300 BLK Subsonic Load

[Poppa-64]

First post but wanted to share what I have learned from trying to feed my Honeybadger 300 BLK 8.5" 1/8 twist barrel with a Thunder Beast 30PS suppressor.

I have been loading for almost 30 years mostly handgun and mostly store bought cast bullets or plated. I have only recently gotten into casting and only to feed the Badger 230 grain pills. I am cheap though my weapons are rather expensive. I load everything on a Dillon 550B or an RCBS Turret press.

I Chrony all my workup loads on a Beta Master at 700ft. altitude.

Lee Double Cavity TL 309-230-5R mould. Weight is listed as 238 pure lead, 95/5 230, Lino 220g respectively. My weight is avg 228g.
Lead is wheel weights with 95/5 solder added at 3% TW.
Lee 308 sizer die.
Case: LC-07
Powder: Lil Gun 8g.
Primer: CCI Small Rifle Magnum Primer
Lube: Powder Coat (tumbled in Chinese soup takeout and baked in walmart toaster oven) one coat with good PC paint.

AVG velocity is 982 fps with 492 ft/lbs energy.

I have not purposefully checked for accuracy but was surprised to find that I was consistently hitting 8in gong at 50 yard line with sight that was set for supersonic 150 FMJ. Rds are real pleasant to shoot and though not movie set quiet are not upsetting to unprotected ears. Wife calls them my holiday bullets.

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I make no claims that this load will be safe for you to fire in your own weapon. Load at own risk.

[xacex]

Welcome to the family! It looks like you did your homework, nice job. I have found lil gun, and H110/W296 to be a little loud subsonic. If you can find Accurate 1680 grab it. That powder is about half as loud. For Hollywood quiet try red dot, but I have to warn you it won't cycle the action. I am seriously considering putting a bolt carrier, and upper receiver on the mill, and making my own side charger upper so I can use the blackout as a straight pull bolt action.

[Poppa-64]

1680 is unobtanium in my neck of the woods. Did try the Red Dot for single shot, Trail Boss is the bomb for quiet. I'll keep looking for 1680 but I just love being able to pour my own 230s for pennies. Thanks

[xacex]

I have been doing some research on quite subsonic powders that will cycle a AR15. It turns out some have had good luck with Accurate 5744, and accurate has data on it as well. From what I have heard in videos, and what people are saying it is quieter than 1680. The problem seems to be the powder shape, and getting it to meter well. Anyone have some more insight on this powder? I actually can find it in several places online right now, but it is one of the expensive powders for some reason. Probably because of the high nitroglycerin content.

[Artful]

I use Accurate 5744 for light/midrange bullets and 1680/680 for heavier 200+ grn
- I am limiting my cast in my AAC Cyclone as its a sealed can and you have to soak it to get rid of fouling -
look up "DIP". Although I ran into a couple of 30 caliber can's made with Titanium that
disassemble to clean so I may regulate my Cyclone to my Rem 700V 243
and buy yet another can (it's a never ending obsession).

I see the Thunder Beast 30PS has been replaced with the Ultra-7 now - it's as bad as electronics

[xacex]

I use Accurate 5744 for midrange and 1680/680 for heavier - I am limiting my cast in my
AAC Cyclone as its a sealed can and you have to soak it to get rid of fouling -
look up "DIP". Although I ran into a couple of 30 caliber can's made with Titanium that
disassemble to clean so I may regulate my Cyclone to my Rem 700V 243 and buy yet another
can (it's a never ending obsession).

I see the Thunder Beast 30PS has been replaced with the Ultra-7 now - it's as bad as electronics

I guess I am lucky to have a serviceable 7.62 Ti can. But, I had to make it myself. Off the shelf cans cost to much. It is addicting, and I have my forms filled out for more, but have to delegate funds because 1000$ in stamps adds up. This last one cost less than 150$ in materials.
Artful, can you, or have you done a comparison between 1680, and 5744 subs through a can? I am curious to hear if what I have read, and seen on youtube holds true. Any issues with metering that you have found? I would just hate to order 8# of the stuff, and have it not work well. Ordering a pound to try now is just not economical, and no usable powder has been on the shelves for under 42$ here.

[Artful]

With my subsonic's I don't use my powder dumps - well just to dump close and hand measure to get most consistent powder load - I have no meter so all my "measurements" are subjective with my ringy old ears - I have found that video's don't seem to be an accurate portrait of what I hear
for instance I was looking at the numbers on my newest can AAC Tirant 45 cal and compared to my other 9mm can and when I shot them on my Inox 9mm they sounded the same volume wise with the 45 can having a deeper tone. One of the makers of the take apart Ti suppressors has a meter and I want to get together with him to test may cyclone and his Ti can with same gun and ammo - if it's at least as quiet as my cyclone I'll probably get his as his cost is under $500 for 18 ounce can.

[Artful]

Wife calls them my holiday bullets.

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I like that "holiday" boolits - now you need some orange and black for halloween and pastel's for easter - you just may get her out shooting all you cast up.

[Poppa-64]

Scored some 1680 and it is the cats eye. I just poured another 10 lbs of 230s and liking what they are doing. I was little concerned with SEE because the 1680 is so fine grained but at 11g it fills my case with bullet seated almost 75%. I'm trying to just get past 1000fps out of 8.5 barrel and it looks like it will be around 11.5ish, I hope. Accurate data shows max around 12.7 with jacketed rounds. My last chrony was 877fps over 10.7g 1680. Liked the 1680 so much I went back and bought the 8lb jug he had.

I am sizing to 308 on Lee can I be sizing too much? I want to size because I'm PCing and getting absolutely no lead and no copper fouling not even a hint of green or red.

I want to step up my molds from the Lee, they drop good but takes 20 bullets or so before they start looking really good and the top is galling no matter how much I lube it. Maybe need to polish the sprue underside.

Anybody have any thoughts I'm still new to casting but love that I can now shoot my 300 BLK for what 22 LR are selling for.

I would like ideas on mid weight cast (150ish) without gas checks for 1800-1900 fps.

[xacex]

I would not size to 308. In fact that boolit has dropped a little small for some so you may not need to size it at all after powder coating. The tumble lube designs lee does were designed to not be sized, but if you are i would do .309 at a maximum, and .311 as a minimum. Many guns will not let you chamber a .311 boolit, but you will have to try. Your accuracy will be better if you do not size down to 308.
For a 150 grain boolit try the lee 311-155 AK boolit. I would suggest you get a hot plate for warm up of your mold. If you get one with the standard element put a circular saw blade on it for your mold to sit on so the heat is even.

[Shooter6br]

I did some loads for 7.62x39 "Thumper" 200 g cast 314299 and 4.5 Red Dot. Also 11 g 4759. under 1000 FPS

[wlc]

Scored some 1680 and it is the cats eye. I just poured another 10 lbs of 230s and liking what they are doing. I was little concerned with SEE because the 1680 is so fine grained but at 11g it fills my case with bullet seated almost 75%. I'm trying to just get past 1000fps out of 8.5 barrel and it looks like it will be around 11.5ish, I hope. Accurate data shows max around 12.7 with jacketed rounds. My last chrony was 877fps over 10.7g 1680. Liked the 1680 so much I went back and bought the 8lb jug he had.

I am sizing to 308 on Lee can I be sizing too much? I want to size because I'm PCing and getting absolutely no lead and no copper fouling not even a hint of green or red.

I want to step up my molds from the Lee, they drop good but takes 20 bullets or so before they start looking really good and the top is galling no matter how much I lube it. Maybe need to polish the sprue underside.

Anybody have any thoughts I'm still new to casting but love that I can now shoot my 300 BLK for what 22 LR are selling for.

I would like ideas on mid weight cast (150ish) without gas checks for 1800-1900 fps.

I have a 230 grain mold from a group buy that ACE did early last year. He has since gone away from here and I have not seen him pop up elsewhere selling molds. You could put a want to buy add in swapping and selling for one of those molds. They are aluminum 6 cavity. I really like mine. It throws standard lube groove bullets at .310-.311 with my alloy. He did make another version of the same basic design just for powder coaters that throws just a tad smaller.

[Moonie]

RL-7 is also a great powder to use for subsonic heavies in 300BO, burn rate is in the same range as AA1680 and will cycle very well. Start around 12gr and work down/up till you get the velocity you want.