Can anyone tell me how much powder to remove from a shotshell to make it subsonic?

Has anyone tried H4227 (AR2205) in a 12 gauge shotshell - for subsonic loads? (That's what I have and want to use it if I can).

I use 8 to 10 grs of red dot or herco to get around 900 to a 1000 fps. I would try removing 1/4th first and slowly work my way down until I got the sound I was looking for.

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... try removing 1/4th first ...

Thanks p dog shooter, I was 'guessing' at around that mark.

The major powder makers, Hodgdon for sure, have shotgun loads posted on their web sites. Pick the ones that suit the velocities you seek.

4227 is a very slow pistol powder or very fast rifle powder... in shotguns like the .410 it has a place. 12 guage? I wonder. Again, Hodgdon, maker/marketer of 4227 has loads and takes questions by email. luck.

I would be very careful about playing with reduced velocity shotshell loads... There has to be enough "horsepower" in the powder charge to push the wad and shot column past the choke, or you are looking at a split shotgun barrel. Those barrels are paper thin anyway, and it doesn't take much of a restriction for them to split like a stepped on grape...

Just a thought.

I have played around a lot with sub sonic loads at 800/ 900 fps they don't stick in the barrel.

Yes one has to be sure one has a load that makes it out the end of the barrel.

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Yes one has to be sure one has a load that makes it out the end of the barrel.

Point taken! Thanks. My gun is a break action so it will be simple enough to check during load development.

p dog shooter, how much difference does subsonic make to effective range? Is there an improvement in pattern? Often the critters I am after are partially obscured by branches and leaves, making a hit by 22lr difficult. I am planning on fitting a scope to this gun (to be able to actually see the critters) so a tighter group would actually be a benefit.

I am noticing that shotshells are pretty cheap to buy (some of them) so I am wondering whether it would pay to simply re-powder factory shells.

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... 12 gauge? I wonder. ...

My thinking too. I will try e-mailing Hodgdon, thanks for the tip.

I loaded some low pressure 1000 fps loads had no trouble killing crows out to 35 yards plus. One really needs to pattern them in your shotgun and see how tight they are. I haven't found much differants in them.

I found breaking the crimp on the factory shells to be a really pain with out ruining the shell. Here in the states in some metro areas long barrels and sub sonic loads are used for geese to keep the noise down and the locals happy.

Thanks for that p dog shooter. That sounds just fine. I will be shooting up into trees and they do not grow that tall! (Not takinging your Giant Redwoods into account - the largest living things on earth, besides that underground mushroom thing).