Subsonic 223

Closest you can get is to handload reduced loads. Data from the Lyman 3rd Edition:

55gr. Alloy slug 2.260"OAL
7.8gr. AA#9 1534fps.
6.0gr. Unique 1605fps

I've checked the Hodgdon, Speer, Hornady and Nosler manuals and can't find any other reduced loads, but I'm sure there's some out there if you look hard enough. Not sure if you will get them to subsonic though.
 
Reduced loads of Bullseye and cast bullets would probably be the best bet, not sure If I can find any data to back this up though, I'll keep looking.....

Nothing factory that's for sure, unless there are some military loads out there some of the CF guys could help us with?
 
Maybe those heavier 77 grains Matchkings and similar would help getting closer to the subsonic load. But that subsonic 223 will give the performance of a 22lr.
 
can reduced loads like said ones above make semi-auto 223's even cycle?
 
Does anyone sell subsonic 223 ammo?
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Yes.

Extreme Shock http://www.extremeshockusa.com/cgistore/store.cgi?page=/new/product.html&setup=1&ida=7&idp=0&his=0&cart_id=5765380.1456

TTI Armory http://www.ttiarmory.com/Store/

Black Hills - couldn't find it on their website but it does exist.

Engel Ballistic Research http://www.srtarms.com/ebr.htm

Is that even possible?!?
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Yes. See above

its called a .22 40gr bullet. not possible with that amount of powder.
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Wrong. See above

I've checked the Hodgdon, Speer, Hornady and Nosler manuals and can't find any other reduced loads, but I'm sure there's some out there if you look hard enough.
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You are not likely to find subsonic load data in any published reloading manuals. subsonic load data pretty much has to be developed through experimentation.

can reduced loads like said ones above make semi-auto 223's even cycle?
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Yes but this is a VERY difficult thing to achieve. Most subsonic loads will not cycle a semi-auto.

But that subsonic 223 will give the performance of a 22lr.
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Actually it is even worse cause a subsonic jacketed 5.56 bullet will not expand the way a soft lead .22 rimfire HP will.

Subsonic 5.56 is VERY specialized ammunition and not very useful for anything else. Unless you have a very good reason to use it, it is not worth pursuing. Subsonic .22 rimfire is much more useful and easier to deal with.
 
for noiseless .223 plinking where legal...

Prime case (Magnum primer for a bit more steam), lube a .22 airgun pellet and insert the pellet backward, nose first into the case....Plink!

Repeat as needed.....

WARNING....If the pellet is seated nose forward, the nose of the pellet might blow off, leaving the pellet skirt in the bore...:eek:

A single grain of Bullseye with a bit of holofill fiber pushed down on top of it to keep the tiny bit of powder in place will produce still more speed, maybe enough to place it in the short-range small pest category...:)
 
At sea level the speed of sound is close to 1115 fps. This will change with altitude and air temperature.

While the speed of sound is a hard number, the flight noise produced by a bullet actually increase over a range. This is known as the transonic range. Thus for the least amount of flight noise, subsonic rounds should always be below the transonic range. This is usually around 950-1000 fps.

This graph shows flight noise plotted against velocity.

bulnoise.GIF
 
You can get .223 subsonic but it's about a dollar or two US. Do a search at ar15.com and you should find it. Guys there use it with their suppressed ar-15's etc. It's kind of pointless though since it's just like a .22 LR
 
Still it'll at least require a change of the bolt, because there's no way a centerfire firing pin will strike a rimfire bullet, it'll punch a nice hole in the bottom...
 
22 LR or Long CB cap in a chamber adaptor for a 223 or any 22 cal centerfire rifle with give you a virtually silent load ( great for partidge ) while carrying highpower without a new bolt (the adaptor converts from centerfire to rimfire)
 
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