7.62x39 versus a boar

[KJUN]

Here's a picture of the little piggie I shot today (images 1). It went over an estimated 350 pounds. The shield on this boar was impressive (image 2). The part that amazed me was that I harvested it with a 7.62x39 Remington Pointed Soft Point (Core Lokt) from about 20 yards away, and it fell down in its tracks dead immediately. The round penetrated very well and mushroomed almost perfectly (images 3 and 4). That little cartridge put the bullet through the shield broadside, through the ribs and 2+ inches of fat, destroyed the lungs, went out through the fat, ribs, and right shoulder blade, through the shield again and almost, but not quite broke the skin on the opposite side. When hit, the boar just laid down right there dead and twitched.

I've always considered the 7.62x39 to be an awesome round for close, quick, hunting for anyone and a great round for small framed and young shooters. I may have still been under-estimated it. Looking at what it did this heavy-bodied boar, I would have no qualms shooting it into a deer or typical-sized sows out to 200 yards. Too bad my SKS isn't accurate enough for hunting past 100 yards or so.
KJ

[Magnum88C]

Yep, those el cheapo bullets really do work as long as you can put them where they need to be. I've had great performance from their .45-70 SPs.

[andy]

CorBon's 150 gr sp is supposedly 2400 fps, which is a complete equal to the 150 gr 30-30 performance. Many guys have taken boars with 9mm, .45 pistols, so there's no reason that a rifle with 3-4 times as much power wouldn't do a fine job.

[gripper]

As I recall,the last guy I heard of dropping a boar with .45acp,was using hardcast sec(mold type unknown to me),bout 1000fps with 200grainers.I don't think he actually meant to do it,as he blundered onto tje boars hidey-hole and suddenly found one pi$$ed off piggy going full tilt boogie right at him.His prayers were answered(and no doubt he needed a change of shorts afterwards).
Me?I'd be WAY too chicken to screw with boars without enough gun;MAN those things are scary.

[KJUN]

The only problem, and a warning here, is that the entrance wound bled NONE even with the heart not being damaged and the hog lying were it fell for a while. And exit wound would have helped a LOT if the animal would have had to be tracked. The entrance wound was very small and the copious amounts of fat basically sealed the wound so that the animal didn't seem to drop any blood at all. If the animal would have been slightly smaller or had a slightly thinner shield, I'm pretty sure the bullet would have exited nicely.

As we all know, animals don't always lay over dead where they are shot even with perfect shot placement, so considerations to the potential to blood trail an injured animal are ALWAYS important.

KJ

[GBullet]

Nice shooting, KJUN.

[Terry G]

Nice Going! The 7.62 X 39 has more punch than people give it credit for, also more range. At the DNR deer registration point they were talking about some 16 yeard old that dropped an eight pointer at a measured 216 yards with a 'scoped SKS.

[fffg100grns]

I is envious, I allways wanted to go pig hunting, and with a SKS to boot.

Well KJUN you did good, I am happy for you.

[KJUN]

Yeah, the gun suprised me with how well it performed. I still wouldn't shoot a large animal with one over 75 yards, but I WAS very impressed. A nice bolt action 7.62x39 is likely an awesome "kids gun" and would the hell out of any .223 for kids trying to deer hunt.

[RIKA]

Don't know how I missed this thread. Good going KJUN. Despite being a cartridge used by "ignorant third world ricers" it has a lot going for it. Course its always the man behind the gun that makes it work. Even a 600 Nitro won't work if he flinches off the shot.

RIKA