Thread: hunting with subsponic 44 or 45 cals

Fellas anyone here hunt with subsonics in the pistol calibre rounds, 44 mag, 45 colt or 45 acp, whether in lever guns or other carbines? Interested in hearing your experiences on game with cast and jacketed bullets. How effective do you find the slow moving slugs on medium sized game, and do you find the hollow points offer an advantage.

And subsonic, not subsponic

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Funny you should bring this topic up tonight. Shot this little guy tonight. 230 grains stopped her. Attachment 121692

Is that one of them gender fluid rabbits?

Awesome picture, can I ask what range you shot it at and also who did the conversion?

Don't forget 38special is subsonic too

Killed hares and possums with 270g cast flat nose in 44 mag a lot,tried hollow points but they did a lot of damage to meat,definitely better penetration with the solids,the hollow points expand and slow down real quick,the solids punch through anything.always used full power loads on deer though.

Hare with 44mag. 200 or 300gr plated, can't remember which. Unsuprisingly, bullet didn't expand - in stead bored a .429" hole straight through in through the shoulder and out through the neck. It died.

Those big flat meplats still transfer plenty of energy and cause a lot of damage even without expansion.

i hit a bunny with a 300gr 44 mag. wasnt pretty

in the good ol' days occasionally used the 357 rossi on possums. 125gr hollowpoints.
One looked like it had been taken to with an axe

This is interesting. I have a .44 mag and sub load but havent shot anything with it yet. Lol. I am thinking goats really close in, maybe 10-20 m. How is that likely to play out? Or 50m? Projectile is 240 gn xtp with a hollow nose lots of exposed lead. Sorry i cant offer any actual experience, OP!

Iv shot a turkey with my 44/77 ruger with 44 special bullets
it must have missed everything vital as i had to shoot it again

i thought it would be inline with shooting it with a 12ga but really its more inline with a 22lr

the trick is that it has penetration and will keep going in the bigger stuff and will reach the vitals or CNS thats inside

Iv wapped plenty of stuff with my 308sub, I expected the 44 to be a big step up
without the hydroshock effect its just a big stab wound that you wait to kill them from blood loss

The .44 Magnum farkin' flattens big pigs with @shooternz's 270gr pills. Head and neck shots. Have only used the flat nose so far and have 80 odd HPs to try next. Just learn the trajectory and keep the range short.

In .44 Mag with a 12" barrel and DPT, subsonic isn't exactly quiet like a .308 and 16" barrel, but its a lot quieter than full speed factory ammo and easy to use in tight bush where sound reflection is normally a problem.

I’m shooting the Bergara 44 mag single shot which has a 16.5” barrel and DPT. I would always wear ear pro if I had time, even with subs, but it’s ok. Quiet enough that you can hear the hammer drop, mixed in with the report of detonation. Trouble is with these larger calibres it’s just a big hole at the end and the sound gets out whatever you do.

@WillB, what powder are you using? I think I'm using AP70N and it's very easily hearing safe outside of the booth.

I’m using 2205. I reckon it probably is hearing safe but I try to be as cautious as I can with hearing. It’s such a fun cartridge! Easy to load easy to shoot in a light handy rifle. But not as versatile as .308