AR Hog hunt- big bore airgun style

[tworr]

I know this isn't archery related, but I wanted to share my adventures this past weekend on a hog hunt with my brand new .458 Quackenbush air rifle. I bought it on Friday, scoped it on Saturday and killed the boar on Sunday.

I got into PCP(precharged pneumatics) airguns last year when I bought a .22 Korean made Sumarta capable of producing 50 to 70 foot pounds with a 21 or 32 grain pellet. 100 yard shots on squirrels makes for great pest control.

Now I've moved up to the big boys and bought a .458 Quackenbush LA Outlaw air rifle capable of producing 500 foot pounds using 3000 psi of air. Be it powder or air, this gun produces .45Colt ballistics that has a proven track record for the last 100 years.

Here's what a .458 Quackenbush air rifle can do with a 265 grain BHD ammo at 38 yards on a 330 lbs. wild boar.







I was able to get close and shadow a large group of 15 to 20 for 75 yards until I was able to tree hop and get withing 30 yards of them. I ended up being pinned down as they moved all around me and getting within 20-25 yards of me at times for over an hour. There was an even larger boar than this one that I never could get a shot at. Half the group was positioned on top of a small mound blocking my view and my chance of approaching closer for a shot at the ones just behind them.

This one that I killed moved into view and I took a 38 yard shot. He went about 30 yards to lay up. I ended up pushing him another 30 yards. I was able to get within 10 yards to take a finishing shot. Then the fun began of trying to drag him out. That should be a sight since my friends came to help drag and filmed me trying to drag the hog by myself. I got about 5 yards. What a beast this hog was!!!




BHD makes some DANDY BOOLITS!!!! I'm lucky enough that he lives in my town and he talked me into getting a big bore air rifle.

www.bigboreairgunammo.com/photos.html

[SPIKER]

What kind of sound does that air gun make?

Are you aware that Lewis and Clark killed big game with an air rifle way back when. I always wondered where they got something like that back then, and why it never became popular.

[tworr]

It's pretty loud, but no crack from the sound barrier being broken, because they travel much slower at 700-900 fps depending on grain of bullet. Like all air guns going faster than 1000fps is a bad thing and hurts accuracy. Don't fall for the Gamo hype of them testing 1500fps tin pellets. Ask what real world lead pellets do. Breaking 900-1000 will make a pellet tumble and that's a loss of accuracy.

My 265gr was probably moving 850-900fps for 420- 475 fpe. Foot pounds can be increase by using a heavier bullet. People use 400 grains and up. BHD makes some 500 grain bullets also.

www.bigboreairgunammo.com/photos.html

That his site.

[CopperHead]

tworr,
Thanks for sharing. I have thought about a big bore air rifle but I dont think I can legally hunt with it in Virginia, well least not deer.

But like I said thanks for sharing the pictures and story.

[tworr]

It's a blast to shoot and I'm able to lock the bolt down and remove the bolt handle to allow me to use it as a muzzleloader. I hope I get my crown protector before the season gets here so I do get to use it during muzzleloading season when I'm not bow hunting.

It's not on the books here yet, but my hog will help a lot in helping make that happen. They are saying now that we can use them as long as we meet the caliber of the season and that we talk to the local game warden before hunting.

I would check with your game wardens and see what they have to say. Looking at your regulations it list airguns as legal to hunt wild animals which is a huge plus and more than we have in writing right now. I would ask how they feel about a .45 cal bigbore air rifle.
When you tell them it does 500 foot pounds they should be fine with it since they list deer hunting with 23cal and higher required to have 350 foot pounds.

www.dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/regulations/general.asp


My hunt was printed in the paper here. Unfortunately they messed up and printed an early unedited draft that was full of mistakes.





I've got the skull cleaned up and will try to get an image posted. It will be October until I get the mount back.

[tworr]

Here's the boar head so far. I still have some cleaning to do, but it's getting there. I have a few pieces of cardboard holding the teeth in until I can finish getting them glued in.

Anyone have any experience in making an alternative to the pedestal plaque used for European mounts? Something more natural like a log or limb.

[CopperHead]

the skull looks great!!

[tworr]

I finally got to pick up my Boar head from the taxidermist yesterday.

This is the 330 pound boar that I stalked and killed this past May after the Arkansas AirGun show. The boar was taken with my .458 Quackenbush using a 265 grain BHD wide flat nose bullet.









I'm still working on my skull and will post new pictures of it when it's done.

[oldgun]

Nice mount like it alot!

[Doegirl]

Very nice mount, congrats
The eye placement and the alignment with the jaw is outstanding!