Photo by Donald M. Jones

For an elk hunter who hikes all week for one shot, an AR-style rifle typically isn’t an ideal setup. But when it comes to pig hunting, it’s hard to imagine anything better. High-capacity semi-auto rifles chambered in game-stopping calibers are currently being manufactured at roughly the same speed that feral hogs reproduce.

1. 450 Bushmaster Rifle

Bushmaster makes the original bacon-busting AR. A 450 Bushmaster upper can be mated to standard AR-15 (5.56 NATO) receivers, though it is offered as a complete rifle as well. The gun sends a .45-caliber, 260-grain slug at 2,180 fps from a 20-inch barrel for 2,743 ft.-lb. of energy. It comes with a five-round magazine, though factory nine-rounders are available. That’s a lot of lead going to a good cause. ($1,500; bushmaster.com )

2. Rock River Arms LAR-8 X-1

Rock River is a mom-and-pop AR shop that builds them as well as anyone—­especially for the price. Its triggers are heavenly, and now it offers an AR-10 platform called the LAR-8 X-1. It’s got an 18-inch barrel, a full-length rail for mounting optics, and 30-round mags. I shot sub-MOA groups with it, and I killed two axis deer, a hog, and a toothy alligator with one shot each. ($1,800; rockriverarms.com )

3. Stag Arms Model 7 Hunter 6.8 SPC

The Model 7 Hunter in 6.8 Special Purpose Cartridge (SPC) gives a 300- to 400-ft.-lb. energy advantage over the 5.56/.223 Rem., though they share the same action length. With premium bullets like the 85-grain Barnes TSX, there’s no boar surly enough to survive it. The matte-finished rifle features a Hogue rubberized and free-floated forend, a full-length rifleman’s buttstock, and a five-round mag. ($1,055; stagarms.com )

TIP: Hogs in a Row
Although it’s tempting to take the lead pig in a pack because it’s the closest, a fast-firing AR grants the opportunity to shoot several at a time. Pigs that watch a companion fall in front of them often change direction rather than continuing the beeline. So choose a low-magnification optic like an Aimpoint or 1X–6X scope, then pick the rear pig, fire, and swing forward to the next in line.