Killed a tough S.O.B. ...

[86er]

Last night I decided on a whim to see if any hogs were roaming our property. I grabbed the Henry 30-30 and some Grizzly Cartridge ammo and headed to a known spot. After a little while, three whitetail bucks with new horns coming on started feeding around. I eased out and left them alone while I headed to another spot. Once settled in only minutes passed when I saw a rabbit stand up on its hind legs being attentive. In a few seconds the rabbit took off on a full speed run, a sure sign that something was coming. I eased the rifle up just as a big boar hog stepped out of the brush. At 100 yards, I put the gold bead right in the center of his shoulder and pressed the trigger. The hog humped up and lurched forward, causing his butt to flip over his left shoulder in a half sommersalt. I approached the hog and found it was dead. My shot had hit high in the shoulder on the right side and there was a substantial exit wound on the left just behind and underneath the armpit. The angle was due to the elevation I had on him when I fired. That 170 grain Nosler Partition does 2369 fps from this 20" octagon barrel and it caused quite a bit of damage and a large exit hole. Upon skinning the hog I made some astonishing discoveries! His skin was about 5/8" thick all over and nearly and inch on the shoulder plates. On top of the right hip just under the skin I found a round lead "buckshot" pellet. I thought that was pretty cool until I found another bullet on the side of his left hip! This one was a .22 diameter lead mushroom with a boattail that from all evidence is the core of a formerly jacketed bullet that suffered seperation. At home it weighed 36.7 grains. Then I really got surprised! Under the shoulder plate just at the edge of the fatty plate and flesh was yet another bullet! This one is a jacketed bullet that turned out to be 6mm diameter and weighs 87.6 gains. My best guess is that is was once a 100 grain possibly from a 243 Win. This was not the biggest hog I've shot but it is one of the oldest based on the condition of his teeth. He is going to be one of the most memorable though!

[earlmck]

Wow! The hide on that old boy must have been pretty close to kevlar. Good thing you had the "Big Boy" load in the 30/30.

[sore shoulder]

Interesting report that puts bullet performance in an interesting perspective. Particularly considering some of the recent threads.

I'm also really amazed at the hide thickness. Wish you had put a 10mm into it before skinning it out.

[AJMD429]

Admit it - you faked the whole thing - everyone knows you can't kill a wild hog without something in at least 45 caliber, unless there is a 'belt' on the cartridge case... Them Henry's ain't no good neither - that hog really died of fright when it saw the glare off that shiny receiver, instead of that puny little 30-30 bullet.

Seriously - it is always good to have a gun to grab when out choring or checking things, and doubly good to have a trusty on that always does what it is supposed to.

[RIHMFIRE]

Congrats...
tough ****' indeed...
thats why i like to shoot them couple inches below and behind the ear...

nice lookn rifle too

[Blaine]

Good Hunt

[grouse]

Great story! The "old" 30-30 always up to task.

[O.S.O.K.]

Great report! And with pics too! Always a plus. Almost makes me wish we had hogs on our property but not really.... they're very destructive and I imagine the dogs would constantly be chasing after them.

They are in the area but not immediately around us - yet...

[Old Savage]

Pretty darn gaudy rifle there Tough old bugger!

[rjohns94]

Well done. Wish there were hogs to chase here. Very nice. 30-30 reigns again!

[olyinaz]

Amazing! Great report. Thanks!

[1894c]

86er -- nice pig, great photos, interesting commentary on the recovered bullets, and like you i'm starting to appreciate the Henry rifles too (have two Henry's in .22cal)...glad to see that the 30-30 (my personal favorite) is a death-ray on an old S.O.B. ... :)

P.S.--if you don't own a 30-30 (.30-W.C.F.), or if you had one but let it go
to chase after the latest, fastest, or the coolest, then you owe it to yourself
to get one, you'll be amazed at the versatility...just saying...

[Nath]

Bet the two rifles were scoped as well eh!

Then comes along a humble rifleman with the good for nuffin' 30wcf and flattens Mr piggy lol

Nice one Joe

Nath .

[JohndeFresno]

Great story, info, and pix, Joe. Thank you!

That's definitely a mean looking ol' critter in the photo.

The hog looks kinda ornery, too.

[FatJackDurham]

amazing, you should send that in to a hunting show. I wonder who the four other irritated hunters were....

[n2t]

I promise that was not my .243 bullet, they don't run away when I hit them with the little winchester. How do you like those henrys? I was looking at one, since the new marlins have been questionable. Amanda wants a classic looking gun for buffalo/bison. That henry may fit the bill.

[peter richards]

Great work Joe! Ain't nothin a Henry Rifle can't do in the hands of someone who knows how to use it.
Can't wait to get over there & hunt with you again next year.

[Birdman]

Good spur of the moment hunt. I love the 30-30 stories. What a round! Is that ol boy gonna be good eatin?

[madman4570]

Cool Joe! Great read!
That is one tough critter indeed!
With most on here taking that critter with a gun----------wow it grabs my attention real quick-----but Joe,being its you------though that indeed is one heck of a tough trophy and fine hunt and kill--------with you I can't help but get just a wee little bit let down Joe ??

Why-----------------being it's you brother, every so often I am looking foward to seeing you covered in that red stuff(the hog's, not yours,well maybe a tad could be yours??) and intead of a fine looking gun-----be wanting to see that long poled sharp spear and that real wild eyed look that only you can have.

But ok, I guess if it has to be with just a gun----------------------------------all righty then-------------just will say---well done friend, well done!

[wecsoger]

Thank you for the posting and the time getting your hands dirty for that additional information.

Amazing.

That is morbidly fascinating that the old s.o.b. took that many hits, considered substantial and was still upright and doing damage.

.30-30 is nice...assuming choices in dealing with something like that I'm unlimbering the .45/70. Ya just can't be too sure, ya know.

[86er]

I've made a few more assessments based on analysis of the dead critter and other information and intelligence. This hog was a crop raider. His stomach was full of agricultural produce and their is some talk from neighbors about a boar hog raiding thier fields. Furthermore, this hog was not intimidated by the presence of humans or machinery as long as there was a reasonable distance. He is alleged to be the same hog that would come out into a field with a working tractor or pick-up trucks or even workers as long as they were a few hundred yards from him. This hog was not nocturnal - he has been observed on trail cameras and in person in broad daylight. He had raided a family garden several times and also ate scrap chicken feed that was scattered through the wire. Other neighbors reported this so is it assumed that the family that owns that property are the one responsible for the buckshot. Most likely, the hog was several hundred yards across a field when someone shot him with some kind of .22 centerfire. That was most likely not a premium or bonded bullet since the jacket is unaccounted for and the lead core is partially expanded and only penetrated an inch. The 6mm bullet seems to have been either a 90 or 100 grain projectile. It is deformed at the tip but not mushroomed. It penetrated only 2 or 3 inches on a hard angle. It was most likely fired from quite a distance as that would account for the shallow expansion and lack of penetration. Very close up may have failed to penetrate but I think the bullet would have been more deformed and the exterior wound would have been obvious. The 170 grain Nosler Partition that I used hit high on the shoulder, just below the spine. There is a narrow soft zone there that is no protected by the thick gristle nor the scapular bone. The bullet clearly expanded as the lungs showed a wound channel about an inch in diameter. It exited under the thinnest part of the hide just behind the front leg and did not seem to encounter any bones. I actually hit about 3-inches higher than I aimed but in hindsight that may have been fortunate. Terminal ballistics always keep me intrigued.

[Bullard4075]

"The 170 grain Nosler Partition that I used hit high on the shoulder, just below the spine. There is a narrow soft zone there that is no protected by the thick gristle nor the scapular bone. The bullet clearly expanded as the lungs showed a wound channel about an inch in diameter. It exited under the thinnest part of the hide just behind the front leg and did not seem to encounter any bones. I actually hit about 3-inches higher than I aimed but in hindsight that may have been fortunate. "
What bullet performance (ie penetration) would have been expected if you had hit outside the "narrow soft zone"?

[86er]

Bullard - I cant be sure but I think I may not have gotten through and through penetration. I think it would have easy been deadly but quite possibly the bullet would have expanded very quickly and like Partitions do, lost its front.

[Nath]

Joe, have you evidence of partitions losing their fronts in 30wcf as in the faster chamberings?

N.

[piller]

When PillHer was there, she saw one pig. It ran away when she whooped in excitement. Not even 1 shot fired. The coyote that was playing around to our left was in a place that we couldn't get a shot at him.

I wonder if my 7mm08 with the 140 grain Ballistic Silvertip would have worked on that boar? Sighthunter's .243 with the 90 grain GMX bullets are also a question. That was one tough old hog.

[86er]

Ant reasonable caliber would work with the right shot placement. I have not had many 30-30 Partitions lose the front on deer but it almost always happens on hogs. These are going much faster than a typical load so that probably makes it worse.

[20cows]

Fascinating!

[jackruff]

Good job! A friend of mine told me: "I've shot hogs with a lot of different rifles, but every one I ever shot with a 30-30 just dropped dead!"

[Dave]

That was one tough hog! Not as tough as that supernatural goat that time though.

[C. Cash]

Great report......thank you Joe!

[Mescalero]

Supernatural goat?

[3leggedturtle]

30/30 does it again Do you or anyone else ever make any "projects" out of the hides from the hogs you shoot.? BTW I finally looked at he 38/40 Improved Rimless brass you sent me (40S&W) 3/4 of'em were nickel plated. That was nice bonus. Thanks. Todd

[Modoc ED]

Thanks for the report Joe. How is that Henry .30-30? The one I handled was very front (barrel) heavy and I'd think it wouldn't be a good walk around gun. I've never used a Partition on a hog but have used a 170gr, .30-30, Winchester, Super X, Power Point with good results.

As old as he was, I'd bet he won't be good eating.

[Griff]

Bet the two rifles were scoped as well eh!

Then comes along a humble rifleman with the good for nuffin' 30wcf and flattens Mr piggy lol

Nice one Joe

Nath .

+1!!!

[Dave]

Supernatural goat?

Who could forget this critter?

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=22584

[Mescalero]

Holy carp!!!

[1894c]

Holy carp!!!

WHAT HE SAID...call in the exorcist...yikes...that's one scary looking "supernatural" devil goat... :O

the-exorcist-priest.jpg

[crs]

Good show, Joe!
I see that you are practicing for the upcoming pigeon shoot.

Me too, by repairing my green tractor - I was opening the pasture gate Saturday to do some mowing and saw some yellow green drips under the engine and since tractors do not pee --- it turned out to be a split original water hose, so I ordered that and some other small stuff and will go in to JD in McKinney today to pick up parts.
Then a few hours servicing the tractor and mower and maybe I can get back to the pasture before the grass is two feet tall.

[Ysabel Kid]

Joe -

Was that one of the evaluation pair Anthony sent you?

What a tough old hog! Great story!!!