[NativeTexan]

Went deer hunting, didn't see one. Got down and checked my hog trap and I had three sows, couple about 100 lbs, and a 75 lbs or so sow in there. I capped 'em with my carry, the little ultralite, rather than to whack 'em with my .308. Hey, a +P to the head works fine. Gos some skinnin' and butcherin' to do, know.

 

[Gopher]

Can I have a couple of pounds of sausage when your done, please? :wave:

 

[mrglock]

Good story; 'drew blood', that's too funny!

 

[NativeTexan]

Butchering today. Now, I noticed on one of the hogs the bullet entered the top of the head, traveled about 14" through thick neck muscle, exited about the brisket where the neck meets the thorax. Total penetration was about 14" and bullet expansion was obvious. I carry a 140 grain Remington bullet loaded to about 950 fps out of a 2" barrel. I have no qualms in stating it's enough for self defense. After cuttin' that hog up, I sorta think the .357 magnum is excess. I guess more is always better, but in little light weight pocket guns, I prefer .38 for the more controllable recoil and less flash/bang indoors. I have more respect for what the .38 can do, now.

 

[NYPD]

Native---your story makes me think of Jeff Quinn from GunBlast.com, when he went boar hunting with his M&P 9mm loaded with Extreme Shock ammunition.
:guns:


http://gunblast.com/ExtremeShock.htm

 

[NativeTexan]

Hmm, interesting read. 9mm makes a little more energy than a .38 especially from a 2" barrel, but still, you don't think of the 9 as a hog gun. LOL When I actually HUNT hogs with a handgun, I go with a .45 Colt from my Ruger or a .357 magnum (another Blackhawk) or my TC Contender in .30-30 shooting a 140 Barnes X bullet to about 2100 fps.

I've never hunted anything bigger than rabbits with the .38, and that with wadcutters, so this little episode was my first for observing actual wounds from the .38 on flesh. It did exceed expectations. I think often, in this magnum world, we underestimate what came before. Do we really NEED a .300 Win Mag for deer hunting when the .30-30 has killed more deer than any other centerfire caliber? You know, people get carried away in a Tim Taylor sort of way with horsepower. I'm guilty as charged, too. I've been through my magnum phase with rifles, back to .308 now. LOL

 

[alman63]

It’s what’s new and bigger syndrome. It happens to all of us. Then in the end we go back to the tried and true. At my club for a while everyone went all out buying magnums and super high power stuff. But in the end we have all gone back to the old ways. Primarily due to you lose a lot of meat (deer and hog) with some of those calibers.

 

[NativeTexan]

It’s what’s new and bigger syndrome. It happens to all of us. Then in the end we go back to the tried and true. At my club for a while everyone went all out buying magnums and super high power stuff. But in the end we have all gone back to the old ways. Primarily due to you lose a lot of meat (deer and hog) with some of those calibers.

Yeah, that's why my 7 mag sits in the safe collecting dust. Man, that thing is destructive! I ruined the whole front half of a doe one year with it, bloodshot to hell and back, LOL! I could load it down, of course, but my little .257 Roberts has killed literally dozens of whitetail over the years and never did that. The .308 is all I ever need to hunt with, but I have the 7 in case I get to go moose hunting or something, I guess. It's an accurate rifle and I don't really wanna sell an accurate rifle.

I finally got around to downloading my camera phone with the pix of the pigs.

 

[mrglock]

I only shoot my 300WM whenever I need to 're-adjust' my back! Seriously, it's a hoot to shoot. My brother has is to hunt with this year; his choice; I told him I'd go with the 270 but to each their own.

 

[Qwiks draw]

That's one of the nice things about the .38 Special. Tailoring the ammo to the job.

There have been many articles by the older writers where a hard cast bullet or a FMJ when used had penetration to spare. Even on game others would say use at least a .41 maggie or something bigger.

Not recommending anyone dump their magnums or attempt hunting dangerous game with a .38 Special. Far from it. Magnum-itis, excessive foot pounds of energy, and velocity speed demons can loose sight of the fact those are not always necessary to get the job done.

These all do have their place in the grand scheme of things.