Reloading for Suppressed Weapons

[mkmckinley]

Does anyone use loads specific to suppressed weapons? What considerations are there for coming up with a good suppressor ready load? It seems to me you would want a faster burning powder in order to reduce the pressure at the muzzle and the amount of unburnt powder hitting the suppressor baffles. Also how does one come up with a good subsonic load?

The calibers I'm interested in are 9mm, 5.56, and 300 BLK but any others are welcome too.

[QuietShootr]

Does anyone use loads specific to suppressed weapons? What considerations are there for coming up with a good suppressor ready load? It seems to me you would want a faster burning powder in order to reduce the pressure at the muzzle and the amount of unburnt powder hitting the suppressor baffles. How does one come up with a good subsonic load.

The calibers I'm interested in are 9mm, 5.56, and 300 BLK but any others are welcome too.

9mm is easy. I've been using the Rainier 147gr plated JHPs for years. I haven't even changed my load in so long I don't remember exactly what it was - I want to say 3.6gr of Win 231. There are better powders, but I have a ****ton of 231. They run fine in everything from my suppressed Glock 19 to MP5s and Colt 635 SMGs in auto, suppressed and not.

I have never screwed with subsonic 5.56. I have suppressed .22s for that kind of work. Now if I could get some of the NSW loads that cycle a standard M4 I might feel a little differently about that.

[308sako]

I shoot both of these cartridges with the AAC Cyclone for the .308 and the AAC SPR-M4 for the AR's. I have found difficulties with the 308 because of dwell time for the pressure with top long range loads using either the 155 Sierra 2156 bullet or their 175 grain MatchKing. Have had to reduce the loads 2 full grains with the 155 and 1 full grain with the 175 to retain accuracy and achieve sustainable brass life.

As to working up a load, you do it the same as you would a normal rifle.

As to subsonic loads; I have done well with TrailBoss and 180 grain round nose .30's. The "trick" here is to load up and work your way down to the subsonic level. You must not shoot these test loads with the suppressor attached because the rifle may not stabilize them. The "trick" as mentioned above is to see that the bullets are cutting the target cleanly, not keyholed to any extent. Baffle strikes will ruin more than a day.

Do a Google search and there is an enormous amount of information on this.

[markm]

I load nothing different for 5.56 suppressed. Just a good .223 pressure load will keep blast chamber abuse down.