When it comes to hog hunting, not every caliber is up to the job. Wild hogs are tougher than they get credit for—thick hide, dense muscle, and a bad attitude make them a lot harder to drop than a deer. If you’re using a round that’s too light or doesn’t penetrate well, you’re asking for trouble.
Plenty of folks bring the wrong gun into the field and end up tracking blood through the brush for hours—or worse, wounding a hog that runs off. Here are the calibers that fall short and why they should stay out of your hog hunting setup.
.22 Long Rifle
The .22 LR might be fine for rabbits and squirrels, but it’s not enough for a hog. It doesn’t have the power or penetration to break through a boar’s thick shoulder plate or hit vitals reliably. Even a headshot is risky unless you’re right on top of it.
Plenty of hogs have run off after being hit with a .22, only to suffer and die later—or worse, come back angry. If you’re serious about clean kills and recovery, leave the .22 at home.
.380 ACP
The .380 ACP is a popular pocket pistol round, but it’s not cut out for hog hunting. It lacks the velocity and bullet weight to get through heavy tissue, especially if you hit bone. Most shots won’t reach the lungs or heart.
Hogs can run a long way when they’re wounded, and a .380 will likely give you that outcome. It’s simply not built for game this tough. Carry it for backup in camp if you want, but don’t go after hogs with it.
9mm Luger (Standard Loads)
Standard 9mm rounds aren’t reliable hog killers. Most are designed for two-legged threats, not thick-skinned animals that weigh 200 pounds or more. Hollow points often expand too early, failing to penetrate deep enough to matter.
If you’re dead set on using a 9mm, you need a hot hardcast load that’s built for penetration—but even then, it’s not ideal. Better to reach for something with more punch and better terminal performance.
.410 Bore
People love the idea of a .410 because it’s light and easy to handle, but it’s severely underpowered for hogs. Whether you’re using buckshot or slugs, you’re still working with a limited payload and weak energy.
A hog hit with a .410 might bleed, but don’t count on it going down fast—or at all. You’re more likely to wound it and spend your evening tracking it through the brush. If you’re hunting hogs with a shotgun, start at 12 gauge and work from there.
.32 H&R Magnum
The .32 H&R Magnum is a fun little revolver round, but that’s where it should stay—on the range or for small game. It doesn’t have the energy or penetration to punch through a hog’s shoulder or reach deep vitals.
Even perfect placement won’t make up for the lack of performance. If you’re shooting from a treestand or stalking at close range, you still need something that hits a whole lot harder than this.
.223 Remington (With Varmint Rounds)
The .223 can work if you’ve got the right load, but most varmint rounds aren’t up to the task. They’re built to fragment quickly, which means they often come apart before they reach anything vital.
Hogs need deep, controlled penetration—especially on quartering shots. Unless you’re using a heavy soft point or bonded bullet, the average .223 is more likely to injure than drop a hog on the spot. It’s better to step up in caliber or use ammo designed for tougher game.
.30 Carbine
The .30 Carbine was never meant for big game, and it shows. It sits in a weird spot between pistol and rifle rounds—fast enough to zip through soft targets, but not strong enough to handle the bone and muscle of a wild hog.
Soft points might do okay with perfect placement, but there’s little room for error. If you’re hunting hogs, there are dozens of better calibers that bring more energy and better bullet options to the table.
.25 ACP
This one shouldn’t even be considered. The .25 ACP is a mouse gun round, meant for close-range self-defense at best. It doesn’t have the speed, weight, or bullet construction to penetrate anything beyond the hide.
Shooting a hog with a .25 ACP is more likely to make it mad than drop it. If that’s your only option, you shouldn’t be anywhere near a hog hunt. Save this one for the safe and use something built for hunting.
.38 Special (Standard Pressure)
Standard pressure .38 Special loads are another bad choice. They’re slow, often underpowered, and not built for deep penetration. While +P hardcast loads are a step up, standard factory loads don’t offer enough to rely on.
You might get lucky with a broadside shot behind the shoulder, but hogs don’t always give you that clean of a target. Stick with something heavier and faster if you want to ensure a quick, ethical kill.
.17 HMR
The .17 HMR is known for speed and accuracy, but it’s built for varmints, not hogs. The bullets are too light and fragile to do any real damage past the surface, and they rarely hold together after impact.
Shooting a hog with a .17 HMR is basically a no-go. Even if you hit the head, there’s a high risk of ricochet or poor penetration. It’s a fun round to shoot, but it’s not made for this kind of animal.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
