I have been shooting 300 whispers for 12 years and the new 300 blackout for a year. The cases are so close they are basically the same. I have been loading subsonic for the whisper/300 Blackout forever and having a ball shooting supressed subsonic rounds. I bought a 16 inch barrell .308 Winchester that is at the smith's getting threaded for my Suppressor. I bought some 170 gr round nose 30/30 bullets and a can of Trail Boss that I feel will work nice for subsonic loads. Does anyone have experience with Trail Boss and .308 Winchchesters?
subsonic .308 winchester load
- Thread starter martineta
- Start date
I don't, but I doubt you'll have any problems finding a sub sonic load with 170's and Trail Boss. I just started playing with Trail Boss in my 35 Whelen with 158 gr XTP's (I needed something to do while I waited for the 225 AB's to arrive). I found a pretty accurate load at 14.5 gr that is right around the speed of sound. With a smaller case and heavier bullet I think you will easily find what you're looking for.
FWIW I've played with trailboss quite a bit. I've loaded up 308. '06; 300 win mag, 30-30. I got good accuracy with bullets that don't have alot of brg area. In short one of the most accurate bullets was the 110 v max. It seems like the longer jacketed bullets get more finicky and less consistant the slower you load them.
I'm not sure what kind of load density you'll have to go to to get that slow with the 308. If you get there accurately I'd sure like to hear about it. I'm thinking (but not sure) to go that slow you might be better off with a lead bullet. Another bullet that comes to mind that might work really good would be one like a thinly plated bullet like Berry's mfg.
I'm not sure what kind of load density you'll have to go to to get that slow with the 308. If you get there accurately I'd sure like to hear about it. I'm thinking (but not sure) to go that slow you might be better off with a lead bullet. Another bullet that comes to mind that might work really good would be one like a thinly plated bullet like Berry's mfg.
- Thread starter
- #5
I have been reloading subsonic for 12 years and always with single shot contenders and encores. So far no stuck bullets but if I dont hear a bullet strike the target, ( or deer ). I look down the barrel to make sure a bullet is not stuck in there. Kraky1 is correct that cast are more slippery than plated, Some of my suppressor buddies that shoot alot use cast bullets with gas checks exclusively. Heck of a lot cheaper than 220 gr sierra matchkings. Ouch.
I've shot unique with some 180 gr spitzers somebody gave me in my 7.5 swiss. Similar cartridge size, you should be able to work from there. Lyman has Unique data for .308 and it seems to work fairly well in severely reduced loads. I wasn't quite subsonic but pretty close. I won't quote the load as it isn't booked anywhere. I used some polyester pile for wadding to keep the powder in position. Really mucked up the bore though.
Also once got my hands on some Soviet era X54R low vel/subsonic ammo. Was loaded in a very soft brass case, appeared to have the same bullet as 7N1 sniper ammo but was subsonic in a paratrooper model SVD, slightly super in a standard model. Action had to be cycled manually but was accurate to 300 m on par with 7N1 ammo albeit with a different trajectory. You should be able to get similar results with 7.62 NATO with some careful experimentation.
Trail boss, unique and Red Dot should be strong canidates.
Also once got my hands on some Soviet era X54R low vel/subsonic ammo. Was loaded in a very soft brass case, appeared to have the same bullet as 7N1 sniper ammo but was subsonic in a paratrooper model SVD, slightly super in a standard model. Action had to be cycled manually but was accurate to 300 m on par with 7N1 ammo albeit with a different trajectory. You should be able to get similar results with 7.62 NATO with some careful experimentation.
Trail boss, unique and Red Dot should be strong canidates.
Woodycreek
Handloader
- Aug 2, 2007
- 2,240
- 0
Been kicking around the idea of Trailboss and the 208 Amax. Anybody tried that combo?
After testing several different combinations, I found that 10.5 gr Trail Boss with the 208 AMAX shot about 1" at 75 yards in my 20" Savage .308 with 1 in 10 twist. Speed averaged 1030 fps. The group opened up at 10.0 and 11.0, but velocities only changed about 30 fps.
I had previously tried some 180 gr SP that shot pretty well with the same powder loading, but did not chrono them. I also tried Speer 200 gr, but got fliers. I think those may have been due to marginal stabilization, but none key holed, so not sure.
There is some info posted at Texas Hunting Forum if you search.
I had previously tried some 180 gr SP that shot pretty well with the same powder loading, but did not chrono them. I also tried Speer 200 gr, but got fliers. I think those may have been due to marginal stabilization, but none key holed, so not sure.
There is some info posted at Texas Hunting Forum if you search.
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 5
My favorite pet, an eight year old female tabby cat was just eaten by two male racoons this past weekend. She has been with me through thick and thin her entire life, plus all of our neighbors have lost cats to raccons in this neighborhood over the past several years.
I have (4) 75 watt halogen floodlights in the back of the house to protect our dog and cats from racoons. These light illuminate the back yard, the woods behind the house and are fairly effective at night. However this cat was taken in the early morning.
I have killed one racoon (a large male) with a .243 Win, 80 grain load a couple years ago in the back of the yard but it makes too much noise and upsets the neighbors. I have been fooling around with TiteGroup loads (15 grains) at about 1500 fps in the .338 Federal. This load, with a 180 grain Ballistic Tip would be a low noise (less than a .22WMF) load for killing coons without shaking up the neighbors too much. Although they have lost as many cats as I have, they just seem to shrug it off.
I am thinking that this load would have sufficient diameter and velocity to ruin a coon's day and keep the neighbor's complaints down as well. Has anyone else here messed with low velocity TiteGroup loads for medium calibers and what are your experiences?
I have (4) 75 watt halogen floodlights in the back of the house to protect our dog and cats from racoons. These light illuminate the back yard, the woods behind the house and are fairly effective at night. However this cat was taken in the early morning.
I have killed one racoon (a large male) with a .243 Win, 80 grain load a couple years ago in the back of the yard but it makes too much noise and upsets the neighbors. I have been fooling around with TiteGroup loads (15 grains) at about 1500 fps in the .338 Federal. This load, with a 180 grain Ballistic Tip would be a low noise (less than a .22WMF) load for killing coons without shaking up the neighbors too much. Although they have lost as many cats as I have, they just seem to shrug it off.
I am thinking that this load would have sufficient diameter and velocity to ruin a coon's day and keep the neighbor's complaints down as well. Has anyone else here messed with low velocity TiteGroup loads for medium calibers and what are your experiences?
- Thread starter
- #10
I might have found the .308 load I was looking for.
Winchester Brass, (its what I already had sized and primed)
CCI BR-2 primers
10 gr Trail Boss
Sierra 30/30 170 gr bullet
COL = 2.530
Velocity 5 shot average 1049 fps.
Extreme spread was 14 FPS.
No Keyholing at 25 yards.
Almost zero recoil
Noise without suppressor at most 22 lr
With Suppressor Hollywood Quiet
Rifle Thompson Center Encore 16 1/4 inch barrel.
Sunday I will take it to the range to test accuracy at 50 and 100 yds.
Winchester Brass, (its what I already had sized and primed)
CCI BR-2 primers
10 gr Trail Boss
Sierra 30/30 170 gr bullet
COL = 2.530
Velocity 5 shot average 1049 fps.
Extreme spread was 14 FPS.
No Keyholing at 25 yards.
Almost zero recoil
Noise without suppressor at most 22 lr
With Suppressor Hollywood Quiet
Rifle Thompson Center Encore 16 1/4 inch barrel.
Sunday I will take it to the range to test accuracy at 50 and 100 yds.
That sounds pretty cool! Man, I might have to give that a whirl. Talk about a low recoil load for the kids to have fun with. I am really thinking about giving this a whirl!
Charlie, let me know how you make out. Might try it with the 358 Win and Pistol bullets. That would be another fun one. Never thought of trying it, but I think it would be the ultimate plinkers for offhand practice for my boy and daughter.
Charlie, let me know how you make out. Might try it with the 358 Win and Pistol bullets. That would be another fun one. Never thought of trying it, but I think it would be the ultimate plinkers for offhand practice for my boy and daughter.
BeeTee
Handloader
- Jul 27, 2011
- 400
- 0
Oldtrader3":19ctsa7n said:
My daughter lost her 8 year old tabby to an animal a year ago this month. She was devastated. We initially thought it was a Great Horned Owl, which are in the area, but perhaps it was a raccoon - we have those in the area too. Raccoons raid our plum trees every late summer, and area gardens are raided throughout the summer. I've only ever seen one once in the 32 years we've lived here. Don't know where they go during the day. Daughter's a shooter, and I mentioned your story to her a few minutes ago... I think an accurate 22LR with subsonic target ammo would do a great job. Wait till the plums are ripe, then sit out one night with night vision... :wink:
I've shot quite a lot of GC'ed cast bullets in a variety of centerfire rifle cartridges. It's pretty easy to get reasonably accurate loads that shoot subsonic. A side benefit is the polishing of the bore from shooting cast bullets. I owned a custom-barreled Rem 721 in 300WBY once that I put about a thousand cast bullets through. This rifle had a very shiny bore that never copper fouled after shooting jacketed bullets at max velocity.
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 5
Thanks, guys. BeeTee sorry about your daughter's cat. I have a .22 lr and .22WMF rifle that I can use for coons. I have found that they can be hard to kill unless I can shoot them in the head. We have several around in the woods here locally and the occasional coyote as well. I will also do some more work on the .338 Federal and keep you posted. Initial results appeared accurate and deadly at 25 yards.
Subsonic Aguila 22lr from a sporter length barrel will effectively dispatch up to adult coyotes with a proper head shot. I've killed thousands on the trapline with that load from a ruger pistol and some with the rifle. If you want to load 'em up for fun, go for it but you don't need to get that complicated. There are also .32 acp inserts for .308 available. Used to use it when I lived in the trailer park. Now I live where I can hammer away with the .280, PSL, M1 Garand or whatever vermin exterminator suits my fancy.Oldtrader3":8ea4rivr said:
