rifle choice

Woodmister

Well-Known Member
i have the chance of doing some wild boar shooting, have rifles already max cal being 6.5x55.

i like the thought of an underlever to do this and maybe some woodland deer, but the calibers are limited.

so looking for advice on cal and rifle choices please?
 
If you're looking for an underlever then .45-70 or .444 would be a good way to go. I have a Marlin 1895GBL in .45-70 which I use for close in woodland stalking and I have open sights on it.

Otherwise one of the popular magnums is a good bet (300WM or 7RM) for boar.

All of that said I went to Hungary a few years ago with Malc and one of the other guys had a 6.5x55 and took a number of pigs with that no issues.
 
Ask all the Scandinavian elk (AKA moose) that have been shot and killed over the last century how they like being shot with a Swede! - Mostly with a 165 grain round nose bullet.
They don't like it up 'em!
I feel sure piggies will think the same!

Ian
 
If you're looking for an underlever then .45-70 or .444 would be a good way to go. I have a Marlin 1895GBL in .45-70 which I use for close in woodland stalking and I have open sights on it.

Otherwise one of the popular magnums is a good bet (300WM or 7RM) for boar.

All of that said I went to Hungary a few years ago with Malc and one of the other guys had a 6.5x55 and took a number of pigs with that no issues.
i know 6.5 x55 will do it, but most like a min of 7mm from what i have read.
 
Woodmister you don't say whether it will be driven boar or stalked/high seat. You also don't mention if it will be in the U.K. or abroad. If abroad the minimum calibre and energy levels may be dictated by local hunting laws.
 
Ask all the Scandinavian elk (AKA moose) that have been shot and killed over the last century how they like being shot with a Swede! - Mostly with a 165 grain round nose bullet.
They don't like it up 'em!
I feel sure piggies will think the same!

Ian
Moose aren't that hard to kill. There was survey here of wounded boar Verses caliber and there were more wounded boar with 6.5x55 than any other caliber. 6.55x55 is our minimum calibre for big game thats anything larger than roe. I would never take a 6.5 Swede on a driven boar hunt. On a driven hunt I want to be armed with a rifle , bullet combo that will take down the biggest boar in the forest. I've used the .308 with Oryx bullets and shot some good sized boar. For the last 3 seasons I've used a 8x57jrs and I'm very impressed with that caliber. In a bolt gun the 8x57 would take some beating for boar. I was on a driven day two weeks ago 16 boar and 4 roe deer shot . I shot one good size boar with the 8x57jrs . One shot ,one dead boar.
 
7MM And up will do the job but, you may be restricted by our laws? How about the 30 cals, 308/3006 all usable in this country?

BC.
 
Moose aren't that hard to kill. There was survey here of wounded boar Verses caliber and there were more wounded boar with 6.5x55 than any other caliber. 6.55x55 is our minimum calibre for big game thats anything larger than roe. I would never take a 6.5 Swede on a driven boar hunt. On a driven hunt I want to be armed with a rifle , bullet combo that will take down the biggest boar in the forest. I've used the .308 with Oryx bullets and shot some good sized boar. For the last 3 seasons I've used a 8x57jrs and I'm very impressed with that caliber. In a bolt gun the 8x57 would take some beating for boar. I was on a driven day two weeks ago 16 boar and 4 roe deer shot . I shot one good size boar with the 8x57jrs . One shot ,one dead boar.
If the survey had been done here the culprit would've been s/gun pellets ;)
 
Woodmister you don't say whether it will be driven boar or stalked/high seat. You also don't mention if it will be in the U.K. or abroad. If abroad the minimum calibre and energy levels may be dictated by local hunting laws.
Sorry mate would be stalked/highseat
 
Sorry mate would be stalked/highseat
In the U.K.?
If so stick with your 6.5 with a suitable heavy bullet as you already have the rifle and you should be familiar with it. Saying that I must admit to being somewhat biased in favour of something slightly bigger myself, definitely so if you were talking large or driven boar.
 
i have the chance of doing some wild boar shooting, have rifles already max cal being 6.5x55.

i like the thought of an underlever to do this and maybe some woodland deer, but the calibers are limited.

so looking for advice on cal and rifle choices please?
Are you shooting at driven boar, or just sitting over a bait station?
 
Depending on how much boar shooting you intend to do over the next years I would recommend going with your 6.5X55 initially, especially if from a high-seat. I shot my first ones with 7x57 (old and "slow" mannlicher action), then for many years with a 6.5x57 bullpen but using 160/163/165 grain bullets, before eventually using a 7mm Rem Mag (which I love) and stops even the largest boar I have shot absolutely. It is certainly true that most hosts prefer something 7mm or larger and certainly for driven boar. But for deliberate less hurried shooting your 6.5 will work well and the largest boar I ever saw shot [except for some farm escapees which I shot] was killed with a 6.5x55 round on a driven shoot but from a lowbox in N Austria.
 
i have the chance of doing some wild boar shooting, have rifles already max cal being 6.5x55.

i like the thought of an underlever to do this and maybe some woodland deer, but the calibers are limited.

so looking for advice on cal and rifle choices please?
8-57 or 9.3 good stopper but a drop away 30-06 excellent all rounder good thing you would get ammo everywhere for both if a lever gun 45-70 ,444 are ok 100 yds and mostly used by dog people on hunts as short and nock down and follow up are quick .6.5-55 ok but as small as you want to go for boar .
I use an 8-57js most of the time but if it’s a place where you could expect Long shots I have a 270 wsm and a 300 wsm
 
I usually shoot pigs over bait with a .223 Remington! And a 50gr bullet! Or sometimes my .243 Win and on one memorable occasion my Ruger 10/22! It’s taken a while for @Woodmister to tell us what he’s gonna be doing, but now we know, all the suggestions of heavy duty rifles can probably take a back seat. Honestly mate, use your 6.5, you’re going to be sitting right there, piggy is going to be head down / bum up and not exactly moving at 25mph, eh. Just shoot it in the right place, like in the head, with a sensible bullet, job done.

Otherwise, feel free to massively over-complicate matters as you see fit!
 
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