Handloading subsonic .223
Blackfork is trying to develop subsonic loads for his .223:
I looked on the Hogden site and found a subsonic load: 3.1 grains of Titegroup and a 55 grain bullet. I tried 3.1 grains of Titegroup under a Nosler 69. It works, doesn’t cycle the rifle but it’s quiet. The gun kind of rattles a bit when it goes off. Kind of a beefed up .22lr. About six inches under the zero for my normal ammo.
As he said, a problem is that a subsonic 55 grain has about the same muzzle energy as a High velocity .22 Long Rifle. On the other hand a heavy 77 grain bullet will not give great accuracy unless the correct barrel twist is used. The Shooting Times says a 1:8 twist rate is the minimum need to stabilize a 77 grain Sierra MatchKing.
I look forward to following BlackFork’s progress.
More at BlackFork
Hat Tip: Snowflakes in Hell
You could spend a couple of thousand dollars on an AR rifle and reloading equipment, and spend countless hours developing this load … or you could spend a hunnert-fifty dollars on a Marlin Model 60 and get a few cases of premium high-velocity ammo, plus a “beater” used car.
Does the idea of subsonic .223 strike anyone else as a bit silly?
He has to careful when loading reloading rifle caliber to subsonic.
Make sure the bullet clear the barrel with each shot or bad things will happen.
jdun1911, good point. You really need to ensure the projectile leaves the barrel. A bulge in the barrel cause by a bullet hitting a stuck bullet will kill accuracy,
I should have proof read. I mean: “reloading rifle caliber to subsonic.” not “loading reloading rifle caliber to subsonic.”
I read many posts in the past where subsonic rifle rounds cause KB!. In one case someone die of it. Make sure the bullet clear the barrel before squeezing another round!