Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

Since regular hunting seasons are winding down, many of us are looking forward to chasing some non-traditional game or exotics. Wild boar or feral hogs are probably our most hunted exotic game. The topic of what is the best caliber for wild boar gets brought up nearly every time hunters get together during one of our pig hunts. I get asked some variation of “if you could have any caliber, what would you choose?”. I don’t like using minimal calibers. The vast majority of shots presented to me are short range, under 150 yards. I can only recall two times where shots were over 200 yards, because of this, I tend to use big bullets from easy shooting calibers.

Precision is Key for Wild Boar

My opinion and experience are from 45 years of chasing wild boar and feral hogs. Twenty or so were spent actively culling and working with farmers and ranchers during destructive animal abatement. While doing that, I also guided others and have been able to see firsthand many effective and ineffective calibers. The most important aspect is always the shooter’s precision. If you remain precise, then minimal calibers will work. We are still taking a life, and that life needs to be taken quickly and ethically. Larger bullets will allow more room for error, by penetrating deeper or doing more destruction. However, we always need to deliver proper bullets accurately.

Projectile Weight

When asked by hunters what gun/caliber to bring for wild boar, my recommendation is always to bring something that shoots at least 120 grains of bullet. That requirement eliminates .22 calibers and .24 calibers. I am assuming a lot when I make that statement. First, I’m assuming that hunters will be buying their ammunition and that it will be standard grade bullets. Second, I’m assuming that they are of average hunting experience and quite possibly never hunted pigs. The stories and videos of charges and ferocious animals are inevitably watched and listened to just before arrival. This will elevate even experienced hunters’ anxiety and can cause precision issues.

Parameters

My thoughts on caliber are that it needs to be easy shooting, and easily found for those cases where you forgot to pack your ammo and need to run to the nearest possible source. It also needs to deliver enough bullet weight for every conceivable animal presentation. Broadside, quartering towards, quartering away, in-line facing and the infamous Texas heart shot scenario. It should also be effective at Close range, 0-50 yards, Average range, 75-150 yards, and a Maximum range of 150-250 yards.

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Short Action Only for Wild Boar

My feeling is that the caliber does not need to be large. It just needs to be enough for every previously mentioned presentation. To me, a standard short action round fills the requirement for wild boar. That parameter eliminates a lot of great calibers: the 30-06, 270, 7×57, and the 6.5×55, which is one of my favorite hunting calibers. I’m going to eliminate the various short action magnums now, because they’re not easy to shoot and they do not fall into what I consider a standard short action round, or easily found when needed.

The .35s

Enough with the setup and parameters. Looking at suitable short action calibers, my mind goes straight to the larger short action rounds, the 35 calibers. The 350 Rem Mag and 358 Win each possess suitable attributes for wild boar. Ample bullet weight, useful trajectories to 250 yards, each capable of handling any animal presentation to 250 yards. In the deficit column, I wouldn’t call either easy shooting for the average person. Also, good luck locating ammunition should you need more or any at all. If the 356 Win. is your sentimental favorite, it falls into a deeper hole than the 358 Win. Not that it is any less capable. The classic 35 Remington falls short on its effective range, being better suited to less than 200 yards. Although it is another favorite of mine and does a wonderful job at 150 yards and less.

The .33s

Sadly, what is said of the 350RM and 358Win can be said for the caliber that was to replace and revolutionize big bore short actions, the 338 Federal. It is perhaps a bit easier to shoot since it relies on lighter bullets. Everything else said about the 35s goes for the Federal round also. It is probably even harder to locate ammunition should the need arise. The 338 Marlin Express is another good round that just isn’t going to make the grade. Availability eliminates both.

The .30s

Several .30 calibers fit our wild boar search parameters. The 30-30, 307 Win., 308 Marlin Express, 300 Sav., 30AR., and 308 Win. The 30AR, fits our parameters but is so obscure as to be virtually unknown. It provides 300 Savage ballistics, which are more than adequate. The 300 Sav. is a great round that suffers only from being eclipsed in all categories by its supposed offspring, the 308 Win. The .30s generally offer bullet weight, bullet selection, suitable trajectory, easy shootability, and are available in a wide variety of platforms. The most popular of the class are the 30-30 and the 308 Win. Only the 308 Win. delivers in all parameters, the 30-30 suffers in range, and has suitable accuracy as distance increases beyond 150 yards.

The 7mms

There is only one suitable offering of the 7mm class since the 7×57 is like the 6.5 Swede and not really a short action round. The 7mm-08 is like the 308 Win. in that it ticks off all of our criteria,… almost. It meets all the parameters except falls a bit short on availability. It is most definitely easy shooting, uses suitable bullet weight and provides excellent trajectory. The 7-08 is a great caliber and a good choice for wild boar if you can find the ammunition. Once on a foreign my loaner rifle ammunition couldn’t be found, so I looked for the 7-08. After several stressful phone calls to stores with no positive results, my ammo was located in another vehicle. While it is quite suitable, its popularity has waned since the 1990s, losing market share to the 308 Win. and those in our next class.

The 6.5mms

The small 6.5s have gained prominence in the US lately and rightly so. The 6.5×55 has been around as long as dirt, it seems. In modern rifles the 6.5cm and 260rem. offer no improvement over it, other than true short action status. The Scandinavians have been taking moose with the 6.5×55 and 6.5×54 well before Remington or Hornady developed their rounds. They are definitely easy shooting, they use enough bullet, and they possess very suitable trajectories. Using good bullets, I would not hesitate to tackle a Hogzilla sized wild boar with a small 6.5mm. Currently, availability for all rifles except the Creedmoor can be questionable. I’ve found the 6.5CM in such out-of-the-way places as grocery stores in Kaycee, Wyoming, although not in the numbers I’ve seen in the past. It may join the 7-08, as popularity seems to have lessened.

The .25s

As previously stated, the minimum requirement of 120 grains of bullet brings us to our last suitable class, the .25s. There are only a couple that fall into our definition of short action rounds. One is the 25 Sharps or 25×45, the other is the 250 Savage. The Sharps suffers in the availability column, as it is only available from the parent company.

Using a 120gr. Partition style or 100gr. mono metal bullet, I would have no issue with any pig, at any angle out to 150 yards. Yes, the 100gr. bullet violates my parameter, but that was for a standard construction bullet. Still, there just isn’t enough oomph provided to allow the small .25s to reliably make the grade at 250 yards and all animal presentations. Also, finding ammunition outside of a well-supplied US store can be difficult. Both are adequate for wild boar with carefully picked shots and distances less than 200 yards, and I enjoy using mine with premium bullets.

The Ideal Caliber for Wild Boar

So what is the most ideal cartridge for wild boar??….. My choice is the 308 Winchester. Using standard bullets of at least 165gr. it will adequately handle any pig out to 250 yards. Should you choose to go with 150gr. bullets  I would suggest a premium bullet like a mono metal or partition style. If you have the possibility of truly large pigs, go with a 180gr. bullet. If the terrain you’ll be hunting is thick and ranges short, again a 180gr. or 200gr. should be perfect. I initially used 150gr. standard construction bullets for my 308s. A few rounds failed to fully penetrate big pigs and left no blood trail. Thankfully, the pigs were found. I changed to 165gr. bullets and have not had that issue again. 

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308 Win. – Wild Boar Caliber that Wins

The 308 Win. provides everything needed for wild boar. Ample bullet weight, suitable trajectory, Worldwide availability, easy shooting, and multiple choices in platforms. I gained even more respect for the “lowly” 308, while I was in Sweden on a moose hunt. The terminal performance provided by a pair of Norma 165gr. bullets delivered to a moose in the Texas heart shot presentation proved sufficient to penetrate the vitals and break some of the large bones along the way. If I could only use one bullet in all my 308’s for every animal, it would be a mono metal 165gr. It provides excellent velocity, and the terminal performance is outstanding. 

Taking everything into consideration, the 308 Win. meets and sometimes exceeds all the parameters. I have a friend who is recoil sensitive and chooses to use 130gr. mono metal bullets for most of his 308 hunting. The performance delivered by these small premium bullets easily equals heavier standard construction bullets. The possibilities and options available to 308 Win. users are tremendous. Its versatility is limited only by the user’s imagination. You can find it loaded with bullets ranging from 110gr. to 200gr., and available over the counter with standard or premium bullets. I have found it on shelves in stores from Brownsville, Texas, to Havre, Montana, as well as Greece, Italy, Germany, UK, Spain, Denmark, Hungary, Sweden, and Namibia. It is the Ideal rifle caliber for Wild boar, Feral hogs, or swine of any kind.

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Trapr Swonson

Trapr Swonson,…hunter, trainer, competitor, owner operator Trapr Ltd.,  retired firefighter/first responder, and Hunt365 writer.

I’d be called a traditionalist. I like and appreciate the latest tech, but really enjoy doing things the old ways.

Experience/Qualifications

-USAF small arms instructor and competitor since the mid 1980’s and continue providing small arms training to this day.

-Started competing in archery and held state records, as well as part of the Texas state “All Recurve” 3D team.

Progressed to practical shooting competitions with handgun, rifle, and shotgun, and in early long range competitions.

-Have represented the USA several times in international practical shooting.

-Developed the best functioning and most reliable shortened stroke or “stroke timing system” modification for 3 gun-type Benelli Nova/SuperNova shotguns.

-Have hunted from Texas north to Montana and east to Minnesota plus some international hunts.

-Currently retired after 27+ years as a firefighter, medical first responder.

-Started a company that specializes in “destructive animal abatement”, focusing on Canine, Feline, and Swine. Trapr Ltd. has been in operation since 2007.