Short range quiet deer rifle

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real3444

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Hendersonville
interested in hearing recommendations on a deer hunting rifle for a situation where the range is 40 yards max. Looking to minimize the sounds due to neighbors close by.

I use a crossbow but am looking for a rifle recommendation as well.

Thanks
 
Check out WhoTeeWho's YouTube channel. He's got at least one video he did on a gun a friend of his shoots that's subsonic.
 
Quietest will be a 300 blackout bolt action or single shot with a suppressor. Subsonics will be Hollywood quiet but questionable on deer, supersonics are very similar to a 30-30 ballistically but you'll have the supersonic crack. YHM resonator or otter creek are very good suppressors for the money.
 
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Personal opinion.....either a Marlin SBL or a Henry X rifle chambered in 45-70 equipped with a suppressor and shooting heavy weight, subsonic loads. There are a few companies out there that load heavy weight, subsonics that should work really well on deer size game even past the 40 yard max you indicated. Hornady....IQ munitions....Defiant Munitions...all load 400 gr+ bullets in the 1000-1075 fps range.
 
Bucket said:
I shoot a suppressed Remington 700 AAC-SD and use the rounds below. Hollywood quiet and deadly out to 100 yards.

https://beckammunition.com/subsonic-ammo/308-win-subsonic/308-win-180gr-rex-expanding-subsonic.html
Click to expand...
I also shoot the Rem 700 AAC-SD with SR-7 suppressor firing hand load Maker "REX" bullets pushed by Trail Boss powder (1040 - 1060 fps). As always, work your own
Lesson learned: You have to hit the vital nervous system or the deer may wind up in a neighbors yard or you may lose it altogether.

1. I tested the bullet in water milk jugs. It penetrated 11 jugs and opened to 0.909" without losing any weight. The REX bullet drastically tumbles when it strikes a deer.

2. I shot a buck in the neck as it looked straight up at me from 15 yards away. The bullet came out 90 degrees from the entry and didn't hit the spine. The deer ran 300 yards and finally choked because the bullet went through his windpipe. He left no blood trail.

3. I shot another buck right behind the shoulder. The bullet tumbled forward into the off side shoulder. The buck stopped walking and looked at several does as they ate acorns. He stood their a few minutes until he coughed up a huge blood clot then fell over and died. Thankfully he didn't run away or I would have lost him.
Rem 700 180 grain REX Bullet.jpg
 
I have real world experience.

.44 mag. Integral suppressor. Bolt action. Shooting 300 gr XTP .44 special. Super quiet. Ok for a blind Super heavy.

300 blackout. 9 inch Thunderbeast Ultra. Lehigh 194 bullets. Super, super quiet. Single shot break action, 16 in barrel. About 5 lbs.

For those who say these are "questionable" in lethality, I have killed about 10 deer with them. All but one were pass thru. They all fell within sight. The Lehighs are purposely lethal bullet designs for subsonics.

If you order a can right now, there is a chance you will get it in time for next year.

Air rifles capable of killing a deer are loud. Orders of magnitude louder than these rifles. Unless you suppress them too.
 
If you are shooting 40 to 50 yds max, 300 BO suppressed subsonic is probably going to be the least expensive and most quiet route. I think Ruger makes the popular American bolt action for about $530 already threaded for a suppressor. You can find an AR style pistol for about the same price, maybe more. If you already have an AR, all you need is a new upper and you can use your .223 mags. However, the bolt action will be more quiet as the gas escaping the action on an AR makes it louder.

You will need a suppressor. The TB Ultra 9 mentioned above is a great top tier suppressor and it will set you back about $1300 with the stamp and a 10 month or so wait, but you can swap it out on any firearm with a bore less than .308-.310. It's one of the most quiet on the market. Once you shoot suppressed, you will want to suppress all your firearms. There are many other suppressor options for a lot cheaper, but it's a pain to buy one and you will own it forever, so get a good one. Pew is probably the best place to start your research. Your ears will thank you for the rest of your life.

Properly set up, you will be almost Hollywood quiet with a bolt action. However, the punch is pretty much equivalent to shooting a deer with a .45 acp pistol, a 220 grain projectile moving at about 1050 fps. Placement is important but at 40 yds shouldn't be a problem. You can also shoot the 300 BO supersonic for ranges out to 150+ yards. With a suppressor, it's still not very loud but you get the supersonic crack.

The air rifles are pretty cool, but you will need a tank and access to a compressor to keep shooting. Plus, they are kinda loud.
 
A lot of people talk about subsonic not being ethical. These same people will hunt with archery equipment. A 300 blk with 208 grain projectile has just under 1000 foot pounds of energy at 100 yards. Yes you do not have the wound channels of a supersonic round but it is still a very effective way of killing a deer. I just look at us as archery hunting but with a rifle.
 
Good friend of mine shoots a .308 air rifle. Sounds about like a .22

He kills deer with it out to 100 yards no problem.

Only catch us bullets never exit, so blood trails aren't good. But it kills em.
 
Shag said:
I don't really care that my guns are loud. But that's just SWEET right there! Makes me want one! How does the 350 Legend compare to the 300 black out as far as KE when suppressed?
Click to expand...
The legend wins for ballistics, but you will need a 9mm rifle suppressor (less common), special mags if you are running it on an AR, bullet selection is much narrower, and being a new cartridge, ammo is not as common in stores. However, if you are hunting up north where straight wall brass is required, it's a big win.
 

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