What centerfire cartridges are quiet?

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Gdbyrd

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Looking at putting together a plinker. I really want something with a lot of lead, low kick, and as little sound as possible. Accuracy is important. I'm not going to be hunting, just goofing around, probably with open sites.

Do you guys have any suggestions? Looking for an alternative to a 22LR but with a much much bigger piece of lead. Right now I shoot anywhere from 100 to 300 yards.

I'd prefer to stay subsonic too. Do you guys have any suggestions on calibers to look into? I was looking into some of the 300/221 type calibers, but I'm thinking about maybe underloading one of my current calibers for similar effects..I just don't know if that's a possibility.

I need the low sound because around deer season I shoot in our camps range and people complain with anything over a 223, so I've had to cut back on a lot of my louder firearms.
 
What about a .30-30? The one I fired wasn't too bad.

Edit:
Right now I shoot anywhere from 100 to 300 yards.
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Whoops. May not be much help beyond 100-150 yards though.
 
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My experience is that any centerfire rifle is going to be loud. You may want to think about a suppressor.
 
Gdbyrd said:
I'd prefer to stay subsonic too. Do you guys have any suggestions on calibers to look into? I was looking into some of the 300/221 type calibers, but I'm thinking about maybe underloading one of my current calibers for similar effects..I just don't know if that's a possibility.
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Either of these is possible. The 300 BLACKOUT is a 30 caliber bullet in a modified .223 or .221 case. Similar to the 300/221 or .300 Whisper. It is SAAMI approved, which is the thing that sets this apart from the other "wildcat" cartridges that are similar.

With AAC going hot and heavy into this 300 BLACKOUT project, you have dies from Forester, Lee, Hornady, bullet molds (From NOE), and all that having a SAMMI approved cartridge carries along with it. Factory Ammo is coming out from Remington, primarily, and it is expanding every day.


There is a "new" bullet mold made by NOE. It's their mold #311. The bullet was designed to be loaded in the 300 BLACKOUT for subsonic loads.* Since you just cast it yourself, you can "custom" your load for expansion at subsonic velocities. If you get yourself a take apart can, like a Liberty Mystic, that you can take apart and clean, you can shoot it suppressed. It's pretty quiet without the suppressor, but really quite quiet WITH a suppressor.

The 300 BLACKOUT can be loaded with .308 caliber bullets, so you have a relatively wide selection of bullets to choose from. You can load subsonic loads in any of them that are 200gr or more and STILL cycle the AR action. You can probably load 175gr subsonic, but you will sacrifice reliability in auto loaders with it. You can, of course, use it in a bolt action. (Bolt actions are being sold by AAC using Remington Receivers and AAC Barrels.) AR style builds are available from lots of folks, including CMMG, AAC, Noveske, etc.

The 300 BLACKOUT isn't for everyone, but it's a lot of fun!

There is a section for the 300 Blackout at www.silencertalk.com

*Sorry, looks like the NOE 311 bullet molds have been sold out. He'll be making another run "soon" but for custom mold makers, that is once a year. (I was on the waiting list since JANUARY for this "first run.")
 
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I was thinking along the lines of the 300 whisper but didn't want to list it by name. I know that's one of SSKs rounds and I don't know if I could get that done locally...

I don't mind rainbowing my shots, I'm just screwing around. I just need consistency. With my 22LR I can consistently hit a 12" steel plate at 300 yards, it just takes it's time getting there.

Some things are more loud than others. If I could get anywhere near a 38special wadcutter type of sound that'd be absolutely perfect. I even considered doing that, picking up a 357 rifle barrel for my Encore, but I'd really like a bolt gun.

The suppressor is an option. For something like a 22 hornet-223 what do you think that'd run me price wise? Do they have a finite life?

I'll have to do some reading into the 300 blackout, thus far I've only seen a lot about the 300 Whisper but that's just because I'm an Encore guy and have had dealings with SSK in the past.

Thank you all for the replies.
 
You'll find the 300 BLACKOUT is very similar to the other 300/221 and 300 Whisper. The big benefit is you don't pay the "royalties" since it's SAAMI approved, it's like being "public domain." (The Underlined parts in my previous post are links to some sites to get you reading.)
 
The 300 Whisper, 300/221, 300 Fireball, 300 Blackout are all the same cartridge. The 300 Whisper is SAAMI and CIP as loaded by Cor Bon and others. The 300 Blackout is SAAMI.

You don't pay "royalties" if you buy a 300 Whisper either, no more than you would pay royalties one one marked 300 Blackout which I am sure is also copyrighted. SI Defense was sell 300 Whisper barrels for $145 last time I looked on their site. 300 Blackout barrels were $165. You can buy a 300 Fireball ER Shaw barrel for $220. http://www.model1sales.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=380 The 300 Whisper ammo by Hornady is the same price...no extra "royalties" there and is superior to the 300 Remington ammo which I have been hearing has poor accuracy with very wildly fluctuating velocities when shot out of a ACC 300 Blackout barrel.

I really feel it comes down to buying the barrel you feel will give you the best possible accuracy, whether it is marked 300 Whisper, 300/221, 300 Fireball, or 300 Blackout.
 
quiet

The one on the right....7.62 MicroWhisper.
Whispers.png

A 168 grain HPBT at 1000fps+/-.
T/C Contender, barrel by SSK.

Pete
 
Gdbyrd said:
I don't mind rainbowing my shots, I'm just screwing around.... If I could get anywhere near a 38special wadcutter type of sound that'd be absolutely perfect. I even considered doing that, picking up a 357 rifle barrel for my Encore, but I'd really like a bolt gun....
Thank you all for the replies.
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357 bolt action (shoot 38s for quiet, lots of non-pricey ammo choices in 38, and you could even chamber wadcutters one at a time)
there you go...
http://www.ruger.com/products/rotaryMagazine77357/models.html
 
You'll almost wonder if the thing fired when shooting a .45 acp out of 16" barrel. I'd venture the same would be true for some of the heavier and subsonic 9 mm rounds. It won't be a tack driver though.
 
357 mag loaded with trail boss and 125 grain molycote lead. Work dpwn to a cat sneeze load for your rifle. I use 38 special brass for my light quiet loads.

blindhari
 
To meet those criteria, if cost of rifle and ammo was of secondary concern, then my choices would be .458 SOCOM or .300 Blackout... in that order. I want both!!
 
Any pistol caliber in a 16"+ barrel.

300 Blackout/Whisper, or the big bore AR calibers. The 300 is viewed a lot as an AR-15 choice, but AAC is also offering a Remington Model 7 based rifle in that caliber, and I expect that it would be possible to rebarrel almost any .223 bolt action for 300BLK if you go to a gunsmith that can custom fit a barrel and ream the chamber to your choice of cartridge (since any .30 caliber, 1/8 (preferred) twist barrel blank could be used to start).
 
Z-Michigan said:
and I expect that it would be possible to rebarrel almost any .223 bolt action for 300BLK if you go to a gunsmith that can custom fit a barrel and ream the chamber to your choice of cartridge (since any .30 caliber, 1/8 (preferred) twist barrel blank could be used to start).
Click to expand...
You can re-barrel a .17 Remington as well, if you can find one cheap. AAC also offers barrels as well as their complete Remington Rifles, so you wouldn't even have to get one custom made.
 
What type of sound reports do you get from stuff like trail boss? Ive never used the stUff, but I wonder how it would work in a bolt 45-70 I have.

The 300 calibers look hard to beat.
 
300 yds subsonic AND accurate? Bullet drop is close to 6 ft. from LOS. 100 gr subsonic 22 is quiet, if you can find a gun with the proper twist. Try a 30-30 or 308 (load light) with a can. 300 blk has 2000fps which is not subsonic(~1100 fps). AAC doesn't show a drop chart on their web site. They advertize effective range @ 40 yds, but probably in mortar mode. Anybody here get god groups @ 300 with a 300BLK?
 
Rethinking things I think 300 yards is way too unrealistic. After mulling it over I think I'd prefer to keep it open sited as well, so that will certainly limit my shooting distance. I'm still looking for advice with trailboss. Very tempted to see how 223, 6mm, 45-70, and 243 sound with trailboss shooting subsonic. I've got several of those guns laying around that I'm not currently using.

I also recently acquired a 17 remington in a mdl 700 for 300, that may see time in the shop and become a 300 variation if I can't find anything worthwhile for one of my current calibers.
 
I use Trail Boss in my 45-70 as well as in my 357 Win Trapper. I am not sure just how accurate it is but for plinking off hand it has been able to hit coke can at 50 yds with great reliability. My best success has been with 300 gr lead flat point. I have cut a handirifle down to 20" barrell. I have been told my fun load sounds about like a light 38 special. My lady elk tag came through this year. I set up about 15-20" off brushy trail leading to a cattle tank. Bull came through trailing 4 cows. At 30' a 350 Buffalo Bore heavy went right out the other side of the largest cow. It hit a rib and just pushed it out a big hole on the far side.
Can't wait to take it varmint or hog hunting.

blindhari
 
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