Thinktank on 444 bolt action

[Blr243]

Just in my blackout 110 v max with a bit of red dot. Just for cats and foxes if I’m sitting on a dam waiting for pigs And I have another proper rifle ready if pigs show up

[mickb]

ok nice mate, how do those go on the small stuff?

My fave projectiles in 44 mag for subsonics are the 200 grain speer gold dots meant for 44 special velocities. They will expand to 70cal as low as 800-900fps impact. Some blokes run into trouble running subsonics expecting high velocity kills but we wont really get it at low speed. Also majority of jacketed bullets in 357, 44 and 45 cal are designed for magnum speeds. And to further muddy the water some of the bullets with same brand names have vastly different velocity envelopes.

Eg in 357 the 135 grain gold dot is designed for 38 special speeds and expands well at 900fps. The 125 and 158 grain gold dots are vastly tougher bullets designed for higher velocities. Similar with 44 and 45 cal, especially in 45 cal blokes buy big bullets like the 300 grainers expecting great subsonic results but the bullets are designed for 454 casull speeds and do nothing under 1200fps. The best subsonic bullets I found in 357 and 44 mag were

357
125 golden sabre- expands as low as 850-875fps impact
135 speer gold dot- 875-900fps
125 Remington UMC(the one with the scalloped lead nose) expands around 935-975fps impact, in fact the nose blows apart into fragments.
110 Barnes Tac-Xp, expands around 1000fps impact
158xtp, its a high velocity hunting bullet but just the nose peels back to 50cal as low as 1000fps impact which makes it a nice little subsonic bullet too, also penetrates the best.

44
200 grain gold dot, expands to 70cal between 800-900fps
200 XTP, harder bullet but just the nose expands to about 55cal as low as 900fps. 180xtp is similar. The 240 and 300xtp are much harder bullets.
Barnes Tac-xp 200 grain, about 1000fps impact.

I found medium pigs lungshot will fall over in reasonable distance with the 200 grainers in a 44mag at subsonic speed, certainly a lot faster than a hardcast or non-expanding jacketed bullet. Again just dont expect the same effect as you get with a 257 bob

[Blr243]

I love reading your stuff. I have not yet tried the 110 subs on game. I still have a stack of those 357 135 gold dots I bought off u a while back. I still have my bushmaster ruger too I did shoot a boar close range broadside with a 450 bm sub. Can’t remember if it was an xtp or a speer .. I’m sort of having a break from the pigs atm , not by choice there’s bugger all on my new place I’m hunting. Been focusing on the dingoes. Mostly off my quad at night with thermal

[Blr243]

I have a new helmet mounted thermal for use on my quad it’s for my dominant eye. The left eye is unobscured and natural allows me to operate my quad and watch the tracks. Chose this set up because I want to be able to see more and miss less because it’s been hard useing thermal Binos to scan while riding my quad .. can’t wait to try it out. None of this relates to 444 marlin bolt guns but sometimes we gotta make up our own rules

[Billo]

I have a new helmet mounted thermal for use on my quad it’s for my dominant eye. The left eye is unobscured and natural allows me to operate my quad and watch the tracks. Chose this set up because I want to be able to see more and miss less because it’s been hard useing thermal Binos to scan while riding my quad .. can’t wait to try it out. None of this relates to 444 marlin bolt guns but sometimes we gotta make up our own rules

Be a bit hard on the old vision, thermal burn in 1 eye whilst trying not to crash the quad into sleeping critters

[mickb]

I love reading your stuff. I have not yet tried the 110 subs on game. I still have a stack of those 357 135 gold dots I bought off u a while back. I still have my bushmaster ruger too I did shoot a boar close range broadside with a 450 bm sub. Can’t remember if it was an xtp or a speer .. I’m sort of having a break from the pigs atm , not by choice there’s bugger all on my new place I’m hunting. Been focusing on the dingoes. Mostly off my quad at night with thermal

Nice BLR, what sort of range do you get the dingoes at your way? Im assuming you are running full strength ammo. What sort of range does the thermal allow?

[Blr243]

Probably 200 max metres if I have a good rest and it’s standing still . Early this yr I was cruising along in my quad about midnight with just my red lights on the front of th quad On the edge of my lights I thought I saw a roo but as I got closer I saw it was a dog standing at right angles to the track . He was just chilling not alarmed despite the noise of my quad. He looked like kid on a dirt track waiting for the bus to pick him up and take him to school. I think if I cruised up to him stopped and hit the back rack with the palm of my hand he would have hopped up and sat on the back. He was so dumb. And not a young inexperienced one an old one. It was bizarre. As soon as I realised it was a dog I thought I had no time so I stopped the throttle cut the engine and frantically grabbed my rifle and swung it onto him hoping he hadn’t run off Thank got for thermal and quick acquisition… I’m not joking when I say that when I cut the engine he was less than ten metres from me. Couldn’t believe my luck. Zero skill on my part. Right place right time

[Blr243]

Full strength 243 90 grains. Or 90 grains in my 270. don’t mess around with subs if I’m targeting dogs Sometimes 223.

[Blr243]

Full strength 243 90 grains. Or 90 grains in my 270. don’t mess around with subs if I’m targeting dogs Sometimes 223.

[Blr243]

Full strength 243 90 grains. Or 90 grains in my 270. don’t mess around with subs if I’m targeting dogs Sometimes 223.