Shot Placement on Pigs with Hard HP .30-30 Cast Bullets

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Wilderness posted this 23 October 2024

Mods: If this post is outside the scope of CBA interest, please delete. This post relates to shooting pigs with cast bullets.

Since buying an entry level clip-on NV device a couple of years ago I have accumulated videos of shots on pigs. The NV is used mainly for night shooting. The device I use has been good for set piece operations such as watching a carcase or other feed source that the hogs will be coming to.  Mostly the pigs are unaware that they are being lined up, so the shots can be quite deliberate, and waiting for a clear shot and a good angle is OK.

With NV, the video goes useless for a few seconds when the shot goes off. There is a big white flash and when it clears there either is or is not a dead pig on the ground.

In either case the last frame before the white flash confirms and preserves a record of the aim.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I learned about shot placement by watching these videos. My aiming point has moved further forward as a result. Pigs have a deceptive shape and it is almost a given that intended “shoulder” shots tend to end up in the ribs. Even then, what I used to think of as a shoulder shot may produce a runner, especially if it’s a big boar. My current thinking is that the broadside shot needs to be on the forward edge of the shoulder, preferably breaking the shoulder joint, and the oblique facing shot needs to be forward of and just inside the shoulder joint. I try to avoid the square on frontal body shot.

The Finn Aagard recommendation for quadrupeds was for a mid-body aim dead between the front legs from whatever angle. I tend now to go a little forward again of that on pigs.

Herewith are some images of shots that put the hogs straight down. They were shot with 175 gn HP cast .30-30 bullets, 16 BHN, muzzle velocity 2200 fps. Range was 40 – 70 meters. My experience has been that my hard HP cast bullets do every bit as well as or better than jacketed bullets on pigs of all sizes.

First image, device had moved on the scope, but content too good to waste. Pig went down with no arguments.

 

Second image was at dusk, a big sow with a couple of half-grown offspring. Down and out. Got the smaller ones later as well.

 Third image, large boar, angled shot, went straight down but raised a lot of dust kicking.

Fourth image, a semi-oblique shot, small boar, straight down.

The last word on shot placement should perhaps go to a bow hunter.  This fellow has put up some impressive videos of pigs and buffalo shot with a compound bow. The best of it is his analysis of shot placement for each kill.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCae1cb3tqEoIDP-U8pzmiOA

You are only as good as your library.

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oscarflytyer posted this 23 October 2024

Learned in Germany that a full on broadside pig shot was not recommended.  they have a real nice thick grissely bone shoulder plate.  The one hog I shot in the shoulder was only ~80 lbs and I was ok hitting the shoulder.  But anything over 100 lbs I want to punch it somewhere around the middle - no in the middle - of the shoulder plate.  It is some pretty good armor.

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Wilderness posted this 24 October 2024

Yes Oscar, the boars can develop quite a shield, but they are not bullet proof. In selecting my alloy the first requirement was that the bullet should penetrate the shoulder of a big boar and make it at least into the opposing shoulder. This also ensures good performance on angle shots such as flank forward. The second requirement, satisfied by the hollow point, was that the bullet should mash up the insides on a rib shot sow or immature.

The front on-shot has proved to be more problematic. The head is a bad choice since it is always moving, and anything involving the neck has a lot of muscle to penetrate. The half angle frontal shot (#2 & #3) is much easier than the dead front-on shot.

You are only as good as your library.

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Eddie Southgate posted this 08 November 2024

Ear hole.

Grumpy Old Man With A Gun......Do Not Touch .

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Brodie posted this 09 November 2024

I have only shot two wild pigs with cast bullets, both from a 44 Mag.  One I shot in the head and the other I shot in the shoulders, both went down like stones, but my bullets were a lot heavier than yours.  I have shot several in the side but with jacketed bullets.  The last one was with a 7x57 and he hit the dirt immediately, he was running.  I think it should be fine if you are using enough bullet or one that will not expand with a harsh word.  Without the hollow point that 3030 bullet of yours should give complete penetration on a broadside shot. 

B.E.Brickey

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Wilderness posted this 11 November 2024

Brodie - these hard HP bullets can more often than not still give complete penetration, courtesy in part to the non-hollow rear portion of the bullet.

I have had quartering shots on boars, like those illustrated, where the bullet base has exited the diaphragm area.

Just this morning I shot a medium sized sow at a bit over 100 m (rangefinder), with a front of the shoulder shot. The shot raised dust, and had it not been for the pig kicking on the deck I might have questioned the hit.

These pass throughs are consistent enough that I make a habit of trying for doubles on smaller pigs when the situation allows.

You are only as good as your library.

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Wilderness posted this 15 November 2024

Brodie - this was (another) barrow shot a couple of nights ago. Range was 80 meters, so impact velocity might have been 1900 fps or so. This fellow was 63" from snout to butt of tail, which is "big" by our standards. He also has the characteristic dumpy barrow shape. I am shooting a few of these barrows - someone is obviously cutting little boars and letting them go in the hope of catching them again later. Pigs were coming to a carcase.

This hog ran 50 meters after being shot through the ribs - about 6" too far back by my reckoning. The NV image shows the aim on his right side while the daylight image shows exit on left. The first point from these images is that rib shots do kill them, but they might run a little. Others (4) shot the same night with the hard HP cast bullets went 25, 15 and nil meters (2x) depending on POI.

The second point is that at least part of the bullet went right through this hog, which is typical for a rib shot with the hard hollow points.

You are only as good as your library.

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SkinnerD posted this 16 November 2024

Nice work. I enjoy these threads, thanks. Do you use the carcasses at all?

John - New Zealand

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Wilderness posted this 17 November 2024

Thanks John - glad you like a bit of excitement. Do you shoot a few yourself? With cast bullets?

My hogs are wasted in every sense of the word. Given what ours include in their diet, I'll pass on the culinary delights of wild pork.

My shooting is therefore 100% for pest control.

I got into the pig shooting habit when my folks had sheep. If you didn't control the pigs, you didn't get a lambing. Boars would catch the baby lambs and turn them inside out, leaving just the skin, the head and the feet. And just one lamb wasn't much of a meal for an adult pig. Boars seemed to be able to anticipate the lambing and would turn up from nowhere a few weeks before the event. A month of solid shooting ahead of lambing was therefore an important part of the work calendar. Of course you'd know about this from NZ as well.

Pigs are not as urgent a problem away from sheep, but they are still a serious environmental pest.

You are only as good as your library.

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SkinnerD posted this 17 November 2024

I've shot two feral pigs in my time, neither with the 30-30 despite it being in my possession since the late 80s and neither with cast. Mostly I shoot goats and deer for the freezer. Pigs are a problem here in NZ in many areas but hard to get private land access to for open shots with rifle. Vast majority of pig hunting here would be done with dogs and real fit fellers younger than me. And in fairly rugged scrub and thick bush country. A sheep farmer I recently spoke with who has a pig problem built a large trap he baits with carcasses and can get 20-30 pigs in a night. They are slaughtered and made mostly into Sausages. He finds that much more effective for culling than shooting unfortunately.

I use cast subsonic in an old Interarms 308 for deer and goats. Over a small charge of old shotgun powder.

I am just completing a workspace for casting after several years of accumulating lead and gear and threatening lol. My 1984 JM stamped factory 18in Marlin 30-30 will be first cab off the ramp. If I can get onto some pigs I'll try and follow somewhat in your footsteps. Otherwise I'll be after thin skinned goats using a softer flatpoint or HP bullet.

John - New Zealand

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barra posted this 24 November 2024

Wilderness I’m enjoying the cast performance 

keep them coming.

Have you tried soft alloy pp’ed bullet yet?

 

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Aaron posted this 24 November 2024

This is a wonderful thread to read both for content as well as its educational content, at least for me. Knowing now about the destruction these pigs cause on sheep ranches is an eye opening read. Here in North Carolina, the wild pigs cause havoc on farm lands for crops like sweet taters and the like. They are everywhere too. There is, in some parts of the state, an active eradication program by gunfire, but we all know it's pointless. While it makes for some fantastic shooting activity, it has minimal effect on the pig population.

Keep up the commentary and updates if you would. This is a great diversion from standard menu fare.

 

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

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Aaron posted this 24 November 2024

What is the thermal imaging or night scope device attached to the scope on the rifle pictured above?

 

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

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Wilderness posted this 24 November 2024

Barra & Aaron - thanks for the encouragement.

That's an entry level Oneleaf NV100 night vision device, cost US$300. It picks up on IR light, some of it natural, but most provided by the in-built IR torch. Being clip-on (bayonet fitting actually), I can use the rifle normally in daytime, then put on the NV and the slip-on recoil pad (to lengthen the stock) at night.

The Oneleaf is actually a video camera with IR capability plus IR torch and a fitting for the scope, so it views and films through the scope while providing night vision. Pretty simple concept really. Same as the Pard. If I need to video something not involving shooting, I can do that too. With the device being on the back of the scope there is no need for rezeroing - just zero with the scope normally, then use with or without the clip-on.

Small field of view can be a problem, but OK when you know where the target is going to be. Lowest magnification setting on the Oneleaf is 4X (1X on the air rifle model), which multiplies by the scope magnification. Huge white flash when the shot goes off (mostly IR reflection off smoke) means it's pretty hard to tell which way the survivors (or the target) ran. IR reflection off vegetation can also be blinding, so a clear shooting lane has to be determined or cleared in advance.

Gold Standard in night vision is thermal, but at about 10x cost, and it has to be a permanent fixture on the rifle - i.e. another rifle dedicated to just the night shooting. Thermal gives good images through vegetation that would hide the target in white or IR light, and is used by the pros to find the bodies after the shootup.

Barra - re soft PP, I've used soft HP PP in .32-40 (#311407 bullet .314" patched up to .321" with onion skin paper), but not enough power there to do a definitive job on the hogs. In .30-30 I have tried a soft alloy solid bullet but found it not destructive enough. Pure lead with patch may be better, but it would need to be pretty good to match what I'm doing with the hard HPs.

You are only as good as your library.

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