9 Best Scopes For Hog Hunting

To be quite clear on this subject I have been hunting boar and hogs for about two decades with a serious objective based on gaining success in the bush.

Five years of hunting Queensland Australia, several in Texas, and a major dangerous game hunt in Russia paved the way when gaining solid information as to what gear works best, and what stuff to leave at home or back in the truck in the event you did haul it along on a hunt.

Scopes for hogs depend on several elements. First of all the firearm being used is critical.

If your gunning with a 444 Marlin range is not the major element of concern, but if the rifle is a 257 Wetherby and your hunting small tree groves in open country that scope requirement will change very quickly.

Most of my experience on hogs has been shooting the 7.62X39 Russian on a Mauser MARK 10 platform. That was down under in Aussie land, being autoloaders and such are not legal there.

This being a light round for the most part scope selection was based on the use of a smaller size glass sight, but retaining a power rating of at least 9x magnification.

The years in Texas down in the south brush country, and I mean brush that was almost impenetrable, again the 7.52X39 and a Ruger Mini 30 always got the call.

Open up the cover a bit in West Texas. and also down under in some areas of upper Queensland, and the 22-250 Remington went to work in a custom bolt gun. When again velocity moved up so did the scope selection for a given hunt with that rifle.

In general hog hunters like slow heavy bullet delivering loads. AR’s chambered in 44 or 45 caliber slugs, lever rifles using everything from the 30-30 Winchester to the big bad 45-70 Government, often get the call. IN other words the subject is not so simple at all.

The following is a look at a number of scopes as requested by huntingmark.com.

I have indicated they are “ requested” because this is not my list of possible offerings, however before concluding this review I will offer a few glass sights of my own that have seen service from Russia to Australia when the targets are made of pork.

9 best scopes for hog hunting

Here is a list of the best scopes for hog hunting:

• ATN X -Sight
• Vortex Optics Crossfire II 3-12X56mm.
• ATN Thor-HD 640
• Trijicon ACOG 3.5x35
• Leupold VX-HOG
• Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight
• Pulsar Trail XP38 1.2-9.6x32
• Steiner T5Xi Tactical Compact
• Swarovski Z6 2.5-15X56mm
  
  

1. ATN X -Sight

This scope is very popular among hog hunters across the country that take on most of their work after dark.

Night hunting is popular because hogs like to move at night and the night optics will do the deal when the lights go out.

The scope makes use of an obsidian IV dual core processor and an ultra HD sensor.

The scope is both day night operational and will serve both the daytime scope hunter as well as the hunter moving into the low light conditions and no light hours.

The scope will record video, Wifi stream, and recored events as well.

ATN indicates that the scope will produce no negative effects in terms of overall field performance.

Also embedded in this scope is a ballistic calculator / rangefinder that can be programmed for a given cartridge.

A word here however. I have tested this type of scope as offered by ATN and be advised that it will require programing and some basic understanding of the computerized world of shooting.

In truth not in my wheel house for the most part. In a night scope all I want is to see my target. As for the rest of the deal it is not required at all.

I shoot a Gen I in the ATN line, and only wish it had more power and battery life as in the Gen II etc.

Save for that detail the scope has run well for many years to date. No issues what so ever on manufacturing quality or performance given the level of function the scope retains.

This scope retains low power burn time, and should give the shooter some solid night service in the field.

For the serious hog gunner this is one of the best night vision scopes for the money that you're likely to find.

2. Vortex Optics Crossfire II 3-12X56mm.

The scope is called “ The Hog Hunter” and the primary tool o the glass sight is the us of the massive 56mm objective.

When hunting Russian I used a German glass sight with a massive objective lens and shot it at a low power being our pigs were Russian Red boar, and bent on running you down quite often, meaning an ample field of view was a necessity.

I shot a Swedish 7x57 in the Norma Ammunition’s dangerous game load, The use of the large objective was necessary to pickup fast moving targets in the cross hairs that often carried a weight of over 600 pounds on the hoof, and were armed with razor sharp tusks.

This scope would have been accepted for dangerous game hunting over there. The scope has a 3-12X56 power range, Uses the V-Brite system to amplify light transmission, and carries multi coated lens surface for poor weather conditions.

It can be mounted on both a picatinny and weaver rail with no issues.

The turret heads are capped for rough field conditions so as to protect the elevation, and windage adjustments.

MOA clicks are used for zeroing, and also return to zero if moved up for an increase in elevation

The V -Brite illumination system makes the scope night friendly with the use of secondary lights ( spot lights.) and the main tube is heavy duty in that it is a full 300mm pipe, and constructed from aircraft grade aluminum.

Illumination controls are located at the rear of the eye piece versus on the turret housing as many others are placed.

This is fast and allows the shooter to stay on target when turning for brightness changes using his or her left hand ( right hand shooter. )

3. ATN Thor-HD 640

This scope makes use of the ATN 640X480 thermal imaging system. As you can probably guess, this is a best thermal scope, as it detects heat signature on warm targets in total black out conditions. 

The scope retains a ballistics calculator and it allows the shooter to produced first shot dead on bullet impacts via the use of the system installed in the HD 640.

The scope retains a 100mm objective, 5-5-X performance range, and also IOS Android apps with WiFi. / GPS functions.

This scope is a full service system and will produce bright video recording, as well as Wi-Fi streaming.

This is a good scope for film makers building material on CD’s or other levels of communication as to a visual review of hunting methods or events.

This scope is a professional level piece of equipment and best selected by the shooter that wants night vision system capabilities and at the same time is building a file of material for publication as well.

Here we have a scope that fits the needs of the hog hunter as offered in the Nikon P-Tactical 300 BLK.

This is a AAC Blackout calibrated glass sight with a 2-7X32mm objective and carries a matte finish with a BDC reticle for fast ranging and elevation adjustments on running targets.

The scope is sub compact and set up for carbine use first and foremost. This means it is a fit on the AR platforms as well as short action lever rifles and short throw bolt actions.

In the event the scope is of interest to you move fast because Nikon is leaving the scope building business and as such the glass will go away in time.

I shoot several Nikon scopes and it is a sad day to loose this builder of quality optical systems at a fair price to boot.

This specific scope is much like others I use with complete reliability. The glass sight has a light weight, built of high grade aluminum, and is calibrated for 115 grain bullets.

AAC Blackout comes to the for front here, and to be sure it is a good pig killer inside 200 yards.

With calibration or not the scope is a fit for pig hunting rifles in any caliber as the hunter need only to zero and map DOPE the sights to his cartridge and bullet preference.

The one inch tube is a fit to many varied mounting systems, and the spring loaded turrets will return to the correct zero setting every time.

Fast adjustment elevation turrets in the open style make for another feature of interest to the hard nosed hog killer.

4. Trijicon ACOG 3.5x35

Built for the US Military this glass sight has been used more then any other ever offered in a scope style sighting system.

The ACOG is a self contained unit that requires no battery’s and is calibrated for use with the 7.62 NATO / 308 Winchester round. 

The scope os hash marked and range illustrated through the lens to 800 meters, will illuminate at night with its own power source for many hours, and will use black sub tension marker for day light shooting as well.

The scope will adjust its green colored brightness setting automatically based on available lighting conditions down range.

This system allows the shooter to work with both eyes open so as to increase peripheral vision, This can be a real advantage when hunting boar, or even large hogs in heavy cover.

Wild pigs can be quite dangerous, and having an optic that allows for quick target acquisition can give you that extra peace of mind.

This model being based on the 308 is packing a cartridge that will do the deal regardless of the critters size.

I have been using this optical system as offered by Trijicon for over 25 years to date in a .223 Rem 5.56 NATO model.

Not a single glitch found in the scope and the glass sight has been used when taking deer, coyote hunting, turkey, badger, and grass rats as well.

And of course, the ACOG is legendary for its durability, which means it has passed the military torture tests and has been rated water resistant, fog proof, and shockproof.

5. Leupold VX-HOG

Here we have a scope sight built by Leupold that is expressly designed for pig hunting as the name suggests.

Designed as a chopped bell scope system the main tube is 30mm but carries not forward expanded objective lens. 

This is not my idea f the best situation, but when the hunter has time and space to work with the scope it will do the deal just fine.

This scope uses an illuminated retical called “Firedot” ballistics, is crafted from 6061 aircraft grade aluminum, and manufactured in America by a life time backer of their product.

At a weight of less then one pound the scope is a natural fit for AR class receivers, short action turn bolts, and lever rifles as well.II use a model very much like this scope on a 30-30 WINCHESTER MODEL 94.

Side mounted with secondary open buckhorn sights make this a very fast brush rifle, or deep timber deer hunting system. Hog are in trouble if they show up over the sights of this rifle.

In general hogs are an easy kill and for the most part carry much the same internal makeup of a human being.

A great deal of noise in the industry has been made over the requirements associated with heavy caliber rifles and hog hunting. 

I can tell you that of the hundreds of hogs we took down under, ( Australia) That most were gunned with a single ground using the Russian 7.62X39, or AK-47 round. This 30 caliber short machine gun round was outstanding to 300 yards on all sizes of pigs. 

In most cases we shot Hornady American made steel cased SP ammo built by them under Russian license.

Why did I settle on this cartridge in the fir place? Because my Russian hunter friends sent me many photos of Walrus commercial harvested with the AK-47 rifle.

If 1000 pounds of lard can come down with that round it is a deal maker in my book.

This scope is set up with the Leupold “ Pig Plex” Fire Dot. That means it is designed just for pigs in terms of elevation and windage quick set adjustments and the use of the center ring. Actually I believe it would make a great turkey hunters scope as well.

6. Bushnell Trophy TRS-25 Red Dot Sight

Working hogs or other varmints with a red dot sight is asking for targets at night or close up. I have tried the red dots all across the board and for the most part the Bushnell brand is about as good as any.

I have shot turkeys by the number with the system and also taken deer from high above them early in the morning with the same sight.

Red dot sights own the low light world, but in the brightness of day they can tend to fall a bit short at times.

This TRS025 is a standard with Bushnell. The sight runs a 1X20mm power setting, and uses a 3 MOA dot reticle with 11 different brightness settings.

This design helps a great deal when trying to find the sight and put it on a moving deer in a standing cornfield. I know because I have been there far to often.

Now switch the target to an incoming upset boar and I want a different sight thank you.

The sight uses Weaver mounts and is a fast install. These are tough little sights as I have used them on shotguns with 1 oz slugs that do recoil a great deal, crossbows that slap and vibrate, and muzzle loaders that carry one pile of energy out the barrel. 

Add on the fact that often during my three month season on big game the sight sits in snow, rain and flat out nasty conditions and you can see that it is a go to work horse if you don’t expect it to blow space stations out of the sky, or stretch a shot to the next zip code.

Water proof, fog resistant, and tough as nails, this is a good red dot if that is your choice in hog shooting sight systems.

7. Pulsar Trail XP38 1.2-9.6X32

This scope is reportedly some what hard to get. I guess that means it is liked a good deal by the users of night optical systems.

This scope retains a 1,970 yard detection range. That means thermal operational systems. Making for a high resolution 640X480 sensor this scope is clear regarding imaging, and also retains that previously indicated long range capability.

Shock resistant, waterproof, and fully net streaming abilites this is a commercial scope for the producer of night video material.

The scope retains several types of zeroing methods, and retains The temprate sensor will pickup human size target to well over 1000 yards.

Authors choices.

8. Steiner T5Xi Tactical Compact.

This high-quality rifle scope as offered in the 3-15X50 is an example of a scope I would use and have used on feral hogs and dangerous boar in Russian Reds.

Catch a pack of hunting hogs out in the open country as is often the case in Australia’s Queensland country and you are in hog heaven with the drop on them at even ultra-long range.

Move into brush country and drop off the power settings with a flick of the finger and make use of the big 50 mm objective when brush shooting pigs or massive 600 through 800-pound tuskers.

This scope is offered in up to six different packages by Steiner and it is a professional grade glass sight designed for military and commercial shooters alike, so performance and durability are both excellent.

The primary tube is a massive 34MM in size because this glass sight has lifetime components built to take a pounding in the field under real-world gunning conditions.

Elevation and windage will crank up or to the side forever based on the also massive turret knobs that carry ample multiple clicks for any ranging situation.

The scope has the zero return lock system for the quick re-zero on the close shots, set up in the first focal plane, FFP. And retains the illuminated reticle for low and no-light shooting. 

Sub tensions in MOA graduations are set in etched glass for strength and quality. The glass on these scopes is first-rate German production. Light gathering ability and deflection of glint when shooting at night are excellent. 

The SCR reticle alone with the previously illustrated features makes the sniper, hunter, and police grade glass sight. Pig are dead in their track when this system with a good cartridge tack on gets into the business of sending rounds down range on hogs. This is the Cadillac of high grade hunting scopes.

9. Swarovski Z6 2.5-15X56mm

In this pro grade rifle scope we have a pig shooter that retains massive 56mm objective glass and a 30mm main tube built of high grade aluminum.

As offered in the second focal plane the scope is set up as a hunting system in a very high grade package.

The glass in this scope is next to none in clarity and image quality perfection and will put light both day and night. 

In Europe the rifle scope is built for low light shooting which is a custom in many countries in terms of hunting style.

This scope will take on the use of even very low light night illumination as in small sport lights in red or clear, The daylight ability of the scope to grab at small or large targets inside a few yards to over 1000 yards is without question in terms of task completion .

While this scope is nearing the end of its production schedule the brand has many scopes that fit this pattern very closely, In the event you want professional-grade equipment to be sure to review the complete line of this companies glass sights. 

Final Thought

When selecting a scope model search for the large objective lens, flexible power settings and select a sub tension system that will not get in the way of a clear close range shot.

When I hunted boar in Russia what I did see from foreign hunters was a lack of proper equipment and as such a great many missed targets.