Thread: Loading 7.62x39 subsonic from steel cased factory ammo

@Bill999 most aren't reloadable as they're berdan primed but for some reason the wolf ones were boxer and the small rifle primer size

This is a ‘one day’ plan of mine, got a heap of military ammo and some Trailboss and a bullet puller and dies so far.

Originally Posted by Bill999

thats awesome to know, I have heard forever that steel is non reloadable
Id be grabbing a bag of Roberts 151gr hollow points and a bit of trailboss if you can find it, makes for cheeper than buying bullets and they work well

@shooternz

Originally Posted by Bill999

I use 30cal subs for everything these days, in 300blk
It works well on everthing from turkeys to home kill bulls

shots need to sever the spine(hard) or scramble the brain(less hard)
I site for 30m and stick to that or closer for things that matter

because Im limited to how far I can see, closing the distance to 30m is hardly an issue
Attachment 195189

its kind of like bow hunting but they die on impact

@Bill999, Are you using cast lead bullets or the expensive subsonic copper bullets?

Originally Posted by winaa

@Bill999, Are you using cast lead bullets or the expensive subsonic copper bullets?

in my 300blk im using 190 subx
I have a cast 151 load Iv built up for both my 308 and 300blk that I use interchangeably
I still have a fair few boxes of subx and I used up all my loaded cast ones so till I sit down and do a afternoon of loading its just subx at the moment


I done a calculation yesterday, my friends 300winmag we sited in has more energy out to 1400yards than the 190 subx exiting the barrel

I did consider 300 BLK too but to get started I wanted to get into some low cost factory ammo, hence 7.62x39 before getting into reloading.
I did wonder how much I'd actually shoot it (compared to .22 and air rifle where I put through a lot), so possibly factory 300 BLK ammo might be the way to go too and build up a stash of once fired brass.

Originally Posted by Daniel L

I did consider 300 BLK too but to get started I wanted to get into some low cost factory ammo, hence 7.62x39 before getting into reloading.
I did wonder how much I'd actually shoot it (compared to .22 and air rifle where I put through a lot), so possibly factory 300 BLK ammo might be the way to go too and build up a stash of once fired brass.

nothing wrong with subs out of the 7.62x39 except when you miss you have to say "ах дерьмо" instead of "ah shit"

in regards to storing up brass I usually only load up between 20 and 30 at a time. the 151gr hollow points from shooternz will do the same thing at the same speed no matter whats sending them
Iv already used them in 308 & 300blk
I use trailboss as the powder to send them. If you had your own bag of projectiles and powder (and primers) Im sure someone would help you put some loads together till you set yourself up with a press

I've also been impressed with the SubX so far. Here's one recovered after passing through a wallaby's chest and burying in the dirt.



And here's a headshot. Small entry between the eyes. Blew the top open.



Obviously not the same as using a high velocity round but pretty reliable expansion creating a nice long wound channel.

Originally Posted by Pommy

I've also been impressed with the SubX so far. Here's one recovered after passing through a wallaby's chest and burying in the dirt.


Obviously not the same as using a high velocity round but pretty reliable expansion creating a nice long wound channel.

everything Iv shot with it so far has been a very convincing kill
Im careful with shot placement but I have zero complaints with it
strangely it hits harder and kills better than a 44mag at subsonic

Haven`t done it for a few years as shoot a 44mag sub gun now days but used to shoot the Chinese 7.62x39 steel cased military rounds at subsonic. Would pull the projectile, toss the powder and replace it with a measure of Win231. Poke a piece of toilet paper on top of the powder as a filler then replace the full military jacket bullet. Shot quite a few pigs and Red deer with them. Generally went for head shots as was a NV set up and could get close. If shot in the chest and as the bullets are just statically stable they tumble on impact. Generally they exited the off side rib cage side on. Deer chest shot would run but you would pick them up within 50 mts of where you shot them.

Originally Posted by Tasbay

Haven`t done it for a few years as shoot a 44mag sub gun now days but used to shoot the Chinese 7.62x39 steel cased military rounds at subsonic. Would pull the projectile, toss the powder and replace it with a measure of Win231. Poke a piece of toilet paper on top of the powder as a filler then replace the full military jacket bullet. Shot quite a few pigs and Red deer with them. Generally went for head shots as was a NV set up and could get close. If shot in the chest and as the bullets are just statically stable they tumble on impact. Generally they exited the off side rib cage side on. Deer chest shot would run but you would pick them up within 50 mts of where you shot them.

what projectiles do you use in the 44 mag for subsonic?
Im using fiocchi 44 special coyboy loads from gunworks and they seem like real poor performers

Originally Posted by Bill999

what projectiles do you use in the 44 mag for subsonic?
Im using fiocchi 44 special coyboy loads from gunworks and they seem like real poor performers

.44 mag has to go a bit slower than the smaller calibers in order to stay subsonic (the wider the projectile the earlier it breaks the SB)
At subsonic or around about subsonic seems to be the speed at which projectiles just don’t have the ripping effect of the high speed stuff.
I have found that it is just as important if not more so to hit CNS with subsonic .44 mag as with .30 cal subs or .22 sub.

Originally Posted by longshot

.44 mag has to go a bit slower than the smaller calibers in order to stay subsonic (the wider the projectile the earlier it breaks the SB)
At subsonic or around about subsonic seems to be the speed at which projectiles just don’t have the ripping effect of the high speed stuff.
I have found that it is just as important if not more so to hit CNS with subsonic .44 mag as with .30 cal subs or .22 sub.

Im just finding them less affective than the 30cal subs but thats probably also just due to projectile design
Ill throw a few over the chroni and confirm the speed they are going
really I just need to get over my straight walled reloading problems and make my own with something like robert makes for the 30cals
that or go to town with the drill and open up these cast coated ones into a hollow points

300BLK

Here’s a sow I shot last week with the 308win using 151gr HP cast lead from 7m, 2 minutes before that I shot a possum. Will use theses projectiles in both 308 and 300 blackout. I your serious about hunting with subsonics you really need to know the animals anatomy for proper bullet placement and need to know the bullets trajectory, also ideally handy is quick follow shots. I will sum times give the animal two more shots just to make sure it doesn’t run off to far. Running subsonics is not cheap as there is a lot of range work knowing speeds of every batch of ammo and trajectory validation out to intended distance.
Have tried 220gr round nose, 230gr OTM, 220gr and 240gr match kings and few others, the 1:7 twist I’ve got on my 300BLK is very versatile for running any projectile.



This is some of the subsonics I use, 208gr ELD-m, 151gr HP cast lead, Lehigh Defence 168gr Controled Fracturing and 194gr Maximum Expansion.
The Lehigh’s need a minimum twist of 1:8 and are by far the quickest killer on deer and pig on body/lung shots and I’ve shot some 400+ deer with them. I was using sub-x projectiles but I run out of them on my last trip, they are not that great on deer as I’ve had a couple of runners and lost them( no dog on those trips ).

Both top projectiles pulled from red stags top left Lehigh 168gr CF and top right 194gr ME



This was my last hunt with the 300 blackout but any fast twist 30 cal 308win , 7.62x39 etc would do the same.

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....hy-roar-81117/

Originally Posted by Bill999

what projectiles do you use in the 44 mag for subsonic?
Im using fiocchi 44 special coyboy loads from gunworks and they seem like real poor performers

Just use the Berry`s 240 grain hollow points. They are hard lead copper washed. Not great at opening up but cheap and I`m careful with my shots.