New rifle/ scope for night hunting hogs?

[Pineywoods Paul]

Looking for experienced advice. I’m a veteran whitetail hunter in east Texas. We are overrun with feral hogs. We have always had hogs - but..this infestation is far beyond anything we’ve seen since we started hunting up here in 1980. And these local hogs have evolved to be near exclusively nocturnal.

Besides trapping we have underway, my next best option to diminish numbers is to sit over bait corn during predawn and pre dusk / after dark and shoot then sniper style. Also expect to sit at low light late evenings or night because heat makes day sits nearly unbearable May- October. And it’s when they feed hardest.

Hence, I’m considering a rifle purchase equipped with night vision optics. Here are some preferences:
1. Variable power scope in the 4-14x or 5-20x range.
2. Capacity to see and accurately shoot from blinds at standing hogs at feeders up to 150 yds- In dim light or after dark.
3. Conventional automatic rifle, but not AR style.
4. Clip/ magazine that can hold 6-8 cartridges.
5. Caliber needs to be flat shooting and commonly available like .223, with inexpensive ammo that is lethal if placed in the chest at up to 200 yds. But while knockdown and short recovery / solid blood trail are desirable, they’re not the biggest priority- accuracy and inevitable mortality of the pig are.
6 Optimally a noise suppressed rifle would be awesome. But short of waiting a year for a federal permit- are there rifles or calibers that are far more quiet than others for my application?

Most shot will be from elevated box blinds or seated with shooting stick.

Who has experience with similar usage and what rifle/ scope combos do you use/ recommend?

[Pushbutton2]

Here's my thoughts.
Looooooong Read

I'm doing a lot of this type of hunting, been doing it all summer. Not real successfull, as there aren't many pigs on camera in the areas i hunt. Nor much sign of them.

I'm currently using an AR10 in. 308.
I started off with the 5.56 shooting 55 grain V-Max.
The pigs i hit in the right spot died, just not right there. Blood trails non existent, as the bullets didn't exit. That's another discussion.
I'm going to attach a picture. This is of a pigs heart. He was inside 50 yds when i shot him, and he ran 74 yds AFTER i shot him. Not one drop off blood.

Everything I hit in the right spot died.
I got tired of tracking pigs in the dark though thick brush. That's why I went . 308. There was many other calibers I'd considered. Since I can get. 308 ammo at Wally Mart for $18/box i went that route.

Here's my setup
DPMS Oracle AR10
Replaced barrel with an 18" DSG Arms match grade barrel
Replaced hand with 15" Midwest Industries free float MLok
Replaced had block with an adjustable in case i want to run it suppressed.
Replaced trigger with a Black Rains Ordinance 3.5# drop in trigger
Scope is a Vortex HST 6x24x50
For illumination I'm using a Sniper Hawg Light 66LRX. I have Red, Green, White and IR bulbs. I'm currently using the red. It's heavy! Not something I'd want to lug all night through the woods. Some do, I'm not one of them.

I've watched all kinds of animals with both the red and green builds in flashlight. Only animals that seem to not like them anymore are the coons at my feeder. I've shot 6 so farthis summer at night. I see their eyes with the light on low, i click it on high to see them and they now run before i can shoot. I used to be able to watch them d long as i wanted. I remember I watched them one night for 2 hours of and on. I was awaiting a big boar to come in. He didn't, so i shot a coon.

Here's what i wished i done differently.

I hunt 30-100 yds over feeder.
6X is a lot of magnification for 30 yds. I've recently taken 2 coyotes, at night using this setup. 1st 138 yds 2nd 119 yds 6X was more than enough.
So maybe a 3-9.
I like the 50MM objective. Like tonight we could see ok under the feeder without using the flashlights, the moon was bright enough. We'd still use the light to verify the target before shooting.

I forgot most of your post.
I just opened it up on my tablet so i can answer them in order.

1: I think 3-9x50 or 56 would be my next choice.

2: There's several options to SEE
A) Feeder light $50 - $400 each
a. Contiously on
a. Motion Activated
B) Gun mounted light $25 + $175
C) Thermal $2k - $20k
D) Digital Night Vision $350 used - $800

I chose gun mounted flashlight so i can spot and stalk with it. It was also cheaper as i have multiple feeders.

2a: accurately SHOOT.
Depends on shooters skill level.
I like/want to introduce kids to hunting.
So I have 3 Primos Trigger sticks, $50/each, they're a monopole. I also have 1 Bog Pod Tripod, $125ish. Has multiple head attachments available.

I like the Primos cause of the ease of adjusting the height. Squeeze the trigger and adjust. I like that when your spot and stalking on uneven terrain or sitting and be then standing to shoot. Also for multiple shooters sharing it.
I dislike them because they're not as steady as a tripod.
I was reading that Primos came out with a tripod that adjusts with a trigger like the be trigger stick. I'd like to try that out.

I like the Bog Pod cause its steady and stable.
I dislike it cause it's not as easily adjustable as the Primos.
So it can be cumbersome on a spot and stalk or for multiple shooters to share.

You can get fancy with the tripods. Like $500+ I'm not willing to spend that.

3: I'm using an AR Platform. I learned to shoot in the military. It's the platform I'm most familiar with. As previously stated I've done a lot of upgrades to it. Got lots of money tied up in it. I could have had a good bolt gun and a silencer.
When hunting at night with the flashlight the likely hood of a follow up shot diminishes. After you shoot the light will reflect in the smoke and washed your scope out.
I've never used a thermal so i don't know it it gets washed out after the shot or not.

4: Ruger makes a bolt gun that uses AR style mags. My buddy has 2 - 6.5 Grendel's in his gun shop and one in 300BO

5: The 5.56 worked for me. But my wants/needs changed so i went .308.
Hornady makes a 50 grain GMX it's called boar buster. I used the same ammo in 168 grain at first in my .308. It didn't perform like I wanted, small exits. It's also $36 -$38/box. The Remington Core Lokt I'm currently shooting are $18/box

6: A buddy let me use his .300 BO with a supressor and sub Sonic ammo. It was quiet. Bit with the ballistic curve it was NOT flat shooting.

What do i recommend?
Do you currently own a rifle?
If yes spend $200 on a Sniper Hawg Light 66LRX mount it to your scope and go kill some pigs.

Second pic is of my setup.

[BigDraw]

You need backup! I could be available }
I would also consider thinking outside the box, get some large tannerite containers, smear heavily with peanut butter, then press BBs or flachettes, and film the fun!!
But that’s how I think

[buck128]

All you need is a good set of curr dogs ������

[Pineywoods Paul]

Pushbutton2, thanks for the thoughtful and very helpful response. Precisely the type of experienced assist I am looking for.

I’m wanting a traditional (not AR platform) semi auto rifle instead of an AR - wonder if available with a suppressor? If so, does it require a special federal permit?

[Pineywoods Paul]

All you need is a good set of curr dogs ������

We’ve tried hog doggers, and had some good ones. Unfortunately they don’t produce a kill rate that impacts our population. Then we have found other methods less effective in the days after they’ve run all over our place. Finally, we’ve yet to have them visit our place without their dogs getting on to neighbors places in pursuit of hogs.

[Big pig]

We have the same hog situation in Leon County. Lots of pigs, but really nocturnal.
As an old deer hunter, I had a Ruger single shot I loved. But not for pig hunting.
Then I went to a regular bolt .260. Then went to a .223 bolt
Then I went to a Remington .243 semi auto with ten round magazine.
Went back to bolt cause it’s lighter.
Scopes were went from 2x7 and 3x9 to red dot on the auto with a lazer light for night trails.
Killed 2-3 pigs a weekend.

Nephew has convinced me his semi auto AR with suppressor and thermal is the ticket.
He has killed up to ten a night on our small place. .308 was the first move from a .223. But
the perfect gun would be a .243 or 6.5 AR with a thermal and suppressor.
But that is a very expensive rig so I am still carrying the semi auto and my bolt “deer rifles”. I shoot more in a weekend than I do in two years of deer hunting and have become a much better shot. I bought a better scope ( Zeiss Conquest) hunt some full moons, use a green light and corn the roads heavily to allow open shots where we can stalk them. We also have lights on a feeder that works well. BTW put me in the 6.5 CR fan boy crowd. Wish I had one of them 40 years ago! That cheap T/C Compass is very accurate and light.

[Passthrough]

Your gonna have to put in your time like everyone else to go with suppressed weapons. I run an AR in 6.5G with a Pulsar thermal and it is tough on them pigs. Not sure why your wanting to stay away from AR platform?? And I guess 223 would probably be your cheapest and most readily available ammo.

[Pineywoods Paul]

Your gonna have to put in your time like everyone else to go with suppressed weapons. I run an AR in 6.5G with a Pulsar thermal and it is tough on them pigs. Not sure why your wanting to stay away from AR platform?? And I guess 223 would probably be your cheapest and most readily available ammo.

Biggest reason I prefer conventional rifle is my current AR takes up so much more space in my gun safe that’s nearly full already. And I’m more comfortable shooting a conventional rifle.

[Pushbutton2]

Pushbutton2, thanks for the thoughtful and very helpful response. Precisely the type of experienced assist I am looking for.

I’m wanting a traditional (not AR platform) semi auto rifle instead of an AR - wonder if available with a suppressor? If so, does it require a special federal permit?

Yes there supressor will need a Tax Stamp. Which is the Federal Permit.

For my type of hunting i think a bolt gun with be just as fast as a semi auto. By the time the smoke clears and you can see through the scope you'd have ample time to rack another round in the chamber

[Rafter S]

Why not a lever gun. Henry,browning,savage etc. 243 with a 2x7 scope and mount a light

[Buff]

I wanted to build a good night hunting rig.
I did a lot of research on it
I ended up with a Wilson combat with a 16” barrel
6.5 Grendel suppressed
iR hunter mark II thermal

[Big pig]

Yes there supressor will need a Tax Stamp. Which is the Federal Permit.

For my type of hunting i think a bolt gun with be just as fast as a semi auto. By the time the smoke clears and you can see through the scope you'd have ample time to rack another round in the chamber

I ran 5 thru my bolt .270 on one sounder last year. I might have got all ten off with the semi. Aim, fire, repeat.

FYI. I have a Vortex VBrite on one gun. That lighted red dot on the crosshairs is great in dim light.

[fish4food]

We’ve tried hog doggers, and had some good ones. Unfortunately they don’t produce a kill rate that impacts our population. Then we have found other methods less effective in the days after they’ve run all over our place. Finally, we’ve yet to have them visit our place without their dogs getting on to neighbors places in pursuit of hogs.

Good dogs can be really good, or not so good. We’ve killed 65 since April hunting the same grain fields. The property is big enough the dogs don’t get on anyone else’s property. But there are so many pigs that it is literally impossible to kill them all. But every night we hunt is a night they didn’t tear up crops. The place is also helicopter hunted as well.

I’d bet that other methods weren’t as effective because the pigs weren’t there due to the pressure the dogs put on them. After some time they came back as usual.

Dogs don’t know property lines. Only way to keep em in would be net wire or high fence.

[TxAg]

You need thermal