Driven Boar Calibre

[Jagare]

Have you ever tried it at distance with the ELDM 178? Or is your hunting in thick forestry in Sweden?

Beautiful country by the way, it’s one place I’ve never had the chance to visit yet. It’s interesting how different countries have different hunting culture too.

Its not so much thick forest it more sub 100 mtr hunting. Longer range hunting is seen as a bit unethical. Most driven boar on the continent is well sub 100 mtrs unless you are in Spain or Portugal. Shooting skill is just as important as the calibre used. We are lucky that most towns have a running moose range so there is no excuse for not practiceing.

 

[Ratel]

So will a .308, with a lot more bullet selection

But yes, 7x57 is a fantastic cartridge from what I have read. A one calibre to do it all in the UK.

Even tigers in India a la Corbett, we're just a bit short of them round here. Maybe Chris P might have couple to go.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

I have arranged to buy a 7x57 Ruger #1 that looks to have never left the safe. Now the search for RWS cases begins, I have the dies as they are the same as used for 7x57R for my drilling.

 

[drone]

Returning to the OP, if it's your first foray, browning blr in 308, don't get the lightweight version. This gun is fugly and used prices reflect this. If possible get it screw cut and fit a moderator, recoil will be reduced along with muzzle blast. Use 180 grn bullets minimum.
Red dot is probably better choice than a scope, vortex venom I've found is good but check them out as if you suffer from astigmatism they can be a trial. Red is the colour btw, peep sight or express leaf sight second best.
I used a diavari 1x6 scope for a long time and it was good but the reality is ranges don't really need a scope.
If you choose a bolt gun remember recoil will affect the follow up shots as you won't be posing for promotional images.
Practice and practice, use as much ammo as you can shooting offhand after you've zeroed the rifle. If you can dust a clay every shot at up to 100 yards (with it stationary) then that's good enough.
After your first trip, if you've managed to have a shot and managed to harvest a boar (youtube doesn't show the poor sods who didn't score) you can reassess your rifle.
Then any of the lever guns in 444 marlin, 450 marlin or 45/70 will be up for it but I'd still recommend using a gun with a mod, one of the ruger-marlins in 45/70 will be your friend for many a long day.
The bonus is they are great fun to shoot with reduced loads and will probably get loads more use than a dedicated higher velocity or high value bolt or double gun.
All this assumes that you have a free ammo choice and can use either cast or cup and core bullets. If copper bullets are mandated you're on your own as far as I'm concerned as I have so little experience to fall back on.
This is the start of a development load for my 30/30, eventually I'll modify the mould so that it has a 7mm meplat which should also increase the weight to just under 200 grns, up from its current weight of 184 grns. I hope to get near 2000 fps mv with this load and the recipe will be going with me to the states next year when my brother, who lives there, takes me to hunt some hogs on a friend's property, amongst other things.
I'd like to try it on european boar but my age and dodgy knees are against me whereas in texas every thing is planned with fat old men with heart conditions and you only have to walk to the dunny.

 

[WildBoarHunter]

Older wild boar hunters used to say, 7×57R is adequate for normal size wild boar and for really big keilers the 8×57 is more than adequate. The latter is one of the best calibers for driven hunting and one of the most used ones here for decades. 8 mm slow heavy projectiles with energy comparable to 30-06.

 

[drone]

WBH, you're not wrong but, there again, neither am I. TBH I had a 308 with no complaints but I'll reiterate I think it's preferable for the likes of me to have a gun that can provide fun all year round not just the odd foray someplace special. Also practice makes perfect.
To quote (and perhaps paraphrase) Forest Gump, if you always do what you always did you always get what you always got.
I'm after a couple of win 94s in older calibres, once I've got those in the safe, probably next year when I've researched importing guns into the uk, I'll think about a big bore lever gun - if the grim reaper doesn't swing his scythe at me.

 

[3xspringer]

I’ve been several times and always use .308 150gr never had a problem yet! Will be in Croatia in November

 

[reiver]

1 year we had a John Rambo using a very short barrel 300WM. Using (then we thought) early copper bullets, 3 shots at a back end and missed. He swore he hit it.
The numpty also carried a knife, just in case. (He'd have been better off using that).
If anyone went with Frank they may have been on the same trip.

Could you narrow it down a bit ? Sounds like every trip frank organised !! Rip .
He did get a lot of people in to Driven Boar Hunting though .

 

[ivorgun2]

Any cal that hits the heart

 

[jb1]

Could you narrow it down a bit ? Sounds like every trip frank organised !! Rip .
He did get a lot of people in to Driven Boar Hunting though .

Frank was a decent chap


The guy must have suffered from small man syndrome, and a typical Mr angry, all he was interested in on arrival where the whereabouts of any local prostitute's, in the next breath how much he loved his wife .

And then the 2 South Africans who had mobiles stuck to their ears 24-7

 

[Deutsch - Drahthaar]

Why not just have one rifle for 'All seasons".
My 7x57 does everything from Munties up.
Last two boars turned base over apex very nicely with 165gr Geco. Deer go down with 140 gr Softpoint just as well.

Nice calibre the 7x57. I used to use a 7mm08 for boar and deer and did very well with that too. With the 7x57 you could get factory ammo easier in heavier load for boar, I could find anything factory over 140grain for my 708 so had some reloaded in 175 grain and they worked well on pigs.

I then went to 308 for boar and have shot plenty with 150 grain and found the 30 calibre knocked over the boar better than 7mm. I shot 36 pigs last year with the 150 grain while on 4 different trips. However, I went to Turkey on one of the trips and for the first time I thought the 150grain 308 wasn't quite enough for the big lads there, so I'm going to try 8x57 in 196 grain this coming season

The 9.3's are probably the best stopper of pigs that I have seen but also saw some lads do very well with the 3006 in 220 grain in Turkey.

I borrowed a 8x57 and poleaxed a big Kieler and saw the owner drop 3 in a row on the spot on the next drive. The 8x57 is very low recoil and very hard hitting indeed and that's why I am choosing this over a 9.3

 

[Ratel]

I'm too old now to go chasing boar anymore, but as I say my 7x57 will see me out. It was my first real deer calibre and prior to the deer act I used a .22 Hornet as did Richard ( no pun intended). I still have one and would love to be able to use it on Roe and muntjac.

 

[Bowland blades]

I'm too old now to go chasing boar anymore, but as I say my 7x57 will see me out. It was my first real deer calibre and prior to the deer act I used a .22 Hornet as did Richard ( no pun intended). I still have one and would love to be able to use it on Roe and muntjac.

yeah id roe and cwd where hornet legal mine i would certainly use . Roe ? of course but i have my doubts and Richard mentioned this issue in his writing of lacking exit wounds on the 200 kind of shots
I doubt it will be in any way capable with 50 grain copper with is 1-16 twist in mag fit or stability . 1-12, 223 really likes the Hornady ECX 50 grain copper from Hornady though

 

[Ratel]

yeah id roe and cwd where hornet legal mine i would certainly use . Roe ? of course but i have my doubts and Richard mentioned this issue in his writing of lacking exit wounds on the 200 kind of shots
I doubt it will be in any way capable with 50 grain copper with is 1-16 twist in mag fit or stability . 1-12, 223 really likes the Hornady ECX 50 grain copper from Hornady though

I also shot Fallow with mine. Strange no exit wounds with Win hollow points but my farmer friend got exits with.22 rf HV hollows on Fallow
The internal damage using factory Win Hornet rounds was quite comparable with .222 I used on Roe North of the Border. The maximum run (when it happened) was 60 paces. A perfectly adequate but overlooked round in the right hands. I shot a Muntjac a few weeks ago that was in a sorry state dragging both back legs. He was approx 120yds, chest shot on diagonal, collapsed and never moved, no exit using my standard predator/pest round. Another casualty of the local Whacky racers.

.

 

[Bowland blades]

I also shot Fallow with mine. Strange no exit wounds with Win hollow points but my farmer friend got exits with.22 rf HV hollows on Fallow
The internal damage using factory Win Hornet rounds was quite comparable with .222 I used on Roe North of the Border. The maximum run (when it happened) was 60 paces. A perfectly adequate but overlooked round in the right hands. I shot a Muntjac a few weeks ago that was in a sorry state dragging both back legs. He was approx 120yds, chest shot on diagonal, collapsed and never moved, no exit using my standard predator/pest round. Another casualty of the local Whacky racers.

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lot of differences when a bullet path through a beast is concerned . Winter coat rib on the way in and another on exit , speed of impact etc . I shot a called in to 10-15 yd Roe buck shot him broadside think it was a 95 grain nosler BT ( might be neat 20 years back) . Ran off 50 yards leaped a high fence and didn't get up no exit . Was a tall fence it jumped so it was aware at that stage .
Funny thing terminal performance , i set up a 50 yard RF range here years ago it was pretty astounding the penetration some bullets achieved with 40 grain soft lead subsonics . A lot depends on a lot i suppose ?

 

[roebuck14]

I shoot 9,3/74R

 

[Konnari]

I would say 30-06 or 9.3x62…I have used them both extensively on wild bore and both work great, however the 9.3 definitely hammers them down with more authority and you have more room for error in shot placement

 

[Scotty99]

I’d go for 30-06 due to its heavier bullet weight capability over the .308. Also a straight pull for quicker second shots. If you don’t want to go the expensive Blaser route then look at the Browning Marat or the Beretta BRX-1

 

[NickJ]

I use 30:06.

.308 I gather still not legal in some countries as is a NATO round.

I was told by a friend that does a lot that you don't want anything punchier than that as it makes seeing a reaction to a running boar and quick reloading more difficult.

 

[finnbear270]

Next Hungary visit, I will be mainly using one of these,
9.3x62