Don't forget u can use shotguns with slugs and muzzleloaders for hogs in small game season(in most places,read the brochures)
First things first, unless you are capable and can shoot a hog in the eye, the ear or perfectly in the spine, a Rim fire round probably isn't gonna do much to a hog. Not too many people I know who can shoot that good especially out 100 yards. I am capable of shooting golf balls on a perch at 100 Yards with my .22WMR (.22 MAG) with Nacho and wouldn't use it for hogs.
Best bet is like ILuv2Hunt points out. Shotgun with slug in small game season and areas when no centerfire rifle are allowed. A .17HMR, .22SH, .22LR, and .22MWR are small game guns, for shooting rabbits, chucks, possum, coons, squirrels, skunks, armadillos, etc.
The only reason hogs are considered small game is because they are Feral or none native and they won't lump them into the same catagory as deer and big game. Problem is they are probably tougher to kill than a deer.
guess I've been lucky, 95+ % of my shots have been 10 - 40 yds, and never shot or shot at 1 over 100 yds (deer). and as G.B. points out hogs probably are harder to kill. I was comparing 17 to 22mag. in a small game area where no centerfires are allowed shotgun would rule imo, 17 never, 22 mag I would use but have my 45 as a backup. if in a stand/blind I would consider a muzzy, but your giving up chances at a 2nd shot or getting a double, not that it isn't possible just very unlikely.
Once you double or triple on a pack of hogs while stalking you will want as many rounds as possible in your weapon. My Win .94 Carbine Trapper .44 Mag holds 10. I remember a time hunting hogs at Fort Stewart, GA back in 1999 when three of use ran into a pack of about 20-25 hogs from 250lbs to 20lbs, and it sounded like Vietnam when the shooting started. I had my Win .94 Carbine Trapper .44 Mag (10 rounds), my other bud had his .450 Marlin Lever (5 or 6 rounds), and my other bud had an SKS 7.62x39 (w/20 round AK Mag). Hogs were running in every direction. Two of us doubled and my one bud tripled. 7 hogs, biggest was only 160lbs, 4 of them were perfect at around 100-120lbs and the other two were 60-70 pounders. When we recovered all the hogs I had three bullets left in my gun, my bud with the .450 Marlin was empty, and my bud with the SKS had 8-10 rounds left. When the shooting started, they went every direction since they couldn't figuer out where the shots (noise) was coming from due to the echo in the woods on the river bottoms. I was lucky since these guys are experienced hunters and a few hogs slipped between us and noone shot at them, in fear of shooting our buds. Now that's fun!!!! Never know if you are going to sneak up on one hog or 30!!! Love it!
My point is, more fire power the better. I'd use shotgun with slugs before I used a rimfire weapon in a small game only area. My two cents.
17 hmr is just fine for hogs if you can shoot, I have taken alot of game with mine. i limit my distance to about 40 yrds. but the big barr hog that i posted a pic on here of was taken with my 17hmr he was 375 plus lbs. shot to the head drop him in his tracks @ 25 yrds.
its all up to how & what you want to shoot
