Anyone Loading .223 Subsonic

[phaedra1106]

As I said earlier I am, but just for my own curiosity and interest. The rounds I made for my friend were full length sized Lapua cases, 10gr of Trail Boss and a 150gr Hornady round nose bullet (which stabilises better at lower speeds).

[Dekers]

22lr 40 grain at 1050 fps gives you 97 ft-lbs. A 70 grain 223 at 1050 fps is 170 ft-lbs

 

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/136315/extreme-shock-subsonic-covert-ops-specialty-ammunition-223-remington-100-grain-asp-full-cycling-box-of-20

 

Now that could be handy for poaching

 

I have no issue with a heavier .223 carrying more energy but like I say......

.....just what sort of a twist do you expect down the barrel of your .223 to stabalise your 1080ft sec(ish) subs, which will be used to circa 3300ft sec .223 ammo?

[casts_by_fly]

I think a 9 twist will almost certainly do it. Some guys in the US are shooting 65-70 gr subs out of 9's just fine. A 12 might get there for a shorter heavy bullet, but not an Amax or similar. Consider that a 22LR will normally be a 16 twist and is fine with 40's at subsonic speeds, then a 223 with 40's an a 12 will be plenty stable.

 

Thanks

Rick

[Catweazle]

Will a .223 bullet actually expand at subsonic speeds ? If not, you could have a very quiet neat hole punched through a wounded fox. The extra energy counts for nothing if it isn't delivered to the fox.

[Dekers]

I think a 9 twist will almost certainly do it. Some guys in the US are shooting 65-70 gr subs out of 9's just fine. A 12 might get there for a shorter heavy bullet, but not an Amax or similar. Consider that a 22LR will normally be a 16 twist and is fine with 40's at subsonic speeds, then a 223 with 40's an a 12 will be plenty stable.

 

Thanks

Rick

 

Truth is I don't know, never even occurred to me to consider the twist rate for a sub sonic .223!?

 

Edited October 20, 2011 by Dekers

[casts_by_fly]

Will a .223 bullet actually expand at subsonic speeds ? If not, you could have a very quiet neat hole punched through a wounded fox. The extra energy counts for nothing if it isn't delivered to the fox.

 

 

That's why a lot of guys use cast bullets- they still expand at low velocity. I'd suspect that a V-max or big hollow point will still expand at 1000 fps, but that is just a guess. Either way though, people are using them to good effect (subsonics from big centerfires) so they are at least 'killing' rounds.

 

Thanks

Rick

[Catweazle]

That's why a lot of guys use cast bullets- they still expand at low velocity. I'd suspect that a V-max or big hollow point will still expand at 1000 fps, but that is just a guess. Either way though, people are using them to good effect (subsonics from big centerfires) so they are at least 'killing' rounds.

 

Thanks

Rick

 

A hollow point pistol bullet, designed to expand at lowish velocities is very different to a rifle bullet. A rifle bullet designed for "controlled expansion" at 2500fps must surely give, at best, "very controlled expansion" at 900fps.

 

Obviously bullet choice is going to be critical for these subsonic loads to live up to their full potential. Look at the huge hollow point and soft lead in a 22LR subsonic for clues.

[Oops Missed Again]

Sorry all but I didn't really want to get into the technical side to much, just wanted to know if anyone was shooting subsonic .223.

 

We sell more .22lr subsonics that any other .22 round. Why? Because it's very quite.

What are people shooting? Bunnies normally

So what if you want to shoot a fox with very little noise? Centre Fire subsonic would be the way to go (maybe!)

 

Since the initial post I have looked on a few USA sites and yes, surprise surprise they didn't let me down, they are into them!

So it might be best to load some up and like all queries get out there and fire some off to get proper results.

If one could get a 2 inch group at 100 yards I think it would be a useful round

Edited October 20, 2011 by Oops Missed Again

[phaedra1106]

I'd use the load I suggested earlier as it's fully tested and approved by Hodgdon, 4gr of Trail Boss and a 55gr bullet, should give you a decent case filling and around 1074fps depending on barrel length/twist. If you're planning to use another powder be very careful.

[kent]

Your starting all sorts of issues going subsonic with centrefires, over and above a .22 lr sub it aint realy worthwhile. Moderators and a small amount of powder burnt is the answer for fox earths and locations were you are better being as descreate as possible IMO. Use a reduced load in your .223 burning about 10-12 grns of powder and pushing out around 2000 fps (widely available data) OR buy a Hornet which can push a 45 grn pill at up to 2800 with the same amount of powder. Sure you can't take away the sonic crack but if you effectively moderate the blast it dont make no odds in the real world, my moderated Hornet is noticably quieter the HMR with a SAK - thats a fact Also 200 yds is far from difficult at the above faster velocity and full expantion

[coyotemaster]

In the end the old question of Risk/Gain must be weighed. There are a lot of variables as Kent mentioned. Realizing that it is bullet energy that does the job or doesn't, I would err on the side of more rather than less. If you reduce the velocity you must increase the bullet weight to retain energy, if you don't have a relatively fast twist .223 you are limited to how much bullet weight will stabilize.

 

The term secondary detonation is incorrect, the proper terminology is S.E.E.--OR--Detonation.

S.E.E. is an acronym for secondary explosion effect which is in fact DETONATION.

Not meaning to be rude but please be correct while correcting.