Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Subsonic with .221 Fireball and 77gr SPSP bullets.

First post here, hello everyone.
I get wild hair project ideas from time to time. The current one is centered on a cheap to shoot, simple to load, easy to make subsonic bolt action mostly for squirrels and Nutria. Of course there is some of the "can I do it" thrown in there also.
If I can find a .221 Fireball for cheap with 1-8 twist I'd start with that. If not and I end up with a .223 bolt action is it feasible to set the barrel back enough (.397" comes to mind at the moment) and set headspace to shoot as is? I don't care if it's a proper .221 chamber really, is the body diameter difference with that much set back(.223 set back to .221 length) going to be bad mojo?
Second side of this, is seating the 77gr deep enough to cycle in that throat going to reduce the capacity enough to give me 1000fps+/- that a KISS load can be used?

Welcome!

Good luck finding any cheap 221 FB with a fast twist.

223 could work.

Why not a 22 Hornet? Perhaps locate a fast twist pulled barrel & re-barrel a 22 Hornet.

Yeah, I sure don't expect to find a 8t in .221 since no loads were offered with heavy bullets.

Setting back a barrel on a .223 rifle would be a whole lot simpler than rebarreling, chambering and ending up with the same situation with a small base chamber from setting back the barrel, or having to spend for a reamer anyway.

I have a very low mileage Krieger #4 20" 12T or 14T chamber in .221 Fireball for Rem 700 action. Would work well threaded for suppressor, but with the lighter bullets. 40g bullets is where the fun starts for a Fireball.

That would be the opposite of the subsonic I'm posting about.

There's a thread in the "Varmint rifles" about .221 FB loads and in that thread there is a link to some subsonic loads using 40-45 gr bullets and pistol powder. Maybe more logical to just get a .221 rifle and go that route instead trying to find the non-existent fast twist .221

The thread is about 5 pages back from the top

I’m waiting for someone to make a fast twist 22 RF to shoot heavies in. Funny some manufacturer hasn’t jumped on that.

I'd like to discuss the situation with what would be the problem with setting back a .223 to .221 length, instead of trying to change the goal, please.

Actually it would be more logical to use subsonic .22LR if you're going that route. Which negates the reason for using 77gr., energy.

So why even screw around setting back a .223
Subsonic is subsonic weather or not it comes out of .221 or .223 so just get a .223 and be done with it.

Can subsonic be done effectively with a full length .223? I guess I need to check on that as I figured not.

As I suspected, sub in a .223 is fairly hit and miss with chancey case fills and powder selection, or expensive to buy ammo instead. .221 with a case full of powder definitely sounds like a better way to go.

And I found more info on the difference in case dia at the .221 shoulder length, virtually no difference. The hunt is on for a donor .223 rifle.

Stability is a function of both lineal and rotational velocity. As one slows,the other must go up. You never cited the particular projectile,but such things rate a thunk. Hint.

8" is a bust twist rate in .224",especially as 223's go,due their modest velocity. Skin that velocity a goodly amount(subsonic),throw in Real World atmospherics,good bullets and 8" is a poor bet. Hint.

Just sayin'............

Thanks for the heads up on that.

What EXACTLY are said projectiles and their length? Weight is moot and it's ALL about length,if/when factoring stability. Hint.

Just sayin'..........

I don't know if the 5.7 round would be worth chasing in this regard. Fiocchi makes a 62gr subsonic round for it. Not sure what if any bolt action rifles are out there, but they would likely have a 1/9 twist that should work subsonic for the 60-70gr lead roundnose type of projectiles.

https://gunmagwarehouse.com/blog/ammo-test-fiocchi-5-7x28-62-grain-subsonic/

Not the bullet you were asking about though the following link may compliment your quest.

https://hodgdonpowderco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/subsonic-data-final-1.pdf

I'd LOVE for Ruger to offer a Stainless 5.7 bolt gun,that sipped from their rotary mags. Hint.

Pass the Stainless/Laminate Marlin 39,chambered same too. Hint.

Coming full circle,I've yet to see a .224" 77gr,that I'd want to shoot for free. If fixating a Subsonic Bolt Gun,I'd want the best projectile going and for me,that means 88 ELD's. Hint.

One could load to 2.450" COAL,allow the shank to eat air space,keep ogives where they belong and happily feed it ADL,BDL or DBM. Not my jam,but easily arranged. Hint.

Just sayin'................

Loren, looks like you're trying to turn a simple project into a puzzle.

Bolt gun? An old .22 Hornet with standard twist would be your friend. Simple and cheap. Try a single shot, such at the T/C Contender. Light, accurate and reliable 24/7.

You want to run low velocity? Jacketed bullets are not your friend. Cast bullets are.

One of my toys is a Contender that shoots a thing I call the .30 Sneezer.





If you get really bored you can shoot round balls with a small case, and they run minute of dead squill for the most part.