I've been reading through the thread on subsonic .45-70 loads & it got me thinking -- If I were to dedicate a rifle to full-time subsonic/suppressed use, why wouldn't I just start with the .45 LC case & save some rifle length/weight, powder, & worry about case fill %?
Am I missing something?
I deer hunted this year with my Henry 45 Colt Xmodel with a suppressor. The Henry has a 1-16 twist so you can shoot 300 grain bullets. I took a doe at 20 yards with a 300 grain XTP going 1070 fps. There was full penetration and a good blood trail. It only went about 40 yards.
In my experience with penetration testing I would recommend a flatnose hard cast if shooting 250 grain as you want sufficient penetration. In 300 grain you can use an XTP or a hard cast flatnose.
The Speer 250 deep curl expands quickly and will not penetrate as deeply but it will hammer small game. It's also very accurate and will shoot one hole groups at 50 yards. The 230 XTP is another great small game round.
The advantage of the 45 Colt is having bullets that were designed to expand at subsonic velocities. The 300 grain XTP is about perfect for moderate expansion and deep penetration.
