subsonic ammo for 308 win.

gdr1

Member
Just a quick query, is there a subsonic load produced / been reloaded for 308/7.62 which still has the legal energy to be used on deer, ie roe/ munty etc? Living in a country where moderators are still illegal (Germany) there is not much call for subsonic ammo. However i'm due to return to the UK , where hopefully I will get my change of use for my certificate , and a variation for a moderator.
Cheers for any help in advance.
 
Sub-sonic and deer legal. Not a chance. The bullet would have to weigh about 650 grains to make deer legal at 1080fps.
 
Some years ago, before screw-on moderators became commonplace, Lewis Walker built us a fully moderated, (complete barrel length), .308 on a Mauser 98 action for use when culling in 'sensitive' locations. The thing weighed a ton so was only really an option from a highseat or hide but was nevertheless very effective even with the usually loaded rounds running at around 2700fps with 150gr BTs - the actual report was somewhere around a .32acp pistol level. I had a look at reducing the rounds to subsonic but realised, as pointed out by Harry mac, that there wasn't a hope in hell of keeping them deer legal.
 
Steve Bowers has built a couple of .308s like this. The one I've heard fired was very effective. The photos are on the Specialist Rifle Services website.
 
Thanks for the replies, didn't realise the bullet would have to be so heavy, then againg i'm no ballistician.
 
Bruce potts built a .338 br to shoot 250gr bullets subsonic and made it deer legal.I think the formula is velocityxvelocityxbullet weight divied by 450240 i think this will give you the ftlbs
sean
 
Bruce potts built a .338 br to shoot 250gr bullets subsonic and made it deer legal.I think the formula is velocityxvelocityxbullet weight divied by 450240 i think this will give you the ftlbs
sean

Not with 250grn bullets he didn't. Makes no difference if it's a 308, a 338, a 177 or a 22.
 
sako subsonics 308 has 175 fmj over 9.2grains of unidentified powder. Pull the bullets and substitute a 180 hunting bullet. As for deer law such a round is only usable at under 100 yards (cos it is loopy) and would have plenty of whumph at short range. As for legality... they're obviously wanted for shooting where you shouldn't really be so the finer ballistic points of the deer act are of little concern in such circumstances.
 
As for legality... they're obviously wanted for shooting where you shouldn't really be so the finer ballistic points of the deer act are of little concern in such circumstances.

Maybe not. The OP said he was in Germany and may not appreciate that the use of moderators in the UK is not coupled with a 'subsonic' round when used on deer.
 
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