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38-55 on hogs

4K views 18 replies 15 participants last post by  Lunarphase 
#1 ·
Planning a trip to Texas in a couple months with family members for some hog hunting. The rifle I'm planning to focus on is a 336 Marlin rebored to 38-55. Skinner peep with fiber optic front, the thing is very accurate with homecast from an Accurate 38-250B mold. Load I'm planning on is 9-10 Bhn cast at 1400 fps, I have another good load at 1600 but need to put a scope on since the sight doesn't adjust enough for this one. I've taken deer with both, that large meplat does the trick. I read somewhere that hogs weren't all that respectful of low speed lead. Shots will be under 100 yards with this rifle, shooting at feeders out of blinds.
I know a head/neck shot will do the trick, just wondering about the shoulder shot with this one.
 
#8 ·
You won't have a problem.
The 38-56 Winchester worked fine for one of my great uncles on both deer and hogs when I was a boy.
The 38-55 is pretty much a ballistic duplicate for that cartridge.
 
#10 ·
Ole_270,

The 250B is a good hunting choice for the 38-55. It sounds like you are using 25-1 to 20-1 alloy. You may want to consider a softer 30-1 or even 40-1 alloy when hunting. The softer alloy will expand more with the wide meplat and transfer plenty of energy without leading at this pressure and velocity.

Even the 1,600 fps load will not produce hydrostatic shock. You need 1,700 fps at impact for that effect. The 1,350 to 1,450 fps range is a sweet spot for the cartridge and weight bullet.

H-4198 was the powder choice for me with mid velocity loads. My best accuracy was with CCI-200 and Winchester Large Pistol primers. Like you, the next good accuracy was in the 1,600 fps range. However, Rel#7 was the best performing with higher velocities with a harder alloy.

Any shot through the vitals will the soft alloy is a good shot.
 
#14 ·
#16 ·
9-10 bhn is not all that hard. About like 20-1 lead tin or straight wheel weight. Hard cast is 15 bhn. 20-1 has a slight edge in that it does not contain antimony and is more malleable and will not fragment as much. According to Lyman, hard cast when it expands tends to shear off or fragment and lose weight.

DEP
 
#17 · (Edited)
Unless your 'hogs' are a LOT tougher than our feral pigs (probably not), then at under 100m you have a good pig rifle... if i can knock them with a .38-40, or a .410 easily, at 50m or less, than you will be fine (the .38-40 will go to 100m, but in scrub rarely get that long a shot). Shot placement is important.

PS Before you imagine I'm using grandma's .410 full choke single shot, I'm not. It's either a Model 410 Marlin (the 336 version, lever action 2.5 inch> NOT for really big pigs), or a modified Boito satin .410 3 inch shell, double barrel, 20 inch barrels, with a cylinder right barrel (solids), and a .402 left barrel (000 SG), and twin triggers so I can choose the shot. It has glowing rifle sights (turkey shotgun sights) clamped on the rib, and DOES require stalking in close. The advantage of using either the .38-40 (baby carbine), or the .410 double, is BOTH are light and handy. The lever action .410 is handy, but a tad heavier.

The .410 hunting is more challenging (like hunting with a musket, only less messy), but given I own the property where I generally hunt, I like the challenge.
 
#18 ·
IMO shot placement is more important than caliber, I put down plenty of hogs with a 22 short to the head, but that was not hunting but a head shot will do it every time. As long as they are not spooked & running.
 
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