looking for some 223 subsonic loads to shoot in my suppressed ar. Engel ballistic research makes some great 63 gr loads that will cycle the action in a semi auto but they cost over $1 a shot.

anybody have an luck reloading 223 subsonic?

anybody?

You haven't just tried to build a load on your own?

since most 223 load start at or about 20 grs I would start at 15 grs of your favorite powder and go from there. Use the heaviest bullet your rifle will stabilize. Chrono as you go to try an get a load below 1100 fps.
I'd be surprised if it actually cycled the action though As the EBR web site says it won't

look to the lyman books for some cast bullet loads.
unique and that sort of powders.

i want to do some research b4 i start loading, ebr has a video of a full auto m4 shooting 5.56 subsonic ammo - idk if that is a special gun or what.

Get a 300 Whisper or 300/.221.

Old farmer brown will love you for knocking down the population in his cornfield. Propably a good idea to get a Fish & Game permit for a depredation cull first.

quote:

anybody?

Actually, yes. I had a very simple and small suppressor on my mini-14. With subsonic loads, all one heard was the fall of the hammer. Accuracy was OK. I tried GC-less cast bullets which worked fine up to a certain load level then groups opened up. GC cast bullets took it up to the next level but as the velocity approached the sound barrier, accuracy went south and noise levels went up. I was using a Unique type of 'small pistol' powder and RCBS 55gr FN cast bullets.

Forget cycling with 'small pistol' powders. Using slower powders and a heavier bullet might work but I haven't tried it. I do know that slower powders in my rifle caused an excessivly vigorous ejection requiring a smaller gas port nipple thing. On the other side, faster powders produced the velocity without cycling the action (the action would open about 3/4 and close again).

Don't forget to take the supressor off the rifle as you work up loads until you are sure they are stable. If they don't stablize in your barrel then there is a good chance they will hit the supressor on their way out.

quote:

If they don't stablize in your barrel then there is a good chance they will hit the supressor on their way out.

Mmmm... that's a thought!

My suppressors don't overhang the barrel much so I wouldn't have that problem anyway but I wouldn't expect an unstable bullet to have enough yaw at or near the muzzle to actually contact a baffle. I wouldn't expect the bullet to be unstable either but then I wouldn't try a boat tail - although I did once. Not subsonic. These were hitting sideways (almost) at 15yds but still missed the baffles. (Short suppressor design).

Any updates on this? I have some 'extreme shock' ammo that will cycle perfectly but I don't like the bullet and accuracy is terrable. I have a supply of 90grn pills...just what powder??? Extreme shock looks like Vihtavuori N160...and try buying that in the third world...

If you have a load you want, and your load will open the rotory bolt but not cycle the bolt to eject or pick up the next round, then consider the following:

Buy a separate (dedicated) buffer spring, take a pair of good side cutters, and ..... a coil at a time until your bolt cycles.

Please note that at no time have I advocated cutting your buffer spring.

Also note that cutting a buffer spring and then returning to full strength rounds without changing back to a full buffer spring could/would become extremely ugly very quickly.

thanks rc

This is something most people recommend against, including manufacturers...I was one of those obsessed with finding sub-sonic loads for my R-15, but nothing worked properly, had too many jams and one stuck in the barrel...never again.

All things are just about possible. That there is factory ammo that will achieve this is proof...but you need a) a very heavy bullet of marginal stability. b) an over size bullet -.228" bullets designed for the .22 savage work well and c) a really slow burning progressive powder. A combination of all three will give you a low breach pressure but enough port pressure to cycle the action and enough residual pressure to ensure that a bullet never gets stuck in the barrel.