WTK:what commercial load to use for huntig bigs

[TK223]

Since we have more and more "problems" with pigs in our area ( due to increased growing of corn for bio-gas purpose) I think I want to take my FAL on pigs when the stuff is harvested. When they come out of the field you have 3-5 pigs at one time - last year we shot 42 pigs on 148 hectars!.
So what commercial load you could suggest / recommend?
Distance : 30-180 meters, pigs from 40-130kg weight.
Ithought about the norma vulcan 168grs - but they cost nearly 7$ a round here in Germany. What do you think and what is the heaviest bullet that can be used in a FAL?
Thanks
Theo

[mribley]

Guten Tag,
A regular 147 gr or so hunting bullet should work. You should use an expanding bullet. Not Ball.
Where in Germany are you? I understand you have problems with pigs in the Berlin Parks.
I also understand it expensive to hunt there and takes alot of training. But, you can hunt a night. You have a wonderful country.
Have fun,
MJRibley

[MAINER]

I'd use any 150gr hunting type bullet available that will feed and function in your rifle. For game larger than pigs, I'd go to a 165gr bullet. I don't care for anything heavier than 165 ~168gr in the .308, but I hear of good results with 175gr for long range work.

You can shoot 180gr loads in a Fal by opening up the gas reg. You might want to use a recoil buffer. For me the .308 Win gives up too much velocity in this bullet weight.


So! What kind of beer do you have at these pig roasts?

[chromestarhustler]

pigs are dangerous and i dont have one bullet i hunt them with. modified my hunting habits after a few close calls with them that could have injuried me badly. i carry usually four mags of different ammo.

big old pigs that have been threw some crap have very tough very thick skin behind there front shoulders from rubbing on trees and fights and hard thick skulls. i have had bad luck shooting these 2 areas with ballistic tipped 150 grs. these old pigs i wouldnt eat, so killing them is the goal wounding them is acceptable. so 147 to 150 fmjs.

young tasty pigs 150gr hornady tap right behind the shoulder blades.

walking around threw the brush, old 200 gr silvertips, believe these have been discontinued, but if you sneak up on or startle a mama pig with youngins in the area your in serious crap and you have to put her down fast. its not a fast load but it hits hard.

if we catch a herd in the distance i usually go fggm to anchor a few but i might try some 175 in the future.

couple rules.
never hunt pigs in less than groups of 2
when crossing barb wire fences. one guy slings your weapon and readies his. when you make it over. sling his weapon and ready ours before he climbs the fence. this goes from any obstacle/ washout whatever.
carry a pistol with the nastiest jhp you can find. 45 might be ok, but a 44 magnum is better
a pig isnt dead til you put one or two rounds in the head from a safe distance.

back straps are tasty on young pigs, some of the other meat is good too beyond that is sausage time.
bring heavy leather work gloves to handle the pigs,
they will eat there dead. if you shot one and just take its back straps and leave the rest, you can usually come back in a day or two and shoot some buddies.

[FAL freek]

Somewhere on here I remember a member talking about hunting pigs at the river in Texas. Just sat there and waited for them to come. Said he used South African military ball and it was quite effective.

[Survey Punk]

Youze guys still measure land in Hectares?
Oh, 150gr bullet should do fine. Piggy is a tough bumpkin. Shot placement is the key.

JB

[TK223]

After reading your hints I went "to town" yesterday and bought some ammo. Now I´ll try out some 150grs softpoint loads ( 860m/sec 3596 J) that came at 1€/rd(1,42$) and I was lucky to find some old 40rds of Hirtenberger ammo with 180grs nosler partition for 1,3€/rd (1,84$) if there are bigger pigs.

I used to hunt on pigs first with a Drilling in 8x57IRS when we had nearly no pigs in our area some years ago. When the east opened up and we had some trouble with pigs in the brushes ( and me being a student with no money) I took an old 12g FN Auto 5 with shortend barrel and put in slug and 00 buck - fist shot 00 to stop second sho slug to finish the job) and a H&K USP as a second option. That worked till a "high-speed" boar came from behind in the corn and opened up my left leg - really painfull thing.
After that - with more money in my pocket - I bought my beloved Winchester 1895 in 30-06 and hammered down every pig with 180grs norma vulcan.

Yesterday at 18:00 the first result with the 150grs load the big one fell instantly, the small one was running fast but not fast enough :

the gun

The rest for info:
The gun:


The dog older pic:



the beer

or

the knive - made my own knives


and an other pig I took down some time ago with the Winchester.


And .... yes, we measure our land still in hectares - only the british don´t.

[Mike in Seattle]

Salute!, TK223.




Very good looking Hunting Rifle!

I like what you've done with the wood in the rail.


Mike

[prosecond]

Nice looking fal. Did you make the buttstock and pistol grip? What receiver is on the fal?

[FAL freek]

Nice. If there's two there there's bound to be more. Stock that freezer full for the next two years.

[onionman]

My brother and I have shot a lot of hogs out here in CA. Have taken them with a .243 with 100 grain Remington Core-lokt; a bit light for the job. Have put down a whole heap load with the .270 using 130 grn Core-Lokt, no problems up to 250-300 pounds. Have also used the .30-06 with 165 grain Speer Grand slams and 150 grain Core-Lokt. Good up to 300-350 pounds, no problems. Out to about 100-150 yards or so, I would try to go for a head or neck shot, that will put them right down. Have seen larger hogs run 100 yards plus after taking one just behind the shoulder, heart and lungs torn up, but the bullet did not eit the far side to due to heavy ribs and marbling on the ribs. Have seen other people gut shoot them, that can make them really mean. In the brush I like to have my .357 revolver or my .30.30 model 94 to finish them.

I think a 150grn hunting bullet out of a .308 should do the job just fine. The new ammo with Barnes X-Bullets or Barnes Triple-Shock X Bullets or the Swift A-Frame should be really, really good on hogs.

[CTW]

I would try the 150 grain federal power shock soft points. 13 and change a box at wally world here. They shoot good enough out of both my Fal's to be decent hunting loads.

[Tailback]

Hey tk223, nice pigs.

How'd you cook them up? I had an incredible dinner one night at a Bavarian gasthaus when they cooked a whole pig. The meat just fell off of the carcass and was so juicy, tender, and delicious.

Maybe some jagerschnitzel? MMmmmmmm, I miss German food. Hopefully soon I'll be able to visit Germany again. I left in 1989 and it's been way too long, although I touched down in Leipzig and Frankfurt to and from Kuwait in 2007-2008. It's not the same when you can't leave the airport though.