 The Savage Hog Hunter has a number of features you would want for down and dirty hog extermination.  The magazine cover is bolted on, so you won't drop your ammo or magazine should you encounter some snaggy brush or swamp in your travels.  The barrel is threaded for a suppressor, and comes with a screw on cap, so you could also use it for a flashhider if you wanted and suppressors aren't legal where you live, or not in your budget.  The Hog Hunter has the Savage Accutrigger, which makes it much safer to carry through tough terrain, and you still have a nice light and crisp trigger pull.  The review rifle at Media Day at the Range, SHOT Show 2012 had a Leupold Hog scope on it. It is a 1.25-4 power optic with an LED powered center dot.  The reticle is called the "Pig-Plex," and is made specifically for twilight shooting, when the hogs are just getting out feeding.  This scope is made specifically for hog hunting and retails for just under $500 at online retailers. |
You wouldn’t think that a gun would be made specifically to bang around behind the seat of your truck, to get banged and bumped on who knows what, and to get dripping wet, dirty, and still work, but that is exactly what Savage has done with the new Hog Hunter line of rifles. They aren’t pretty guns, but they aren’t for pretty game either. You of course can use the Hog Hunter for hunting deer, coyotes, or even zebra, but some guns were made for a lot of things, and some guns are made for one thing. This gun was made to hunt hogs.
The Hog Hunter comes with a tough, no frills synthetic green stock that is meant to get beat up and not mar or scuff. It has a rough texture so you won’t drop it when it is wet. The 20 inch barrel is threaded for a suppressor, and for now it comes in .223 Remington, .308 Winchester, and .338 Winchester. The weight is 7.25 lbs. for the two lighter calibers, and 8 lbs. for the .338. Overall length is 40.5 inches, and one inch more for the .338, and it holds 4 rounds in the magazine.
What makes it specifically a hog hunting gun is a combination of several features. One is of course the short barrel. Hogs tend to hang out in thick woods, swamps, and other places where a long barrel just gets in the way. Hogs are not particularly hard to kill, so though a 20 inch barrel will lose some muzzle energy because more powder burns outside the barrel, you will still have plenty of punch even with a .223.
The stock is a simple green polymer with a slightly rough textured finish, so you can hold on with wet hands. The two things you will notice on first glance about the gun here is that it has the Leupold Hog scope on it, and that it has an attached floorplate for the magazine. The Leupold Hog scope is a 1.25-4 powder heavy duty rugged optic made specifically for hog hunting. It is one of their Fire-Dot series, with a fiber optic, LED driven red dot in the center, and this is actually called the Pig-Plex reticle. i don’t believe that the gun is available with the scope (though I thought it was on Media Day . If it doesn’t, the scope is obviously a good option for the rifle and it is available for just under $500 from internet retailers. You may prefer something without a battery that could potentially explode in weather extremes, and the gun does have open sights, and good one. Up to at least 150 yards or so, the open sights, rested, are just fine on a hog sized target.
The bolted down magazine floorplate is a nice feature so you don’t catch a magazine release as you are breaking through brush, thereby spreading your ammo, or dropping your mag, on the ground as you walk past. As much as you may think this is not really a feature, remember Murphy’s law, and there is nothing like coming on a group of half a dozen hogs, taking your first shot, and realizing that your magazine fell out when you crossed that stone wall that had the pine tree you had to push through. Savage really designed this rifle well for hog hunters and thought about the actual needs of the person relying on the rifle. It clearly wasn’t a marketing idea just to sell more rifles. This gun was created for people who really have to deal with a hog problem.
If you are wondering why the barrel is threaded for a suppressor, in many states it is legal for civilians to own screw on sound suppressors. They have actually become very popular and hog hunting, or more like hog exterminating, is an application where they are extremely useful. Hogs often have to be “hunted” on private property a lot because otherwise they overwhelm the ecosystem and the place becomes infested with hogs. Farmland, and even wooded lots can be completely destroyed by hogs as they root out the dirt for insects and rodents. Hogs are an extremely destructive species and they have no natural predators left in much of their breeding grounds across the country. We even saw severe hog damage on the remote island of Kauai in Hawaii, and someone had to fly hogs in there for them to even exist. There were giant ruts in the woods where the hogs had been rooting. They just destroy everything in their path.
If you come upon hogs, they travel in groups and with a suppressor you can drop several of them with a bolt gun before they figure out what is going on and scatter. With pretty much any Savage you will have MOA accuracy and better, and with a 4 power scope on a hog sized target you are good to at least 300 yards with even a .223. It is also helpful to have a suppressor if your hog hunting/exterminating territory abuts land. Even though it may be legal to shoot at a certain distance away from an inhabited area, gunshots not in the fall hunting season will nearly always elicit a call to the police. Hogs don’t have a season. You can shoot them year round, but people don’t know that.
If you have a hog problem and you have been trying to deal with it using shotgun slugs or a levergun, this new Savage is a pretty good investment on an accurate and durable rifle that will make your job a lot easier. The gun is kind of a no-brainer actually. Savage and Leupold have taken the decision making out of the decision on what to buy for a useful and effective hog gun and optic. The Savage Hog Hunter with the Leupold Hog and its Pig-Plex reticle is pretty much all the gun and optic you could want to deal with hogs.
Its funny how so many people sit on this site and talk out their @sses from a computer or couch! First of all, a 308 will kill anything in North America. Maybe not best choice for costal browns/grizzly, polar bears or extreme long range shots(past 400 yards) on elk, moose, etc. But it will still down them all. Next, cutting a 308 barrel back to 20 inches does not hurt the caliber like it would a magnum. Sure your gonna start to loose few feet per second past 300 yards, but ur still gonna have enough energy and speed to down most large game at that range. 99% of people on this thread probably cant even see past 300 yards, much less know how to shoot at something at that distance. Past 300 yards and lots of things start comming into play. You have to have had spent a lot time on bench, field or been trained in other ways to know what your doing to be a consistent successful shot at long ranges. Lot of tactical/sniper units that still use 308 are actually shooting heavy 18 1/2 inch barrels now days and they are very successful even to 600+ yards. Savage is known for accuracy right out of the box. The only thing I have never cared for about Savage is their actions are longer than average compared to Remington and other firearms. Even their short actions are still about as long as standard long action in other calibers. Its hard to beat a Remmy 700 that is tuned right. Anyone who has spent enough years shooting riffles for sport, job(Military/LE) or hunting pleasure can attest to this fact. However, Savage does give Remmy a run for its money straight out of the box. What I like is the fact that this hog gun does have iron sights. You cant hardly find a gun maker that still incorporates this. And before the couch potatoes start screaming how you dont need irons now days, well you have never been in a life or death situation, dropped ur gun off a vehicle, trip and fell hard on rocks, had it get bang up in a boat, etc. All scopes can and will fail eventually given enough time and punnishment. Being able to detach that broken scope and use irons can be very important. Exspecially if you accidentally smacked it up against a tree before daybreak trying to get to your stand and you end up in a pile of pissed off hogs later when you get down. Same would be for bear/moose charge or even SHTF scenario. There is a reason military try to co-witness iron sights on their battle riffles with the electronics, have quick detach rings on scopes or at least run offset irons. A big hog or bear might not be shooting back, but if they get to you dead is dead regardless if its teeth, tusk or lead. I also remember a situation in AK many years ago when one of my friends from my unit had a couple days leave comming up and decided he wanted to go after a dall sheep. He paid this guide huge amount of money(that his rich family sent him along with high dollar custom Weatherby moutain rifle). At the start of the trip one of the rivers they were crossing to get to top of mountain got the best of him. He slipped up, lost his balance and smacked his scope on a large rock. It slowly started leaking the nitrogen. He never took the time to check it till it came time to make the shot on a full curl ram they had stalked all day. However, it wouldnt have matter anyway. His custom gun had no factory irons! He didnt bring another scope for backup. All his guide had was a 44mag pistol, 870 pump with slugs for close bear protection/charges and a box birdshot to get ptarmigan for campmeat. Had he had a barrel with irons and quick detach mounts or tool to get scope off he might could have tried a few shots across the ridge with the irons. The guide refused to give his money back for his mistake and I didnt blame the guide. The guide had told him clearly that his backup gun, a Remmy 700 7mm was being used by another hunter that his son was guiding on a caribou hunt and they would not be back for a few days. But my friend didnt want to wait. He was highly trained soldier who was taught to always have a backup plan but thinking about chance of lifetime on a full curl dall ram with only few days leave made his brain go heywire. So the moral of this story is run a barrel with irons for most situations or carry 2 guns. I would like to see them introduce this gun in 7.62 x39 as couple other people in this thread mentioned. That is an extremely cheap round to practice, hunt with and will do good damage within 150 to 200 yards. Ive placed an order on this hog gun in 308 and 223. After i spend a little time at my gun range on my property I’ll jump back on this thread and let you know my opinion. But for now, it seems like great concept that im excited to try out…..
Great review I must thank you. I just ordered my hog hunter in 338 win mag. Also ordered the Lueopold hog plex scope and a break. I think there are a lot of folks that should be building rifles only because they think they are smarter than the folks that are actually doing the research and selling these wonderful firearms. Thank you savage for building a rifle I can afford. Can’t we all just learn to show a little respect and hunt.
Just bought one in the 308, not for hogs but for deer. Been deer hunting in thick woods (Northern Mn.) for the last 4yrs and this Hog gun will meet the requirements. The last 3 bucks have been shot 8-35yds w/ scope set to 3 power and just not ideal for this type of hunting, need to be quick on the pull and this gun will meet the need. When my legs will not carry me any more I’ll graduate to the ‘old man stand’ with my regular 308 scope rifle and let my son be the brush beater with the Hog.
A .22 Mag will put down a good sized hog if put right behind the ear. I think a .308 is perfect for this application. Not to mention most inexpensive, but still high quality suppressors are build around the .308 and .223 platform. Drive on Savage. Thanks!
The “floorplate” is not “bolted down”.
It is a blind magazine which is molded as part of the stock. When the stock is made from a blank, this plastic is cut out if a DBM or Drop Plate is desired. Otherwise, the plastic is left in.
The review is highly misleading in this regard.
If the reviewer had taken the time to remove the barreled action from the stock, it would have been readily apparent.
I got one of these this summer and worked up a load of 168 gr. Barnes TTSX at 2550 fps. I just got back from a hunt in FL and dropped two 100+ boars with one shot thru the neck. One went thru the neck and out the opposite shoulder and took out that shoulder! The other almost took the head off. This is a great gun. I use a Burris 1×4 with red dot reticle and couldn’t be happier. I know this gun will shot inside 1/2 inch at 100 yds, so I’m pretty sure I could knock down even large ones out much further that that.
Ok, I just gotta add to the…interesting and emphatic mix, this weapon (at least mine in .308) is surprisingly shooting at .25-.55 @100 yards. And everyone is talking about 150+- gr bullets for the 308….. Did noone notice that this rifle has a 1:10twist? Great for the longer heavier bullets?…. As an owner I can say it is money well spent. And for those of you also knocking the .308 my was responding very well out to arround 650m-700m and yes we’re talking factory (non-match) rounds. You honestly don’t need $5/bullet to hit something. Just do your research and see what the weapon prefers when it comes to loads. All in all I guess if you can’t shoot very well you have one of three options,1) get the biggest bullet you can get and make excuses as to why you need to compensate, 2) take some classes or 3) just get a shotgun with some “00” lol and yes hogs are dangerous but they’re not rolling around in tanks with ballistics grade ceramic plates over their vitals … Lol I mean dang, some people are acting like they’re an unstoppable force that must be disbatched with a 20mm Vulcan cannon and sit 10′ tall at the shoulders. Lol easy my friends, take a drink, loosen up the tinfoil a bit, and call a friend, don’t worry we won’t tell the little terrifying beasts that we killed them with a .308 lmao…ok i’ve had too much fun with this post. Happy hunting (btw this is a pretty sweet little gun for $425)
Hi – Will you please post a link to your Blog at The Wild Board Hunting Community? Our members will love it.
Members include: Wild Boar, Hog and Feral Pig Hunters and Guides
It’s easy to do, just cut and paste the link and it automatically links back to your website… it’s a win win. You can also add Photos, Videos and Classifieds if you like. It’s free and easy.
Email me if you need any help or would like me to do it for you.
The Wild Board Hunting Community: http://www.vorts.com/wild_boar_hunting/
Thanks,
James Kaufman, Editor
Does anybody know what rings and base are used here?
Thanks!
I just ordered one in 308. Any of you remember a show on TV called (i think) the american sportsman? I remember one show where rengers in africa weere culling elephant herds. They used fn/fal’s in 308. dropped the elephands like a stone. the rangers were climbiing up on dead elephants to get shots at other elephants. I was a kid and did not get specifics. I’ve had 300 mags, a 338 mag, 45-70, 44 mag, 06, 308 and more. My first choice when the SHTF would be my AR in .308. I’ll probably put a brake on my savage hog rifle. I have the flash hider with the flaming pig on my AR. might put it on the savage.
Can you tell me what rings and base are used in the picture that shows the scope mounted on the riffle???
You reviewed a gun and never took it down? Otherwise I can think of no reason you missed that the “floor plate” is part of the stock, it’s a blind magazine stock so there is no floor plate, the front screw hold the front of the action and the back screw holds the trigger guard in place. Also you have little knowledge of internal ballistics, a 20 inch barrel will completely burn the powder of any normal .308 or .223 load, the only ones that won;t are special match loads meant for longer barrel using much slower powders, the .338 WM will most likely not have enough barrel as it is a very high case capacity, what causes the decline of muzzle velocity is less time for the pressure of the gases released form the burning of the powder to impart acceleration on the bullet, but that amount for .308 is under 100 fps from the standard 24 inch test barrel and still easily under 200 fps and closer to 100 fps from the standard 24 inch test barrel which will only equate to about 50 yards of extra range IF the shooter is capable.
Any idea what the thread pitch is on the threaded muzzle?
Didn’t get the details but it is probably the standard thread being used
Real good article, thank you for the review!
I’m wondering, what rings were you able to use, low or “super low” rings with the Leupold? I’ve been looking at this rifle and already had a Leupold in mind! This has made up my mind!!!
Thanks again!
It was at the range all rigged up and we didn’t really have any freedom to play with it.
Wish they made it in 7.62×39. I’ve got a model 11 savage in 22 inch 7.62×39 kill hogs all the time in FLORIDA.
I’d buy the hog hunter today if they had it in that cal.
I run an exotic game ranch in southwest Texas and am considering to buy one in 338 win mag.I also plan on putting a Nikon Monarch 2.5 -8 with BDC reticle.Will use it as a truck gun to back up hunters on wounded game.An outdoor writer/hunting show host friend of mine recomended this combo for me and i have to say i’m really looking forward to getting it and giving it a try.
Only real problem with the NATO rounds is that it will tempt some folks to hunt with cheap ammo. Not very humane hunting
wow you fellas take your’e pork whacking seriously! big animals, big bullets, just sayin.
Im not any kind of hog hunter but Know a Texan thats all 12 gauge mag 00 buck and a Socom 16 with a red dot on both, seemed overkill to me but he knows his pigs and I dont.
Face it- marketing ploy, but a dang cool gun combo!
ummm…….it’s a blind magazine and it’s not bolted to anything.
howdy folks, all the guides and range instructors will tell you that bullet placement is the key to hunting success. if the caliber your shooting beats you up before the game hits the ground, you are more likely to flench or jerk your shot off the sweet spot. pick the caliber you can control and be comfortable with. savage does make very fine firearms, love my model 99 in 308 and my scout in 7.62×39! the above is true unless your using rpg’s.
I know everyone has there favorite calibers but the comments about the .308 in comparison to 30-06 really don’t much sense.The.308 will do everything the 30-06 will do up to 180 grain bullet.I have rifles in both calibers and for accuracy and fps they are virtually the same.I do agree with the fact that a short barrel with a much larger load is just a waste.
Great Article! and Great GUN!!!
I’ve hunted hogs for 35 years with a 357 Ruger Security Six and a Winchester Lever Action in 22 magnum. I have not had a problem killing them with these calibers.So if you can shoot accurately this new rifle in these three calibers shoot be sufficient. Everyone has their favorites and I’m no different.But don’t “DOG” this new gun until you shoot it. Just be glad we have another new choice out there.
Like the short barrel ,with sighs,nice gun,.Can I buy that barrel for my gun?
I love Savage products. Great shooters.I own a few.
I am of the opinion that the bullet selection is the most critical factor. When it comes to hunting large game, the Nosler Accubond and a few others make all the difference. Select the gun for ergonomics, the bullet for terminal effect, get lots of practice and be sure your weapon is sighted-in.
My fav is an old Yugo M48 in 8×57 pushing a 200 gr. Accubond. It’s a killah. I show it no respect and it always delivers.
I know this is off the subject of the new Savage that sounds awsome and can’t wait to own one but me and a buddy of mine would like to come down to SC or GA and do some Hog hunting. We don’t want a guide to take us to a stand and leave us for a few hours and do everything for us. We want to scout and Respectfully hunt on our own and will pay for the use of property for 4 or 5 days. We dont have alot of hog action in North Carolina and would like to have some where to go every year to hunt. If you have some info that might help us find what we are looking for please email me at [email protected] Thanks in advance and Savage Arms is deffinetly in my future.
I am in Colorado and I would have to travel long and far to hunt Hog. I have a Savage 110, 300 win mag. This is my long range gun, I have a Remington 760 pump in 30-06 this is my brush gun and I have Stag AR platform in a 6.8 SPC, which is a short action 270 for those of you who did not know. This is my black gun I have not yet it used it for hunting (Not sure if I would be invited back if I hunted with this rifle)
Living in Colorado I do not know what I would use this Savage Hog gun for we have no hogs and the gun is designed for close range shooting and would not be optimal for our deer and Elk or coyotes.
So I guess it is the best hog gun out there. It comes in 223 for all you 22 caliber, spray and pray bad asses who show up pros and leave experts. It’s not the round it’s what you do with it! LOL
Also it comes in 308 and 338 which is cool, 308 for short action good power and velocity and 338 for the fire and forget about it hunter.
I bet this is a must have firearm specially made for Hog Guides and hunters alike.
I would love to use Savage to eradicate some hogs! First time for everything!
Do your home work.
Instead of the 338 win. Should go with the 338 federal. Short action, plenty of slap, and a box of shells don’t cost an arm and a leg. Anything that I can’t kill with a 215 grain bullet, don’t need me to be shooting at it.
My favorite gun for hogs is a Enfield .303. To bad the Savage is not available in this caliber. I he shoot with open sights, but the Pig Plex might be a big help.
Keith Warren needs one of these! Savage should send him one!
This gun sounds like it could have a large following but I like many Texans consider .223 too light for hunting hogs. Have seen hogs knocked down with a hit in shoulder at close range with .223 before time to celebrate the hog is back up and running with no sign of a blood trail. Bones and gristle get credit on the larger (300+ pound hogs) making them seem immune to light weight bullets.
I’m one that considers .243 would be the minimum caliber (with > 100gr bullets), and really feel 25-06 or .257 Weatherby Mag and up as ideal. Since this is a short barreled gun and the article talks about hogs loving thick cover, I’d think more choices in heavier calibers would be offered in place of the .223 especially since the .223 bullet changes direction much quicker after hitting brush than a .30 caliber bullet. For “hog” hunting I’ll stick with my .308 when in open territory, and my old Win ’94 Carbine in 30-30 for the brush.
Savage makes some great guns, no doubt, I’m currently saving my $ for Savage 10 Predator model in probably .243.
Are the open sights high enough to still use with a suppressor?
Yes, I think so, and it is funny you ask because I remember asking myself at media day why they made the sights so big.
wow too … funny , I was just looking at the blow-up pic on there web page and was thinking the sight was too high for a brush gun , good point , see those guys at savage are even smarter tham ha ha 🙂
wow!!!! I’ve read all the comments on here and just ,, wow!!!! Think the only thing Savage did wrong was to call this a hog gun , not that it aint , it’s the hog hunter out there seem to think they know more than the guys at Savage . this cal , that cal , I wish, it’s the same as, only if’s,,,,,,,,, I saw post on here that said its just a mod 11 with a short 20″ barrel. and an another saying it looks like the scout! wrong and wrong , this gun weighes in at 7.25lbs , look up a mod 11 in .308 with a wood stock and you will see it is 6.75lbs with a 22″ barrel , why ? because this thing is built like a brick chit house ! made to get beat up and go to work is a low frills tool , and gun writers don’t alway have time or space to cover everything , so give him a break, and take a good look at the pics, the bolt handle has a large tear-drop on it, great for fast action work with a short action, and the handle looks thicker and tougher, the barrel looks to be thicker ( not a heavy barrel , but not a standard taper eather) and I would guess after taking 2″ off the barrel and still being 1/2 lbs heaver than a wood mod11 22″ it has to be built tougher. so NO it’s not the “same old-same old thing” it is something NEW “A Bolt Brush Gun”
so great job SAVAGE ! and same too the Writer ,, but sorry not for me I like my auto’s for the bush , and not not AR’s !!! as for Savage guns, I got a pile ! 4 of them are bolts in (2).270’s, 7mm-o8 , 7wsm,
again great job,,,, and lets not forget for over $100.00 less !
i use a Winchester 22 mag for ammo and a Marlin 22 mag rifle.I bring them down with this Weapon.
Sometimes you hunt the hog. Sometimes the hog hunts you. Wild hogs are dangerous game!
Here in the southeast you are frequently hunting in heavy brush and you can find yourself very close to a hog with little warning. I know more than one hunter who has been charged by hogs and were forced to fire in self-defense. About ten years ago, my cousin was surprised by a pig. By the time he stopped it, he had emptied his Remington 742 .30-06 and could reach out touch the pig with the muzzle. He said that it happened so quickly that he doesn’t think that he ever actually got the buttstock to his shoulder. No, he’s not some inexperienced yahoo plagued with chronic buck fever, but space constraints don’t permit telling the full story.
Even though I am a bolt-action fan, my brush country hog guns are a 12 ga. Rem. 870 or Marlin .45-70 (primary) and .44 Mag. Redhawk (backup). For you that hunt hogs in open country and at longer ranges the bolt-action and lighter calibers might be just fine.
I would like to see this rifle offered in 350 Remington mag and 338 RCM. These are very efficient rounds which would work well in a short barrel, have reasonable recoil, and work pretty well on hogs of significant size. Another very efficient round for a short barrel is the 376 Steyr. It is about 100 fps behind a 375 H&H , but preforms well from a short barrel. (It does rattle your teeth a bit from a fairly light Pro-Hunter with a 20 inch barrel.) I have always thought that major arms makers do not put enough effort into matching chamberings that are efficient, and work well in short barrels, to short barrel guns. Many times you see very over-bore chamberings like a 22-250 or 6.5 Rem-Mag in 18 to 20 inch barrels. Not a good idea!
I do find it a little comical now there are so many views on what calibers they should’ve made this rifle in.
Let’s remember, they put this in the market sweet spot, not to be a CUSTOM rifle for everyone.
That said, it is a Savage after all, if you wan another caliber you can change the barrel and bolt face if needed.
Plenty of custom barrel makers to choose from here. Now just my take, haven’t found anything in the Southern US that couldn’t be put down by a .308 Win. Just my two cents…..I probably wouldn’t try to shoot a Moose or a Brown Bear, but I think everything else I can think of is “fair game” out to 300-400 yards.
308 will down a moose and brown bear at medium range anyday
I have a mosin nagant 91/30 that is very long. You would think it would get in the way while working your way through brush. But the long Barrel aids in pushing limbs out of your face. The 7.62×54 r in fmj will go in one end & out the other. When the object is killing pigs it doesn’t matter if they drop are run off as long as they die.
I love the savage rifle and green is my favorite color. The suppressor idea is great also. If we could get rid of the 200 dollar permit/tax to own one. If they come out with a lefty I may get one.
I’m a big Leopold fan. How’s the scope? I’m thinking it would go well on a R15 .450 Bushmaster. Reloading is a must for this cal, but what a blast to shoot
I like this rifle but I’m trying to figure out the difference between this rifle and the savage scout rifle, the only difference I can see is this rifle has fixed magazine. As for everyone complaining about the 308 cartridge, it has plenty of power to drop hogs, even with 150gr. bullets, if you want heavier, get heavier. I think a lot of people
are missing the point of the short barrel on this rifle, IT’S A BRUSH GUN!, not an open country rifle, like the old lever guns, great in the brush terrible in open country. Great gun for a special purpose, if it doesn’t fit your needs then find one of the thousands of other rifles that will
Another tail? I have been in the swamp and bush lots. I have never yet seen a properly installed clip or shells etc fall out after brush pushed open the floor plate an my gun or anyone else I know,ever, yet. Did not see this on DGRs in Africa either.
I worked part time in a gun shop years back , and you are right I’ve never done that or seen it eather , but we sold a lot of clips to the poor S.O.B’s that did ! we could not keep Savage 110 mags or Browing BAR. mags on the shelf ? I’m sure some were lost by falling out of coat pockets. but the story we got most of the time was- ” I went to but in a 2nd round and my clip was gone ?”
From the comments it is easy to see how sometimes one can’t please everybody and sometimes one can’t please nobody. Killing an animal is not about shooting it all over but putting a bullet in the animals kill zone.Having killed almost a hundred last year and most with a 22 rim fire I think I am qualified to comment.The calibers listed for the “Hog Gun” are more than adequate to kill a hog if the hunted knows how to shoot. Learn how to shoot folks and you will see what I am talking about. Shotguns are still built for those that wish to argue about shot placement!
Amen,cal,Amen
would they make 22LR out of this model? Thank you
Bert
I think the article is great. I think the firearm is cool, and I think they should start making more in 30-30 calibers, since (1) a 170 grain 30-30 will sure do the job; (2) it is less expensive than 30-06, .308, .338, or .270 rounds; (3) most hogs are usually killed inside 70 yards in the brush country anyway. But criticizing the writer for a scrivner’s error is kinda harsh. I think it was a great article!
Because I live in the South, pig hunting is a year round opportunity and enjoyment. In fact some of my cousins guide for hog hunting in Florida. All the features of this gun are appealing…(except the caliber offerings)…especially the open sights, threaded barrel, and tight fitted magazine cover. Why don’t gun manufacturers understand the caliber issue of the average American Hunter? .223 and .308 are not the most used calibers for hunting hooved game, in fact they are some of the least. Unless you are a competition shooter, predator hunter, ex-military , or black gun enthusiast, these two caliber offerings are just not very appealing. Sure the .223 works fine if you have time to aim and place a shot in the temple or lower ear area of a hog. But if you are stalking or run’ngun’n, it’s just too small a caliber. The .338 is a fine round and should stay, but it has a limited user base because of the punishment the round exerts. The three calibers offered just do give the this gun a real opportunity to appeal to the broader audience of the hunters that live in pig territory. This would be a great gun if it were in the tried and true 30-30, .243 or .260 or 250 Savage, .270, .300 Savage, always in 30.06, maybe 45-70 and .450 Marlin. Then if you want to extend the appeal to a broader deer hunting (as in all North American Deer species) audience, add a little length to the barrel to offer and add the .280, .300 WM, keep the .338 WM, and chamber for all the WSM’s. As far as the extreme Remington rounds, ammo is expensive, hard to get, and not found much in the South. You can keep the .308 for those folks that like it, but I have owned that caliber and found it to be an inferior round for hunting pig and deer…that’s just been my experience and opinion. This looks like a Great Pig Gun with cross over opportunity for deer… it’s just offered in the wrong and too limited of caliber selection…
Happy Hunting…BCH
I don’t understand. I just went on Barnes’ site, and the 308 in 150 grains is almost a ballistics match with a 270, and both can shoot out to 500 yds. The 30-30 is a significantly weaker round all across the board and runs out of juice much past 200 yards. A friend of mine has been dropping an elk every year with a 270, so a 308 is obviously enough for anything short of Hogzilla, and easily enough with a 168 grn round.
cool gun. I want this for mid-Texas Hog killin!!
I’m not crazy about a .338 or bigger cal.in a really short gun unless I’m using a lead sled. The .308 would be my selection and I agree with the others that the .223 is a little light especially if you are hunting during the regular deer season and need at least the .308 for 150 to 200 yards on hogs or deer. The .223 is cheaper to shot for fun but not pratical for every day use. My favorite rifle is a .270 wsm because of the really good knock power but it’s expensive to shot for fun. This new little Savagette would really be good in the wsm calibers and they could keep the short action rifle.
I think most comments on here are forgetting one of the main factors….This rifle is ment to be a brush gun and stow behind or under the seat of your pickup.(Expression) It was built for toughness, use and abuse. Who doesn’t have something rolling around now thats there when you need it? I would love to see this rifle in the .243 and .300wm with two more inches of barel, I’d buy both of them.
Composite stainless and in .338 Federal would make me want to add it to the safe.
How about .458 win mag in left hand? Blammm!
Savage’s web site lists the MSRP at $513 for all three calibers, no scope. Weight is 7.25 for the 223 and 308, 8 lbs for the 338. No left hand model currently listed. Of couse, they make plenty of rifles for lefties in the 11/111 series. What you are really buying here is the stock; everything else is pretty standard Savage stuff.
A working rifle with back up iron sights. Makers of stainless steel “all weather” rifles, please take notice.
Love the Savage Arms of long guns, but here in the Golden State a 30-06 750 Remington is the choice for the long shoots and a 44M in a level action does a great lot of hogs down with one shot. We have open hill and bush and trees in lots of areas where our hogs destroy and rut up the land. I aslo carry my 6 inch 357 and 44 mag pistols as
back up bear stoppers. All you NRA Life Members, Hunters, Target Buffs keep shooting! Lets vote for a President
that will protect “Our Rights To Bear Arms”
AMEN to that. Why cant people just accept the fact that savage has made a nice tool for hunting and get over it. I live in Eastern NC and we dont have a problem with Hogs yet but there are a few around. I would respectfuly love to come down to GA and hunt some big Hogs. Maybe get my blood pump’n…lol Anybody need some pork chops removed from there property?
I dropped a 200 pound boar in Georgia with my 357 S&W revolver.
It ain’t he size of your tool, its where you can put it.
Tee Hee…..
Ken is right, it ain’t the caliber of the gun, it is the quality of the trigger operator. I took out a 100 pound hog at 30 yards with a .17. Target shooters don’t believe in chest shots. If you can put IT right between the running lights and the hog doesn’t go to hog heaven, why not, next time, take out one of them lights? One shot, one kill. As to these guys who take rifles the military Big Teamers take to 1000 yard matches and use them to kill these sweet little stinkers out to 300 yards, have you thought of an 81 pipe, or better yet, how about a 105? Or, how about a quad forty direct firing? Hell, how about a block buster on the entire estate to end it all. I have 20 acres of hog land and I like the concept of trying to hit it where I aim, and confine myself to the eyes and behind the ears… Question is, what is it all about? you CAN, if you really just want to kill the suckers and be rid of them, poison them and be done with it. Ain’t it about sport and art?
Shooting a hog at a great distance and then tramping to find him is a sport like shooting bowling pins to see them splinter. Where’s the art?
.17 or any of the light cal. will work against hogs if your shooting from ambush and have all the time in the world to aim. I’ve shot them at 60yds with O.S. in the ear hole w/223. But, if your playing in their back yard with thick brush and the range is 30 yards and they have an attitude, bigger cal. is always better for close range stopping power. Good Hunting
I live in middle GA on a 176 acre farm–with what seems like an endless supply of hogs. Yeah, a properly placed .357 (or better, IMHO, a .44 magnum) will drop some of these pigs, but they don’t work well enough and consistently enough for the 600-800 pound hogs that are not uncommonly encountered. (Of course, I’m not trying to get rid of all of them (saving them for when the grocery stores are bare) but I usually carry an M1A for those occasions when the only choice is shoot or be gored! I love Savage rifles and might give this new one a try.
Savage should chamber this is .338 hornady for pigs. .223 is still a mouse gun unless you’re shooting close up and dont’ care if the run afterwards. .338 would also be good for deer and elk up to 250 or 300 yards. I would also like to see a “light gathering” front sight and an outlined rear open sight–for when a scope is not available.
I agree with Vic S. The hogs in Oklahoma are NOT fragile and easy to kill. If you are close enough to put it right behind the ear, yes. But otherwise, I don’t think so. I had a head-on shot at about thirty yards on a (about) 120 lb. sow. I put a 130 gr. .270 psp round right between the eyes. Knocked her down, but did not kill her. If they make a .308, how hard would it be to make a 30-06? A little more power and at least as common. For depredation work, you are not going to want to buy expensive .338 ammo and I am not going after them with lightweight .223 rounds. The .308 makes sense. But I already have a 30-06 and don’t want to have to buy two different but similar rounds. I don’t think I am alone.
A 30-06 is not significantly more than a .308. Just use Hornady Superformance if you are concerned it’ll clock 200fps. better.
I so agree! 30-06 is no better than the .308 plus a short action is lighter , and has less fex “being stiffer” making it more accurate , and don’t forget this gun has a 20″ barrel , great for a .308 , not so good for a 30-06, so for those that think Savage should make this gun in a 30-06 , well you should take one of your 30-06’s and cut the barrel back too 20″ then go do some testing , I’ll tell you ahead of time you will have a heavy short barrel gun that don’t shoot any better than the .308 , and lets not forget the ammo is bulker too ,,,,,,
come to think about it why do we still have 30-06’s , my guess is so us handloaders can neck them down too a .284 (7mm) or .277 (270) and have a real gun !!
BLASPHEMER!!!
Isn’t a 20″ barrel too short get all of the powder burnt from a 338 Win. Mag.??? This rifle must have a terrific muzzle blast.
I’d prefer a 45-70, 358 Win., or a 35 Whelen. Even the 35 Remington would be “good’ for hogs.
it’s gonna be a little bit of a bang, but I would use Hornady Superformance in it.
Yes, the Superformance would make a difference. This rifle in 338 Win. Mag. would also make a good moose gun in VT/NH/ME.
Aw come on moose are too pretty for this gun.
Great but southpaw is needed also who ever said they were easy to kill has not hunted piggy in Georgia. some time they will drop nicely and other time you need heavy fire power .45.70 or .450.
What is the base price??
who ever said they were easy to kill has not hunted piggy
Should have left it there, but I agree completely.
vic a hog is a hog ,dont matter wear they are from have you not seen the 200 pound hog killed with a AIR RIFEL calif has razzor backs i killed many with a 22 caliber my nephew killed a 389 pound hog in daurghtey oklohama at 60 yards with a 30 30 one shot one kill ,,its all wear ya hit learn ta shoot better if ya need a 338 ta kill
Did Brian Jensen write this one too? Someone needs to show him how to push the and keys at the same time, or at least tell him to stop using the left parentheses if he can’t remember to put in the right one, too.)
I bet the bolt-on magazine cover is more a cost savings than a “rough handling” preventative. Unless Savage magazine releases are really easy to hit on accident, that is. On my Ruger and Remingtons, the mag release is in the triggerguard and can’t be hit by brush, unless something’s gone really, really wrong.
You guys just don’t quit the parenthesis has been added you can rest easy now.
I fell in love with the idea of this gun at SHOT, but I really think they missed the boat by chambering in the AR calibers (.308 and .223), just like Winchester did with the new Razorback ammo. I want to know what kind of customer research was done in the decision-making process for this product. The suggestion that “hogs are not that hard to kill” isn’t particularly valid. I know a lot of folks who are shooting hogs at close range (over feeders, from treestands, etc.) will do just fine with .223, but it’s simply not going to cut it for hunters in places like CA, where you’re hunting the canyons and chemise. Even the standard, 150gr .308 is a little light on big pigs at longer ranges (150 yards or more).
The .338, on the other hand, is a good, solid round and will work great even if it errs on the side of “overkill”. Unfortunately, that’s a pretty expensive round for the average guy, not to mention that some folks will find it a little too punishing to shoot without a brake (although the threaded barrel will accept most aftermarket brakes).
I’d love to see this rifle chambered in something .300wsm, if they want to keep it in a short-action. That would be a hog slaying machine! 30-06 is an even better, more versatile alternative for many hunters. Fortunately, if you want more options in a long action rifle, Savage introduced the Bear Hunter 16/116 last year. Same basic principles of design, but better suited for big animals at longer range.
I’m a big fan of Savage rifles, for the accuracy and the reliability. I really love the design of the Hog Hunter, as well as the Leupold HOG scope. I just think they could have done a little better in the caliber options. That’s the only weak point in a great idea.
And honestly, if you are doing depredation work on hogs, a bolt gun simply isn’t the ideal platform. This is where the ARs really shine.
On the wall at Beretta in Maryland are several large boar heads all shot with 9mm CX4 rifles at normal hog distances. A .223 .75gr. bullet at 100 yards will easily kill a hog even though the hard chest plate. An AR is great for a lot of things, but not for leaving in your truck with no climate control. A bolt gun will always work for you, and these calibers are just fine, though they may not be the pet calibers for many of us. At least you are a fan of Savage rifles. That is one thing you got right.
You state, ” An AR is great for a lot of things, but not for leaving in your truck with no climate control.” Huh? Try telling that to about a half zillion combat soldiers and veterans.
Semper Fi
lets not froget that half-a-zillion who have carred “AR type” guns HAD TO ! my father in law got out befor the black gun came in , he carred an M1 and has no use for the Ar’s , and my brother SGTFC 22years ret. and a war vet , also a gun guy and hunter , and also a NOT AN AR FAN !
just because are gov. says this is your gun, dosn’t make it the best , M9 -vs- 1911 anybody !
A .223 .75gr. bullet at 100 yards will easily kill a hog even though the hard chest plate
ARE YOU KIDDING?
I have seen those animals take a 150 grain 30-06 at 100 yards and just walk away, come back, get hit AGAIN, and STILL walk away.
Please dont post these falsehoods sir, hogs are a TOUGH animal to kill.
murphy ??? as in “Murphy’s Law” ?? I’m not a 30-06 fan , not that it’s a bad round it’s just because there have been a lot of better rounds to come out since 1906 , like the .270win in 1925 , and I could go on and on like the 308, 7mm-08, and all the big mags. ect…. ect.. with that said, you can kill anything in North America with one at 100 yards. right on up to a bull moose ! you may want to check your ammo, I know guys that hunt boars with a bow , with 100gr 3 blade broad heads !
I’ve got to agree with Phillip and Michael. I shot a 200 pound sow last week with a 300 WSM 180 grain power point and the copper shell case was still hanging in the skin on the opposite side after breaking ribs on both sides. The hog dropped like a stone and the lead core of the bullet must have passed through because there was a hole in the skin but these are tough animals. This was a sow with no chest plate or shield. The big boars with the inch and half of armor will stop every arrow I’ve ever seen shot into them if you hit the plate. Miss the plate and it’s just like any other animal except for an attitude that can make badgers look like house pets. I know a few guys that kill them all the time with head shots from a 223, I’m just not that good a shot on a trotting hog at 100 yards and since I’m eating the things I like to be able to knock them over and not have to go tracking through the swamp looking for next weeks dinner.
What? Ive killed dozens of hogs with a mini 14 up to 400lbs with one shot to the heart with the longest shot being 200 yards. The animals are tough and dont fall over instantly unless you hit the brain or spinal cord, but hit them right and they’ ll die pretty dang quick. Ive even used .17HMR for brain shots reliably on land that is restricted to rimfire only
Ive killed 56 pigs with this gun chambered in .223 from 150 on in. Not one got up for more. Headshots and center of mass shots. Largest was 260 lb sow. ..223 is so fast that it bores through hogs. Marry this gun with a bsa tactical cheap scope ($70) and you dont cry when you fall in the mud.
woo i think philip got shot down by MR adminstrater,,i killed many a hogs with a 22 long rifel at 50 yards and in oklohama i would love that gun ,plus im from calif done lots of hoggin thear around colinga ,thear you need a gun to shoot 2000 yards to 5 yards all depends wat YOU want
It needs a way to mount a flashlight.
Wonder if they make one in my favorite hog caliber .45-70?
Not fond of OD green, but if any rancher would buy me one with a scope, I’d sit and shoot hogs all summer for him.
Not that bad looking even in green.
Just wondering if their going to bring it out in 243 and 270.?? That would be wicked.. I have a couple of hot loads I’d like to try in those cals…
How a .300 AAC Blackout chambering?
Savage did a press release. They will not chamber the 300 AAC Blackout Caliber due to “poor accuracy”
Recommend you get this gun in .338 for hogs and other dangerous game.
Serve one up in 7.62 or .338 and lets make some bacon! Or close quarters elk burgers!!! Way to go Savage & Leupold!!!
Will they make them in left hand?
being Savage, I would bet they will make a southpaw version
I have seen the left handed one.. Not to sure that they make it all the time.. Mabey it was a specael order.. Might want to ask savage about it….Happy Hunting..
Just what the Doctor ordered
where can i get a supressor ?
Look up: KDF Recoil Arrester; They’re in Texas.