[aigel]

When I started hunting, I always carried a sidearm. But after a couple seasons of schlepping it all over gods earth hunting in wilderness and public land in CA, I got tired of it and since I never needed it, I stopped. Whenever I feel I need to be armed, I make sure I have the rifle ready.

My .300 win mag is certainly an extreme example. It was what I had at the time as my all around "kill anything in NA" gun. It was loaded with Cu 120 grain bullets, IIRC. I'd definitely recommend a 30 caliber bullet. My friends generally hunt pigs with .270, 30-06, .308 and the like. If you stand hunt over a feeder in TX at close range where you can pick very clean shots, a .223 may do the trick. I'd wait for a broadside neck or chest shot, or a quartering away chest shot. I'd stay away from quartering to or head on or facing away shots. The shoulder of the pig can be very tough, with a bunch of scared up gristle that's tougher to penetrate than your average furry creature's shoulder. The heads are also pretty thick and have a very sloping angle, so a head shot from the front often glances off.

I would always prefer broadside shots. At close range, I'd go for the neck (to maximize the meat yield), further away, for the middle of the chest.