Are any of y'all using .223? I realize .308 will pack a lot more punch, but is a .223 pretty lethal on 100lbs and less?

Also, is a semi-auto really necessary, or do any of y'all hunt with bolt action? In other words, do you ever get a second shot?

Will .223 work ? Yes. Is it the best choice- No. Doubt very many fall close to the shot. If this is not a problem or you don't mind looking for them go ahead with the .223. I killed a boat load of small hogs with a bolt action .22 hornet.

Second shots are definitely possible, even with a bolt action.

If you need an excuse to buy a .308 on an AR platform then this is good a reason as any.

Yeah, I basically need an excuse to buy an AR-10.

I use a 223 and if you shoot them in the head/neck, they drop in their tracks. If you shoot them in the boiler room, sometimes that will run a little piece. I keep shooting till they drop. I also wait till two pigs line up before I pull the trigger. Shoot the sow first in the neck and hit the pig behind her wherever the hell I can. I use a FMJ in the pipe and soft points in the mag. I use a semi auto as I rarely see a single pig unless it's a lone boar. I would prefer to use a 30 cal semi auto, but my PV-14 is rated for .223 or smaller.

Wow, you've really thought this out!

They are a nuisance and on about the same level as a armidillo. Put a round in them and keep on moving!

Use enough gun. Go with the 308. It's a beast. It's the difference between a 168 grain bullet and a 55 grain bullet.

I day hunt with a Browning X-bolt in 243 with 95 gr SST rounds.

I night hunt with 300 black outs with 110 gr rounds or 308 with 168 A-Max rounds.

I killed a lot of pigs with a 223 AR. I tried rounds as large as 77 grains and I still had to shoot large hogs multiple times most of the time.

If I was purchasing a single rifle to hog hunt with today. I would purchase a 308.

How is the 5.56 round? My AR shoots both

It's going to be indistinguishable from the .223

I killed 3 pigs with 3 shots with a bolt action out of a tree stand this year. Last year I killed 3 with a crossbow in one sit. I think all about getting luck and proficient with you wepon . I bought my fist ar 556 a few weeks ago and I'm shooting the barns tsx and I have no doubt they will drop some pigs in their tracks . From my experience pigs are alot easier to drop than deer.

I would split the difference and go 300 BLK. Here is my reasoning. I have killed LOTS of running hogs. 223 is best for running hogs, with practice you will hit everytime, but on large hogs it will often take multiple shots. 308 gas gun kills running hogs great BUT the recoil take you off the target WHEN multiple targets are there, thats a bad thing. Now the 300 BLK, lets you stay on target, like the 223 on running hogs. And its just like the 30/30 in ballistics and knock down. I have killed with 223,6.5 Grendal,6.8 SPc,308 gas gun, and 300 BLK. I like the 300 BLK with an Armasight Zeus on it!

A 223, is totally ineffective and will only wound any hog therefore providing mass quantity of pork carcasses for coyotes to feed on since you wont find them causing coyote populations to explode
...There... Go buy ya an AR-10

I have killed hogs with a 223 with no problem. I shoot boys in the head. They drop right there.

.223 is plenty sufficient for hogs 100 lbs and less.

Makes sense.

Hog head shot with a .308. Dead in tracks. You should have no doubts about the choice to make. No second shot needed!

So I quess the one of us on here that have killed 100s of hogs a peice with 223 are ineffectively killing them???

Nothing like a good caliber debate!

Seriously if you can kill a pig with a glorified pellet gun u can kill it with a 223. I bet the Indians would have loved a 223.