Thread: quiet .224

Loading subsonic 223, the best I tried was the 70gr Speer semi points. This required a bit more trail boss and therefore gave a better case fill and more consistent speeds than the 55gr and 62gr FMJ's I had tried before. Beware no soft point or FMJ is going to expand whatsoever - they'll punch through a surprising amount (that 70gr Speer would still happily zip through a 10" thick knotty lump of firewood). And they can ricochet like crazy if the target doesn't catch them so beware shallow impact angles, rocks, riverbeds etc...

I've hit a wallaby with a 30cal 220gr sub, thinking maybe making a bigger hole would compensate... It didn't... Clean heart shot. Wallaby tried to run uphill, pretty relaxed, almost as if it wasn't hit. Then it started running out of steam and slowed until it was just hopping on the spot before falling over backwards. It probably took about 20 seconds total. It didn't seem like it suffered excessively in that time - but I still wish I'd have hit it with something that would have expanded. A brain shot would have given a quick kill obviously but that would have also increased my chances of me taking its nose or jaw off or otherwise maiming it.

Based on that, I wouldn't use FMJ's for those cheeky shots you describe. Finishers, maybe - but I can't be arsed loading separate ammo just on that off chance - anything that needs a finisher can have another SubX.

As pommy says, go for headshots. I still use subsonics for goats and deer up close, but from my 308. 9 moa up on the scope from my 100yd full power gives me a 50 yd zero with subsonics, and they make a 1 hole group, so great for close in headshots.

Also, crimp your subs. It makes them more consistent