H&R 223 subsonic

[SdRemmy]

Awhile back I acquired a H&R 223 single shot for a price I couldn’t refuse. It was always my intention to get cast boolits to work in the thing. Even to the point I ordered a mold and casted some 75 gr boolits for it along with the 55 grainers I was already casting. I monkeyed around with it a bit. Tried some subsonic loads, tried some 55 grainers going at about 2300 fps.

They shot pretty alright. The supersonics really pinged the **** out of my lead trap. Then I let it go for awhile. I got married, moved, had a couple kids, tried to find the perfect Manhattan recipe . You know how it goes.

During my hiatus from this quest it was still on my mind. I had the barrel cut down to 16” and threaded for a suppressor. I was just about ready. I waited a year or two just to be sure. Then it happened. I got bit by the bug again. The subsonic cast out of my single shot 223 bug to be exact. I stumbled across some 55 grainers I had cast, powder coated and sized. I read some forums looking for success stories, I ignored all of the naysayers saying it’s just pretty much a 22lr. I got out a 100 pieces of the same headstamp of brass. I annealed them, sized em, mandreled em, trimmed em, belled em, primed em with a small pistol primer, and stuffed em with a few different powders. Trailboss, Titegroup, Bullseye, and Red Dot. I checked the oal I could do with these 55’ers with the gauge. I screwed a boolit on top and crimped it down. I dug out the chronograph and headed to the range to see where we were at. I shot groups at 50 yards first without my can on to make sure they were flying alright and not coming out end over end. Check. I shot some groups at 50 yards with the can on. With the can on they tightened up considerably. They chronographed at 1200-1300 fps. Too fast. But I was excited. Some of these load combinations were giving me single digit standard deviation. Things looked to be on track and were showing potential. I was not getting any blow by on the cases. After shooting the groups and chronographing it was time for a little fun. I shot some sticks on the berm. I clobbered some unexpecting dirt clauds. It was some good old fashioned shooting fun.


When I was done forgetting how much fun this was and needing more loaded ammunition. I gathered everything up and headed back to the reloading bench. I annealed the brass, resized, mandreled, belled, primed, threw some adjusted powder charges in them, topped em off with a boolit, and crimped em down again. Off to the range we go once again. Same procedure. Trailboss is now shooting subsonic averaging 1027 fps. ES of 13fps and an SD of 6fps. Accuracy is about an inch or a touch better at 50 yards. Hot dog this is fun! Titegroup, BullsEye, and Red Dot are still a touch too fast.

I’m giddy. Once I’m done testing. I once again gather everything up and head back to the bench. I repeat the brass prep and adjust powder charges accordingly. I get the rounds all put back together and I head back to the range. This time everything shoots subsonic groups, accuracy for all of the loads are all about the sam. About an inch or better at 50 yards and I’m happy. I could pick any of the loads and shoot 50 yards pretty well.

We’re cooking with Crisco now! Next on the list will be eventually seeing if those 75 grainers shoot.

[SdRemmy]

If I figure out how to attach pictures I will

[Larry Gibson]

My sub-sonic cast bullet load for my Contender Carbine w/suppressor having a 21" barrel is the Lyman 225415 over 2.1 gr Bullseye. Runs 1075 fps.

That same load also works extremely well in the 223 Barrel of my Savage 24V though it is not suppressed.

[Outpost75]

Good info from Larry on subsonic with a lubricated lead bullet. With M193 pulls you need to increase 1 grain to be certain of reliable bore exit. Accurate in 7" twist, short barrel.

[SdRemmy]

My pictures show what I left out.
Bullet-Lee C225-55-RF
Lube- powdercoat
Powder charge- 2.8gr TrailBoss 1027fps ave
Titegroup, Bullseye, Red Dot all 2.2 gr
Case- Wolf 223 brass
Primer- Tula small pistol
Price per 100 - $2.77
Accuracy- 1” or Les at 50 yards so far

[SAN14]

I get great groups with Titetgroup and Red Dot but can't get Trailboss to not string up and down the targets.

Good luck with the 75gr. boolits. I'm not sure the slow twists of the H&R will stabilize them especially at such subsonic speeds.

[Wayne Smith]

Why are you crimping? You are shooting a single shot, not a repeater. You don't have to crimp.

[Electrod47]

Following...[ATTACH=CONFIG]331758

[SdRemmy]

Why are you crimping? You are shooting a single shot, not a repeater. You don't have to crimp.

I bell the mouth of the case so I don’t shave off or resize material when seating the bullet. The crimp is just to return the bell of the case back to its usual size. There are also thoughts that a crimp helps with powder burn in these applications.

[SdRemmy]

Good luck with the 75gr. boolits. I'm not sure the slow twists of the H&R will stabilize them especially at such subsonic speeds.

I was wondering about that also. Only one wag to know for sure I suppose. Although with these 55 grainers shooting so well it’s not a priority for awhile

[10x]

Why are you crimping? You are shooting a single shot, not a repeater. You don't have to crimp.

The crimp changes the pressure curve
The faster smokeless powder burns, the faster it builds pressure, and the faster smokeless powder builds pressure,
The faster it burns
Consider the crimp on a shot shell a weak crimp will cause a low pressure “blooper”
A good crimp will release when the pressure reaches a consistent point and give consistent velocity.
The same is true of cast bullets and small volumes of shot shell powder

[Charlie Horse]

I do pretty much the same but prefer 700X.

[10x]

I do pretty much the same but prefer 700X.

I use Dupont bulk powder and data from an old lyman manual for my 37 grain 22 hornet subsonic loads.
Plain base NOE 37 grain , with powder coat. Gives dime size groups at 30 meters
And it smells nice too. Like the old Dominion "Whiz-Bang" 22 rimfire ammo from the 1950s.