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Loads for subsonic 7.62x39 - Ideas?

3K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  HotGuns 
#1 ·
Let me start with saying this: I know the whole “do not try this at home, only ever use loads in published manuals, you aren’t responsible for anything I do based on any of your input” speech. Fair enough.

Interested in trying to load up some subsonic 7.62x39 for my AK. I have a Silencerco Omega 300 that is pretty fun on it, and it cycles great with the Brown Bear 196gr factory subsonic ammo. It actually even cycled without the back pressure from the can, I was pretty shocked.

Recently, I was on the ACME Bullet website, and saw they had coated .310 bullets for 300blk, in some crazy heavy weights, both 245gr and 265gr. The things look like a red Crayon they are so long! Has me interested in this as a little project for fun.

Really my only two goals would be that the gun cycles and the bullet is subsonic out of the 16” barrel. This would be entirely for fun, no interest in any type of serious use for it.

What types of powders would be good to try out? Per the Hodgdon website, with 300blk and a 230gr bullet, they use the obvious choices for powders that you would use for the heavy 357 and 44 magnum loads, like H110, Lil Gun, CFE BLK, etc. It makes sense. I have a pound of H110, so I think that would be a good starting powder. Does anyone have any experience loading 7.62x39 with it, or any other powder?

One of the other issues is bullet length. Do you think I’d be able to seat one of these 245gr or 265gr bullets deep enough to fit in a magazine and then actually feed in the rifle?

Now let me say this, I doubt there is anyone looking to do exactly what I’m asking about, I’m more trying to just start a dialogue on the subject and pick the brains of some of you reloaders who have been around the block a time or two, and see if there is any wisdom you might have to guide me along in getting a foothold to begin this little project.
 
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#2 ·
Most AKs have a twist rate of 1/10 o 1/9 so that will be the limiting factor for trying to push the heavier subsonic bullets. I've used AA 1630 with good results when using a silencer, with 180s, but anything more than that usually sees the bullets going sideways and showing the exact profile at 25 yards.

Years ago, I acquired a Ruger M77 in 7.62x 39 with the intent of suppressing it. The factory barrel was to thin to thread, so I immediately built a /1/8 barrel blank that I had laying around and threaded it for 5/8-24. That was a .308 barrel and not the standard 310/311 barrels that AKs use.

I shot over a dozen standard milsurps through it and that rifle achiever excellent accuracy with the supersonic stuff.

I loaded some cast 220 gain bullets over Red Dot and also got not excellent accuracy, but excellent suppression as well. I experimented with dozens of powders because fact of the matter is, some powder are louder than others. OF course, not having to worry about cycling issues with that rifle was a plus as it was bolt action.

The thing about AKs is to make them cycle, you're going to have to tinker with them for quite a while to get them to work. Yes, it can be done, but the AK is probably the loudest semi-auto to suppress due to that clackety action. Just about anything else is quieter.

Of course, there is the cool factor of sticking a can on an AK and having it actually work.
 
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