what caliber etc

levigsp

Well-Known Member
So, this is aimed at those of you who shoot Driven Boar.
If you were to buy a rifle and sight specificly for Driven boar in eastern Europe, what you buy and why.
Not interested in manafacturer, only Caliber and type of sight.
Thank you
 
8x57 Plenty big enough and not as fast as 3006 so possibly better suited to closer range shooting, most of which is under 50m. 9.3 is popular but costly to practice with and not so comfortable to shoot.
 
I have a 9.4x74r sbs, and really wanted to use it open sight, but just couldn't get on with it that way, struggling to be consistent on the vertical.

Switched to a Swarovski 1-6 x 24 EE, and it has transformed my shooting.

Scopes/sights are personal, so see if you can beg, steal, borrow one or two before you buy.
 
You want something that points quickly, sights lined up for you.

But you want something which has enough muzzle weight for a smooth swing, and to help stay on target to see the impact, and for another shot.

I use iron sights on my .30-30, .444 Marlin, 8x57, 8x60S, .30-06 and other rifles, but do have some 1.25-4x and 1.5-6x scopes for use, too. An 8mm firing a 200-gr bullet at 2,500 fps, or a 265 gr bullet at 2,200 to 2400 from a .444 will flatten the biggest boar, and a much larger bear. Likewise for a 9.3mm
 
A faster smaller calibre like the .270 win is the rage now in Germany as the amount of follow through needed for the slower bigger projectiles is less and you can keep the scope more or less on the point you want to hit.
Go look at the wild boar fever 1 2 3 4 5 videos on you tube.
Martin
 
8x57 Plenty big enough and not as fast as 3006 so possibly better suited to closer range shooting, most of which is under 50m. 9.3 is popular but costly to practice with and not so comfortable to shoot.

I have both a 8x57jrs and a 9.3x74r and while I am in total agreement with you about the relative costs of ammunition, the 9.3 isn't unpleasant to shoot, probably because the stock fits me well. It's a bit of a pussycat round for its size.
 
300WM or 9.3x62. Fit a muzzle brake to dampen recoil if you have to. Scopes are personal, but I prefer a 1-6x24 over red dot/reflex type scopes. As for practise, I use a .222 which makes it very cheap to use.
 
Last edited:
+1 for 9.3 x 62

Coupled with a 2-12 x 50 Swaro or 1.5-6 x 42 Zeiss

The trick is getting a suitable calibre in a rifle that FITS!! 180 grain plus is what you are looking to push through them. I've seen a few of the super fast mags (7mm Rem) just go straight thro' animals whereas slow and heavy tends to stop them!
 
I've shot boar with a 270 and a 30/06. However, I'd pick a 300 win mag and a straight tube Swaro. Of the pigs I've shot or seen shot, the 300 really seems to put them down. I'd like to try a 7mm Rem Mag, might be ideal.
 
Last edited:
Wild boar is such a good reason for something bigger it seems a shame to waste the opportunity on 30-06 or the like.

If you can shoot it accurately then one of the 9.3's, 375's, 300/338 Win Mag or something bigger of equivalent energy levels is what I would go for.
Boar are not 'true' dangerous game but they are tough, tenacious and will take the fight to you given a chance. You don't need a stopping rifle but, in my opinion, you do need something that will do the job in the worst conditions, not the best.

But I am biased as I have a 45 cal so feel free to disregard all my ramblings :D :D
 
I'm not too sure that using a .270 or other 'fast' cartridge would totally allow you to do away with giving the target a decent lead - even Franz Albrecht talks about giving the boar up to 2 metres lead in one of the WBF/SVF videos mentioned above. Plus you'd hopefully be an excellent practiced shot to use the lighter weight bullets on driven game as there is less of a margin for error - and how many of us can claim that accolade?

Due to circumstances beyond my control I took my trusty old .308 on a recent boar trip and it performed well in the limited shooting I had with 170gr FP Hornady Interlock handloads. That's not to say that I won't feel more comfortable with the 9.3x62 when it arrives.

Agree totally with Lateral about the choice of scope being a very important factor, and if at all possible to try looking through a few suitable ones before buying. I also have the Swarovski Z6i 1-6x24, which has a class leading FOV, and I find the CDI reticle is excellent for driven shooting as it focuses the eye on the POA while at the same time maintaining the relationship with the intended POI. (Despite me missing a big boar running at full speed straight across me at circa 100m - well at least I could observe the bullet strike just behind him! :oops:).

From the limited experience I've had with red dot and holographic reflex type sights I'd also agree with Conor1 that the Z6i possibly has the edge at low magnification - plus it can be cranked up for 'normal' shooting, (albeit limited by light gathering ability), so is overall the more versatile unit.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top