.338 Whisper + M1A?

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matchgradeindustries

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As I was sitting around mulling over all the various toys I can't afford right now, of which there are many, I started thinking about the .338 Whisper v2 AR-10s made by SSK Industries. Then, for whatever reason, I started thinking about M1As in EBR stocks, and I got to thinking about a happy medium. Supposing that one were to rework the gas system by reducing the weight of the op-rod, lightening the tension of the recoil spring, opening up the gas port, etc., can anyone think of a reason that'd prohibit a M1A action from being reworked to operate a subsonic cartridge?
 
I don't know of anyone who has tried it, but in AR-15's and .300 Fireball, the gas system length used to make it work is very short (typically pistol length gas system)
 
Right. I figure I'd have to turn down the barrel contour back to where I can put the piston head closer to the action, then adjust the length of the operating rod. Combined with some degree of tuning the recoil spring and playing with the size of the gas port, I can't think of any reason why it wouldn't work, so long as the bolt has enough space to operate and sufficient energy to drive it back without beating the back of the receiver to death.
 
The Russians have adopted several new rifles by running with this idea in their 9x39; by putting a heavy AP bullet in a necked-up 7.62x39 case, and adjusting the propellant to give just enough port pressure to cycle the rifle, they've now got the Vintorez, Val, Groza, and 9A-91 rifles in service.
 
Oh I know I'm not reinventing the wheel here, SDC, I'm just interested in utilizing a different action.

The .338 Whisper v2 is based off of the 7mm BR case, so it'd be too big for a .223 bolt face, Axxel.

And Leon, .338 Federal isn't inherently subsonic. I haven't seen anyone load it subsonic before, but I'd be willing to bet the Whisper, having been designed from the ground up for this application, would wind up being better suited.
 
Sorry about that, I read everything in your first post except the word "subsonic" :).

IMO a .338 Fed in an M1A or an AR-10 would rock the house, and rock the worlds of a few deer and more than a few wild hogs.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
 
I've been shooting the 30-221 and the .338 BR for a while and they are really neat. I've tried to get various guns working with the .30-221 and its not always simple or easy. The same could be said of the .338. You would need to move the gasport much closer to the chamber in order to have pressure enough to operate the system. Even then you may not have enough to run it when loaded subsonic. The M14 really isn't a good system for this round and the AR's are marginal. Cutting recoil springs is normally a bad idea for any tuning of the sort we're discussing. You need a certain amount of spring pressure to be able to push a round out of a loaded mag into the chamber and still have enough poop to lock the bolt. Cut the spring and you are reducing the reliability of this system. You need to make the system work without cutting any springs and therein lies the rub. With the AR you vent gas back into the bolt and have a larger diameter surface to work with. That gives more leverage. In the M14 you are pretty well stuck with the piston as it is unless you want to rework the whole mechanism. The tappet type setup isn't very adaptable. On the other hand a remington 700 is a great platform and with a good can its very very quiet.

Frank
 
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