Dispatching Pigs

[Machias]

So I have put down probably 20 pigs over the last few years for myself and other folks.  I have always used a .22 pistol.  Bang, drop stone dead.  Today I used the .22 CCI Quiets.  They are quite a bit quieter than a regular .22 long.  I shot the first pig this morning from about 2 feet away.  Pig shook her head and walked off.  Shot the second on same distance and did the same thing, shook his head and ran into his house, neither shot penetrated the skull.     Used a .22 long and kapang, dropped dead.  I would not recommend using the .22 Quiets. 

[wafisherman]

I've used them and they worked fine.  Probably because I didn't shoot in the thickest part of the skull.  I usually drop some grain on the ground, let them put their snout to the ground, and then just put the 22 rifle right behind the ear and drop it point blank.  Then a quick stick to bleed out before it starts kicking.

[Timberstalker]

This may seem obvious, but they are quieter because it’s less of a powder charge. 

[Machias]

 

[Timberstalker]

At least you have the quiet shells to blame your crappy shooting on.
Just kidding.

[Machias]

 

[lokidog]

Try them out of a rifle, a little more energy and actually quieter.

My wife flattened five rounds on a 22 pound raccoon's skull once, that was point blank in a trap, can't remember if pistol or rifle though.  Shoot a cat between the eyes under your bird feeder at 30 feet though, they don't go far....

[HighlandLofts]

I always used my 22 magnum Marlin bolt action rifle for putting pigs down.

Cows I use my pocket carry Smith & Wesson 642 - 38 caliber FMJ ammo.

[Jpmiller]

22lr. Always does the trick for me. Was there a reason you were worried about the noise? Also why didn't you just go Barrell to forehead.

I've only killed maybe four or five so I'm not trying to judge, just curious if and why others are doing it different.

[Special T]

If you need quiet sub Sonics use the Aguilera 60 grain.  It's a 22 short case made long rifle length with the lead. I've used them in my single shot and they are quiet!  Wouldn't cycle the 10-22

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2506135961/aguila-sss-sniper-subsonic-ammunition-22-long-rifle-60-grain-lead-round-nose

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[CP]

The Aguilera 60 grain will key hole out of standard twist .22 barrels.  They recommend 1/9 twist

CCI quiet are only 710 fps out of a rifle.

CCI standard subsonic .40g @ 1050fps should do the job and they are pretty quiet out of a rifle barrel.

I haven't tried the CCI suppressor but it's 45g @ 970fps - might be worth looking into. 

[Special T]

They may key hole at distance but 6 ft?

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[CP]

They may key hole at distance but 6 ft?

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They might work better going in sideways anyway. 

[Machias]

 

[bknilvr00]

Recently slaughtered some meat pigs we were raising. Used a ruger single six shooting 40 grain FMJ 22 mag. Shot 4 pigs, and varying distances of 0 to 6 feet.  Only 1 pig got a second shot. He was the largest of three weighing a touch over 300. He was dead, but got to flailing so I gave him a second dose. No problemo. I'm completely confident that this setup has the capability, it's just all about placement.

[carpsniperg2]

I'm a 22 mag guy.

I have shot a good bit of the 22 quiet and it just does not kill well. A lot of diggers take them and run off. 22 mag 40g cci lights out!

[Whitpirate]

I use a 22mag and on sausage sows and boars a 12 gauge slug or my 44mag.  Had a 600 lb sow almost get me after taking 3 22mag at 3'.

[KFhunter]

I don't use 22LR anymore, I shot a large Tamworth boar with .22LR  CCI JHP out of a pink Cricket at point blank.  He staggered a bit, squalled and ran off.  Wouldn't let me get within 50 yards so I put a .223 behind his ear.  It's not like your shooting at a pea inside of a casing of bone, the brain is fair size and easy to hit if you got the punch to make it to it.  The .22lr did not as you can see, it stopped at the inner skull in it's sinus cavity.



I switched to a .17HMR which works well but I did have one not go down (too low, moved on me, dished face) if I had a .22 mag that would be my #1 choice for average market size hogs

[huntingfool7]

Is that the bullet, one inch to the left of the screwdriver?

[KFhunter]

might be some of the jacket, I scooped out all the gunk and the bullet so I could see what was going on in there.  The bullet lost some weight going through that thick skull


JHP might not be the best pill either, need something more solid to hold together better

[Machias]

Awesome photos, I will not use a .22 long again after looking at that skull.  Thanks for sharing.  They have always dropped for me with a .22 long, but why take a chance.  .22 mag from now on.

[robescc]

I would never use quiets on a pig. I used them on son meat rabbits once and didn't have very good results. I went back to the standard lr.

[Machias]

I would never use quiets on a pig. I used them on son meat rabbits once and didn't have very good results. I went back to the standard lr.

They have worked great on yotes and fox....but you are right, I should not have used them on the pigs.  Lessons learned!

[KFhunter]

I had a bunch of family up butchering hogs, was using a .17hmr.

I had 5 hogs drop like a stone, the 6th hog moved and I missed, plus it had a dished face.  Thing went squalling around the pen freaking out, bouncing off the fences running around screaming at the tops of it's lungs.  Shot it again as it ran past in the ear and it dropped like a stone.

There was some pretty big eyeballs and look of shock on some of the folks watching that.


even with a big enough gun things can/do happen

[PastorJoel]

KFhunter,

Obviously, the bullet didn't penetrate because the skull was too frozen!  See all of the snow around there?

 

Thanks for sharing those pictures, they are very informative.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Gives new light to the term “Squeal like a pig”.