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Range Report First ever outing with SUBS

earthquake

Area Man
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Jul 30, 2009
    2,960
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    USA
    Anything I should know trying .308 subs out of my rifle for the first time? I think I've read way in the past to try them w/o the can at first? Any validity to that statement?
    24" Bart, 1:10 twist.

    I have some Prime to get the optic zeroe'd first, which should get me on paper and have a Lab-Radar wit the recoil trigger since it won't hear the shot obviously. Anything else I need to know?
     
    Yes shoot a few with no can.

    Make sure the holes hit the paper or back drop each shot so you don't double fire with a sqib in the tube.

    Check the holes in the paper that the bullets are not going through the paper sideways😁.

    If all is good put that can on and enjoy
     
    This. ☝️
    I used 180gr round nose. Couldn't ever get the 175gr AMAX to stabilize, bullets are too long I think.
    Trailboss powder works very well for subs.
     
    This. ☝️
    I used 180gr round nose. Couldn't ever get the 175gr AMAX to stabilize, bullets are too long I think.
    Trailboss powder works very well for subs.

    It's because most bthp style bullets have all the weight to the rear.....I stabilize 200, and 220 with 220 spires being my go to out of a 18" 1-10 np
     
    I bought these here on the Hide ...all Nexus ammo. I got 4 boxes of 220's and 2 boxes of 175's.

    Yesterday I couldn't get Lab Radar to track them, even with the recoil trigger. Anyway, I just measured the drop from my 100-yd zero with Prime.

    The 220's were -4.1 mils
    The 175's were -3.1 mils


    Soooo.....I put the box's MV into the Kestrel as a start, and took it to 300 yds today....only the 175's with me today.

    Kestrel said 13.6-mils which hit 2-mils high.
    11.6-mils I couldn't miss the steel. Fun!

    With that said, I tried adjusting BC first but to get it to line up, BC on those 175's is like 0.500+ G7 which is ludicrous.

    Should I tweak velocity now? I don't know the BC of these Nexus boolits.
     
    I bought these here on the Hide ...all Nexus ammo. I got 4 boxes of 220's and 2 boxes of 175's.

    Yesterday I couldn't get Lab Radar to track them, even with the recoil trigger. Anyway, I just measured the drop from my 100-yd zero with Prime.

    The 220's were -4.1 mils
    The 175's were -3.1 mils


    Soooo.....I put the box's MV into the Kestrel as a start, and took it to 300 yds today....only the 175's with me today.

    Kestrel said 13.6-mils which hit 2-mils high.
    11.6-mils I couldn't miss the steel. Fun!

    With that said, I tried adjusting BC first but to get it to line up, BC on those 175's is like 0.500+ G7 which is ludicrous.

    Should I tweak velocity now? I don't know the BC of these Nexus boolits.

    Did you set the labradar to handgun setting? If you left it on rifle that's why nothing was picked up.........
     
    Ohhhhh......oops. Didn't know that. Thanks

    LOL...yea.... Gotta tell the labradar your shooting hand gun speeds


    Also 11 mils sounds fast... I run 13.3 mils with 220s at 300 yards Are you sure they were not over the sounds barrier?
     
    LOL...yea.... Gotta tell the labradar your shooting hand gun speeds


    Also 11 mils sounds fast... I run 13.3 mils with 220s at 300 yards Are you sure they were not over the sounds barrier?

    Not sure. They seemed quiet to me. Box said 1,050-fps. These were 175's.

    Another question....I want more subs!! Found some Green Country Ammo who has 180's, or there are some Hornady 168 subs here on the Hide. What's preferred for subs? Heavy or light boolits?
     
    Oh gotcha I missed they were 175s...

    I roll my own and prefer heavies because they take up more room in the case with trail boss.
     
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    I bought these here on the Hide ...all Nexus ammo. I got 4 boxes of 220's and 2 boxes of 175's.



    With that said, I tried adjusting BC first but to get it to line up, BC on those 175's is like 0.500+ G7 which is ludicrous.

    Should I tweak velocity now? I don't know the BC of these Nexus boolits.


    According to this, I think they're 175 SMKs, so G7 of 0.243-ish? That said, I think I'd probably be using G1 on subs (not that I run them). According to Sierra, G1 (that's G -ONE) for that bullet is 0.485 below 1800 fps.
     
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    Published BC values are 'fitted'/optimized for velocities over Mach 1 most of the time. Not saying they'll never be accurate in the subsonic realm but not many manufacturers investigate that slow. Additionally, there's a pretty violent change in Cd from just below mach 1 to just over mach 1 and the curve fitting method of ballistic coefficients may/may not track very well with reality.

    YMMV. FWIW if you can use a bullet on Hornady's 4DoF list, I've found that to be the most reliable predictor for subsonic use. I'm pretty sure they get doppler data down to/below mach 1.
     
    What's the go-to bullet for .308 subs? 200+ gr? Round nose, BTHP or something else? I found some Trail Boss and am looking to buy bullets now. Thanks
     
    Hornady is offering 190 Sub-X's as a component bullet now. They'll stabilize in a 10 twist, maybe even a 12.
     
    What's the go-to bullet for .308 subs? 200+ gr? Round nose, BTHP or something else? I found some Trail Boss and am looking to buy bullets now. Thanks

    Generally, bullets less aerodynamic so the weight cg is not ass heavy like most match bullets..I like 200+ bullets because it takes up more case volume and I get more consistent velocity
     
    Would you recommend a soft point spitzer boat tail hunting bullet? Or pretty much anything besides a VLD shape?
    I'm shopping Graf's right now and trying to decide a bullet. Thanks!

    *nevermind....Graf's and Mid-South are sold out on everything.....
     
    Would you recommend a soft point spitzer boat tail hunting bullet? Or pretty much anything besides a VLD shape?
    I'm shopping Graf's right now and trying to decide a bullet. Thanks!

    *nevermind....Graf's and Mid-South are sold out on everything.....

    Spire points have always worked best for me but some guys have decent success with bt bullets
     
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