Advice on Warthog Rifle

[flatwater bill]

Nkawu.............I have a 6.5X45....................FWB

 

[Rem700stw]

I have shot warthogs with 7mm Remington magnum, .308, .30-06, and 9.3x62. If you limit shots to broadside and slightly quartering animals you should be fine. I would use a bonded, partition type, A-Frame, or Barnes in a quarter bore.

 

[112Savage]

I would agree that warthogs do not seem to be in the same class for hide thickness as feral hogs or European boars. I would think that almost any reasonable shot in front of the diaphragm would take most hogs down. I used a 9.3x62 on two warthogs, so I can’t speak from experience about small diameter bullets. I will say that if your rifle will stabilize the 100gr pro hunter I might try the 80gr Barnes TTSX.

 

[YancyW]

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

The area I hunted with @KMG Hunting Safaris this summer was thick with hogs, you could take a truck load if you were actually targeting them.

 

[DWB]

My 404 Jeffery is my favorite pig gun! No need to follow blood trails.

I am a firm believer in not underestimating a pig.

Big bores for big Boars!

 

[Red Leg]

I have taken warthog with .338, 30-06, .375, and most recently, a .275 (7x57) (also a 12 bore paradox, but that is a different story). The greatest danger with a warthog is that he will make it to his den after the shot and be unrecoverable short of rolling out a backhoe. My last one back in August is cautionary. He was facing to the left, quartering toward me at around sixty or seventy yards. He was a very old boar. The 170 gr Oryx bullet hit just inside the facing shoulder and stopped under the hide, behind the off shoulder. You can see the entry wound below.

He gave no indication of being hit other than taking off. The boar went a good 120 - 150 meters. It took us nearly thirty minutes to sort out the spoor before we found him dead where he had slammed into tree at full speed. I am not sure I could have placed the bullet "better" based upon the angle. Had a burrow been nearby, he could have easily been lost. I am fairly certain that a 300 gr .375 or 250 gr .338 would have resulted in a far quicker suspension of hostilities.

Yes, I would hunt one again with my .275. And I shoot feral hogs here at home with 5.56 - though I shoot those in the head and don't have a trophy fee riding on my accuracy. But for a hunt where a trophy fee is involved, particularly an area like much of South Africa or Namibia where dens are common, I would start my caliber search with something that managed at least 140 or 150 grs and high SD.

 

[Shootist43]

I took my Warthog cleanly with a 6.5 x 55 Swede. pushing a 140 Gn. Nosler Partition. BTW, he stayed exactly where I shot him. Distance was +/- 50 Yds.

 

[JimP]

I have thought of taking my 25-06 on my hunt next year and my primary animal is the warthog. But also on the hunt I can shoot a number of larger animals up to a kudu.

While I have no doubt the capabilities of my 25-06 I'll be taking my .340 Weatherby shooting 225 grain Barnes TTSX bullets and use that for all animals.

 

[Nyati]

Warthogs look very tough, but they easy to kill, I´ve shot 14, with all kind of calibers, from 22-250 to .338WM, and the largest one with a shotgun, using AAA buckshot.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

You absolutely need a .338 Marlin. Everyone needs a .338 Marlin, if only for the success photos after.

Joking aside, good on you taking a 99!! I am excited for you; I look forward to seeing the success photos. I almost took one of mine this time and hope to next time.

As for what the others say... I'd guess there's a lot of good advice from people with a lot of experience. I would note Red Leg makes a good point about getting them down quickly. I heard some very funny stories from my PH's brother, about having to get them out after they made it to a hole. I don't think probably it was funny at the time but Colin had a knack for telling funny stories. That said, they didn't seem bulletproof and mine went down right away, literally. (110 yards/behind the shoulder)

 

[375Fox]

It will be neat to see a hunting report with this rifle in Africa. Why are you choosing to take a model 99 in 250 savage?

I think I’ve shot 10 warthogs with 308, 300 mag, and 375. The warthogs that ran furthest were with 375 and 300 gr Swift A Frame, because bullet is designed for much heavier game.

 

[leslie hetrick]

i was in a blind waiting for impala, useing a .423 with 100 gr sp bullets and took several cleanly with them. this worthog came by at 90 yards and gave me a side ways standing shot and i aimed for the neck right behind the head and at the crack of the rifle he went right down. was it enough gun, yes this time.

 

[IvW]

I have used a lot of calibers for warthogs from 22 Hornet to 500 Jeff. Even a Marlin 45-70 now that was a nice pig gun.

Now my dedicated pig(warthog and Bush pig) rifles are all doubles and combinations.

Poorman's Double shortened 12ga to 24 inch with sights
9.3x74R/12ga combination
7x65R/12ga combination
308/12ga combination

If I happen to have anything from my 222Rem to my 500 Jeff in my hands well the hog is going down....I love hunting Warthog and Bush pig

 

[CoElkHunter]

i was in a blind waiting for impala, useing a .423 with 100 gr sp bullets and took several cleanly with them. this worthog came by at 90 yards and gave me a side ways standing shot and i aimed for the neck right behind the head and at the crack of the rifle he went right down. was it enough gun, yes this time.

View attachment 434948View attachment 434949

.423? Ha! I love your ingenuity to avoid the wrath of Townsend.

 

[375Fox]

Or perhaps hit one with the Land Cruiser.

The land cruiser is very effective. I need to add one to my warthog count. I forgot about that one in Namibia. They line the roads in October when not much grass except along the roads.

 

[Forrest Halley]

.423? Ha! I love your ingenuity to avoid the wrath of Townsend.

Here I was thinking that bullet has a crap BC and Nooo sectional density. The ole .423 trick...he won't catch on until the Bundy makes him diuretic... err dialectical... ahh I mean dyslexic.

 

[CoElkHunter]

The land cruiser is very effective. I need to add one to my warthog count. I forgot about that one in Namibia. They line the roads in October when not much grass except along the roads.

A 8-10' spike attached to the front bumper would add to the effectiveness of the road hunting.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I took one at night with a 17 Fireball, right through the left eyeball. Others have fallen to 26 Nosler, 28 Nosler, 6.5x47 Lapua and 6.5-284. Like every other animal, some are diehards and some easily give up the ghost. Light calibers are ok but for a possible die hard, use enough gun. Both Noslers dropped them like they were hit with lightning.

 

[YancyW]

I am going to starting using a 223 with 77gr bergers.....

 

[CoElkHunter]

I am going to starting using a 223 with 77gr bergers.....

Will the barrel twist in your rifle be fast enough to spin that longer bullet accurately?