300BlkTalk

I added a 300BLK AR pistol to my arsenal, primarily as my home defense firearm. The bedside 1911 (8 rnds) wouldn't cut it in a home invasion event. 30 rounds with a mounted light/laser on the AR pistol and the ability to grab an extra 30 rnd magazine makes more sense. I plan to add a suppressor in the future for use with sub-sonic ammo.

As I am focused on interior only home defense use (range of 50 feet or less), I'm looking for self-defense sub-sonic ammo. While there is plenty of range style sub-sonic ammo, there only appears to be one manufacture which has a legitimate self-defense round: Hornady 190g Sub-X.

Who else offers a legitimate sub-sonic self-defense round? Included in what I consider "range" ammo is HPBT which doesn't (to my knowledge) provide the necessary expansion in a subsonic round.

None really. Unless you are planning on shooting through your house. Subs overpenetrate big time, even expanding ones.
Think light and fast, 110 vmax or the like. Still does ( more than enough ) job on bad guys and won't kill your next door neighbor. Fast expanding , high velocity bullets will stop fairly quick.

LeHi or however it is spelled had a couple impressive performers. They may look like a gimmick company, but they have a long track record of only making claims they can back up.

https://www.lehighdefense.com/products/ ... 1066138648

When i got my 9” AAC SBR and a can (762sdn6), my initial thought was similar to the OP’s.

Subsonic and suppressed....a longgun i could shoot without blowing my eardrums!!!!

After playing with subs in different loadings (Lehigh included), i just could not find a load that did what i wanted (good performance on badguys, limited over-penetration in building materials).

My house rifle is that same SBR, now with a Gemtech 300blk can, loaded with Hornady 110gn V-max. Supersonic loads are still a little loud thru the can, but not ear splitting. Certainly quieter to my ear then an unsuppressed handgun, and i get rifle power.

rebel wrote:...Subs overpenetrate big time, even expanding ones....

I've heard that sub-sonic ammo over-penetrates before, but with 500ft-lbs or less of energy, they wouldn't be much different from .45 ACP rounds. Where's the evidence to support the claim that sub-sonic ammo over-penetrates?

From me shooting a lot of it testing bullets. Your expanding subs like Maker and LeHigh stop quicker in gel (i.e. muscle and guts) but would still have a good chance of complete pass through on an average size man. Don't even get me started on A-Maxes and Match Kings, Ive had complete pass through on 16" of wetpack and a 2x6.
Most don't get complete through and through sub-hunting deer with the expanders, but generally achieve deep penetration with these in a hunting situation if heavy bone is avoided.
edit-viewtopic.php?f=145&t=102575&sid=e9f854 ... 4a81d0378d
There are several sub kills in this thread, check out the performance of these different projectiles.

LeoC4 wrote:

rebel wrote:...Subs overpenetrate big time, even expanding ones....

I've heard that sub-sonic ammo over-penetrates before, but with 500ft-lbs or less of energy, they wouldn't be much different from .45 ACP rounds. Where's the evidence to support the claim that sub-sonic ammo over-penetrates?

Every time an arrow from a recurve passes through an elk.

Projectile design will make or break this argument.

dellet wrote:

LeoC4 wrote:

rebel wrote:...Subs overpenetrate big time, even expanding ones....

I've heard that sub-sonic ammo over-penetrates before, but with 500ft-lbs or less of energy, they wouldn't be much different from .45 ACP rounds. Where's the evidence to support the claim that sub-sonic ammo over-penetrates?

Every time an arrow from a recurve passes through an elk.

Projectile design will make or break this argument.

I would think the Makers with their tougher petals or maybe the fracturing variety wouldn't be as bad. I have threatened to build sheet rock walls, like 2' by 4' just to see. Another project I haven't the time for.

rebel wrote:...Makers with their tougher petals or maybe the fracturing variety

Thanks. I didn't know of them as a source. They don't provide recommended loading info on their website...something to track down.

If there's a violent home invasion, over-penetration (through interior walls, wood-core doors) isn't such a bad thing. There's only 2 of us in the home and no neighbors within 100 yards.

LeoC4 wrote:

rebel wrote:...Subs overpenetrate big time, even expanding ones....

I've heard that sub-sonic ammo over-penetrates before, but with 500ft-lbs or less of energy, they wouldn't be much different from .45 ACP rounds. Where's the evidence to support the claim that sub-sonic ammo over-penetrates?

A few seconds of google will find you plenty of evidence. Also a dumb guy on TFB named Andrew, who can't let his own results interrupt his biases. (edit to add that Andrew is now on Arfcom's youtube, and has become a lot more objective. I regret calling him dumb here. He's smart. He just likes to have dramatic opinions. He does have a big bias against the caliber, and seems to have contradictory ideas about it.)

SMK 220
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1Q7xRmZAtk

NOE 247 cast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ag-dtVjHz4

full playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adaEF5N ... H7JNXF77J2

These are far from the only good tests out there, and there are plenty of shoddy tests which don't tell you much.