.356 winchester for wild boar
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Dear Dutch,
I have never shot a pig/hog with the 356 but here is my limited experience with the 356 and its sister, the 358:
358 Winchester: Shot a coyotte on a dead run going straight away at 25 yards with a Hornady 200 grain spire point at a muzzle velocity of 2600 fps. The load was 49 grains (compressed and slightly over book) of IMR 3031, new winchester brass, and a CCI-250 magnum rifle primer. The bullet entered the anus on a trajectory whereby it should have traversed the entire length of the body but the bullet did not exit. I can only assume that the bullet fragmented somewhere between a__ hole and appetite. The coyotte died instantly.
358 Winchester: Shot a deer standing broadside at 60 yards with a Sierra 225 grain pointed soft point. the bullet entered the left shoulder, destroyed it and destroyed the right shoulder as the bullet fragmented. When hit, the deer dropped straight down. He was dead before he hit the ground. No part of the front shoulders were eddible. They were totally destroyed. Great bullet performance on deer, this Sierra bullet, but may fail if a hog is hit the same way.
356 Winchester: Speer designed the 220 grain flat point for use in this caliber. It is an excellent choice for deer, black bear and hogs. I have shot several deer with this bullet, most through the lungs. I have also made lung shots with a 30/30, 30-06, 243, 7mm Mag and 358. They all ran about the same distance before expiring; 50-80 yards.
There is little choice in bullets for the 356 Winchester. Most other bullets with a flat point were designed for the slower 35 Remington.
Bottom Line: When using the 356 Winchester to hunt tough critters like wild pigs/hogs,SIZE DOES MATTER. Use bullet weights of 220 and heavier. Most shots are at close range so trajectory is not a factor.
I have never shot a pig/hog with the 356 but here is my limited experience with the 356 and its sister, the 358:
358 Winchester: Shot a coyotte on a dead run going straight away at 25 yards with a Hornady 200 grain spire point at a muzzle velocity of 2600 fps. The load was 49 grains (compressed and slightly over book) of IMR 3031, new winchester brass, and a CCI-250 magnum rifle primer. The bullet entered the anus on a trajectory whereby it should have traversed the entire length of the body but the bullet did not exit. I can only assume that the bullet fragmented somewhere between a__ hole and appetite. The coyotte died instantly.
358 Winchester: Shot a deer standing broadside at 60 yards with a Sierra 225 grain pointed soft point. the bullet entered the left shoulder, destroyed it and destroyed the right shoulder as the bullet fragmented. When hit, the deer dropped straight down. He was dead before he hit the ground. No part of the front shoulders were eddible. They were totally destroyed. Great bullet performance on deer, this Sierra bullet, but may fail if a hog is hit the same way.
356 Winchester: Speer designed the 220 grain flat point for use in this caliber. It is an excellent choice for deer, black bear and hogs. I have shot several deer with this bullet, most through the lungs. I have also made lung shots with a 30/30, 30-06, 243, 7mm Mag and 358. They all ran about the same distance before expiring; 50-80 yards.
There is little choice in bullets for the 356 Winchester. Most other bullets with a flat point were designed for the slower 35 Remington.
Bottom Line: When using the 356 Winchester to hunt tough critters like wild pigs/hogs,SIZE DOES MATTER. Use bullet weights of 220 and heavier. Most shots are at close range so trajectory is not a factor.
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Heaviest bullet you can find , and -
Hit the in the right spot (most important). Choices are, in my opinion, from best on down:
Head (hogs have a big head)
Neck/shoulder junction
Shoulder (try to break at least one)
Lung shots are iffy on hogs. Not much lungs and they don't tend to leave much of a blood trail. The 'behind-the-shoulder' shot, which is fine for deer, results in a gut-shot hog - not fun.
I believe that a good flat-nose cast 180-200gr bullet would be as good as anything.
Good luck. Hogs are my favorite hunting quarry.
Where ya going?
Hit the in the right spot (most important). Choices are, in my opinion, from best on down:
Head (hogs have a big head)
Neck/shoulder junction
Shoulder (try to break at least one)
Lung shots are iffy on hogs. Not much lungs and they don't tend to leave much of a blood trail. The 'behind-the-shoulder' shot, which is fine for deer, results in a gut-shot hog - not fun.
I believe that a good flat-nose cast 180-200gr bullet would be as good as anything.
Good luck. Hogs are my favorite hunting quarry.
Where ya going?
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720 Posts
Mike,
".....a good flat-nose cast 180-200 gr bullet" is a good way to go if Dutch is not shooting a Marlin 336ER with micro-groove rifling. If he is, then I reccommend a 225 grain Nosler Partition with the lead point snipped off then filed flat. The flat tip diameter will be .185 and the bullet weight reduced to 220 grains.
A safe maximum dose of IMR3031 or AA2015BR should yield 2340 fps / 2675 ft.lbs. Compare this to:
A 350 gr 45/70 at 1800 fps = 2520 ft.lbs energy
A 200 gr 35 Remington at 2000 fps = 1775 ft.lbs
A 180 gr 308 Winchester at 2500 fps = 2500 ft.lbs
A 170 gr 30/30 Winchster at 2100 fps = 1675 ft.lbs
Later,
NITRO, NRA LIFE
".....a good flat-nose cast 180-200 gr bullet" is a good way to go if Dutch is not shooting a Marlin 336ER with micro-groove rifling. If he is, then I reccommend a 225 grain Nosler Partition with the lead point snipped off then filed flat. The flat tip diameter will be .185 and the bullet weight reduced to 220 grains.
A safe maximum dose of IMR3031 or AA2015BR should yield 2340 fps / 2675 ft.lbs. Compare this to:
A 350 gr 45/70 at 1800 fps = 2520 ft.lbs energy
A 200 gr 35 Remington at 2000 fps = 1775 ft.lbs
A 180 gr 308 Winchester at 2500 fps = 2500 ft.lbs
A 170 gr 30/30 Winchster at 2100 fps = 1675 ft.lbs
Later,
NITRO, NRA LIFE
Joined
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204 Posts
Nitro & Mike-
Thanks for the replies. I was leaning towards a 220 grn bullet at 2350 fps or a 250 grn bullet at 2150 fps. I was considering Hawk jacketed Flat Points ordered with a thick jacket that would be tough and drive deep.
The rifle is a Winchester '94 Big Bore with a Burris 1-4X scout scope. I like the set up for quick shots. It comes up fast and swings like an extension of my arm.
Which do you think would be better the 220's or the 250's?
-Dutch
Thanks for the replies. I was leaning towards a 220 grn bullet at 2350 fps or a 250 grn bullet at 2150 fps. I was considering Hawk jacketed Flat Points ordered with a thick jacket that would be tough and drive deep.
The rifle is a Winchester '94 Big Bore with a Burris 1-4X scout scope. I like the set up for quick shots. It comes up fast and swings like an extension of my arm.
Which do you think would be better the 220's or the 250's?
-Dutch
Any of those loads will work fine on pigs. Practice with the load and know where it hits. Here in the wooded East, 100yds is far. The key is to really nail them down (shot placement). Don't muck it up. It's a royal booger to collect them if they can move and there's cover. You'll just hear crashing brush and "weeeweeee" off into the distance. If you got'em, point-blank tracking in heavy cover is, uh, invigorating. Think about those Africa stories where the PH has go in after the gut-shot leopard - it's like that only funner. Quite.
It's not the "best" hunt you'll do, but it is one of the most fun.
- Commander McBragg
It's not the "best" hunt you'll do, but it is one of the most fun.
- Commander McBragg
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720 Posts
Hydricman,
A quick check in the 1987 Marlin catalog revealed nothing special relative to rifling; "....20" barrel with
Micro-Groove rifling (12 grooves)".
On the same page in the description of the Model 1895 45/70 is " The 1895's strong, modified 336 action easily handles this powerful load " .
The use of the word "modified" to describe the action is probably where the rumor about modified rifling got started.
Hope this helps.
NITRO, NRA LIFE
A quick check in the 1987 Marlin catalog revealed nothing special relative to rifling; "....20" barrel with
Micro-Groove rifling (12 grooves)".
On the same page in the description of the Model 1895 45/70 is " The 1895's strong, modified 336 action easily handles this powerful load " .
The use of the word "modified" to describe the action is probably where the rumor about modified rifling got started.
Hope this helps.
NITRO, NRA LIFE
Joined
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2,183 Posts
Hey fellas,
I don't have a .356 but I've found gas checked hard cast bullets shoot great in my Model 336A, which has the 12-groove Microgroove rifling. I size them .309. I was going to use them at .310 but not all rounds will chamber due to the tight neck in the chamber of this rifle.
Point is, I wouldn't rule out a cast bullet because of Microgroove rifling. 'Course, it's a moot point since Dutch is using a Win 94! IDShooter
I don't have a .356 but I've found gas checked hard cast bullets shoot great in my Model 336A, which has the 12-groove Microgroove rifling. I size them .309. I was going to use them at .310 but not all rounds will chamber due to the tight neck in the chamber of this rifle.
Point is, I wouldn't rule out a cast bullet because of Microgroove rifling. 'Course, it's a moot point since Dutch is using a Win 94! IDShooter
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