47th Hog

[Daezee]

Last night went to take a quick look at 3 fields. Peanuts are getting bigger and wind was perfect, from the east. 1st field (north of the barn) went to had 11 at the far end. Again, the wind was perfect. Walked east along the south border until I got to where the peanuts were planted north/south so I could stalk north, walking in the bare row between the north/south rows and where the east/west rows ended. Hogs cooperated by keeping in a small area as they ate. Got in a good shooting position for me and watched. No football sized hogs, otherwise a mixture of sizes (smallest 3-4 were in the 40 lb range and kept together, not in the middle of the other hogs). OK, I've figured out the hog they all follow, not the biggest one, but good size. However, the peanut plants are of such height that I can't see their bellies, so I can't determine the sexes. The leader pauses as it's walking east with the others following, holds its head up, and I pop it in the head. Dead Right There. Shoot at a couple running, but miss (my excuse: while my initial shooting position is stable, it's not the best for swinging onto running hogs). Never made it to the other fields to look.

Go to the DRT leader. It's another of those full size, but younger hogs we've been killing. Estimate 180. You can see the body and testicle size, yet the teeth are of a younger hog. Another male that seems to be the lead hog. Ever since killing what I felt were lead sows, this is now the 2nd male I've seen leading a sounder. A bit lighter gray than some, and it has an interesting snout that's part white. Barnes 110gr black tip hand load. Ark30 suppressor. FLIR RS32 thermal.

While I was stalking closer, the 2 biggest hogs briefly fought, mouths open, going at each other. As they fought, the other hogs moved away from them, and then they re-joined the sounder. I shot the leader, hoping the others would mill around before running...nope...scattered like billiard balls and then headed east (we believe they live many hundreds of yards to the east in State property). Wonder if the whole group were males?

 

[Capt]

I have a question about your hand loads, are they loaded hotter than factory ? What effect if any does it have being suppressed? I shoot factory and i consider it ( 110 gr. black tips) super sonic.Seems Sub sonic would be Mo- better,IDK.Good shooting, I have tried that follow up shot at them running, doesn't always work out.Missed my share.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Very cool. I always enjoy your hog ambush stories. Now if you put the thremal on the breachloader you could shoot once and get 3! Keep knocking them down.

 

[SAWMAN]

A subsonic Barnes 110gr black tip would not open properly to insure a clean kill.
The factory load is going 2350 from a 16" bbl. --- SAWMAN

 

[Daezee]

I have a question about your hand loads, are they loaded hotter than factory ? What effect if any does it have being suppressed? I shoot factory and i consider it ( 110 gr. black tips) super sonic.Seems Sub sonic would be Mo- better,IDK.Good shooting, I have tried that follow up shot at them running, doesn't always work out.Missed my share.

My Barnes 110gr black tips are loaded within the load range Barnes recommends. 2.25" oal, mild crimp, 20.1gr H110. Out of my Ruger SR556 16" Takedown bbl, they average 2402 fps at 4' from the muzzle. Every other Blackout that I have that likes the Barnes prefers 20.0gr H110, and in 16" bbls averages from 2379 to 2419fps (different bbls; different average velocities). So some bbls do a little more than factory. I've not shot factory ammo.

Having shot a few hogs, I found I wanted all the power I could put into them from the Blackout, so I use super sonic. As to suppressed shooting, I prefer to use a suppressor for two basic reasons: Less noise for me and the surrounding farms and homes (helps prevent unwanted attention I feel), and I can often hear the bullet hit (or miss). There is most often a super sonic crack of the bullet heard if the bullet gets to travel far enough. ONE time at a close distance (no more than 15yd) I got multiple shots at hogs in a cotton field with tall cotton, as the sound didn't seem to bother the hogs. ONE time with Sawman around 30-40yd away, I killed a hog and Sawman did not know I'd even shot (the direction was away from Sawman) (distance to hog was 38yd and bullet stayed in the hog; seemingly no super sonic crack, at least not in the video). Note: with suppressed super sonic deer hunting, I've multiple times had other deer not run at the sound.

Don't like the rainbow trajectory of subsonic. Sighted in on at 50yd with thermal, my Barnes hand loads give a trajectory of +/- 1" out to 170yd, so I just aim right on. I do use suppressed Blackout with subsonic to killed hogs in a trap, using 220gr Sierra Matchkings so other people present don't have to wear hearing protection. They don't expand; shoot hogs in brain.

Effect of suppressor on my handloads: I have 2 different makes of suppressors. With any new to me bbl or rifle that I intend to sometimes shoot suppressed, I test both suppressors for accuracy to choose the most accurate combination. The VAST majority of time, one of the suppressors will shoot more accurately. I suppose one could tweak the handload to the suppressor to see if the combination could be improved, but I haven't so far. Basically in my experience with my guns, my Ark30 screw-on suppressor improves the accuracy about 50% of the time, has no effect on accuracy about 25% of the time, and decreases accuracy about 25% of the time (never kept records on it). My Gemteck Quicksand quick attach suppressor improves the accuracy about 25% of the time, has no effect on accuracy about 40% of the time, and decrease accuracy about 35% of the time (again, no formal records kept on it, just a note of which works the best) (did find one rifle was VERY picky even as to which Gemteck Quick Mount was put on the bbl to mount the suppressor on).

FWIW, the Barnes 110gr black tip on boars greater than 150 pounds penetrate a good 2" further than Nosler 125gr Ballistic Tips. Have also had 1 or more petals break off the Barnes hitting hogs. On sows, both penetrate about the same (not as much to slow the bullets down). For deer, both normally exit the body.

Finally, I'm leaving in a few minutes to walk the peanut field to make sure I didn't kill one that disappeared into the peanut plants that got hidden from the thermal. I don't think I hit any running this time, as I didn't hear the unique thunk/thump sound, but I'll make sure. I've grown to not have fond feelings for pasture rats, and will sometimes take running shots after the first carefully aimed on. Have now taken a few running ones. I try my best to make sure any hog shot is found. If in doubt, I'll also put another bullet in one. My best has been a triple kill.

 

[Capt]

Thanks for the info.I have shot hogs and deer with both bullets (Barnes and Nosler).I liked the results better with the black tips than the green tips.For some reason i thought you shot a bolt gun, my old age , Ha.Guess i'm going to look into a suppressor for my 300,7.62 x 39 , 308.Anybody recommend a good one for all cal.?A triple, Dang !!Good Shooting!! Oh, i allmost forgot , i shoot a CMMG upper 16 in. in 300 black.

 

[FLT]

Thanks Daezee , for taking the time to post a interesting and informative write up. I use the Barnes bullet with a very similar power charge in my bolt action rifle (20.2 grains of H 110) , so I’m always very interested in your results.

 

[Daezee]

I have and use both AR’s and bolt guns. I’ll get tired of one and move the thermal to another. Current is an AR. Have managed 1 triple and multiple doubles. After one tried to get me, if in doubt, I will quickly put another bullet in the body.

And for Sawman and Chaps, while out checking the field, I talked to the neighbor to the immediate north of the barn peanut field. We now have permission to go on his property to retrieve a wounded hog that goes there from the peanut field. No hunting permission. He is mowing his field so we will be better able to see hogs if they come from that direction. He likes to hunt deer and showed me his game camera.

 

[SAWMAN]

Thank you Bruce. I appreciate you and Johns endeavours for us to have great PR with the landowners. --- SAWMAN