Is The 300BLK Subsonic a 200 yard Deer Killer?

[wildfowler]

I see you liked the 220 grain Sierra round nose. That's my personal choice for sub sonic 300 blackout. I've never tested anything formally to know for sure but I suspected the exposed lead nose might aid in causing the bullet to tumble upon impact.

I surely wouldnt expect that bullet to come out looking like the Remington core-locked mushroom when fired at 1000 ft./s.

The round nose was the bullet I always advocated using based on my subsonic hog kills. But this was before the super Duper expanding sub sonic bullets came to the marketplace when the 300 blackout was still brand-new.

 

[savagedasher]

That's weird? What I read from the link above regarding the Amax bullet is that it said rapid expansion, with limited penetration? I must have missed the nine expanding part? I'm wondering if that's a typo?

The way a bullet is expanded it it must have more resistance in the object then lead is pushing against Soft tissue isn't it . Larry

 

[fredo]

LOL, no worries from this end!

I added that pic to illustrate how a bullet labeled by the manufacturer as a "match" bullet can do a pretty bang up job on game. To that point, if I put that same bullet pic up and took a poll of what type of bullet it was, would anyone have guessed it as an Amax??? With some of the replies here, I'd seriously doubt it...

Sorry to derail from the OP's 300BO thread. But there is that bit about how actual field use of a bullet certainly trumps whatever is written on the box And no matter what ya use, a deer's heart/liver/lungs do not possess the magical capability of tissue regeneration! IE, punch hole(s) in the vitals, and they die. Punch hole(s) outside the vitals, and ALL bets are off.

These things are only as hard as ya wanna make 'em...

 

[Knotwild]

I have one Blackout AR rifle and a stamp to build one in an SBR. Looked like a neat idea in the beginning and I admit I can't shoot subsonic good enough at 200 to be deadly. In retrospect, I wish I just had one SBR in 10 mm or 45 acp. Cheaper to shoot, cheaper to reload for, just as quiet suppressed,and just as deadly at the ranges I would be likely to shoot.


I think I will quit with the BO, there is just too much controversy around it; too many people are worried about me being able to shoot them well, and I can't have conversations with friends without raising their blood pressure and voice.

 

[Tommie]

Short answer: subsonic BLK rounds are deer killers.
The problem: the deer may take a few days to die.

 

[dellet]

LOL, exactly!



Check out my description of the 162Amax:

Found that under the offside hide of a deer @ ~650yds.
Look how "non-expanded" it is...

That matches a little more to what Hornady says about the Amax in the LE TAP line. Apparently it's ok for humans, just not for deer:

The 168 gr. A-MAX® bullet is a traditional match grade bullet with the performance advantages of a polymer tip. This bullet demonstrates an increase in penetration and retained weight over the 155 gr. A-MAX® bullet. Standard barrier performance is exemplary and this load demonstrates controlled and impressive soft tissue expansion without over penetration. The Hornady® 168 gr. A-MAX® TAP Precision® offers industry leading all-around performance for law enforcement precision marksmen providing the ability to stop a threat.

http://www.hornadyle.com/products/rifle-ammunition/308-win-tap/168-gr-a-max-tap-precision

 

[B Nettesheim]

Why use a less lethal cartridge?? We dont need wounded animals hobbling around. Drop the animal where it stands like an ethical hunter should and not give the anti's more stuff to piss an moan about.

 

[seymour fish]

Why use a less lethal cartridge?? We dont need wounded animals hobbling around. Drop the animal where it stands like an ethical hunter should and not give the anti's more stuff to piss an moan about.

Have a .458 405 gr sub load which is good medicine for........coons

 

[dellet]

I have never seen a cartridge that has:
placed itself poorly on target
used itself outside of it's ability
failed to go exactly where it was pointed 99.9% of the time

Why is it that when it comes to gun crime, we blame the one who pulled the trigger? Yet when it comes to hunting and people who can't shoot or make poor equipment choices, people want to blame the cartridge?

If you can't make a clean kill with 300 Blackout (sub or super) or any other cartridge, you need to either check your knowledge of the cartridge, your ability to honestly and accurately access your skill set, or your ego.

It wasn't the cartridge's fault an animal was left hobbling around, it did not pull the trigger.

As a user and proponent of the cartridge, I will stand behind what it can do. I also have no problem telling people that a 200 yard shot with subs is for a low percentage of people with an elite set of skills that have my respect.

As for the OP and the video, his quest for clicks and free stuff to promote, is in general a very bad idea.

 

[JRS]

Why use a less lethal cartridge?? We dont need wounded animals hobbling around. Drop the animal where it stands like an ethical hunter should and not give the anti's more stuff to piss an moan about.

It appears I don't fall into the "ethical hunter" category My 540 grain arrows, when shot from my longbows at roughly 200 fps, will not, and do not, drop big game in their tracks. They do, however, die without suffering.

 

[B Nettesheim]

You also dont have the option to launch an arrow at 2800 fps!!

 

[rebel]

You also dont have the option to launch an arrow at 2800 fps!!

Yes, and 2800 fps will wound very efficiently if poorly placed!

 

[markT]

I just got my scope mounted on my new Rem 700 SPS in 300 blk. I "0" it at 76 yds. The exact range where deer feed.. Shooting 220 gr Sierra SubSonics.
If I attach a suppressor, how much change should expect in POI?
Thank you..

 

[rebel]

Depends on the rifle. If you are going to hunt suppressed, practice suppressed. Could be it only changes an inch at that distance but I'd want to know.
Just me, but were I to do it I would consider a bullet change. Outlaw State, Maker and LeHigh all have decent hunting offerings.

 

[markT]

I'll send one down the tube before I hunt.. was just curious.
Given the choice between:
Hornaday 208 gr AMax ( subsonic) or the Match Grade Sierria 220 gr ( subsonic)
Which one for deer?
Thank you

 

[rebel]

I'll send one down the tube before I hunt.. was just curious.
Given the choice between:
Hornaday 208 gr AMax ( subsonic) or the Match Grade Sierria 220 gr ( subsonic)
Which one for deer?
Thank you

Neither will expand at those speeds. At best you may get some tumble Probably will behave like a field tipped arrow. Kind of what this whole thread has been about and why I recommended the bullet choices I did. All were design for subs and all expand. I would shoot coated cast bullets before the smk or a-max. If you would like to take a gander at what most shoot, go here - http://www.300blktalk.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=145
Granted it's mostly supersonic, but there is a lot of subsonic Hog killing stuff in there as well.

 

[Ggmac]

I'll send one down the tube before I hunt.. was just curious.
Given the choice between:
Hornaday 208 gr AMax ( subsonic) or the Match Grade Sierria 220 gr ( subsonic)
Which one for deer?
Thank you

NEITHER !
You wound unless head shot and that's not probable without extensive knowledge and practice.
Do NOT think wild animals react like HUMANS

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

I'll send one down the tube before I hunt.. was just curious.
Given the choice between:
Hornaday 208 gr AMax ( subsonic) or the Match Grade Sierria 220 gr ( subsonic)
Which one for deer?
Thank you

HOLY SMOKES!!!

 

[rebel]

I'll send one down the tube before I hunt.. was just curious.
Given the choice between:
Hornaday 208 gr AMax ( subsonic) or the Match Grade Sierria 220 gr ( subsonic)
Which one for deer?
Thank you

Perhaps more than once would be good. With the hunting bullets.

 

[dellet]

155 Amax @ 1400 fps. wound channel in 10% ballistic gel, for reference block is 5" thick 18" long.

from the top

Bullet recovered 25 yards after exit in the gravel

Maker 220 REX. 800 fps. top track same gel note bullet at far right edge. 155 Amax center track. The bottom track is also a 220 Maker at 600 fps, below the expansion velocity. It started to open and took a turn.

Exit view of 220 Maker with spiral wound track on right. Amax on left.

Side view. Maker in front of Amax

The third track in the photos is a 220 Maker at 600 fps that did not open. For reference the 220 Maker with a MV of 1000 fps would drop to 800 fps around 400 yards.

I have ran the same tests on a lot of Match and even hunting bullets. Most .308 hunting bullets need 1800 fps, for the 30-30 1600. The ELD's advertised as expanding at lower velocities for long distance hunting looked like this in the same gel mix. Velocity at the gel and depth of penetration listed.

From Hornady's ad for the ELD

A 208 Amax at 950 fps passed through 32" of gel and looked like the pencil track of the Maker when it did not tumble. Maybe 1/3 of match bullets shot tumbled.

Sorry it's not real world results, but it gives a good idea what you can expect.