Subsonic. 308win for hogs?

birdiemc

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Is anybody doing this? I tried searching and found a couple threads discussing using ~10ish gr. trailboss to load .308 subsonic, but nobody really talking about shooting hogs with them. I've not ventured into the world of hand loading subsonic loads yet, so wanting to see what you kind folks have to offer.
Only interested in .308win
Who's doing it and what are you using? How far out are you dropping hogs? And how many at a time?
 
Speer hot core 130 grain, 4.8gr of Viht N310 should give you around 1000fps with 22" barrel.

They are kind of like throwing bricks though, good for scrub.
 
i think you will need one of the subsonic bullets for them to work. put a few soft points into a few critters, way less than impressed. was better off with a bow.
 
If you have a ten twist Barrel you will have troubles stabilizing anything heavier than about 190g. I haven't tried to do subs in my 308, however the platform isn't that important as long as you recognize it's limitations. Like poor ignition, inconsistent velocities, hang fires. You just have too much case capacity with a 308, IMO. That being said, if I were to want to try some 308 sub-sonic loads I'd start with Trail boss. It may be your best bet to limit those issues, maybe Red Dot, or Unique, but you'll have to use some filler to hold the powder against the primer. Or better yet a Ruger ranchhand 300blk is designed to do sub-sonics well. I would look really long and hard at sub-sonic hunting bullets that are designed to perform down to 800fps. Regular cup and core bullets tend to just fold into a banana shape and exit in an unpredictable fashion, or just flip around and exit base first with no expansion. I've shot about a dozen feral hogs with a suppressed 7 twist 300blk and a 250g outlaw state subsonic expanding bullet. You can easily find them with a quick search. It's designed to open at sub-sonic velocities into six segments that spread out from the main wound and the base of the jacket and lead core punch through and expand. I am sending them off at 1020fps. It train wrecks them. I zero it at 100 and just hold on the body out to 150, I've never had an opportunity to shoot any further than that. There are other places that make sub-sonic expanding bullets as well, but I've never had a reason to try them as the outlaw state 250 has worked flawlessly for my purposes.
 
Your ten twist is ok. Each rifle is different though. I had a factory barrel that shot the 208gr Amax over Trailboss really well. Trailboss is pretty much the only way to go. It fills the case pretty well and is accurate. To work on hogs you need a boutique bullet that will expand at really low velocities. If you're shooting a 220gr slug at around 1000fps you're basically using a 45ACP. I'd limit my ranges to under a hundred. A person is just as well off shooting supersonics suppressed. Hogs don't stand around after the first shot even with subs.
 
I've heard tales of all kinds of results shooting hogs suppressed, but never had the chance to test it personally yet. Seems everytime I go out the hogs are at somebody else's blind. But if you're saying they run even with suppressed subs then its maybe not worth the effort.
 
Trail boss and Lehigh 194 extreme expansion bullets are very effective. Have also used 208 AMax successfully but not much expansion.
 

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Not on hogs, but years ago I did run cast, 180gr FP's @ 1050fps from a 30-06 on deer, and they did kill with lung hits. BUT, placement was critical and death was never overly quick. A few seconds, 75-100+yds, of running before they went down, and damage was less than a .357 cast handgun bullet at similar vels.
 
I have used both 308 subs and 300blk subs with a silencerco harvester.
They always run on the first shot. Once in a while the younger pigs come back after a few minutes.
I shoot a 308win 10 twist Ruger m77 Hawkeye with a 16" barrel and load the Nosler 220 bt with 7.3 grains of Trailboss. 90ft above sea level. (Gainesville FL)
The 300 black out is an American ranch and I use the same 220 Nosler with 8.2 lilgun.

Head shots are a must and all my shots are 25 yds or less.
Guns are zeroed at 50.
 
As far as hogs running after the suppressed sound. None of them stay there after crossbow or longbow shots. One squeals and they all go. Sometimes they do come back. This is over bait.
 
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