Soft lead versus hard lead

[Jimhp02]

As I understand it, a soft lead bullet is supposed to mushroom when it hits the animal and either delivering all its energy by not making it all the way through and/or delivering a wide wound channel. A hard lead bullet does not mushroom or deform designed to penetrate braking bones and often exiting the animal.

Just pondering while awaiting my opportunity to go after wild hogs on my Farm with my Shiloh 45-70. I am just about to the point of hitting inside a 4” circle at 75 yards using a tang sight off sticks. I can get better. Now, I’m certain either would do the job but would you pick one type bullet over the other for hunting wild pigs?

Best,

JimP

[Jimhp02]

Hitting regularly in a 4” circle at 75 yards

Just jawboning around the campfire.

[Clarence]

Jimhp02,

Just a couple of data points: I took a .45-90 to Africa in 2006 and a .45-70 to Africa in 2012, both loaded to ~1350 fps with smokeless and with modified Postell bullets (1:20 alloy). I made a jig and used my table saw to make a flat point.

In 2006, the flat point was 3/8 inch. Penetration in animal ranging from impala and warthog to kudu and red hartebeest ranged from 24-28 inches, meaning that quartering shots stayed in even the smaller animals but broadside shots exited. Bullets recovered retained 75-95% of their weight and diameters ranged from 5/8-7/8 inches.

In 2012, the flat point was 5/16 inch. Penetration was somewhat more, with a lower percentage of bullets retained in the animal (to be fair, more shots were broadside).

Both bullets killed very effectively. I believe the 5/16 inch flat behaved very similarly to the Lyman roundness bullet that rdnck used to his African hunting.

I'm guessing either bullet would work very well on hogs. My preference would probably the 5/16 inch flat or the 457125 bullet.

Clarence

[bpcr shooter]

4" @ 75yd............when a 500gr bullet hits them in the head its not really going to matter if it is soft or not 20-1 should be just fine though, heck even 30-1. the 405 RNFP should be plenty for just about any hog outside of a zoo, cast out of 20-1.

[Jimhp02]

I know but I just thought it might be fun and educational to see what you guys thought. OK, dumb question.

JimP

[Clarence]

Just don't use the 330 grain Gould hollow point. I have a friend who shot a very large hog with that bullet. it mad the hog really mad, and my friend thought he might be in trouble before the hog expired. You don't want a hollow point to increase expansion and decrease penetration...

You might get a bit more range with the 405 grain class, but you know the 500+ grain bullet will penetrate.

Clarence

[rdnck]

Hunting hogs, you never know when you will come across a really big one with a shield well over an inch thick. And you need to get through that shield, side to side if you have to. Shoot the Lyman 457125 Govt. bullet at 20-1 or 50/50 wheel weights and lead, and you will be golden. Leave the light bullets at home, these ain't deer you are chasing, and the really big ones are a completely different animal. They are in fact the most dangerous animal in North America, and you should prepare yourself accordingly. Don't believe it? Just ask the man who has had to deal with one. Shoot straight, rdnck.

[DAVE ROELLE]

45-70 using a 520 gr bullet of round nosed or semi round nosed profile with a hardness of between 9 and 11 Brh is Death on hogs.

We have a bunch of hogs on the ranch ranging from piglets with momma to knarley old boar hogs up to 200 pounds, we SHOOTEM ftequently.

I use a Shiloh or Rolling Block with a 520 gr Paper Patched Postell in front of 80 grains of Swiss 1 1/2

Even the biggest hogs typically go straight down, I have yet to recover a bullet.

Dave

[beltfed]

I think my '86 Win loaded with a 1/4"meplat flat nosed 385gr bullet, 9+1ww/lino clocking 1740fps should
tip over those hogs pretty well.
AND, I have repeat shots as necessary.
Sorry about that, SS users.
beltfed/arnie

[Jimhp02]

Yes, we Sharp Shooters (SS) must make every shot count!

JimP

[mdeland]

You can cap 3-400 lbs domestic hog regularly with a .22 behind the ear. Most of these hogs in the wild aren't Russian boars they're wild domestic nuisance pigs and from the ones I've seen killed on video very few will go even half the weight of a Brown bear. Tusks or not I think if pigs ever invade into Grizzly country you will most likely wind up with an increased and very well fed bear population.

[BFD]

For the record, I agree with Mike. Fat greasy-faced grizzlies. I like it.

[mdeland]

I bet a wolf pack would thin the hogs out as well! They'd distract the adult and the rest of the pack snatch the piglets one after the other.

[mdeland]

I bet it wouldn't take the yellow stone Grizzly's long to acquire a taste for pork!

[Jimhp02]

Saw a video once of an angry charging bear. Not sure if it was a grizzly or brown but I can say it was the scariest animal I have ever seen. I am happy hunting wild hogs but I have No interest in being in the same county as an angry grizzly bear!