Thread: You told me so! (subsonic centrefire)

Subsonics vs reliable expansion. I see a market where people "need" explosive bullets to help expansion ..... O-:> ... but it would not sound very subsonic and might get you all in trouble with Cindy.

These are what you want, bore rider sub projectiles. https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rc...YGpFoBgLaBD_av

Originally Posted by MB

Right now, that sounds great.

those are the full power 325gr rounds though , haven't tried the sub x yet on a live target yet .... those are 420 gr and may be less 'explosive' at the lower speeds .

I wish we had theses here in NZ
https://makerbullets.com/products.php?cat=3&scri=2,5

Originally Posted by tikka

I wish we had theses here in NZ
https://makerbullets.com/products.php?cat=3&scri=2,5

Is it be worth talking to a local dealer to see what the cost would be to import projectiles?

Originally Posted by tikka

I wish we had theses here in NZ
https://makerbullets.com/products.php?cat=3&scri=2,5

They are machined brass or copper so prob no different to LeHigh. Did you look at the OutLaw State link ?

@tikka those wasps are a bastard alright once they click onto the protein stage.

I gave up trying to hunt about this time last year after being chased out of the nelson lakes NP by the yellow and black huas !!

This year I'm gunna try and hunt high for the next month or so.

Also i have just ordered some vespex so will put it out round here to do my bit for the wasp wipeout !!!!

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I’ve had the best results and the most amount of damage with the Lehigh Defence 168gr CF and 194gr ME on big reds and 200 lb pigs. They set the standard for 30 cal subs and the petals are razor sharp. Me and a mate have used these out to 280m on deer.

Here’s some I recovered from some reds.

Originally Posted by tikka

I wish we had theses here in NZ
https://makerbullets.com/products.php?cat=3&scri=2,5

There was someone selling them in Australia. can bullets still be privately imported into NZ?

In my experience Subs are for well placed heart, spine, neck or head shots ONLY

Unlike a 22, 30 cal subsonics will destroy whole sections of the spine and skull resulting in an instant death but heart shots will take a few moments to drop the animal.

If you don't think you can do that reliably use only high velocity.

Haven't tried 45/70 Leighi or anything fancy only lead projectiles.

Originally Posted by berg243

after using 420gr fn cast lead subs out of the 45/70 on a couple heavy wooled sheep ( which i am told is the hardest thing to penetrate ) and seeing big hole in and big hole out from about 25m the biggest worry is having something to stop that chunk of lead. yeah wont be as quiet as a 30 cal but this is a round that i would happily shoot through shoulder bones on a big deer and expect a pass through shot. this load was the magical 1000ft/lbs at the muzzle.

You'r just trying to talk me into buying one aren't you

Just a general comment. I agree with what everyone is saying about shot placement with subsonic rounds, but my main reason for posting was to talk about Hornady Sub-X which are literally meant to be a magic bullet, i.e. a purpose designed hunting round which expands at subsonic speeds to allow for more leeway in shot placement. They simply don't do what they say on the tin.

Before this newfangled smokeless powder and copper jacketed bullet craze came along lumps of lead travelling at 12 to 1500 fps seemed to do the job quite efficiently.
At subsonic speeds a 30 cal bullet has about the same potential energy as the 22 magnum but 5 or 6 times the mass so if it doesn't expand or hit something solid it will trundle quite happily through an animal and sail into the distance.
Increase the bullet size to 40 or 45 and give it a large meplat (flat nose) or better a hollow point and energy transfer is much better but it will never match a supersonic impact for tissue disruption and carnage.
I shoot a bit of lead at things and run everything at above the speed of sound. My current favourite is a single shot 38/55 using Robert's flat nose bullets with a mv of 1425 fps.
The report unsupressed is no worse than a 22 lr probably a bit quieter.
I think a different mind set and expectation is needed when deciding to go sub and a thorough understanding of trajectory and anatomy helps still don't expect to see instant kills unless you are very lucky with shot placement.

Not trying to be a smartarse here, but my experience with the 300BLK and subs was about the same using 208gr A max and 220 SMK.

Because you have to get so close to the animals (due to the rainbow trajectory) I would generally head shoot them or when these shots didn't present themselves I'd go for both shoulders.

Personally I wouldn't let that one experience put you off.

Using subs for me was more about my hearing and the dogs comfort. If you are expecting supersonic results you will need to spend some $$ and use the Lehighs.

Jesus that one looks brutal...