I shot a wild hog, in a swamp, in Perry, Florida, with my S&W model 19 in .357 mag, with a six inch barrel. I shot it in the heart at about 30 yd.s. I thought I missed, because she took off like a bat out of hell! I fired twice more, and hit her once, in the right leg, where the jacket shed, and the lead lodged in her left leg. She kept going, till my buddy, shot her with a 12 gauge 3 inch magnum, with tripple ought buck. I gutted her, and found my bullet hole where I first fired, and took the heart out, and it was sliced through the first ventrical. and the bullet was lodged in the skin on the left side, beautifully mushroomed. I was using a 158 grained semi jacketed hollow point. After I saw how she reacted to being hit this way, I bought a model 29 in .44 mag. There were some big hogs in the that swamp, and I sure did not want to encounter any of them, with only my .357 mag. So I started toting my shotgun instead. I still carried the pistol, but I hunted with the shot gun. Like Eddie said, you can kill them with a correctly placed .22, as you well know with the pigs you have killed with the air rifles. I love my model 19, but when hunting, I carry my model 29. Especially here in Montana. Shot placement is key as usual. I should have tried a head shot on the sow, but she squatted like she was going to run, so I went for the heart. The liver was also in chunks, and the cavity was filled with blood, but she took off like I had completely missed, and ran for about fifty yards, before my buddy finished her, at about 12 feet from him, and the shot didn't have time to spread, and was just a big hole on her jaw, and her spine, where he fired a second time. So my bullets were the only ones, to hit her heart, and chest cavity, and forelegs. I don't know how far she could have run, but if a big ol boar was to charge, me and all I had was a pistol, I would want my model .29! I don't want to see how far he could run. The trees in the swamp were not exactly ideal for a quick climb! The sow probably only dressed out at around 120lb.s or so. Imagine how much damage one of those big ol boars could take! Some of them were in the range of 300, and up! That is my experience with hog hunting with a .357 mag. I hope you do better. I am a firm believer in large chunks of lead.
Either of the Pistols you mention would be a fine choice. The Ruger is as was said, a bit stouter, in frame, and also heavier. Good hunting Manny.
Wayne
