Advice choosing a Subsonic Caliber & Platform

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greengt88

Well-known member
Looking for some advice on a new Subsonic suppressed setup for deer.
Trying to choose between AR or Bolt action platform. Leaning toward Bolt Action for ultimate quietness.
300Blk or 338Arc is what I’m considering

Also aware subsonic is not greatest choice, but shooting will be 50yds or under…aware to treat it just like archery hunting as far as distance and shot placement.

I have plenty of AR lowers that could be used, and that’s the easy button…but I do have a Howa Mini 6.5 Grendel that could be barrel swapped and put in to a Elf Owl or MDT chassis
Mos-Tek does make 338 Arc barrels for it, but not sure of the 1:5 twist, most everything I read about it says 1:8 is preferable.

How much quieter is a Bolt Action going to be vs AR?

I see Savage has a 300Blk pistol, but it’s got a left handed bolt. Idk how I feel about that being right handed.

Other easy choice is many different 300 bolt actions or uppers available.

Kinda stuck on what to do, so appreciate any advice.

I have a SilencerCo Spectre 9 or Hybrid 46 DTM for the suppressor.
 
I was going to do the same thing last year with my .308, but after shooting a bunch of coons with it and talking to other people that have first hand knowledge with the subject, I changed my mind.

One of my main concerns was bullet performance. I talked with a lot of people that said most of the bullets will not expand so you are left with a very small wound channel. Even with the coons, I'd have to shoot most of them 2x.
 
Hornady sub-x is supposed to expand down to 900 fps. Obviously the 300AAC is the less expensive way to go. I have some BO Gold Dots but the say 1400 fps.
 
I thought about getting Subs for my 350 Legend bolt action also, but I want something more compact for in the blind..yea I’ve seen bullet performance isnt the best.

We have some huge deer so def need something that will do the job and put it down quickly.
I’m open to other calibers as well, just need it as quiet as possible.
This dude showed up the other evening. Can’t wait to see what he looks like swelled up during rut.
IMG_6718.jpeg
 
greengt88 said:
How much quieter is a Bolt Action going to be vs AR?
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A LOT... especially at the shooter's ear, the port noise is eliminated.

greengt88 said:
I see Savage has a 300Blk pistol, but it’s got a left handed bolt. Idk how I feel about that being right handed.
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Yeah been looking at those as well, seems they only offer it that way from what I can tell. I'm in the same boat on the feeling but I "think" one could learn to get along with it. IDK

greengt88 said:
300Blk or 338Arc is what I’m considering
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the .338 has definite advantages when traveling under the speed of sound. But the availability of just picking up a box of .30 cal bullets are simply easier in my neck of the woods. Hard call to advise someone, I would probably lean toward the .30 only because of going to a local shop to pick up components, BUT if one shops online (and most do) the 338 ARC would pique my interest a lot. The simple weight difference is enough to sway to the .338.

---------------------- just spit balling below---------
IF one already cast lead bullets, then yeah back to the 30 caliber bore, which I've done on the 300 BO and is stupid quiet especially with bulky powders or H110/Accurate #11FS. But it can be death on a sealed can. In my son's 300 Black they shot great accuracy wise, further than one would expect although a rainbow trajectory. But he doesn't have a can

I've in the past considered the 7.62x39 Soviet (in the howa mini) for this, a 220gr pushed by say 9.5 grs of H-110 or Accurate #11FS would stay subsonic. In a bolt gun the problems of cyclic operations is eliminated. The other advantage is that the bolt face is proper to switch to the .338 ARC if it's just not your cup of tea or vise versa, if one bought the .338 ARC, one could barrel to the 7.62x39 (with a "proper" .308 bore). Not throwing that out there to confuse the choices just a thought. Depending on your needs may not be a good one. The sealed can usage gives me great pause on using the 7.62x39 with plated or powder coated bullets. The Howa mini in 7.62x39 bore is a .311 so there is that, although some have reported no problems with using .308 diameter bullets with them. I just have not tried it so I can't say positively that it would be fine.

Hmmm maybe the best choice would be the .338 ARC, in that way if one loses interest there is ability to find something interesting on that bolt face size. IDK for sure.
 
I should add I don’t reload…buy 90% of my ammo online via Ammoseek

The Arc peaked my interest due to having more energy than the 300, and ammo is relatively the same price.

I figured bolt action would be overall quieter.

I just want something that is super quiet in a compact package and has enough energy to put a 275lb+ deer on the ground.

I’m fine with other calibers as well. I don’t really have a budget in mind, but prefer to keep it under $1000.
 
Looks like PSA is selling 338ARC short barrels. I have no idea what the fps is for a pistol. If you turn off the gas and make it a single loader (side charger) it will be quieter.
 
@popper43
that is a good method, only require the gas block to be installed backwards. and would more than likely work for the OP's desires ?? maybe
a side charger would be a plus
 
I'd be looking into 44mag, 45LC or 45-70 for subsonics. Probably in a lever action or single shot. If you're looking at lobbing slow&heavies, it seems like starting with slow & heavy calibers would be a natural.

Seems like the easy button with a Hybrid 46 sitting on the shelf.
 
wildflights said:
I'd be looking into 44mag, 45LC or 45-70 for subsonics. Probably in a lever action or single shot. If you're looking at lobbing slow&heavies, it seems like starting with slow & heavy calibers would be a natural.

Seems like the easy button with a Hybrid 46 sitting on the shelf.
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Not a big lever action guy, but have been considering a CVA Scout. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
I've used a CVA Scout 350 legend for my primary deer rifle for the past 3-4 seasons. You can't ask for a better light weight, compact option. It shoots the 150gr Winchester Deer Season XP's under and inch and they do very good on deer.

Whooteewhoo has done reviews on the Scouts in a few different calibers, suppressed as well.

As mentioned above, I have seen good reviews on MAKER bullets expanding.


Have you ever thought about trying a crossbow?
 
greengt88 said:
Looking for some advice on a new Subsonic suppressed setup for deer.
Trying to choose between AR or Bolt action platform. Leaning toward Bolt Action for ultimate quietness.
300Blk or 338Arc is what I’m considering

Also aware subsonic is not greatest choice, but shooting will be 50yds or under…aware to treat it just like archery hunting as far as distance and shot placement.

I have plenty of AR lowers that could be used, and that’s the easy button…but I do have a Howa Mini 6.5 Grendel that could be barrel swapped and put in to a Elf Owl or MDT chassis
Mos-Tek does make 338 Arc barrels for it, but not sure of the 1:5 twist, most everything I read about it says 1:8 is preferable.

How much quieter is a Bolt Action going to be vs AR?

I see Savage has a 300Blk pistol, but it’s got a left handed bolt. Idk how I feel about that being right handed.

Other easy choice is many different 300 bolt actions or uppers available.

Kinda stuck on what to do, so appreciate any advice.

I have a SilencerCo Spectre 9 or Hybrid 46 DTM for the suppressor.
Click to expand...

I run a SilencerCo Hydrid 46 on a Ruger American Ranch in 300BO and it's very quiet. It's pretty accurate at 100 yards with my 190gr Hornady Subx handloads. I haven't taken anything larger than a woodchuck with it. I'm going to try it on a deer this year in MI rifle zone, I can't shoot much over 60 yards at my property there. My theory as to why the 300BO is a great choice for subsonic is you're not loosing nearly as much velocity as you are with other options. Dialing down a fast bullet to achieve subsonic speeds just doesn't make much sense to me. At roughly 1050 fps, I'm still lobbing bullets with the 300BO though. I have to hold 3" low at 50 yards with a 100 yard zero.
 
wolverines said:
I run a SilencerCo Hydrid 46 on a Ruger American Ranch in 300BO and it's very quiet. It's pretty accurate at 100 yards with my 190gr Hornady Subx handloads. I haven't taken anything larger than a woodchuck with it. I'm going to try it on a deer this year in MI rifle zone, I can't shoot much over 60 yards at my property there. My theory as to why the 300BO is a great choice for subsonic is you're not loosing nearly as much velocity as you are with other options. Dialing down a fast bullet to achieve subsonic speeds just doesn't make much sense to me. At roughly 1050 fps, I'm still lobbing bullets with the 300BO though. I have to hold 3" low at 50 yards with a 100 yard zero.
Click to expand...

How did your woodchucks react? A LOT of the coons I shot just kept going like nothing hit them. I would think that I missed until I skinned them and found two bullet holes in them. Several I shot while holding onto the tree, you could hear the bullet hit the tree and the coon not even blink. Shoot it again and sure enough, the first shot hit it as well. I switched to the 22lr/mag and didn't have any issues.
 
DoubleLungRage said:
How did your woodchucks react? A LOT of the coons I shot just kept going like nothing hit them. I would think that I missed until I skinned them and found two bullet holes in them. Several I shot while holding onto the tree, you could hear the bullet hit the tree and the coon not even blink. Shoot it again and sure enough, the first shot hit it as well. I switched to the 22lr/mag and didn't have any issues.
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DRT. The 190gr SubX bullet is designed to expand at slow velocities. It doesn't blow them up by any means, but way better than just a heavy bullet designed to expand at high velocities.
 
wolverines said:
DRT. The 190gr SubX bullet is designed to expand at slow velocities. It doesn't blow them up by any means, but way better than just a heavy bullet designed to expand at high velocities.
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10-4 I couldn't find any of the SubX at that time.

popper43 said:
I shoot my CVA Scout (300BO) with a bit of red dot and some PB cast, lots of fun. Would be super quiet with a can, just a pop.
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WhooTeeWhoo has a video of him shooting a Scout 300BO with subs and suppressed. It's crazy.
 
popper43 said:
I shoot my CVA Scout (300BO) with a bit of red dot and some PB cast, lots of fun. Would be super quiet with a can, just a pop.
Click to expand...
IIRC, I think You posted some of the groups you had shot in the past (decade?) on Cast Boolits forum.
As I recall they was some very nice results, with powder coating, pushed with red dot powder.
 
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