....oops Nevermind

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Head shots with a pellet gun will do the same. I’ve killed a bunch of piggies with an AR15, but all shots were head shots and within 75 yards max. I prefer something with a little more oomph behind it so I don’t have to wait for a head shot every time and can reach out there a little farther. But if that’s all I had to shoot’em with, I’d just empty the mag and what I couldn’t find, I’d let the buzzards tell me about kills over the next few days.

Technically not a head shot , those where CNS shots bigger targets then head shots,

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You can kill pigs with a .223, you just wont find many. Switch to a .308, kill and recovery goes way up.

Yeah, I still call them head shots. They drop hogs generally without a squeal. Great shots for up close and personal and stationary critters. Heck I still shoot there with the 7.62 and it drops them the same. It’s when they start moving or I don’t have that shot where the larger caliber shines. Heck I’ve hit them dead center of the body so I wouldn’t have to drag them off and they’ll fall within 10yds and I still have to drag them off. Running hogs don’t tote a 7.62 like they do a 5.56 either.
Again, not knocking the .223, just saying there’s better calibers out there that will do the job more efficiently.

shot placement , shot placement , shot placement
it he had been using a 308 he could have had 2 more pigs not waiting for the perfect shot on those trotters
make that a semi auto 308 and you could have had 3-4 more

at the end of the day is it about eradication & making meat or doing it with the limitations you put on yourself.

I have shot lots of stuff with an AR in 223/5.56. From deer to squirrel. They work but are no longer my choice for much of anything. I prefer something bigger in 308 based rounds like 243, 260, 7mm08, 308 ect...
I don't think you need 180 gr bullets or a 300 mag to kill deer but after several years and lots of animals the results are in and I get better results with the larger rounds.

I’ve killed many hogs with my 223 ar-15 Barnes 70gr TSX bullets work great on hogs and deer. The standard 62gr green tip M855 work great too. I seem to get quicker kills with the M855 than the Barnes. You will not get much of a blood trail compared to a larger caliber but it works great when you have 12-15 hogs feeding and you need to put as many down as possible.

Sounds like the .223 is the way to go.

… have no idea what “CNS” is … but we were raised to shoot them “right behind the ear” … 22 mag

We kill a lot of hogs. 308 is better. 223 works fine if you hit them right.

CNS Central Nerve System
the only guaranteed down right on the spot hits
you short circuit the spine between she shoulder and the brain and they can't move much of anywhere just kick some
you don't even need to break the spine just get close and it shocks the system so much that they go stiff and tip over
there is enough for arteries and veins surrounding the base if the skull to shoulder section that your going to cause the bleeding also.

right behind the ear is the brain stem the least protected spot of the spine.

50 bmg

the pressure wave makes it hard to suppress or come back on target fast.

you want to get out the other side but any extra out the other side is just wasted energy also

you can get a 180gr 30cal with very little recoil suppressed that will make exit almost every time.

I have killed a ton of hogs. .223 works under the right conditions - shooting single hogs in open ground. A lot of folks say if you get a bullet in them, what difference does it make if they dont drop right away. I shoot a lot of hogs and I want the hog to act like it has been hit when running off - so I know to switch to another. I want an AR 15 platform - because it is lighter than most AR 10’s. I see no use for a bolt gun where I hunt. My favorite caliber is a .450 bushmaster. I think the .350 legend and .400 legend would also be fine. The new Ruger .308 in their new AR platform intrigues me.

A good bullet in a small caliber trumps a poor bullet from a bigger caliber.

it takes more break in than many guns but it is very cool my son has one with the 20 inch barrel

I see one in my future - but would probably go with a 16” barrel so wouldnt be so long with suppressor

I agree a AR10 is heavy. Had the spare thermal on it and said the heck with it. Maybe for hunting fields or wide open places where the pigs are seen from a distance and can be easily snuck in on I might could see a use for it.
I prefer a bolt gun for the areas I hunt. Flat ground you’re getting one shot with all the brush. If I do it right I’ll get more shots when they filter back in.
With a little elevation I can get multiple pigs, even with a bolt. Best was night was 6 out of one group. They even gave me time to reload the magazine.
I’ll carry 8-9# all day before I carry 12-13#. My Ruger hasn’t failed me yet, lol. Waiting on the Gen II and my suppressor to come in and see what they can do.