Might be a stupid question, but does anybody know if you can get factory sub sonic for .308. I’ve been asked to take care of of some Muntjac in a village. There is a nice angle into dead ground where they regularly come through and range will be about 50yards. All very safe, but something less bangs might be good.
Factory sub sonic
- Thread starter SSN100
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nun_hunter
Well-Known Member
Not sure about factory available, especially in the UK but Hornady make a 190 grain bullet designed to expand at subsonic velocities. It was intended for the 300Blackout but has been used well in 308. There is a Kiwi guy on YouTube who hunts a lot of feral goats, pigs and deer with them.
One issue may need to consider is if a suitably heavy bullet will stabilise in your rifle with the standard twist rate of 1:12.
One issue may need to consider is if a suitably heavy bullet will stabilise in your rifle with the standard twist rate of 1:12.
Yes, you can get factory subsonic .308 Win, I have some Sako here. However, I’ve only seen it in FMJ not expanding.
Mine’s 1:10 and 22inches when I was trialing ammo I found heavy PPU pretty accurate, just horrid to shoot.
Probably the best tool for the job if it were allowed.
Smellydog
Well-Known Member
I don't recommend a heavy subsonic 308" bullet in a village. They bounce and travel a good way with some clout if my 3030 subsonics are anything to go by.
A loud bang is far less harmful than a chunky nugget going through a property!
It might pay to just use something more suitable and shut the.....up!
A loud bang is far less harmful than a chunky nugget going through a property!
It might pay to just use something more suitable and shut the.....up!
Bo Diddley
Well-Known Member
Some folks like to make hard work for themselves.... Such a shame common sense has been outlawed in this country.
nf-fuse
Well-Known Member
It's all about shot placement......
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Hmmm.
If you wish to meet the 1000ft lbs requirement with your .308 and a subsonic round you might have a problem.
Looking at the Viht site the heaviest .308 bullet they provide data for is the 220gns Hammerhead, as you can see from the extract below trundling along at 1050fps this yields a pretty miserable half of that - though I would not wish to be hit by it!
Sooo if you wish to satisfy the 1,000 ft lbs requirement and sticking with 1,050 fps you would need a bullet weighing only 425gns which theoretically yields just over the required energy.
All you need now is to source such a bullet which would probably be…. err… fairly long and then find a powder and recipe to drive it at said 1050 fps. I expect the required dies would be pretty expensive too.
All that said I have loaded subs in .308 and even 7.62x 54R for many years (see my icon) with great success at 50 yards (before tumbling becomes an issue) using Hodgdon’s published data and there's plenty of examples in ‘Merica where deer and boar are shot and killed with subsonic ammunition - where presumably there's no minimum energy requirement to be met or even considered…
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jthyttin
Well-Known Member
Forget factory expanding subsonics in centerfire rifles. Or better yet, forget the factory subsonics altogether.
There are bullets made to expand at subsonic velocities. Some of them even do that. And people have differing opinions of what counts as usable subsonic velocity. Like said you're never going to achieve 1000 ftlbs in 30cal.
Centerfire subsonics are also affected by your rifle, and the state it's in (first shot vs. subsequent, when it was cleaned and how, ...) You might get anything from supersonic to stuck bullet.
There are bullets made to expand at subsonic velocities. Some of them even do that. And people have differing opinions of what counts as usable subsonic velocity. Like said you're never going to achieve 1000 ftlbs in 30cal.
Centerfire subsonics are also affected by your rifle, and the state it's in (first shot vs. subsequent, when it was cleaned and how, ...) You might get anything from supersonic to stuck bullet.
tackb
Well-Known Member
i have done a fair bit with subsonics
you will not achieve 1000ft/lbs with a 308 sub sonically
you can get bullets that will expand at subsonic velocities (hornady 190gr sub bullet) but it's not legal for deer (stupid rule)
the warnings about ricochets are true , i loaded some 308 subsonic tracers , they didn't all light up but those that did were very revealing!
i have a 45/70 with mod that i use subs with thats effective and i'm sure it would kill deer no problem.
the answer to your dilemma is donkey bashers picture but that would be illegal
you will not achieve 1000ft/lbs with a 308 sub sonically
you can get bullets that will expand at subsonic velocities (hornady 190gr sub bullet) but it's not legal for deer (stupid rule)
the warnings about ricochets are true , i loaded some 308 subsonic tracers , they didn't all light up but those that did were very revealing!
i have a 45/70 with mod that i use subs with thats effective and i'm sure it would kill deer no problem.
the answer to your dilemma is donkey bashers picture but that would be illegal
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
In the British countryside there are plenty of banging noises - bird scarers, pigeon shooters etc. If you are using a smaller calibre with a moderator nobody will notice the odd shot every now and then.
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