Help picking mold for subsonic 300 blk

[The_Hammer]

Howdy everyone!

I'm looking for a mold to cast subsonic 300 blk bullets for an 8" barreled AR15 and I'm not sure which one to go with. I like the price of the Lee TL309-230-5R but have read that people have had accuracy issues with that bullet. I'm also looking at the NOE 311-230-FN and 311-247-FN. I will be powder coating the bullets if that makes a difference.

I have only cast 45acp bullets so I'm still pretty new to all of this. Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

[Butchman205]

I very much like the NOE 198gr mould I have. It cycles and shoots very well out of a couple 300 Whisper and 300aac guns I have....and it also shot well in a 300aac pistol I had.


-Butchman

[The_Hammer]

I very much like the NOE 198gr mould I have. It cycles and shoots very well out of a couple 300 Whisper and 300aac guns I have....and it also shot well in a 300aac pistol I had.


-Butchman

Are you using the 198gr in a subsonic load?

[Butchman205]

Are you using the 198gr in a subsonic load?

Yes. Shake-n-bake powder coated with Smoke's powders, and sized in a Lyman sizer.


-Butchman

[Boolit_Head]

If you are considering them for hunting a hollow point version might be nice.

[The_Hammer]

If you are considering them for hunting a hollow point version might be nice.


This will be for target practice only.


I'm guessing "Smoke" is a member here who sells powder coating powder?

[Boolit_Head]

Yes he sells good powder.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?252509-Hi-Quality-Powdercoating-Powder-For-sale

[The_Hammer]

Yes he sells good powder.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?252509-Hi-Quality-Powdercoating-Powder-For-sale

Thanks!

[The_Hammer]

I'm leaning towards giving the 247gr a try. Any other suggestions before I spend almost $100? lol

[Moonie]

I'm leaning towards giving the 247gr a try. Any other suggestions before I spend almost $100? lol

I like this design very much, it feeds very well for us in several AR's as long as they fit the mags well and shoot well at super and subsonic speeds.

[The_Hammer]

I like this design very much, it feeds very well for us in several AR's as long as they fit the mags well and shoot well at super and subsonic speeds.

I have a few questions if you don't mind.

*Have you had to modify magizines to work with this bullet?
*Are you powder coating them?
*Are you using gas checks?

[Moonie]

I have a few questions if you don't mind.

*Have you had to modify magizines to work with this bullet?
*Are you powder coating them?
*Are you using gas checks?

1. I have modified gen 2 PMAG's, and they still suck. The gen3 (current) I've been told work. I use Lancer, they function perfectly.
2. I have done both but currently powder coat
3. My mold is plain base.

[The_Hammer]

1. I have modified gen 2 PMAG's, and they still suck. The gen3 (current) I've been told work. I use Lancer, they function perfectly.
2. I have done both but currently powder coat
3. My mold is plain base.

Thanks!

I have a few more questions, again lol.

*Have you used this load in a short barreled AR with pistol gas?
*What powder have you found to work best for subsonic use while still cycling the action?

[Butchman205]

Thanks!

I have a few more questions, again lol.

*Have you used this load in a short barreled AR with pistol gas?
*What powder have you found to work best for subsonic use while still cycling the action?

My best powder for AR carbine subs and short barreled pistol subs, is hands down RL-7.
The Lyman AR reloading handbook has LOTS of pertinent info on exactly this subject. I've got a couple copies...and if you need any published info from them, hit me back with a pm and I'll get it to you.


-Butchman

[scotner]

I'm leaning towards giving the 247gr a try. Any other suggestions before I spend almost $100? lol

I tried the Lee, then tried a modification to the mold to eliminate the boat tail. Still not as accurate as I wanted. Tried the RCBS 200 gr GC Silhouette. Never chronographed this load but the accuracy improved as I increased the powder charge until it was louder than I wanted. I decided to try a heavier bullet.

Now waiting on this mold: http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=31-240A-D.png
It has no lube grove and is intended for P/C only. The drawing shows a slight radius at the heel of the bullet but you can specify a flat base if desired.

[The_Hammer]

After many hours of research I decided to go with an NOE 311-198-SP 2 cavity PB (311365). Thanks for the help everyone :)

[Moonie]

Thanks!

I have a few more questions, again lol.

*Have you used this load in a short barreled AR with pistol gas?
*What powder have you found to work best for subsonic use while still cycling the action?

We have used it in a 8.5" SBR and we use RL-7 for cycling. I've heard 1680 works well also but I didn't have any until recently and I haven't used it yet.

[The_Hammer]

We have used it in a 8.5" SBR and we use RL-7 for cycling. I've heard 1680 works well also but I didn't have any until recently and I haven't used it yet.

Good to hear as I just picked up some RL-7 the other day. Thanks!

[Moonie]

With a pistol length gas you can probably use H110/W296 but I prefer to load to cycle in all of our uppers and H110/W296 will not cycle subs in my carbine length upper, although I haven't tried with the can since we got it.

[Smk SHoe]

Not sure the velocity you are looking for but I just tested out some 170's from Arsenal. it was the 30 HVTH1 mold. 170 Sliver. Shot and cycled fine with Lil Gun. Gonna drop the powder a couple grains. This Ar is mostly for practice. Had tried RCBS, Lee and NOE molds. Once PC'd the ogive was to far forward for my barrel. IIRC. this barrel seems to have a short throat. Thinking of using my hand throat reamer and lengthening it a tad.

[Moonie]

Not sure the velocity you are looking for but I just tested out some 170's from Arsenal. it was the 30 HVTH1 mold. 170 Sliver. Shot and cycled fine with Lil Gun. Gonna drop the powder a couple grains. This Ar is mostly for practice. Had tried RCBS, Lee and NOE molds. Once PC'd the ogive was to far forward for my barrel. IIRC. this barrel seems to have a short throat. Thinking of using my hand throat reamer and lengthening it a tad.

It would probably be easier to get a nose sizer from NOE and simply size the nose down to the proper size rather than remove steel from your barrel.

[The_Hammer]

I cast, powder coated, sized and loaded up 30 of theNOE 311-198's today. Using straight wheel weights they weighed in at 208gr.

10 grains of RL-7 pushed them ~950fps and cycled perfectly unsuppressed and suppressed out of an 8" Ballistic Advantage barrel. Over all I'm VERY happy with how everything worked out.

[Smk SHoe]

I would usually agree with you, but I have tried 2 different RCBS molds, 2 different NOE molds and a lee mold. Only one short enough to chamber was the NOE 155 HP and it was so short it wouldn't feed. Even had problems loading Jacket bullets over 150 grains. Not a expensive barrel so kinda suspect of quality of chamber and throat. Arsenal 170's are even seated deeper than I would like. Seating them out a bit more would fill the magazine better and insure proper feeding.

[The_Hammer]

I would usually agree with you, but I have tried 2 different RCBS molds, 2 different NOE molds and a lee mold. Only one short enough to chamber was the NOE 155 HP and it was so short it wouldn't feed. Even had problems loading Jacket bullets over 150 grains. Not a expensive barrel so kinda suspect of quality of chamber and throat. Arsenal 170's are even seated deeper than I would like. Seating them out a bit more would fill the magazine better and insure proper feeding.

What brand barrel are you using?

[Smk SHoe]

I'll have to look but I'm pretty sure its a no name knockoff

[The_Hammer]

Ran into some feeding issues which was solved by seating the bullets a little deeper. With the same 10.5 grains of RL-7 I'm now averaging 1040 FPS.

[The_Hammer]

183565

[The_Hammer]

Got them coated and sized last night.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161227/ffccc7eae713139ef33c94f53c11889c.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161227/338b0269ccc5d85c256529903dfc3cf1.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Butchman205]

That's what I'm talking about!!! Very nice!


-Butchman

[The_Hammer]

That's what I'm talking about!!! Very nice!


-Butchman

Thanks! That was my first time coating boolits and first time using an NOE mould.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Butchman205]

Thanks! That was my first time coating boolits and first time using an NOE mould.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You'll pick up efficiency the more you do it, but it's a great system and a great mould. You've got it going on my friend...your 300aac ammo costs just went waaaaay down.


-Butchman

[The_Hammer]

You'll pick up efficiency the more you do it, but it's a great system and a great mould. You've got it going on my friend...your 300aac ammo costs just went waaaaay down.


-Butchman

All my lead is free so my total cost is $0.127 per round [emoji6]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk