what is the best caliber gun for hunting hogs?

And the proper choice is among so few: anything from about 260 Remington to 9.3×62 should do you.

There is no “best” in caliber selection. You’ve got a s-load that all perform similarly, selection is a matter of preference. Anything .223 or heavier with a decent soft point bullet will work fine. Shot placement is far more important than anything else.

Hog hunting is pretty laid back. It’s not like a rhino that’s going to hunt you down and trample you before it goes down.

i use a 44mag, less than 100 yards 240 grn……..shot placement is the only thing that will drop them so make sure you know the internal layout of the organs. try a tree stand for safety/

anything over 30cal will do. Example .308win, 30-30 etc. Perhaps even a .270. I would not recommend .223, there’s not enough hitting power.
500lb pig is a bit optimistic. It would have to be a cross breed between a domestic pig and a wild bore to get that large.

You want something in the Thirty caliber range. I don’t care what these others have said, I’m not going to shoot a hog with a .22.

30-06, 30-30, 308, (even 270) 7.62x54r Soviet, 7mm, 8mm, etc.

My Ruger M77 Mk.2 in .270 with it’s Weaver 9×40 scope would be just about perfect for the job.

Ian M

30-06 180 grains