Advice on Warthog Rifle

[flatwater bill]

My next trip to Africa....coming soon I think, I'll concentrate on the two low level trophies that have so far eluded me: wart hogs and impala. I'm planning to take my Savage Model 99 in 250 savage for this hunt. It will be fine for the impala. I've shot a few impala, and their size and structure is familiar to me. I've also taken 200 pound muley bucks with this rifle and load (100 grain Sierra Pro-Hunter backed with 34 grains of 4320 for a velocity of right at 2700fps) But what about the pigs? American ferals have a thick gristle armor on the chest, and people often use a heavier rifle. What does one need for Wartpigs? What does a big boar weight?....75kg (165pounds)?? or less. It is no use to recommend heavier bullets for this rifle as the 1:14 twist means this is the biggest pill it will handle. 250 Savages are generally used for animals for which the 243 is used, however, it is a little less powerful. BTW....this is the way Americans often hunt: They buy a 243 and have great success on deer for years. But eventually, they wound one. And so they buy a .270 and again, it kills like lightening. But....you guessed it...one day they wound a buck. Next year, they are packing a 300 Winny......and so it goes. I don't want to fall into that trap. Love to hear from some riflemen who have salted half a dozen or more big warthogs, and a PH or two as well. Thanks.....and good hunting...FWB

 

[Fabnosh]

I'd go for a .308. Mine has dropped everything smaller than an Eland and Giraffe. It's also a 'universal' calibre so if your wonderfully tuned and shiny homeloads don't arrive factory ammo is readily available. Warthog are also tough little blighters and the additional knockdown power won't hurt.

FN

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

the rifle u suggest is more than adequate
pigs can be tough but only with "bad" shots, a decent shot in right place they not going anywhere

we have taken a number of good ones this year with anything from 22 hornet up to 458.

 

[Tgood1]

The few warthog ive been involved with compared to US wild hogs are not even in same category anatomy-wise. The warthogs have little hair, relatively thin skin, no inches of fat, and no "shield" on the boars. I think you should be fine.

 

[mark-hunter]

In hunting camp where i was twice, 223 is used extensively for warthogs.

 

[Frederik]

Bill, Firstly where in Africa will you be looking for your elusive wartie trophy?
Then use a proper constructed bullet they have much denser bodies than impalas.

 

[CBH Australia]

Not familiar with your cartridge. But use a good projectile.

The only Warthog I have shot were with a 7mmRm hire rifle.

Ive shot plenty of pigs with my 7mm-08 and would consider it suitable, also used my .308 on pigs.

I hope you get a great Warthog, they are cool.

 

[Challer]

It may work, but why? Ammo availability will be nil should you need it. If you don’t have one yet, get your 375 and get some time with it. If you have one, take it. At least a 30-06 class for which there will plenty of ammo, and if your tickets get fluid, you’ll be appropriately outfitted.

 

[CBH Australia]

Yes, you may need a .375,

 

[Ridgewalker]

Tally-Ho knows for sure. I only take my 375 H&H to Africa for everything, so I’m clueless of the smaller calibers. That said, the 3 I have taken haven’t seemed difficult to kill with the correct shot placement.

 

[shark_za]

I always round off a hunting trip with a Warthog, its always good to make cheese grillers and cabanosi.

A 100gr premium in the Savage will probably do if you place it well, even if the bullet is travelling a little fast for my liking.

At one point we were all looking for the perfect Impala/Warthog caliber, seeing as others are overly powerful and wasteful. There was a spike in 6x45 builds (the .223 necked up to .243) and you even find these rifles on the secondary market today.
Recipe calls for conventional bullets at under 2400fps in the 100-120gr range.
250 Savage would be ideal with 120gr bullets but most rifles cannot stabilise these, the 7.62x39 is great but the .311 bullets are rare.
The 6.5 Grendel is what I consider the answer for this.


Having said all this, Warthog are tenacious and I would shoot them with something bigger.

If you shoot a bonded or partition 100gr .257 bullet you will do well.
There are a few hundered 100gr partitions lying in my local gunstore, .25 is not common here.

 

[shark_za]

Apart from .25-06 that is.

 

[CJW]

I shot 3 with my -06 and 180 accubonds and it seemed like overkill. Don't get me wrong, it put them down with extreme prejudice which is good but based on that and seeing their body composition first hand, I would think any midrange caliber and good bullet would be plenty. Just don't be careless with shot placement.

 

[YancyW]

If you are going to the area of Africa that has the non-armor plated warthogs, then about any rifle is going to work just fine. But the super tough, doubled armor plated hogs I read about on here, then you really need some firepower.

 

[Nhoro]

I think all these posts must be talking of the feral Texas warthogs cos I know everything is bigger in Texas ! A 375 is overkill-if you have it in your hands or don't want to bring two rifles, then I can understand it. But your ideal rifle would be in the 243 to 6.5 mm category. A good shot and it will go down.

 

[Challer]

That's right, it's more than is needed. The salient points were not that. 1 - if he needs ammo there for whatever reason, the OP is unlikely to find his caliber there. 2 - Should he add to his tag, he will be under gunned. Both 30-06 and 375 will solve the ammo problem and the 375 will handle anything that might go on the tag, the 06 about nearly all PG.

 

[1dirthawker]

If you shoot a bonded or partition 100gr .257 bullet you will do well.

i agree with this thought. shoot a good bullet bonded or mono and you will be just fine

 

[Nkawu]

Ive shot heaps of pigs using 223, 243, 7x57 and 308. Your 250 sounds like it would be great for them using premium bullets. I would really like a 6x45 for pigs (100 grain at 2400fps).

 

[Nkawu]

By pigs I mean warthogs.

 

[flatwater bill]

Fredrk................If I had even the remotest clue as to where to hunt the elusive wartie, I wouldn't be going back the umteenth time to get one. I would simply get off of the plane, get picked up by my PH, and shoot one on the drive to his house. Or park for lunch out in the field and bag one as I awakened from a siesta......Like everyone else does. Or perhaps hit one with the Land Cruiser. I am still working on the where part. And the what part too. But I will not use a 375H&H (or larger) on a duiker or a warthog. Still considering other advice as noted above.......................Thanks for all..................FW Bill