Subsonic ammo at distance from a semi

[ScottMisfits]

How many of you are successfully running subsonic in a semi auto at distance? I’m thinking of distance of 300 yards for the CPRS out of a Remington 597 right now. I still hav3 some testing to do to see if it’s even what I want to use for this series or if I want to go with something like a Savage B22 to stay production class.

 

[chalkriver2]

I used my Marlin 795 semi auto , Dovetail to picatinney rail adapter , Cabellas Covenant 4-16 with Burris rings 40 moa inserts using CCI SV 40gn and CCI AR Tactical ammo for CRPS last year. I had to shoot in the open class only because I installed a Mcarbo trigger and spring kit. I had to make a huge cheekpad for the buttstock though as the scope set up was really high so it wasn't pretty but it worked well out to 400m .

 

[ScottMisfits]

I’m just wondering if the subsonic is strong enough to push out to that distance repeatable and reliably. SV and “hyper” velocity will have the push for sure. I’ve shot to 200 with AutoMatch quite a few times and past 100 routinely, but I’ve never tried subsonic.

 

[sk8snwmx]

Good question, I was thinking the same thing. Going to enter the CRPS this year (if I have time with starting a new company) and wondering if SV vs HV even if its NOT the best round for your rifle, but attains flatter ballistics to longer ranges... like say shooting CCI SV which is usually pretty decent out to 100 VS mini-mags which will have far less holdover or dial to 300. I guess its a balance. Can`t wait to hear others real world experience.

*edit*
but I guess if its less accurate at 100 then MOA states that its going to extrapolate out to even worse. Just need more holdover or elevation clicks...

also do people get buy with elevation clicks then ADD holdover after a certain point? lots of math problems...

 

[ScottMisfits]

Good question, I was thinking the same thing. Going to enter the CRPS this year (if I have time with starting a new company) and wondering if SV vs HV even if its NOT the best round for your rifle, but attains flatter ballistics to longer ranges... like say shooting CCI SV which is usually pretty decent out to 100 VS mini-mags which will have far less holdover or dial to 300. I guess its a balance. Can`t wait to hear others real world experience.

*edit*
but I guess if its less accurate at 100 then MOA states that its going to extrapolate out to even worse. Just need more holdover or elevation clicks...

also do people get buy with elevation clicks then ADD holdover after a certain point? lots of math problems...

You can get by with it but out to 300 yards your target probably won't even be in the scope. Added MOA in the rail would be beneficial at that point.

 

[emerson]

Fast non-accurate ammo allows you to lose points faster. You can never miss fast enough to win. 22 are very sensitive to ammo, and some 22 ammo has been proven to be far more accurate in most rifles, than others. Center fire bullets often go wonky as they transition down through the speed of sound. 22 would be probably be the same. Only way to know for sure is to shoot both types through your gun for groups at distance. That’s what I do. CCI SV has been very good to me in my bolt 22, which shoots far better than my semi auto did. As far as not having the scope reticle or elevation adjustment to see the target, that’s an optic problem. From all my reading, higher velocity 22 ammo just doesn’t shoot consistently enough for anyone’s precision game. YMMV.

 

[PGW Steve]

I've shot hand sized groups on steel out to 300 with SK STD Plus many times. I've never shot that distance with anything that has had to cross the trans-sonic range, that is never a good thing. If it's going to go subsonic, why not start there and eliminate the turbulence, plus the random distance the bullets are going to do weird things.

 

[ScottMisfits]

I've shot hand sized groups on steel out to 300 with SK STD Plus many times. I've never shot that distance with anything that has had to cross the trans-sonic range, that is never a good thing. If it's going to go subsonic, why not start there and eliminate the turbulence, plus the random distance the bullets are going to do weird things.

That's what's behind my thought process after reading this forum. However, it doesn't seem like people are doing this. There also doesn't seem to many people shooting extreme long range with 22lr either, only us crazy ones.

Again, I've never tried sub sonic ammo so I don't know what to expect.

 

[jory]

Shooting subs out of my CZ452 dialed in for 50 yards with normal ammo required me to hold over a bit to make subs hit the same spot. I can't imagine the arc you'd need to shoot to get a sub to 300 yards. It would feel like lobbing artillery.

 

[.22LRGUY]

The only times I reach out past 100 yards with a 22 is when I'm shooting gophers out west, and we've reached well past 100 doing that. I'm reluctant to say 300 yards because the one spot we've really pushed it..I think it was easily past 300...but I don't remember if I ranged it. (photo below) I knew how high we were shooting over to get the POI where it needed to be, and how long it took CCI Blazer to get there...made me smile nearly everytime. lol That stuff is supposed to shoot a 40gr. bullet about 1235 fps or so, so on the faster side of things. It's an ammo type the gun likes, so no accuracy concerns...but I guess my point would be that I'd have nearly no faith in subsonic 22LR reaching those distances with consistent results. Where distance and wind is involved, things seem to start getting strange a bit past 100 yards...probably owing to velocity drop. (in part, at least) I wouldn't think reducing velocity would help with that.

Like most people, I let the gun choose the ammo it wants to shoot. For me, priority is accuracy...but every gun has a job, so I may only test ammo types best suited to the application. Gopher gun=needs the most accurate, fast, economical ammo. Target gun I seldom use, and only in fair weather=pricier, top-tier target ammo for punching tiny groups. Barn pigeon gun~something ultra low velocity/quiet...so CCI Quiet-22 gets the nod as shots are close, and there are usually animals close by. Pin-point accuracy not req. So, I try to get the ammo to fit both the gun AND application, but I always insist that the gun shoots it well...or I keep looking. At times, allot of my shooting sessions feel more like ammo-testing sessions...because even when I have something good going, I always want to know if a different ammo type (I haven't tried) will do better!

Longest distance I've ever shot gophers with the .22, plucking them off that distant hill top...or trying to. Even aiming at the same spot, consecutive shots sometimes landed almost 2 feet apart due to wind gusts...so I punched more holes in the hill than I did in the gophers, but it was an absolute blast. Even hit one running! I was trying...but I'll call the hit more luck than anything else. lol I'm pretty good with the CZ 452 Varmint, but no miracle worker!