Heavy Cast Subsonic Bullets (500 grain) Range Report

[Rklenke]

New Jersey is so small, if you fired at 450 bushmaster there, everyone in the whole state would hear it.

Facts. And they don't believe in suppressors. It only doesn't make sense when you say it out loud...

[Texas Sheepdawg]

One question, why in the expletive deleted would you want to move or even find it profitable to move to New Jersey? What kind of money are they offering you? Because I know that you could offer me $1 million and I would still stay in Texas.

[Rklenke]

Orders. It's only temporary, 2-3 years. Pretty amazing that the federal government trusts me to chopper around and shoot rockets and machine guns from the air, but NJ won't let me quiet down my rifle.

[Texas Sheepdawg]

Orders. It's only temporary, 2-3 years. Pretty amazing that the federal government trusts me to chopper around and shoot rockets and machine guns from the air, but NJ won't let me quiet down my rifle.

Roger that. God speed.

[Rklenke]

This is probably my last "testing" reply here as I think I've found a load I can make a bunch of that is accurate, cycles, and hits hard. For anyone that skipped to the end I'll give my whole recipe.

18" GLFA AR with mid gas, 1:24 twist. Rebel DFNDR 45 suppressor.

Lee C457-500 bullets cast either with straight coww or a 50/50 mix of SO and CO and 2% tin. Checked with Sages tall aluminum checks and sized to 452. Powder coated then sized again to .452. Seat to 2.13" and crimped with Lee FCD.

I got to the 100 yard range and brought some previous loaded either 22.5 or 23 grain SWBO bullets to run as a control and also loaded up loads of 26 and 27 grains SWBO.

23 grains 1128 avg
1112
1146
1129
1126
1129

23 swbo

PXL_20210307_213134470~2_copy_470x512.jpg (108.97 KiB) Viewed 5790 times

26 grains 1289 avg
1261
1285
1318
1306
1275

26 swbo

PXL_20210307_213231698~2_copy_483x557.jpg (115.7 KiB) Viewed 5790 times

27 grains 1355 avg
1346
1368
1354
1354
last round wouldn't chamber

27 swbo

PXL_20210307_213136975~2_copy_359x467.jpg (81.82 KiB) Viewed 5790 times

All bullets were fired from a magazine and cycled with a normal (H2?) buffer, no need to use a light buffer or spring when running suppressed.

I think the suppressor added a few fps to the 23 grain load from what I remember. I'm most likely going to stick with the 26 grain load, however, I'm going to want to see how they shoot in the summer heat as well. I'm always a little skeptical of the velocity and pressure on a cold range day vs a hot day. Either way, they are as accurate as I could hope for. Better yet, they have a perfect hold over in my scope from my zero with the 300 grain NOE bullets (link below). NO SCOPE ADJUSTMENT REQUIRED, 300-500 GRAIN. I feel like I've struck gold here. My 2 cents.

http://450bushmaster.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=16533

[Al in Mi]

Man that's gonna whack something hard when it hits!!!

great job, great report, great it all came together for ya.

[Zoso1979]

I've recently used some of the information in this thread to help me work up two subsonic loads to try for deer this season. I want to thank everyone who has contributed. I wanted to post my results incase someone may find them helpful.

The first is a 500 grain ACME cast FPRN bullet for 45/70. I resized to .452" and loaded them in once fired Hornady brass with Remington 7.5 primers, over 21Gr of Accurate 1680. 2.210" col and crimped to .473" at the case mouth. Through my Ruger American with Grinffin Armament Revolution suppressor, they shoot at average velocity of 1025fps and hold arround 1 inch groups at 65 yards.

The second load uses a 300Gr .452" Hornaday XTP mag bullet, loaded in Hornaday once fired case with Remington 7.5 primer over 11.8Gr of Trail boss powder at 2.120col and crimped to .473" these were 995fps and grouped arround .750"

I plan to try both this season to see which does a better job on deer. Anyone have a suggestion as to which might be better, and why?

[Rklenke]

I'm happy to see I've helped at least one person. Sounds like you got some pretty great results!

As far as the bullet selection, it depends on what you want from them. My assumption is that neither will expand at that velocity. The 500 grain will be slightly less stabilized, so it may tumble upon impact causing a good amount of damage. If you want expansion, swap from the XTP mag to the standard XTP. Both should have excellent penetration.

Good luck!

[Zoso1979]

I'm happy to see I've helped at least one person. Sounds like you got some pretty great results!

As far as the bullet selection, it depends on what you want from them. My assumption is that neither will expand at that velocity. The 500 grain will be slightly less stabilized, so it may tumble upon impact causing a good amount of damage. If you want expansion, swap from the XTP mag to the standard XTP. Both should have excellent penetration.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice to switch to the standard XTP. I hadn't considered that due to warnings about over pressure issues pushing them fast. But I should be good as long as I make sure to keep them separate and only use them for the subsonic loads. I can keep the mags for full strength rounds arround 1700fps.

I'm hoping an accurately placed subsonic round will perform well enough I don't need to step up the speed for hunting deer.

[Texas Sheepdawg]

What powder are you using again for those 500 grainers?