caliber/cartridge/load recommendation for silencer

[MapMan]

Hello to everyone. I've been a member for a while and enjoy all the great discussions from everyone. My question has to do with most effective caliber, cartridge, loading to use for a silencer. I know about the 300BLK because I have one. However, it surely lacks power. I find that farmers and landowners are more agreeable to hunters on their property if they are safe and quiet about being there. I know that we as hunters/shooters need to be aware of the noise we can create by firing a gun.

In that vein, I am looking at a different caliber/cartridge with more oomph than a 300BLK that can be loaded subsonic and use a silencer. I also realize the restrictions on semi-autos due to required gas pressure to cycle properly.

Therefore, I'm looking at a bolt action rifle and cartridge that can be loaded subsonic and still function properly with adequate bullet energy to hunt medium N. American game within 300-350 yds max. Thanks, MapMan

 

[silicosys4]

I can't think of anything that would be an effective subsonic hunting load for medium game in any caliber out past 150 yards or so. You are going to be range limited by the trajectory and lack of energy of any subsonic load....under 1000fps or so.
Now if you are talking about having a cartridge that can be loaded either subsonic, or capable of taking game out to 350 yards, there is data for just about any rifle cartridge to be downloaded if you have access to reloading equipment.
If I were going to go with a cartridge for medium game with a subsonic load and a suppressed rifle, I'd pick a ruger m77/44 and have the barrel threaded then use .44 specials with a good lead SWC, and only take shots under 100 yards.
Either that, or a suppressed big bore AR with heavy bullets going slow...again, range limited, reloading required.

If I were concerned about noise, I'd first look into suppressing an AR10. I have never heard a suppressed supersonic .308, but I imagine noise must be reduced quiet a bit.

 

[Mr Woody]

You might want to check if a silencer is legal for hunting in your state. I am not aware of anywhere it would be legal.

 

[allaroundhunter]

You might want to check if a silencer is legal for hunting in your state. I am not aware of anywhere it would be legal.

It's legal in several states, Texas being one.

OP: Silicosys gave you a good line of thinking as to why there isn't a subsonic round that will be good for hunting out past 150 yards - they simply don't have the velocity to get there.

 

[LocoGringo]

...and if they do have the velocity to get there, they don't perform as they normally would because the velocity is too low to force expansion. Basically, all you will get is potentially 2 holes punched through a deer of the caliber you are shooting with very little upset in between. There won't be any mushrooming because bullets are designed to expand at a certain minimum velocity (often times around 1600 FPS, minimum), but after they go below that, they keep their normal form. There are exceptions, but for rifles, not many.

I shoot an AR 308 suppressed and it sounds like a supersonic .22. It's nice and quiet and won't alert people too badly. If they hear it, it will sound like an unimposing .22 rather than the much bigger bang of the .308.

For ammo to be subsonic, it must be below 1050 FPS (roughly). It doesn't matter how big or small the bullet, so no matter what, you will be severely range limited simply because of the velocity necessary to be subsonic. You can get more energy on target by shooting a bigger caliber/larger bullet, but it likely won't expand.

If you reload, a .458 Socom from an AR-15 might be a decent possibility. Big bore, big bullet that goes slow...big hole(s). However, I haven't looked into the possibility of making a .458 Socom subsonic, so I don't KNOW if it's possible.

BTW suppressors are legal for hunting in TN.

 

[jmorris]

You can hunt with suppressors in TX.

If I were to pick the best one I have for subsonic loads that I have, it would be the 458 socom. Only way to gain energy back ones you establish a speed limit is mass. My loads start with 405g bullets and go up from there.

For example, a 220g (.308) @ 1000 fps muzzle winds up having 351 ftlbs at 300 yds.

A 405g sp moving at 1000 fps will have 146 ftlb more energy at 300 yds that the above 308 load would have at the muzzle and only drop 1.7" more than the 308 @ 300yds.

FWIW a supersonic 308 load just sounds like a .22 LR and has a lot better trajectories. That said, the furthest shot I have ever had to make spotlighting hogs was only 120 yards, many more much closer than that.

 

[Jim Watson]

Agree with Loco, your best bet is a standard caliber with a silencer to muffle the muzzle blast. The shockwave "Crack" of the bullet is a lot less obvious than the "Bang."

The BPCR shooters did some work with subsonic .45-70s on the basis that standard loads were naturally transonic and that loading subsonic should theoretically improve accuracy. It did not help and often hurt.

Good ol' JD makes Whispers up to .510. A 750 grain bullet at 1000 fps will surely kill but you had better have a rangefinder handy and a trajectory chart taped to the stock to get hits at any range other than your zero.

 

[MapMan]

Thanks to all. The info I have collected is just about the same as all you good folks collectively. I found an article in the wee-hours of the morning that is quite lengthy but provides lots of info and gets a bit technical but this is a technical question.
www-silencerresearch.com/sound_suppressors_on_high_power-rifles

I need to put my AAC 7.62 can on a .308 and see what the sound results are.
Once again, thanks, I knew I was coming to the right place. GA also suppressor friendly.
MapMan