Cartrige choices?

[Constructor]

Have you used other AR15 cartridges on hogs and how to you rate/compare them?
I know this place isn't like arfcom but, please comment and don't argu with others.

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

I've used 5.56, 300 blackout, 7.62x39, 6.8spc, and 6.5 grendel.

5.56 left me wanting more but I still have not tried premium ammo with it going to try some 62gr barnes tsx's here soon I hope.

300 blackout subsonic was dismal performance but hey it was subsonic. The 110gr Barnes blacktips seem to be the way to go for this caliber. It does good but still does not compare to what I've seen in the 6.8.

7.62x39 should be similar to the blackout and the 30-30 but for some reason maybe luck the few I have hunted with seemed to outperform the blackout using 123 sst, maybe luck maybe not its a fairly small sample size.

6.5 Grendel use this one with a friend it did fine using 123gr SST's main drawbacks for me and this caliber is the need for a longer barrel to get max performance, and ammo availability. For me its a specialty or wildcat round that I think has been replaced by the 6.8 for anything within 400 yards and the 6.5 Creedmoor out past that.

6.8spc my favorite overall so far very little recoil 16" barrel is all you need but you don't loose much going shorter. Hits hard out to 300-400 yards which I rarely shoot past 100 yards, and most people I've seen shoot should keep it in that range also. Only surpassed by the 6.5 past 400 yards with longer barrel. The only thing I think trumps the 6.8 is the .308 and maybe 6.5 creedmoor with the trade off of more recoil and again longer barrels and ar10 platforms.

 

[Homebrewer]

My hog hunting has been limited to 270AR and 6.8...

*** 270AR with 20" barrel- pushing a 130 grn Federal Fusion at 2800fps dropped hogs in their tracks.
Four of the six hogs below were shot at lasered distances between 205 and 218 yards.
This round is a 6.8 on Steroids. The downside to 270AR is a 7 or 8 round limitation in PRI mags.
Anymore than 8 rounds causes the mag to swell.
270AR results:


*** 6.8 with 18" barrel- using Hornady 120 grn SST's over 27.2 grns AA2200, CCI450, and Federal brass.
This round delivers DRT performance on hogs.
Advantage due to mag capacity- 6.8 is not limited by mag swelling at 7 or 8 rounds, like 270AR- 7VAR- 6.5BRX or other 308 headsize wildcats.
6.8 results:

 

[Shooter]

Pretty much the same ammo as TLM posted.

I have and do use a 5.56 round that us devastating. It is a 62 grain V-max, manufactered by Black Hills and is in their premium ammo area. Not cheap, but has tremendous velocity and just obliterates whatever it hits. I have shot pigs, coyotes and just about any of the critters we run across with great results.

 

[BigRedDog]

223 / 5.56
and the *** 6.8
have 300bo, not used yet

I have had better success with the 6.8 than the 223

 

[scrmblr1982cj8]

I've tried the .223, but I'm not satisfied with the performance.

I've got a .450 Bushmaster, it it hits like a sledgehammer.

I've got a .458 SOCOM to try as soon as I pick up an optic for it. I'm excited to see the results.

 

[Afalex1]

I've used 5.56, 300 blackout, 7.62x39, 6.8spc, and 6.5 grendel.

5.56 left me wanting more but I still have not tried premium ammo with it going to try some 62gr barnes tsx's here soon I hope.

300 blackout subsonic was dismal performance but hey it was subsonic. The 110gr Barnes blacktips seem to be the way to go for this caliber. It does good but still does not compare to what I've seen in the 6.8.

7.62x39 should be similar to the blackout and the 30-30 but for some reason maybe luck the few I have hunted with seemed to outperform the blackout using 123 sst, maybe luck maybe not its a fairly small sample size.

6.5 Grendel use this one with a friend it did fine using 123gr SST's main drawbacks for me and this caliber is the need for a longer barrel to get max performance, and ammo availability. For me its a specialty or wildcat round that I think has been replaced by the 6.8 for anything within 400 yards and the 6.5 Creedmoor out past that.

6.8spc my favorite overall so far very little recoil 16" barrel is all you need but you don't loose much going shorter. Hits hard out to 300-400 yards which I rarely shoot past 100 yards, and most people I've seen shoot should keep it in that range also. Only surpassed by the 6.5 past 400 yards with longer barrel. The only thing I think trumps the 6.8 is the .308 and maybe 6.5 creedmoor with the trade off of more recoil and again longer barrels and ar10 platforms.

My experience aligns with what TLM said. Except I don't have any first hand experience with the Grendel.

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

I've tried the .223, but I'm not satisfied with the performance.

I've got a .450 Bushmaster, it it hits like a sledgehammer.

I've got a .458 SOCOM to try as soon as I pick up an optic for it. I'm excited to see the results.

Oh man I forgot the 458 socom and 50 beowulf.

Both were devestating on hogs literally flipping some of them over. For some one hunting that trophy boar they are great choices. For extermination or population control the limited magazine capacity, muzzle climb, and ammo cost are the major drawbacks.

 

[Ratdog68]

Oh man I forgot the 458 socom and 50 beowulf.

Both were devestating on hogs literally flipping some of them over. For some one hunting that trophy boar they are great choices. For extermination or population control the limited magazine capacity, muzzle climb, and ammo cost are the major drawbacks.

No love for the venerable .45-70, eh? LOL

 

[Cazz]

I shot several with .223/5.56 and a scope that didn't have a crisp reticle. Did not like how far they ran when my shot placement wasn't perfect. They went down - but not fast enough. I hunt at night with an ATN infrared clip on; shot placement can be challenging in the dark. Just switched to .308/7.62 and a much better scope. It's over powered for coons and coyotes, but what the heck. All but one hog during my last hunt dropped right away with hits to the neck. The one that didn't drop immediately kept getting up even after 4 hits with a .308. Some of them are really tough boogers.

 

[scrmblr1982cj8]

Oh man I forgot the 458 socom and 50 beowulf.

Both were devestating on hogs literally flipping some of them over. For some one hunting that trophy boar they are great choices. For extermination or population control the limited magazine capacity, muzzle climb, and ammo cost are the major drawbacks.

I'm hoping that with the .458, muzzle climb (i.e. follow up shots) won't be necessary!

 

[FrankT]

I am a 6.8 fan and the *** barrels so the Barnes 110 TSX is my choice but if I was exterminating the hornady 120 SST as it does great and is cheap.

My Ruger 44mag killed everything it hit using Hornady 240XTP's

Also have used the 123SST Hornady in my 7.62x39

 

[TEXASLAWMAN]

I'm hoping that with the .458, muzzle climb (i.e. follow up shots) won't be necessary!

Multiple kills mostly but hogs are tough.

 

[rgilbert]

223/556 for the most of my hunting in the past. I had good luck with the 60 nosler BT. The 64 grain nosler bonded is a good bullet, but the best I have seen was the 62 grain Federal Fusion.

6.8 is now my caliber of choice. 120 SST or 110 Nosler bonded bullet for me.

300 Blackout is coming for me to try so we will see.

458 Socom works well, but it is not the Hammer of Thor. You still got to place the bullet where it needs to be.

I just wish Constructor made a 6.8 barrel for the Sig MCX.

 

[BigRedDog]

I would take one also

 

[Oso Grande]

I would take one also

Me too

 

[Wildfowler]

My criteria would be full magazine capacity. Does the 30 HRT allow for full magazine capacity?

I've never really looked at that caliber before and it seems pretty potent.

Otherwise to answer the question above, my experience is with either the 300 blackout or the 270 AR or the 300 OSSM. With the last to being limited in my view only by their magazine capacity.

The blackout leaves a lot to be desired from my perspective and the 270AR and 300 OSSM pack quite a punch.

 

[Constructor]

My criteria would be full magazine capacity. Does the 30 HRT allow for full magazine capacity?

I've never really looked at that caliber before and it seems pretty potent.

Otherwise to answer the question above, my experience is with either the 300 blackout or the 270 AR or the 300 OSSM. With the last to being limited in my view only by their magazine capacity.

The blackout leaves a lot to be desired from my perspective and the 270AR and 300 OSSM pack quite a punch.

I thought this is how the comments would go if those posting had tried the 6.8. The 6.8 is an easy choice for me since I can buy 1000s of rounds of ammo easier than I can load. Terminal performance is good, I'll always have one around.
If bullet construction is similar, velocity is an important factor IMO. I've only used a 5.56 a few times on hogs and didn't care for it compared to other calibers I have used. I've heard several people say the 5.56 with 62gr TSXs and 64s work better than the 300 BO.
You can use a full mag of 30 Herretts. With the same weight bullet and barrel length it is apx 100fps faster than the 6.8 when loaded with 1680, the 110TSx load I am using hits 2700. It seems easy to tune, I like it so far.
I've used the 308 for over 30 years but working the bolt while kneeling under the laurel was always a pain just like hauling a 11lb M1A or AR10 around. I like the lighter bullets 130TSX-150gr. Great terminal performance but the recoil is harder and recovering to get off a 2nd and 3rd shot is slower.