Take the muzzleloader.
The vast majority of my hogs have been killed with a .50 muzzleloader. The bullets used are the 240 grain .430 XTP, the 250 grain SST/Shockwave and the 350 grain FPB. Those bullets do a really good job on hogs, even big ones. That FPB bullet knocks big hogs dead in their tracks. IME: A good muzzleloader bullet does a better job on big hogs than a center fire rifle.
i have also killed hogs with .223, .22 Cheetah, .308, .30-06, .300 Win Mag and .35 Whelen Improved. The longest hog chase i have personally had to date was a big boar that was shot with a .35 Whelen Improved using the 250 grain Nosler Partition bullet. That hog went one-half mile after being shot in the chest.
Have recently lost two really big hogs. Both were shot in the shoulders with a .300 Win Mag using a near max load of powder. One was shot with a 180 grain Remington Core-Lokt. The other was shot with the Barnes 180 grain MRX. Found both those hogs the day after they were shot. The Core-Lokt did not penetrate the off shoulder. The Barnes penetrated but did not expand-it left a pencil sized exit hole.
Do not put down the .223 for use on hogs if you have not personally tried it. i use the US Army 55 grain ball round on hogs. That bullet penetrates about 5", yaws, breaks in two at the cannelure and fragments. On low behind the shoulder shots up to 150 yards it kills hogs just as well as the .300 Win Mag and a 180 grain bullet-maybe a little better.
One of the places i hunt is 14,000 acres that is restricted to rimfire rifles and shotguns with shot outside of deer season and a special hog season. There i hunt hogs in small game season with a .22 magnum. It does a really good job on big hogs when the bullet is put in the ear or on a line between the ear and the eye. I will shoot hogs less than 75 pounds low behind the shoulder with the .22 magnum. Have never lost a hog that was shot with a .22 magnum.
For the remainder of this week i will be hog hunting with my Encore .50 caliber loaded with the 250 grain SST bullet.
