I hunt wild hogs with hand loaded subsonic 220 SMKs. Brain shots are preferred for DRT but have put several down with heart - lung shots.
All my hunting is at night in my pastures with IR and NV. I walk up on foot within 50 to 60 yards. I hunt at least twice a week. It is a rush using NV moving in slowly with the hogs upwind trying for a DRT brain shot.
I respectfully disagree with conclusions that subsonic SMK is an ineffective hunting cartridge. There is a big difference between a bullet's terminal performance in ballistic gel versus a hog's skull or ribcage heart- lung shot.
My experience is 220 SMK will deform and tumble based on multiple real-world kills, probably due to deformaties with impact on hide, bone, and subcutaneous gristle layers. I realize my data is anecdotal and not statistically backed but I'm going out again tonight using 220SMK Subsonic hand loads.
I suggest you reperform your test twice. Impact through a layer of hide then gel at 50 yards, impact into bone then gel at 50 yards. Lower velocities at 50 yards plus tip deformation should replicate actual bullet performance.
I do agree on not using 220g SMK subsonic for heart- lung shots on deer but would not hesitate on a brain shot.
I have been working up subsonic loads with the Lehigh bullets in both .300Black and .308 subsonic.
When I am satisfied with consistent accuracy in my rifles I will try them out to 100 yards on heart- lung shots.
I plan to hunt deer a few times with 300 black this year and plan to use both Lehigh's controlled fracturing bullets in a subsonic loads and supersonic Barnes 125g Triple shock tipped bullets.
I also hunt with an integrally suppressed .308 bolt rifle. Very similar to the .300 Black in subsonic performance.
Have fun,
RFA
Last edited by Ready.Fire.Aim; 05-18-13 at 06:49.
"Jill, if there's ever a problem, just walk out on the balcony ... take that double-barrel shotgun and fire two blasts outside the house,.." VP Joe Biden Feb 19, 2013
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