Fun with subsonic loads !

Trailboss really is magic for reduced or subsonic loads in rifle cartridges. I have a .308 with the big 247 gr cast bullet that sounds like a .22 short at 1000 fps.
 
"When all was ready I turned out the lights in the basement and opened the shutter for a timed 5 seconds. With the dark room and the camera shutter open, I fired the rifle. When the bullet exited it did set off the strobe light, but the strobe wasn't fast enough to properly picture the bullet. The bullet appeared strung out."

When I was at the CIL R&D lab we had to photograph muzzle shots quite often. Usually shotgun wad columns. Turned the lights off (indoor range), opened shutter of Poloroid camera on Bulb setting, fired gun which used chronograph to fire the flash. It was a very fast flash 1/20,000 as I recall.

That's about the strobe speed I thought would be needed.
Mine was more like 1/4000.
 
My 30-30 cast 175 gr. loads, five with poly tufting, five without.

180cast.jpg


10 gr of AL5, a forgotten powder that is no loner available, gives 1335 fps average with the tufting, and surprisingly 1355 without the tufting. Not sub-sonic, but he velocity is very consistent: 1350 without tufting , SD 7, shoots into less than four inches at 100 yd with these tired old eyes, glasses, and factory iron sights.

Ganderite, you have any idea why the tufted gives 20 fps less velocity?

The bullet easily penetrates 8" of green spruce. The more I think about this, the more I am tempted to give this load a try in the field. Basically, what we have here is a 22 lr with a bullet that is 50% wider, and more than four times the weight, a 30-30 lr. :)

Ted
 
Using fast powder is key. I experimented with heavy bullets in the 44-40 and got down to almost 1 grain of Bullseye when the bullet finally stuck in the bore.
BTW those heavy cast bullets fired into end grain pine at 10 feet still went in quite a ways, some as much as 4".
 
I'm using 8 ish grains of TrailBoss (still testing) and no hope in hell it would cycle the action on my M14 (I wish)
Because I think subs are so fun the idea of building a rifle specifically for subs has crossed my mind. The idea of a .338 bullet in a 30br case pushing a 300 gr SMK at barely the speed of sound seems like a ridiculous waste of money that would be fun to play with.
I don't know if that case would work as I don't know anything about what would make a good sized case for large caliber subs. Just an idea that popped into my head.

Derek
 
I'm using 8 ish grains of TrailBoss (still testing) and no hope in hell it would cycle the action on my M14 (I wish)
Because I think subs are so fun the idea of building a rifle specifically for subs has crossed my mind. The idea of a .338 bullet in a 30br case pushing a 300 gr SMK at barely the speed of sound seems like a ridiculous waste of money that would be fun to play with.
I don't know if that case would work as I don't know anything about what would make a good sized case for large caliber subs. Just an idea that popped into my head.

Derek

.458 socom is like that with a 500gr bullet but the thing packs a wallop it will turn as wild hog into a waterfall big slow bullets with a flat point seem to do this more over faster light bullets
 
JD Jones at SSK industries has been making the "Whisper" line of cartridges for some time. From Cartridges of the World, 11th Edition, referring to the 338 Whisper, designed to shoot 250-300 gr. bullets under 1100 fps:

Designed by JD Jones at SSK Industries in the early 90's, this chambering is the 7mm BR opened up to accept 0.338 inch bullets. JDJ's intention was the delivery of significant long-range energy from a low-noise rifle... With quick rifling twist, 300-grain Sierra MatchKings will deliver superb accuracy past 600 yards. Long-range penetration and accuracy are surprising.

He has several others in the line, including the 458 Whisper, shooting 500-500 gr. VLD bullets at under 1100 fps.

Admittedly, not practical for hunting, though.
 
JD Jones at SSK industries has been making the "Whisper" line of cartridges for some time. From Cartridges of the World, 11th Edition, referring to the 338 Whisper, designed to shoot 250-300 gr. bullets under 1100 fps:



He has several others in the line, including the 458 Whisper, shooting 500-500 gr. VLD bullets at under 1100 fps.

Admittedly, not practical for hunting, though.

thats plenty for hunting you dont need to push a .458" 500gr bullet much faster that will make a wound like you will not believe a nice open hole that will gush when placed in the heart
 
thats plenty for hunting you dont need to push a .458" 500gr bullet much faster that will make a wound like you will not believe a nice open hole that will gush when placed in the heart

My comment on "not suitable for hunting" was based on the use of VLD bullets, which I assumed to be very pointy and non-expanding. Now a flat-point .458 bullet at 1100 fps would be another matter.

:) Stuart
 
My comment on "not suitable for hunting" was based on the use of VLD bullets, which I assumed to be very pointy and non-expanding. Now a flat-point .458 bullet at 1100 fps would be another matter.

:) Stuart

yeah VLD bullets are a little pointy but a hornady DGS or DGX would work nicely or a wide flatpoint hard cast bullet hog/boar medicine right there
 
I'm having fun with 87Gr .32 cal lead in 8x57 Yugo Mauser.5.2 Gr of Promo does the trick but any less or more and I get shotgun pattern.

One thing worth mentioning is that I have to use fully fireformed cases for this load otherwise blowback gasses are a hazard to be aware of.

I think that goes for all subsonic lead loads.

Question:

Did anyone noticed any difference in accuracy/velocity etc when pistol ,rifle,magnum primers are tried with the same load?
 
Has anyone tried "the load" 13 gr of red dot - asking because I just ordered a set of molds for my p14 in .303 and was looking for good cast load recipies. I dont want to have to buy tons of different powders to experiment with. Not looking for subsonic laods per se.
 
I am planning a 6.5mm BR to shoot 140 gr jacketed bullets subsonicaly. The case capacity is around 35 gr of water but the bullet will take up 5 grains of that. I have no experience with reduced loads so I am looking for advice from those that do. I was thinking of 5 gr of Unique as a start. Any advice???

NormB
 
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Has anyone tried "the load" 13 gr of red dot - asking because I just ordered a set of molds for my p14 in .303 and was looking for good cast load recipies. I dont want to have to buy tons of different powders to experiment with. Not looking for subsonic laods per se.

its all i use for everything from my 12ga to most rifle cals i load for get a lyman manual even if you using a different companys bullet mold just sub the weight(or if there is not load for your weight use the data for the next weight up in bullet) and load to max OAL
 
Bluedot and 50gr Hornady VMax bullets make for a cheap and still explosive 223 gopher round that doesnt heat up your barrel like a case full of Varget will :)

There is a thread somewhere here with tons of load info.
 
Has anyone tried "the load" 13 gr of red dot - asking because I just ordered a set of molds for my p14 in .303 and was looking for good cast load recipies. I dont want to have to buy tons of different powders to experiment with. Not looking for subsonic laods per se.

13.0 grs. Red Dot or 16.0 grs. of Alliant 2400 or pretty much standard go to loads for general purpose cast bullet shooting in Military rifle calibers. Both those loads produce excellent groups in my M44.
 
Has anyone tried "the load" 13 gr of red dot - asking because I just ordered a set of molds for my p14 in .303 and was looking for good cast load recipies. I dont want to have to buy tons of different powders to experiment with. Not looking for subsonic laods per se.

I've shot "the load" in .308 Win. before using 110gr. RN FMJ .30 Carbine bullets. It was alright but I think Trail Boss and Unique are more versatile powders under the circumstances. If you only want (1) powder it's hard to go wrong with Unique. I like Blue Dot as well. 21.5gr. in .243 Win. with 58gr. Hornady V-MAX's is very accurate and gives consistent velocities in the low 3,100 FPS range.
 
Has anyone tried "the load" 13 gr of red dot - asking because I just ordered a set of molds for my p14 in .303 and was looking for good cast load recipies. I dont want to have to buy tons of different powders to experiment with. Not looking for subsonic laods per se.

"The Load", as described by C.E. Harris, the man who designed mould no: 90361, was 13Gr of Red Dot behind a 180 Gr cast boolit. This is not a new thing....read up about CE Harris. It is a tried and tested load that leaves the barrel at about 1800 fps and is quite accurate out to 150 yards. No gas check required, as far as I know.

If you're doing reduced loads, you don't need to buy all kinds of powder. By all means try Red Dot and Unique if you wish. You don't have to buy tons of it, just buy a pound at a time! At 13 Grs a shot, you should get about 538 shots per pound. Shoot until you're tired of it, then try another.

Me, I found my most accurate load to be 7 Grs of Bullseye, behind the Lee Soupcan mould (113 Grs). I love it in my 30-30, but there's no reason you cannot use it in your LE as well, as I have done so many times. Its the cheapest fun you can have with your full-size rifle|. The math works out to one pound of powder equals 1,000 rounds. Think about that for a minute. Lets say BE costs $30/pound. $30 for 1000 primers, 1000 loads per pound of poweder = $60 per 1,000. Like shooting 22s!

The only thing with reduced loads is : BE CAREFUL NOT TO DOUBLE CHARGE. 14 Grs of BE (or 26 Gr of RD) disappears in a 30-30 or 303 case, You will NOT like the results. BTW BE is one of the fastest powders out there. You do not need fillers of any kind for it. Have fun, be safe.
 
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