Will a 45 Cal. stop a wild hog?

   / Will a 45 Cal. stop a wild hog? #21  
I carry either the Judge or the .40 when I am out on the property, the Judge already took one hog but it wasn't a fair test, he was 2' away and took a full load of birdshot to the face. It was a lucky shot, lucky that it dropped and didn't get any closer.

I will attest to shot placement over bullet size or power behind it. I took this one a few weeks ago at about 50 yards with a .17 HMR and a perfect bullet placement, side of the head in between the eye and ear, dropped in place dead with one shot. This isn't a large one, only about 150 pounds or so.

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   / Will a 45 Cal. stop a wild hog? #22  
This thread reminds me of people discussing gun selection for griz not free roaming domestic pigs. I know the coyote thread surprised me with how fearful people were of them and this is even more shocking. These stories of huge man eating blood thirsty wild russian boar that hunt people are gross exaggerations IMO much like what happens in these reality shows like "american hoggers" and such where they do everything possible to make the animals look dangerous.
 
   / Will a 45 Cal. stop a wild hog? #23  
Hogs have this almost mythical reputation for being more difficult to stop than a brown bear and it's completely inaccurate. For background on me, this is what I do - Home - Texas Hog Traps. I sell to the USDA, USFWS, US Park Service, state and local agencies and to land owners and hunters so I have a pretty broad knowledge base to compare against.

I have killed a LOT of pigs with a .22LR, one shot in the head and they're done. In fact, I've killed more pigs with a .22LR than anything else. The vitals are fairly well protected by the shoulder plate on a broadside shot in LARGE hogs (175 pounds or larger). A 300 pound hog is pretty rare in the wild, most people overestimate the weight of a wild pig by 100% so if someone tells you they saw a 300 pound hog, they probably saw a 150 pound hog and if they tell you they saw a 1,000 pound wild pig, they're probably full of bovine waste.

I have never, ever in all my experiences with wild hogs had one charge me when it had another option. The only time I've had them make a run at me was when they were in a trap with no way to escape but even that is the exception. In most cases, even in a trap, they're going to try to get away, not run at you. Placed in a fight or flight situation, the flight instinct is VERY strong with wild pigs. Just standing your ground is pretty effective in making the flee in most cases. A 9mm would do the job just fine aiming for the head and if it's charging at you, that's going to be the best option anyway.

If they've found an area on your place that they feel comfortable in, mowing it may just start them rooting. You're best bet is to either call one of the helicopter outfits and give them permission to fly hunters over your land (if you have a large enough place), set some corral traps where they're active or hire a contract trapper to do it for you. Helicopters will get a large percentage of them if they have a good shooter, I think corral traps are more effective at complete eradication though. You don't want to just run them off, all you're doing is making them your neighbor's problem and they will continue to reproduce and return. Once they start tearing stuff up, it's going to be tough to repair it. They'll root a field up so bad that it's difficult to drive a tractor through it and it's not uncommon for a sounder to tear up as much as 40 acres or more in a single night. You can't just disc it smooth once it's rooted up, getting it back to where it was takes a lot of time and fuel.

I sold a cellular trap door to a farmer in Castroville last year that has the helicopters come over his place, I can find out who it is if you'd like. I don't think he's very far from where you are. If I was closer, I'd offer to come setup a cellular trap for you but, you're about a 4.5 to 5 hour round trip.
 
   / Will a 45 Cal. stop a wild hog? #24  
//These stories of huge man eating blood thirsty wild russian boar that hunt people are gross exaggerations IMO much like what happens in these reality shows like "american hoggers" and such where they do everything possible to make the animals look dangerous.
Ironically the only feral hogs in New England are Russian Boars that escaped from a wildlife preserve after the fence went down in a hurricane.

Apparently I am well-prepared. [S&W 1009]
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   / Will a 45 Cal. stop a wild hog? #25  
   / Will a 45 Cal. stop a wild hog? #26  
.45 ACP FMJ is 230gr @ 845 fps for around 365 ft lbs of energy. There are some hotter loads: I think the Buffalo Bore above specializes in high-energy loads.

There are 10mm ACP loads with 180-230gr bullets and muzzle velocities as high as 1,400fps. Most have 6-700 ft lbs of energy.

Got real sick of carrying an M1911A1 24/7 in the Army and the 1009 is substantially larger. But it beats rocks.
 
   / Will a 45 Cal. stop a wild hog? #28  
I carry either the Judge or the .40 when I am out on the property, the Judge already took one hog but it wasn't a fair test, he was 2' away and took a full load of birdshot to the face. It was a lucky shot, lucky that it dropped and didn't get any closer.

I will attest to shot placement over bullet size or power behind it. I took this one a few weeks ago at about 50 yards with a .17 HMR and a perfect bullet placement, side of the head in between the eye and ear, dropped in place dead with one shot. This isn't a large one, only about 150 pounds or so.

IMG_1220_zps77ru9izp.jpg

Agreed, 3" chambered Judge with 000 buckshot would do the trick up to 20, 30 feet.
 
   / Will a 45 Cal. stop a wild hog? #29  
Stepp, I usually alternate 45lc with the .410 and would feel more comfortable shooting the .45lc at that distance but I usually keep the birdshot alternating for snakes.
 
   / Will a 45 Cal. stop a wild hog? #30  
A 45/70 would be the ticket needed. I Sean on YouTube a 22nd killed a hog! Place the shot just under the ear.
 

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