Attention Hunters: See the Best Subsonic Rounds for Hunting

Interest in subsonic loads has increased alongside interest in suppressors. However, are they truly suitable for hunters?

January 28, 2026 By Richard Mann

With the introduction of the .300 Blackout cartridge in 2010, hunters became more interested in shooting subsonic ammunition and hunting with suppressors. This might seem odd because since the introduction of the .30-30 Winchester cartridge in 1895, hunters have been gravitating toward ammunition that pushes bullets faster rather than slower. In other words, the trend with hunting cartridges and ammunition has always been for more as opposed to less speed. However, subsonic ammunition makes a lot less noise—especially when shooting suppressed—and it recoils more softly, too. Both make rifles more fun and easier to shoot. But is subsonic ammunition a good fit for hunting, and what cartridges and loads are best?

SUB SCIENCE

First, let’s define exactly what subsonic ammunition really is. Subsonic ammo leaves the muzzle of a firearm at a velocity slower than the speed of sound. It’s generally designed to provide subsonic velocities at sea level—less than 1,100 fps, roughly. However, just as with supersonic ammo, environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and elevation affect the velocity and trajectory of subsonic ammo.

SUBSONIC STANDOUTS

The best-performing subsonic cartridges have limited case capacities and are loaded with heavy bullets. This allows the use of a small amount of a slow-burning powder that, when combined with the heavy bullet, produces subsonic velocities. The most common subsonic rifle cartridges are the .22 LR, .300 Blackout, 7.62x39mm, .30-30 Winchester, .338 ARC, 8.6 Blackout, .350 Legend, .400 Legend, .450 Bushmaster and .45-70 Government.

Of these, only the .300 Blackout, .338 ARC and 8.6 Blackout were designed for subsonic shooting. These three cartridges have faster rifling twist rates to help stabilize long, heavy, slow-moving bullets for better precision. Subsonic loads for the other cartridges are essentially reduced loads with heavier bullets that remain dimensionally compatible with the slower twist rates these cartridges were designed to be used with at supersonic speeds.

From a trajectory standpoint, out to about 200 yards, there’s not a lot of difference in these cartridges. This is partly because they all start out at about the same subsonic speed. For example, the 190-grain Sub-X bullet Hornady loads for the .300 Blackout has a ballistic coefficient (BC) of 0.437, and at 200 yards it will drop about 33 inches. The 250-grain Sub-X bullet they load for the .350 Legend has a BC of only 0.265, and at 200 yards it drops just 2 inches more.

STELLAR SUBSONIC LOADS

All subsonic rifle loads are not created equal. Many for the .300 Blackout are just target loads not intended for hunting. The same is true for the subsonic Winchester loads for the .350 and .400 Legend. For hunting with subsonic ammunition, you want the bullet to upset and expand just like with supersonic ammunition. This helps the bullet damage more tissue when it impacts an animal because the wound cavity is larger than the bullet diameter.

A block of ballistic gel block with a captured rifle round with a tape measure lying on top. — In blocks of Clear Ballistics gel, 190-grain .300 Blackout Sub-X load will expand and penetrate more than 18 inches. (Richard Mann photo)

You need to be careful when selecting subsonic .22 Long Rifle ammunition. Some .22 LR loads are listed as subsonic—like the 32-grain CCI Uppercut load—but they are only subsonic when fired from a handgun. And the bullets from most .22 LR rifle loads that are subsonic will not expand or upset at all. For small game, that might not matter too much, but some bullet upset can help provide faster kills. CCI’s Suppressor Max .22 LR ammo uses a 45-grain fragmenting hollow-point bullet that breaks on impact and substantially increases wounding potential.

Hornady offers a full line of subsonic hunting loads that utilize a polymer tip inside the bullet’s hollow point cavity. This tip helps to initiate bullet upset at subsonic impact velocities when the bullet reaches the animal. Except for the .338 ARC, all of Hornady’s Sub-X loads are engineered to provide solid terminal performance on deer-sized game.

A good source for subsonic loads for the .300 Blackout is Lehigh Defense. The company has mastered the manufacture of lead-free, mono-metal bullets, so they will upset at subsonic velocities. They offer maximum-expanding and controlled-fracturing .300 Blackout loads that are capable of measurable damage to vital tissues. Federal Premium also recently introduced a new 190-grain Fusion Tipped Rifle .300 Blackout load designed for lethal expansion at subsonic velocities.

Of all the subsonic rifle cartridges, the 8.6 Blackout is the most unique and effective. This cartridge is based on a 6.5 Creedmoor case that has been shortened and then necked up to accept a 0.338-caliber bullet. What sets the 8.6 Blackout apart from the other subsonic cartridges is its rifling twist rate of 1 turn in 3 inches. This is an incredibly fast twist rate that dramatically increases the bullet’s rotational velocity and energy. In turn, this helps bullets upset on impact. While many subsonic loads from other cartridges lose the ability for bullet upset past about 100 yards, bullets from 8.6 Blackout subsonic loads can still upset at twice that distance. Gorilla Ammunition is currently the best source for 8.6 Blackout ammo.

A collage of four ammo boxes. — The .300 Blackout was purpose-built as a subsonic load to be shot with a suppressor. Federal Premium, Lehigh Defense and Hornady all offer .300 Blackout loads that will upset or fracture in a controlled way at subsonic speeds for improved terminal performance for hunting applications. Meanwhile, Gorilla Ammunition is the best source for subsonic 8.6 Blackout loads for hunting. (Photo courtesy of Federal Premium (top-left); Richard Mann photos top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right)

LOW-VELOCITY LIMITATIONS

When hunting with subsonic ammo, you must worry about the same things you would when hunting with supersonic ammo: bullet trajectory and bullet performance. If you zero most subsonic loads at 50 yards, the bullet will strike a 100-yard target about 6 or 7 inches low and hit almost two feet low at 150 yards. (Depending on barrel length, velocities may change significantly, so always verify actual trajectories with your chosen load from your rifle.) Those accustomed to hunting with modern centerfire rifle cartridges, like the 6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Winchester, are used to holding dead-on all the way out to 200 yards.

As for the terminal performance of the bullet, except for the 8.6 Blackout, most bullets slow to the point that they will not upset at all once they pass 100 to 150 yards. Of course, this does not mean they cannot be effective, but they will just not damage as much tissue or cause as much hemorrhaging as a bullet that does expand. In the absence of bullet upset, larger-caliber subsonic loads are better because larger-caliber bullets make bigger holes. Also, the subsonic loads with heavier bullets tend to penetrate deeper, especially if they do not expand.

What is undeniable, regardless of the subsonic cartridge or load you might hunt with, is that they will be very quiet, especially when used with a suppressor. The reduced noise protects your ears and spooks game less, and the reduced muzzle blast and recoil make the rifles more comfortable to shoot. If shots are kept at close range, hunting with subsonic cartridges and ammunition can be ideal for young or new shooters, and just as enjoyable for old hands.