Does the ELEY 38 gr Subsonic Hollow Point Expand Reliably on Quarry?
Expansion is the entire design purpose of the ELEY subsonic hollow bullet. ELEY’s published position on the round is unambiguous: the innovative hollow-nosed profile is designed to deliver unequalled expansion characteristics, giving short penetration with outstanding stopping power, which ELEY describes as essential features for vermin control. The 2.46 g / 38 gr hollow-point projectile is not a round-nose bullet with a dimple in the tip; the nose profile is the feature the cartridge is built around.
That is ELEY’s own product positioning, and it should be read as such. ELEY does not publish a table of recovered-bullet diameters or expansion percentages, and no responsible answer should invent one. What ELEY does publish is the engineering intent, the velocity window the bullet is designed to expand within, and the accuracy standard the cartridge is held to.
What ELEY Publishes About the Subsonic Hollow Bullet
| Specification | ELEY subsonic hollow |
|---|---|
| Bullet profile | Hollow-point |
| Bullet weight | 2.46 g / 38 gr |
| Velocity | 305-317 m/s (1000-1040 ft/s) |
| Sound barrier | Subsonic |
| Published accuracy | 43 mm group* |
| Lubricant | Paraffin wax |
| Ballistic coefficient | 0.112 |
| Drag model | RA4 |
| Cartridge length | 25.4 mm / 1 inch |
*Group size is used when statistical precision is not required.
Why the Hollow Nose Works at Subsonic Speed
A hollow-point expands because the cavity in the nose fills on impact and forces the lead outwards. The pressure available to do that is a function of impact velocity, which is why a hollow-point intended for subsonic use has to be designed for subsonic use rather than borrowed from a faster cartridge.
ELEY subsonic hollow is loaded deliberately below the speed of sound at 305-317 m/s (1000-1040 ft/s), and the hollow-nosed profile is matched to that window. The published result is short penetration with outstanding stopping power: the bullet gives up its energy quickly and does not carry on through. For vermin control around buildings, grain stores, yards and livestock, that behaviour is exactly what you want.
ELEY’s other hollow-point, ELEY high velocity hollow, uses the same 2.46 g / 38 gr weight but is built around a low-antimony, soft-lead projectile so it can be driven to 344-381 m/s (1130-1250 ft/s) and still deliver controlled expansion and deep penetration. Two velocity envelopes, two terminal design briefs. Choosing the one that matches your shooting is the single biggest factor in getting the performance you expect.
Consistency Is a Manufacturing Question
Reliable expansion is not only about bullet shape. It is about every round in the box behaving like the one before it, which is a manufacturing controls question.
- Electronic propellant measurement. The propellant quantity is measured electronically for each individual cartridge, which is what keeps impact velocity inside the designed window shot to shot.
- Priming consistency. ELEY’s advanced air-conditioned priming facility gives a 75 per cent improvement in the spread of primer weights compared with other manufacturers.
- Heel inspection. High-tech inspection of the critical heel area of every bullet.
- Batch testing. ELEY tests 200 rounds from every batch across four different firearm brands, under Six Sigma methodology and high-speed electronic visual inspection.
Velocity consistency is expansion consistency. A hollow-point that arrives at the same speed every time expands the same way every time.
What Affects Expansion in the Field
Three variables sit outside ELEY’s factory and inside your control:
- Impact velocity. A subsonic bullet is slowing from the moment it leaves the muzzle, so the further the shot, the less energy is available to open the nose. ELEY publishes a trajectory chart for subsonic hollow zeroed at 100 yards; use it alongside your own testing.
- Shot placement. No expanding bullet compensates for a poor strike. This is where ELEY’s positioning of subsonic hollow as a hunting cartridge with target shooting accuracy matters: the cartridge is built to be placed precisely.
- Your rifle. Barrel length, twist and condition all influence the velocity a given lot actually produces in your rifle, rather than in a proof barrel. ELEY subsonic hollow is designed for standard rifle barrel lengths. Confirm the mechanical side too: ELEY’s ideal strike depth is 0.012-0.015 in and recommended headspace 0.040-0.041 in, because consistent ignition is where consistent velocity begins.
ELEY ammunition is supplied in 50-round boxes, 500-round bricks and 5,000-round outer cases. Stockists are listed at eley.co.uk/retailers.
Where to Find Published Proof Data
The free Lot Analyser at eleyxshot.com now carries all lots for ELEY tenex, ELEY tenex pistol, ELEY tenex biathlon, ELEY tenex rapid fire pistol, ELEY match, ELEY semi-auto .22LR benchrest precision, ELEY ultra and ELEY club. ELEY subsonic hollow is not part of that data set, so the useful evidence for a hunting round is the evidence you generate: shoot two or three lots over the same target at your normal quarry distance and record what each one does.
The Bottom Line
Yes. Expansion is what the ELEY subsonic hollow bullet exists to do. ELEY’s published position is that the innovative hollow-nosed profile is designed for unequalled expansion characteristics, with short penetration and outstanding stopping power that ELEY calls essential for vermin control, in a cartridge ELEY describes as one of the quietest and most accurate subsonic rounds on the market.
Keep the shot inside the velocity envelope the bullet was designed for and place it precisely. If you want the harder-hitting alternative with controlled expansion and deep penetration, ELEY high velocity hollow is the same bullet weight in a faster load.