So here is the kind of rifle I have been thinking about investing in... A simple, bolt-action rifle, with an internal magazine & iron sights, in either 223 or 308.

 

The Savage Hog Hunter seems to check all my boxes, and the price can't be beat.

 

Has anyone seen one around or had a chance to shoot one?

 

Thanks.

I'd want one in 7.62x39. I'm thinking it would be more effective on feral hogs than the .223 and cheaper to shoot than a .308.

 

Here's something similar from Zastava:http://www.jgsales.com/zastava-m85-7.62x39-bolt-action-rifle,-cai-import.-new.-p-6939.html

.223 is too light a load for me to use on a hog. If thats the rifle you like, i'd go with the .308.

Are feral hogs bad in NJ?

Are feral hogs bad in NJ?

not yet lol. give it time. I'm actually excited for them to hit north nj. another easy meat to hunt, and I cant wait for them to attack the anti's haha

I'm surprised they arent especially down here with all the farms.

There is a season for them somewhere in south jersey, but I never hear people harvesting them.

I'll have to ask the farms. Interesting.

I'll have to ask the farms. Interesting.

 

The state added an additional deer management zone for feral hogs last year. In the first year hunt in 2009, hunters took 56 hogs.

 

http://www.state.nj....feralhogs12.htm

 

http://wildnewjersey...dlife-news.aspx

I have no interest in hunting hogs. I just want a rifle for fun shooting at the range, so the .223 does not concern me.

.223 is too light a load for me to use on a hog. If thats the rifle you like, i'd go with the .308.

 

I've read that the large males aren't such good eating and that the fat has a rancid tast no matter what you do.

 

Sows and young are on the menu. Maybe .223 would be a better load for meat hunting. No doubt .308 or 30-06 for the big boys

 

But you can guarantee you won't be allowed to hunt them with a rifle anyway.

 

Sorry for the hijack. Nice gun.

not yet lol. give it time. I'm actually excited for them to hit north nj. another easy meat to hunt, and I cant wait for them to attack the anti's haha

 

*** LMFAO *** I nearly ruined my new laptop with spitting coffee.... The funny thing is I remember a while back showing my father, "Hey look at this new Savage, specific for Hog Hunting!!" And he's like, "In addition to everything else you're worried about and preparing for, now you're worried about the wild hogs attacking here in scenic central Jersey" And I think my exact words were ., "Give it time!"

 

 

 

And it seems like a great little rifle *if* you have a main rifle in the caliber, I would love this as a backup/additional rifle but would not make it my dedicated .308 scoped bolt action rifle for example. Now that I have a R700 .308 AAC-SD (which is heavy to begin with and I've just made it tank like) I would totally rock this as a secondary .308 short style backup/carrying rifle. But not as a replacement / main rifle.

.223 is too light a load for me to use on a hog. If thats the rifle you like, i'd go with the .308.

They are more fun to hunt with dogs and a large knife anyway. The first time I went out for hogs in flordia I asked what guns we were going to use and they all started laughing at me.

I've read that the large males aren't such good eating and that the fat has a rancid tast no matter what you do.

 

Sows and young are on the menu. Maybe .223 would be a better load for meat hunting. No doubt .308 or 30-06 for the big boys

 

But you can guarantee you won't be allowed to hunt them with a rifle anyway.

 

Sorry for the hijack. Nice gun.

I have had male and female hog. The key for males is shot placement. HEAD SHOT! Male hogs ruin there meat when shot by pumping massive amounts of testosterone through the meat making it taste awful. This is why if a male hog is used at like a bbq, before they kill it, they cut his nuts off to not spoil the meat. In real life, a head shot will take care of it. Sows you can shoot where you want and usually the meat is good. As to round size, guys kill hogs with pellet guns as long as the placement is right. From my personal hog hunting experience when I was in texas, Bigger is better. I shot a male and two females with my browning 7mm rem mag. All just rolled over. My nephew used a .308. Hit it in the shoulder so we had to track him. Hogs love the thick and they are nasty. He wound up charging us and he shot it again in the head. Took him down. I would not want a .223 in my hands for that. But like you said, its just for target so have with any.

I have a Hog Hunter in .308. It's only been to the range and shot w. irons so far. I still need to scope it. The threaded muzzle is nice if you want to throw a brake on there to make follow-up shots easier.

 

It was purchased in anticipation of a hog hunt down south next year.