I’m jumping feet first into 300 BLK with a 10.5 upper to run suppressed.

As far as subsonic loads go, I’m curious if anyone has any experience as far as these two cartridges in terms of accuracy, noise, and terminal performance?


Thanks!

SUB X FTW - search youtube
disclaimer: I have 1,000 projectiles of Sub X 190gr

Those Hornady 190's are probably the 3rd best expanding subs behind Lehigh and Maker (and it is a pretty decent gap between 2nd and 3rd).   One benefit is that the seem to keyhole less with the slower twist rates (or so I've heard).  That is good news if you are using a can and have a short barrel 1:8.

I just picked up a 200 rounds of Remmington 220 OTM's to try out....but I know that terminal performance = FMJ.  Maybe they will tumble since they are ass heavy.   Black Hills make great ammo...but I'm not sure if there is a big benefit is spending BH money on glorified FMJ's

HOWEVER

There is one unique benefit to 300blk subsonic FMJ's/OTM's.....sectional density.  The ability to penetrate bulletproof glass and level II body armor with subs is why I'm trying them out and looking to add them to my SHTF stash.   Plus I enjoy shooting them unsuppressed because they are still less blasty than supers.   I used to buy S&B subs when they were the same price and S&B FMJ's back during the salad days.  

My SHTF weapon is a 10.5" .300blk.  If things ever go bad enough that I need it (which I doubt), I would assume to rule of law is toast, and some people might be raiding the local auto-parts stores or junk yards to figure out some makeshift parts if it is a "stay quiet" type of SHTF event.

Same. A real SHTF scenario is probably gonna be a lot of sneaking around. Having a decent stash of ammo and knowing when to shoot, and not to, is going to be key.

I have a 10.5 with a 1-8x lpvo on it. Going to probably add a piggyback red dot and that's THE gun. Thought I would want to build another 10.5 with a red dot for NV use, though both uppers will have lasers.

if SHTF - best policy is to keep your head down IMHO

also - In before "lasers are dumb" ;)

The most accurate factory subsonic load that I've used are the Gemtech 220s.  They use SMKs, so terminal performance may not be as good as the new bullets designed to expand at low velocity.

I think a lot of the 220 OTM's are SMK's (not sure about Remington).  No expansion, but amazing BC.

Sierra shows .608 BC for 1700fps and under.
Remington shows a BC of .680 for their OTFB's 300blk subs.  

BC doesn't really matter with subsonic projectiles.  I shoot subs out to 800 yards, which maxs out the elevation in my optic.  There is very little difference between any of the 200+ grain bullets (as far as external ballistics go).  I use SMKs mostly because my guns shoot them accurately.

I wasted some money on VLD bullets for .300blk before I realized this.  

Now if you are shooting .300WM, then BC will make a huge difference, but much less so with .300blk.

Terminal performance of subsonic 300 Blackout is largely a waste of time and effort. It's a ~1000 FPS .30" bullet that will only impart a permanent cavity. It is effectively a handgun cartridge. The handful of projectiles that expand such as Maker and Lehigh will only slightly increase the permanent cavity at the cost of reduced penetration. If you are at all worried about terminal performance in 300 Blackout, you should never bother with subsonics.


Subsonic 300 BLK is for practice, range toys, and extremely niche applications in which a semi-auto is still going to be too loud. Supersonics around 110-120 gr in a super short <8" barrel are the purpose of 300 BLK. Rest are gimmicks. Even with the lightweight supersonics, they start at such a low velocity it's not too far out that they are once again just a handgun cartridge doing handgun terminal performance. IE a lack of hydrostatic shock from 2200+ FPS impact on tissue.

Both are sub MOA capable loads. The 190 SubX expands and the 220 does not.

Consider a 190 SubX to be a more accurate 147 9mm pistol hollow point that is effective to over 100 yards I stead of 50.

Sheer drop makes subs unsuitable at over 150 yards. A 10 yard ranging  error is a huge vertical difference past 150.

The Maker and Lehigh are petter terminal performers but less accurate.

A 300 BLK sub is spooky quiet in a bolt gun, but just meh in an AR15.

Subs have small but significantly different horizontal zeros as well as huge elevation differences.

I got rid of my sub-x a long time ago and instead stack these:
https://www.gorillaammo.com/product/gorilla-300-aac-blackout-110gr-barnes-tac-tx-160-round-bucket/

This x10000. Scream it from the rooftops.

We do a lot of hunting with subsonics so it isn't a waste of time or effort. The penetration of the lehigh subsonics is well beyond what most subsonic pistols can achieve and have a devastating effect on the game. When you have a bullet that has expanded to 3/4 of an inch slicing through you it will mess you up even without permanent wound cavities because I have yet to see any of the game just get up and walk away. If you get any kind of lung shot, heart or nervous system shot it makes very little difference if it was hit by a super or sub as the prey is either DRT or doesn't go far.

We recently went to the Sub X bullets for nuisance animals like pigs, racoons, coyotes or skunks. We save the Lehigh defense stuff for deer or the larger soft skin animals. We have had good luck with the Sub X as they are much cheaper than the Lehigh or Makers and they do a great job at penetrating even further as they don't expand as much and will typically make it through the under 200 pound pigs unless you hit a lot of meat or bones.

We have shot hundreds of animals with the subsonics and I have no idea what you are talking about when semis are to noisy. Unless the animal is less than 25 yards away the action of the semi is hardly noticeable. It is not uncommon to use our semi rifles to put rounds on trees on the opposite side of where the pigs are to get them to come closer to us.

Don't listen the the mall ninjas and 300BLK haters that lack imagination of what the round is capable of when so many others are out there using it incredibly effectively.

I respectfully disagree. I’ve seen lots of animals walk away from subs. Especially hogs. Not calling you a liar, but this just hasn’t been my experience.

Also, I love 300blk when loaded with 110gr tactx it’s killed more pigs than any gun I own.

The old Remington was not. It was a flat base bullet which is supposed to work better for subs. Think it came about when AAC was still a part of them and had a bunch on influence. Wish we had a few more dedicated sub bullets on the cheaper end maybe the new Remington will sell them as components.

That's fine but being OP is looking for subsonic info specifically the lighter bullets are irrelevant.

I have shot pigs with 9mm pistols (all I had when I ran into it), .223, 300BLK both super and sub, 6.5 Creed and .308. I have DRT them with subsonic ammo and also watched them run a couple hundred yards with their guts coming out with a .308. I have watched a pig go down with a 6.8 and sit there for a minute then sprout right back up and start running. If you shoot them with about anything as long as it has the capability to get through their skull it will either mess them up, drop them for an easy follow up shot once the other have gotten theirs or DRT. This is true will any caliber that I have used or watched being used because if you can't drop them with a subsonic 190gr bullet then you are doing something wrong and not the caliber. These subs all have the ability to penetrate far enough to get to any vitals or nervous system. I have seen one go from stem to stern with an ass shot. Supers will work better no doubt because of all the energy they are more forgiving on bad shots but even then bullets do weird things once they meet tissue and bone. As I said we have used many rifles to hunt with and now we almost exclusively use suppressed subsonic 300BLK. The quiet shooting just makes it easier when their are multiple people hunting with you.

You see the Callaway Ballistics 'Boar Axe' on Alabama Arsenel's YouTube Channel yet? They looked good in Bare Gel.

I have not seen those...will have to take a look later.