.

In this rifle. My Stag AR doesn't care for it but I don't have any left to try in this upper. I can usually find them at Academy. I need to try the Black Hills 77 grain (VLD?)...not just in this rifle but a 1:7 upper I have as well.

I wouldn't mind a 60 grain partition and it might even be consisten with my Hornady 60 grain Soft Point loads with 335 powder. The additional cost of the partition would be fine for hunting.

After our brief hunts I wished I had brought my 300 aac... as light as my S&W M&P AR10 is, it is still a couple pounds more than my 300 AAC AR 15.

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Of the Troops & For the Troops

I have considered popping a 300BO barrel on my PSA upper. I may just do it. Scott killed a big hog on the Reed Ranch last time we were out there using a 300 and it killed him lights out.

Thank you. Any particular 77 grain hp that you use or prefer? I know Sierra makes a Match King and maybe a Game King. Seems my boss buys 77 hp's in bulk too. I like the 55's for plinking and most of my rifles tend to prefer the Winchester XM193 version (also what I keep my Stag Arms carbine loaded with) over the brown boxed Federal for some reason, but with the two faster twist uppers I have (1:8/1:7) I'd like to see if I can find one good 77 grain handload that they both thrive on.

My former Eagle Arms AR used to shoot that 55 grain Barnes TSX bullet into about 3/4" at 100 yards and many other loads. I let it go foolishly and out of all three of my AR's I own today, not a one likes it. I've even tried handloading it and I can't fine a load my rifles like. The Stag carbine thrives on the 64 grain Razorback though and I haven't had a chance to try it in the new Aero Precision yet.

I killed a little 125 pound button buck a few years ago with my Mini 14 Ranch Rifle 580 Series. I used a handload with Winchester's bulk 55 grain softpoint running 2850 fps over H4895 powder in Lake City brass. I am happy with this velocity as it groups well at 200 yards, where the irons were zeroed and I felt it more likely to give adequate penetration on deer at that speed.

The button was just a meat deer and I shot him at 170 yards per the measuring tool on ‘Google Earth’. When I first saw the little booger he was laid up in tall grass and absent a rest, I shot a tad high when I tried to spine him. He then stood up and ran a little ways before showing his shoulder, where I sent the second shot. That one was good and he stumbled off 15 yards and dropped.

The bullet broke the near shoulder, blew a 2 ½”hole in his heart and exited the off-side ribs. Not bad for a poodle shooter.

http://www.perfectunion.com/vb/ruger-mini-14-mini-30/79573-sierras-65-grain-btsp-580-mi...

Varmint bullets in the Blackout are great for plinking but for hunting the 110gr Barnes TacTX is the way to go. I get 2400 with my 16" Carbine and the bullet hits way out of proportions to its paper ballistics. While I haven't shot a large hog with it every one has been a pass through with a large exit hole. I guarantee it will out penetrate any expanding 30 Carbine bullet on the market. Although a .30 Carbine with an expanding bullet is a decent performer.

Shot placement is key and anything can and will kill with the proper shot. I have had a .243 bullet blow up on a deers shoulder and not make it to the vitals. The second shot must have had the same results. The shoulder was obviously destroyed way it flopped around but there's wasn't enough penetration to kill. A better bullet would have meant a dead deer.

I am a huge believer in having two holes, even if the animal runs it it much easier to track them. Small calibers, marginally powerful for the task at hand calibers, and fast calibers say above 3000 FPS maybe 2800, really need a premium bullet if your shot is less than idea. The partition and Barnes are two of the best. Even then sometimes you will need more mass than the really small bores have to offer.

My neighbor shot several hogs with his .223 the only one recovered ran about 75 yards and ended up dead in my front yard. All of the ones I shot with a .223 made it to the thick Woods. I know two of my 3 shots were good, the 3rd might have been slightly far back but still would have been a kill shot with a bigger caliber.

everyone has been talking about the 60 grain Hornady Interlock and Nosler Partition; 65 grain Sierra GameKing, 55 grain Barnes TSX and 64 grain Winchester PowerPoint. All bullets intended for animals from coyote to deer & hogs in size, not varmint bullets or target bullets.
All are hunting bullets going the designed for velocity and they do penetrate and kill the intended animals quickly.

I've only had three move out of their tracks. One was a twofer lined up behind another. The one on the off side had its shoulder in line with the ear of the closest. Should have been a perfect neck shot on one and shoulder on number two. They stepped forward as the trigger released dropping the round into the the shoulder of the first and just behind the shoulder of number two. Number one dropped in its tracks and went into the freezer. Number two spun in a circle and by the time I racked my bolt and found it in the scope it was in the trees carrying the base of a 270 Winchester 150 Partition. I never found it or so much as a drop of blood...but it squeezed for a mile:) The second hog that didn't drop on the spot went about 75 yards, shot a bit behind the shoulder...not intentional. Same 270 and 150 partition. That round as well as the 165 Interlocks I now shoot out of my 30-06 that replaced the 270 generally leaves a good 2" hole on the off side with bo e hanging out on shoulder shots and anchors them in their tracks. The 45-70 is even better. Number three was shot 6 times in all the right places from 25 yards for the first shot and a couple feet for the last couple shots...he was ticked...with a 44 magnum. Every shot anchored him immediately and he "came back to life" each time. The first shot dropped him from a creekbank into Cowhouse Creek, about a four foot drop, landing on his back, blood pouring out of his shoulder for a good thirty seconds into the water. I had my gun reholstered and he started shaking and grunting and flipped over and tried to climb the bank. Shot number two was between the shoulder blades and dropped him into the creek again. He recovered, turned around to stare at the thing that's was distressing him and decided to come over for a visit. Shot number three stopped him halfway in the middle of the creek. He came again and shot four turned him around changing his mind. Shots five and six were as he was trying to get back up the creek bank. He dropped at every shot, every one of then in the shoulders, neck and back of head. He barely made it up the bank and about 80 yards to a tree, circled it about five times and payed down. Scott Tschirhart and Shawn Purkey showed up about that time and we tracked that pig well over a mile following blood until it got so thick we couldn't go further. That was one tough boar, probably about 150 pounds. I was using 240 Sierra JHP's over a very stiff load of H110. I think the bullets were blowing up under the hide but his reaction to every shot was spectacular!

Shooting from a helicopter is totally different than hunting. From a helicopter you are shooting from above at a range of a few feet. The spinal chord is very exposed from that angle. They guys are trying to take slaughterhouse style shots right at the base of the neck. Since you are moving with the hogs repeat shots are possible if your hit is slightly off. Their main concern is low ammo cost and fast repeat shots because they are killing a ton of animals.

When you are hunting on foot if the shot is botched even slightly you have a hog running through the woods and a second shot may or may not be possible. Also the ranges for Hunting on foot can be much further and the angles not as forgiving.

Go shoot 100 hogs under varying circumstances with a .223 and see what your one shot stops will be. I guarantee the rate would be lower than a bigger more appropropiate cartridge.

It will kill without a doubt, but for the guy that gets a chance at a couple of hogs a year, or the guy paying for a hunt it would be wise to use enough gun to bring them down 98% or the time instead of 90 or whatever the .223 would be. From personal experience I bet it would be less that that.