor option for forward mounted scope).
I’ll certainly keep your suggestions about the 40mm objective lense scopes for low light use Oldbloke, especially since I foresee those being exactly the times when I will most likely be going for a ‘quiet little wander’.
Very frustrating having to wait so long for my licence, I wish I’d started the process a lot sooner. Getting frequent sightings of three wild dogs hunting together along the gullies of our neighbours places across the road lately. My trigger finger is actually getting physically itchy.