Subsonic 44 Mag for hunting deer and hog?

[Lonegun1894]

Isn't a subsonic 44 magnum just a 44 special?

Yes, load wise. To me, the only difference is that it is loaded into Magnum brass instead of Special brass, and at least in my rifle, getting the bullet closer to the rifling does make a difference in accuracy. But speaking strictly in terms of performance, you're absolutely correct!

[DougGuy]

Wanted to resurrect this topic.

Have a single shot rifle with a 1:20 barrel. I'd like to use a 300gr flat nose boolit, like the Lee 310 at subsonic velocities on deer and pests out to about 50 yards.

Thoughts?

Speed of sound at sea level is typically 1125 feet per second. The longer heavier boolits and especially the 310gr Lee will not achieve enough spin to gain stability at speeds much below this. Without enough spin, accuracy will suffer horribly so you will immediately know which loads do NOT work.

It has been my experience with the Lee 310 that I get the best accuracy and the most consistency by using a boolit cast in 50/50+2% with Felix lube, gas checked, sized .432" loaded over 17.0gr Hercules 2400, WLP primers, crimped with the modified collet crimp die, speeds are right at 1180 ~ 1200 fps. This is from a Ruger Super Blackhawk, same 1:20 twist as your barrel, throats sized .4325" forcing cone recut to 11 degrees. This gun will shoot the above mentioned load into 1 1/2" @ 25yds all day every day in normal hunting conditions and shooting positions you typically employ in the field.

This is NOT a max load, it is pleasant to shoot compared to full house loads, and it stays in the barrel long enough to make modifications to bring the rear sight down low enough to find the point of impact necessary as there is not enough downward travel in the factory sight adjustment.

I would say to go for the most accurate loads and forget about trying to heave that heavy boolit at speeds that make it unstable and less effective.

[mattri]

Pretty much, but not much is chambered in 44 spl anymore as opposed to 44 mag which is much more common.

[44man]

2400 is still a great powder, I used many, many cans of it.
The Lee 310 is a super boolit. One season I grabbed the .44 and had 5 rounds left, I thought they were my boolits. Anyway in a few days I had 3 deer down with 2 shots left, only then did I notice they were the Lee's. No sight change needed at all.

[HogHunter77630]

Has anybody have information on the heavy bullit Longbow is talking about in his post.

Thanks HogHunter77630