30-06 Subsonic loads

[sharpshooter79]

Howdy,
Just out of curiosity, has anybody here had any luck making up subsonic or quieter loads for 30-06? I bought some IMR trail boss and I have the Lee C309-200 mould, thought I might try it out. Somebody else out there tried this out? Thanks!

[Jim]

I played around with that a coupla' years back. I used a Lee 311-100-2R and a coupla' grains of Bullseye to push it. It didn't make as much noise as a .22 Short.

[nekshot]

Sharpshooter, I mess around with subsonic stuff all the time just for kicks. I use only bullseye and trailboss powders. I slow them up until a boolit stays in barrel or I hear it hit the gravel between me and the target. Then I increase until I am pleased with the load. You will be amazed how little powder is needed to get a boolit out of barrel (after you remove boolit by hand) and how little is needed to increase the load drastically. Remember cast boolits only with lube. I only use regular primers but I do drill out primer hole a little and mark the brass for identification and put them in a container with notes of performance away from other brass. Some where here is a exellant article on enlarging primer holes( I think by Larry Gibson) if I remember correct.

[singleshot]

Howdy,
Just out of curiosity, has anybody here had any luck making up subsonic or quieter loads for 30-06? I bought some IMR trail boss and I have the Lee C309-200 mould, thought I might try it out. Somebody else out there tried this out? Thanks!

Yep, about 10 grains of trail boss with that rifle should be a good starting place. You'll need a chronograph to tell where you are. I've used 6 grains of TB in a 7.62x39 for about 900 fps. I think my 7.62x54r needs 9 or 10 grains for the same results...

Barrel length is definitely a factor.

[singleshot]

Oh, +1 on enlarging flash holes for subsonic use only, otherwise you'll set your shoulders way back.

[Ben]

In this particular " game ", you better be real careful that you're getting a bullet to exit the barrel on EVERY shot fired.

Ben

[sharpshooter79]

Thanks for the replies. I will find out more about enlarging the flash holes on my brass. Are you gas checking your bullets? I don't have a chronograph, been wanting one for a while though. Sounds like a good Christmas list item!

[sharpshooter79]

Howdy,
Anybody know where that info from Larry Gibson on enlarging flash holes can be found? I searched for it and couldn't find it. Thanks!

[nekshot]

Sharpshooter, I made a note from the article and he stated to drill out primer hole with a #28 0r #30 drill bit. I agree with Ben this is an area I only shoot single shot and always look thru barrel after every shot just to make sure. I never load more than 3 at a time being very careful with the powder. I never use gc at this speed. And I would never consider loading multiple subsonic cartridges in mag to keep from shooting with out making sure the barrel is clear. I have more fun at this side of reloading than any other but you must have a safe place because these boolits will ricochete like no others. It is a blast to pull the trigger with out all the noise and clearly hear the thud on the target.

[sharpshooter79]

I agree Nekshot, the good thing is that they're going in my bolt action not a semi. I can release and remove the bolt and look down the barrel for obstructions. This is going to be a learning experience and I appreciate the help. Thanks!

[nekshot]

This is more fun than a human being should have! These loads will seem like a loud pop gun but are still deadly. The other day I was shooting a sav 99 303 savage cartridge w/26 inch barrel (the first load was 1.3gr bullseye, the other 2.gr trailboss) and they both went thru 2 2x4's at 50 yards. this is not a toy. Boolit was lee 200. I simply deprime with lee tool and prime on same press, measure out powder into case and seat boolit with a firm crimp. I mark all cases with black perm marker and keep in a little can by them selves. I told my son if anything ever happens to me, he shall destroy all brass he finds that have black marker on bases. I feel that is as safe as I can make it.

[HARRYMPOPE]

Howdy,
Just out of curiosity, has anybody here had any luck making up subsonic or quieter loads for 30-06? I bought some IMR trail boss and I have the Lee C309-200 mould, thought I might try it out. Somebody else out there tried this out? Thanks!

6-7 of Bullseye will do it.it will be about 900 fps.Trailboss and the same charges will also work.if you drop to 2.5-4g of either you dont even need to lube them(it helps keep the smoke down when shooting gallery loads indoors).And no GC on any of the above loads either.

pic is 5 offhand at 10 meters with 2.5 of Unique (400 fps i believe) with a 150 g plainbase.But i use the load with bullets up to 190g

George

[dk17hmr]

I like trailboss for this type of load. You can see it sitting down in the case and it is very easy to spot a double charge. 11gr of trailboss and the 311-247 NOE bullet does 1070 fps out of the muzzle of my Remington 700 in 30-06. 9gr or 9.5gr would be sub sonic for sure.

Something with a wide flat nose (like the 311 Ranch Dog) moving that slow really does a number on rabbits and there is enough left for the pot.

[Larry Gibson]

Howdy,
Anybody know where that info from Larry Gibson on enlarging flash holes can be found? I searched for it and couldn't find it. Thanks!

Just deprimed the cases and drill out the flash hole from the primer pocket end of the case. A 7/64 is the minimum I use but prefer a #28 drill. #30 to #28 is the correct range. A padded vice jaws to easily hold the case and a hand drill easily drills the flash hole out. A drill press with mill table and machinist's vice make it a snap though.

I've shot lots of heavy cast or subsonic use with suppressed rifles. With your 200 gr Lee bullet I suggest casting soft. A 20-1 alloy works very well as does COWWs +2% tin + 60 - 70% lead. I use the GC on them as I've always had better accuracy with it if the bullet is designed for GCs. I then lightly TL with LLA, size, crimp the GC with a Lee .311 sizer and TL again with straight LLA. Suggest you start with 3 gr of Bullseye (no filler or wad needed). Tat should get you into the 500-600 fps range. Then work up in 1/2 gr increments until it just "cracks" in front of the muzzle. Back off 1/2 gr and then maybe tweek the load +.2 -.3 gr for just under a sonic load. You probably will find a "best load", sound and accuracy wise, in the 800-950 fps range.

Larry Gibson

[sharpshooter79]

Thanks for the replies and info folks. I'll get the ball rolling on this and see if I can make it work! Thanks again!

[nekshot]

sharpshooter, if your still checking this thread here is something i tried today. I took a 30-06 rem 700 and a standard(not drilled out) case and started playing with trail boss and lee 200 boolits. At .7gr I felt I was at the limit for getting boolit to clear barrel. So I dropped to .4 gr and boolit stuck beyond chamber. 5gr boolit was fruther out. 6gr boolit was out fruther. 7gr boolit almost cleared the barrel. I wondered why it stuck at 7 when earlier it performed perfect. Well I when to old rem primers for this experiement and so I tried a fresh primer and bingo, nice pooof and boolit was out.
So I believe primers can maybe lose some performance as they get older, I don't believe they do affect standard loads. Also I was amazed at the seal this combination made in gun. I would shoot, walk about 40 yards back to shop lift bolt and a little poof of air would come of chamber. This is my guns performance and you all are on your own in this venture should you choose to try it. 8 gr. is what I consider right for this gun for fart load.

[Larry Gibson]

I wondered why it stuck at 7 when earlier it performed perfect.

With such low end loads there is a lot of "grit" left in the thraot and barrel from primer and powder residue that doesn't get burned or blown out.

Larry Gibson

[nekshot]

Yes Larry you are correct on the dirt. I was amazed on the ability of the whole combination to seal the pressure until I lifted bolt handle. This is not normally what I do but I wanted to see how low I could go with traiboss in this cartridge. The more I mess with trailboss the more I like it for low vel loads.

[nekshot]

I need to clarify the measurement numbers in my post above. 0.7 gr of trailboss worked but .8 gr is best for this gun for extreme light load. My pain medication does funny things to me and regretfully I should no doubt find a new hobby.

[RU shooter]

I need to clarify the measurement numbers in my post above. 0.7 gr of trailboss worked but .8 gr is best for this gun for extreme light load. My pain medication does funny things to me and regretfully I should no doubt find a new hobby.
WOW thats low! lowest I ever went was 2.0 grs of Bullseye and that stuck the bullet about 2" from the muzzle on a 24" two groove , I normally use 2.8 gr now for super light loads.