First Hog Hunt AEA Challenger 457

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Arhoghunter

Member
Feb 4, 2022
12
1
Paragould, AR, USA
Didn't get any footage... Got 8 hours from home to figure out that my GoPro was on my desk in my office. It was really well charged when we got home... 



But 457 shoots awesome with Hornady Round ball. Ear holed at 67 yards. 
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I looked, but didn't convince my wife that I "needed" this gun until after Christmas and hunt was mid January... So I was limited on what I could try. I looked at NSA and Mr Hollowpoint stuff and I've also looked at Lee 340 RN to cast my own. But I haven't tried any of the above. 

And thanks!
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That’s the one of two AEA models that caught my eye. Good to see one out in the field doing work. You made those roundballs work for you too. Did the ball blow clean through? What’s the weight on those balls?
 
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Hey in your experience what size caliber is best for hog? I have never shot them with an airgun but I have seen small ones taken with a 25 springer before on youtube. What you can do and what's best is two different things. If you weren't constricted by laws what caliber would you prefer. I ask because I might be getting a Texan CF soon and 357 would be best for me to use in my backyard against the coon problem but I do want a powerful enough gun to hunt pig one day. The place I will be hunting only requires 357 over 200 fpe so I am leaning towards it. I just have no real life data on this so ty for your input. I have seen a 357 bulldog give a white tail a clear pass through. 
 
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I think being north of the 200 FPE is what you need in order to confidently take body shots. I know that there is a ton of video with springers and even more w/ 22, 25 PCP taking head shots at short ranges. I don't think I would feel adequately gunned for a "hog hunt" below 30 cal and 200 FPE. That said I would have full confidence taking one with a 25, 30 at least in PCP with smaller pigs at closer distances.

Many commercial hog ranches won't even let you hunt with .223, based on how hard they are to kill. 
 
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I've been hunting hogs for over 20 yrs and from my experience I wouldn't go smaller than a 45 cal. for air.

Ya I've seen all the videos too, shooting with a 25 cal and its probably ok on a small pig but if a monster happens to show up I want to make sure I put him down.

I don't do head shots either unless I'm shooting a large centerfire.
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Well, well

I have taken tons of Big boars with smaller .22 .25 and .30 caliber,.......It's all about precision shooting, hit the right spot at the right angle, hunt inside the comfort zone and they all go down.
 
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Nice!! 
I have the AEA .45 pup. I have a RB mould but never considered tryin it with the Challenger. It didn’t shoot for crap in my .45 Bully. Sounds like we are going down the same road. Now I will be trying them just to see. Today I went back and tested NSAs 240 hp, 290 hp, 350 hp and my own 350 slugs. The NSA 350 were boat tail hollow points and didn’t fair well at 50 yards. The 240s did great which surprised me as the 244 hp I had were all over the place. My go to deer slug has been the NSA 290 hp. I took 2 deer last fall/winter with them in the Challenger. Here are a couple pix of my .457 340 gn mould dropping at 350 gn and NSA 240 gn slugs at 100 out of the Challenger today. Plus the NSA 350 bt hp at 50. Wasn’t trying to derail your thread. I wish we had hogs to shoot. Just thought people might like to see what the rifle can do. 



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My Bully had a crap barrel. I could litterly drop a .454 round ball down the barrel. I had Hatsan sell me a new barrel. It was tighter but not enough. I am using .457 to .458 slugs in it now. At 50 I can put a full mag into 1 ragged hole. Slugging the new barrel added up to .455 to .456. I have a .456 244 gn mould that I was powder coating slugs for the AEA. But I think I might want to try them in the Bully. I have some 138 and 166 gn slugs from Field Supply that work well in the Bully. They are .457. If you want to test any slugs, let me know. 
 
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@quad82 I couldn't ever get mine to group, I though because of the moving scope mounts, so I actually cut my tail down and removed the foregrip. I was shooting .454 (Hornady 44) round ball with it, but I'm still looking for the slug to feed the Challenger Bullpup to get me accuracy and over 400 FPE (Arkansas Whitetail Requirement) 

Never have slugged the bully. Sounds like it might have been worth the time. 
 
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I am getting over 400 with all slugs over 220 gn. The rifle is stock.

Field Supply 166 gn at 1002 for 370 at 2800 fill



My 456 mould 220 gn at 907 for 401 at 2800 fill

NSA hp. 240 gn at 898 for 429 at 3000 fill. 
NSA HP. 290 gn at 828 for 441 at 3000 filL

EBAY HP. 300 gn at 865 for 498 at 3200 fill

MR HP hp. 330 gn at 803 for 472 at 3100 fill 

My 457 mould. 350 gn at 779 for 471 at 3000 fill
 
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