[ThELioN70x7]

Hog Hunting – The Best AR Calibers

ARBuildJunkie recently sat down with professional depredation hunter Todd Huey of Lone Star Boars and Huey Outdoors to discuss a topic that few on the planet know better – hunting hogs with the AR platform.

www.arbuildjunkie.com

Though this might be an interesting read, the information is from someone who has more hunting experience with hogs than probably every one on this forum combined. Interestingly, he ranked 6.8 SPC as the second best performing cartridge for hogs next to .308 while 300 blackout / 5.56 was near the bottom along with 6.5 Grendel. I would say that when you've shot that many hogs, you probably have a good idea of what really does stop them and what just does not.

To make note however, the issues with Grendel were more to do with platform reliability and the less than stellar performance in medium and short barrels compared to 6.8 SPC. This is not new knowledge, but it goes to show how IMPRACTICAL and REDICULOUS it is to carry around a 20" or 24" barreled rifle for anything but bench rest shooting on paper targets and then go and quote 6.5's performance when using a barrel length NO ONE actually uses in the real world.

Platform size, weight and bulk / ergenomics matter just as much as cartridge performance. It is really a nonsensical to design a cartridge around a barrel length that is not usable practically in AR's for their various roles, weather it is a hunting AR (16" to 18" most commonly) or a fighting gun (11" to 16" typically).

I can't tell you how many articles I had read when doing my initial research that claim 6.5 significantly out performs 6.8 SPC only to find their data was with a 24" barrel for the 6.5 G and a 16" barrel for the 6.8 SPC...completely idiotic. The information changes significantly when both are shot from barrels in the 14~18" range. Cause we all know that everyone likes carrying around 24" barreled AR-15's eh...? I suppose if you intend to use a bayonet on the end of the rifle a 24" barrel might be advantageous...

 

[ThELioN70x7]

Of similar note is that 7.62x39mm, the old Russian AK-47 cartridge, was third on the list and his top pick for very short barrels (10 inch). Despite it's lower velocity than 6.8, it's just a bigger diameter bullet = greater terminal performance. Where 7.62x39mm falls short is as a true medium range cartridge, it drops like a rock and is down to just 1511 FPS / 623 ft-lbs by 300 yards and that's from a 20" barrel vs. 6.8 that is still at 1863 FPS / 925 ft-lbs. Both loads I'm references are Hornady's SST factory loads for either caliber. Otherwise 7.62x39mm is probably the best performing short range AR-15 sized cartridge out there, but again we're back to large banana mags and weaker bolts etc.

This seems to echo the 2008 Roberts report, 7mm and 7.62mm projectiles provided the best close range terminal performance compared to 6mm and 6.5mm, but had the least accuracy and worst intermediate range ballistic performance (for obvious reasons). 6.8 SPC is what the AR-15 should have been chambered in from the start, not 5.56 wich has been problematic since it's inception for various reasons. While loads have improved signfiicantly, the cartridge simply has some notable limitations for it's given role.

 

[Bull000]

Hog Hunting – The Best AR Calibers

ARBuildJunkie recently sat down with professional depredation hunter Todd Huey of Lone Star Boars and Huey Outdoors to discuss a topic that few on the planet know better – hunting hogs with the AR platform.

www.arbuildjunkie.com

Though this might be an interesting read, the information is from someone who has more hunting experience with hogs than probably every one on this forum combined.

Well.... technically, Tod is on these forums so this statement is a little fuzzy.

I haven't seen him post in a long time though, he used to post his videos all the time. He got busy selling thermals.

 

[Ratdog68]

Yup, his username here is Texaslawman.

 

[Guts]

Todd Heuy's choice of cartridge and platform have changed over the years. Back in the day, leveraction rifles, big bores and pump auction shotguns are what he used. These weapons have their limitations and his hunting tactics have changed. It seems for the last couple of years he is pretty much settled on 308's and changes optics and suppressors. Also, this is a two year old article, he's probably up to 8,000 Hogs by now.

 

[Nincomp]

I can't tell you how many articles I had read when doing my initial research that claim 6.5 significantly out performs 6.8 SPC only to find their data was with a 24" barrel for the 6.5 G and a 16" barrel for the 6.8 SPC...completely idiotic. The information changes significantly when both are shot from barrels in the 14~18" range. Cause we all know that everyone likes carrying around 24" barreled AR-15's eh...? I suppose if you intend to use a bayonet on the end of the rifle a 24" barrel might be advantageous...

Although it was a long time ago, I seem to remember that this played a part of the great Wikipedia SPC/Grendel rivalry sometime around 2007. As I recall, the 6.8 SPC page showed a comparison of the two cartridges using the same length barrels (16" IIRC) and someone from the Grendel side went to the SPC page and changed the Grendel numbers to that of a 24" barrel, while leaving he SPC at 16". I can't precisely remember if SPC guys retaliated on the Grendel site, but I think they probably did. Eventually the Wikipedia people noticed the many edits to the two pages and froze them for a while.
I had gotten bored from being layed up from a work injury during that time, so I remember going back and forth to the Wiki sites, this one and the Grendel one for the entertainment value.

 

[diggler1833]

For what it's worth; I own a 20" Grendel and haven't found the length to be a disadvantage for all the miles I've walked in the dark and killing I've done. It certainly isn't ridiculous, and the rifle swings on runners better than any other I have.

That being said, I also have an 18" 6.8, and the combination of shorter barrel and collapsible stock does make it a bit handier in the field.

I just finished my last round of three bullets tested in my Grendel, and am moving back to the 6.8 for a while. I'll be testing 105gr Cavity Backs, 112gr Controlled Chaos, and 100gr Accubonds until I run out of them, then I'll be moving back to a .308 for a spell.

Having killed a few dozen hogs with the 6.5/123gr SST, and close to 100 hogs with the 6.8/120gr SST, I'll make this statement with total confidence: There is virtually no difference between the two cartridges when it comes to killing game out to a couple hundred yards. Any difference someone thinks they see can be attributed to shot placement. I even made a crappy video about it on YouTube that showed 20 kills or so for each cartridge.

I agree with Todd on that the .308 is king (factoring cost etc...), but the 6.5 G/6.8 SPC are a tie behind it. .223/5.56 drops my recovery rate down to about 75-80%. 300 BO (especially subsonic) is great for guys who like to walk around, trying to find the hogs they shot.

I'll start posting videos of my experiences with the 105gr CBB as I have them.

 

[rmc51]

For what it's worth; I own a 20" Grendel and haven't found the length to be a disadvantage for all the miles I've walked in the dark and killing I've done. It certainly isn't ridiculous, and the rifle swings on runners better than any other I have.

That being said, I also have an 18" 6.8, and the combination of shorter barrel and collapsible stock does make it a bit handier in the field.

I just finished my last round of three bullets tested in my Grendel, and am moving back to the 6.8 for a while. I'll be testing 105gr Cavity Backs, 112gr Controlled Chaos, and 100gr Accubonds until I run out of them, then I'll be moving back to a .308 for a spell.

Having killed a few dozen hogs with the 6.5/123gr SST, and close to 100 hogs with the 6.8/120gr SST, I'll make this statement with total confidence: There is virtually no difference between the two cartridges when it comes to killing game out to a couple hundred yards. Any difference someone thinks they see can be attributed to shot placement. I even made a crappy video about it on YouTube that showed 20 kills or so for each cartridge.

I agree with Todd on that the .308 is king (factoring cost etc...), but the 6.5 G/6.8 SPC are a tie behind it. .223/5.56 drops my recovery rate down to about 75-80%. 300 BO (especially subsonic) is great for guys who like to walk around, trying to find the hogs they shot.

I'll start posting videos of my experiences with the 105gr CBB as I have them.

I look forward to hearing how the Controlled Chaos performs in the 6.8 caliber.

 

[diggler1833]

I look forward to hearing how the Controlled Chaos performs in the 6.8 caliber.

Got another one last night. Big boar with a not so perfect shot. Bullet still did a hell of a job. My wife's birthday is tomorrow, so may be a few days before video is up. I did manage to shoot a few hogs on a not so good night recently with the CBB. That video is up here.

Don't judge my shooting...I was wore out, LOL.