View Thread : AAC 762-SD suppressor fired on two Grendels


Variable
OK guys, I'm speed posting so this is a cut and paste from another board(silencer talk). I'll post updates and pics when I get time. :D

PASTE:

OK, I finally got to shoot my 762-SD on my Grendels!

I went over to a friends house and we shot the SD on two different Grendels I have: A 10.5" SBR, and a 14.5" SBR...

We used two types of ammo:

Wolf Gold 120g MPT

My own homemade 160g subsonic ammo. (My subsonic load is a 6.5mm Hornady 160g jacketed RN loaded with 7.6 grains of Trailboss powder in a Wolf Gold case and a CCI LR magnum primer. It chronos at 1050 fps. out of my 10.5" barrel. I haven't chronoed it yet in the 14.5", but it is also subsonic in it as well. This load will not cycle my rifles, but it will probably be a tall order to get any subsonic load to cycle in a Grendel, I'll have to try that later. These loads are stable in my 1-7.5" twist barrels, but I haven't tried them in my 1-8" twist 19.5" barrel yet- so beware and test first!

The 10.5" Grendel:

We started out shooting the SD on my shorty with the Wolf Gold 120g MPT ammo. We compared it side by side with my Colt 11.5" "Commando" and my older M4-2000 (pre '07 model). We fired 62 grain Federal AE junk through the Colt.

The Colt was noticeably quieter than the Grendel, but not by a whole lot. I couldn't say how much obviously, but reasonably close to my ears.

The shorty cycled perfectly on full auto, and gobbled up mag after mag. I picked the SD for use on my Grendels because I figured it would keep the back pressure down, and it did seem to do a good job of that. While the SD is longer than my M4-2000 can, it actually weighs noticeably less. Even in the hand you can tell the difference! The longer length wasn't too much of an issue in my book compared to the volume you get and less weight than the old M4-2000...

I didn't try accuracy, as I only had an Aimpoint on the shorty, and we were mostly just goofing and shooting 2 liter bottles.

Now the best part: The subsonic loads!!! Oh my god that rocked! I had hoped that maybe my subsonic loads would be as quiet as my SWR Trident on my G34, but I way overshot the mark on that one! Both Grendels sounded like a BB (or weak pellet) gun when fired. There was a weird "Ptink" sound, and that was pretty much it. My friend (who can hear better than me) said he could clearly hear the bullet in flight while I was firing. We giggled like maniacs, and fired up the 80 rounds I had loaded through both guns. The bullets appeared to stay stable, because I was able to hit a couple 2 liter bottles at 200 yds. using the mildot reticle on my 14.5" for hold-over. There was no expansion of course, but lots of penetration! This load easily penetrated 2 liter bottles placed end to end lengthwise, rectangular 2+ gallon detergent jugs placed lengthwise, and 8" into a hardwood log we fired into.


The 14.5" Grendel:

It also fired perfect on full-auto, accuracy appeared great, and the shift didn't seem to be much. We didn't have time to shoot paper targets and be formal and all, so I can't say the exact shift. Firing at the jugs (starting at 250yds with the Wolf 120's) required one moa of windage adjustment to the right, and I couldn't say for elevation because I haven't worked that load in that gun at range. We just used the mildots, and it was easy to hit 2 liter pop bottles out to our max-available range of 450 yds. This can kicks ass on an M4 Grendel carbine! I really look forward to trying serious handloads at longer distances with this setup!!!

P.S.-- Is there any way to get an 18 tooth Blackout mount in a 3/4X28 TPI thread???? I have a 19.5" Grendel that I want to use this suppressor on also, and I would hate to change anything on it because it shoots like gangbusters!!!

Grendelizer
Sounds like a blast! Er, . . . I mean, a "ptink"! ;)

Need photos! Want to see the weapon with can as well as rounds loaded with the 160s.

John

Variable
Sounds like a blast! Er, . . . I mean, a "ptink"! ;)

Need photos! Want to see the weapon with can as well as rounds loaded with the 160s.

John

Roger that!

10.5" AA Tactical w/762-SD suppressor:
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/Variable556/Gren1-1.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/Variable556/Gren2.jpg

10.5" AA and 14.5" Sabre (AA lower) together
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/Variable556/Gren3.jpg

Blackout Suppressor mounts
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/Variable556/Gren4.jpg

stanc
So I guess one could say that Variable is a grown man who likes to play with ptinker toys? :eek: ;) :D :D :D

Variable
So I guess one could say that Variable is a grown man who likes to play with ptinker toys? :eek: ;) :D :D :D
You are a (S)ptinker Stan.... :p :)

Variable
14.5"...
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/Variable556/Gren5.jpg

ammo... (two 160's with a Wolf 120 for comparison)
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/Variable556/Gren6.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/Variable556/Gren7.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/Variable556/Gren8.jpg

Trailboss... Cheerios of silent death... :D
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn291/Variable556/Gren9.jpg

Grendelizer
Excellent! Sweet weapons, and those round-nose Grendels are not something ya see every day!

John

stanc
...those round-nose Grendels are not something ya see every day!
Yeah, like a mini-6.5 Carcano. How interesting -- 6.5mm cartridge development comes full circle. :D

But seriously, is there no way to get a subsonic load that'll cycle?

shooter
Just got off the phone with Fletcher at AAC and he said AAC does not make an adaptor that will fit above barrel. He suggested that since the barrel will need to be rethreaded, he would use the 5/8 since it will be a stronger thread adaptor. He did not have any extra 5/8 adaptors ready at this time.

I plan on putting a 7.62 SD on the 19.5 GDMR.

FLNavyBoy
I've been watching this thread with interest, hehe. You gotta let us know if you find a way to get your subsonic rounds cycling. As it is you've already got me wanting to get a loading press! :D

lou400a
It may w/longer barrel. I have an 18" that I'll have re threaded to 5/8x24 to fit my SCAR-H SD that's waiting on paperwork. It'll be about 3 months as I'm still waiting on my Pilot, but I'll advise when it arrives. Still waiting on Blackout adapter as well. Oh well

Variable
WARNING/DANGER RELOADING DISCUSSION- DON'T COPY OR YOU COULD DIE, ETC, ETC...


OK guys, I've been holding off replying while I tried a different powder, in case it panned out, but my results haven't been that good so far. A guy over on Silencer Talk tried H335 and had some reported success, but it didn't work too well for me. Below is a cut and paste:


I put a YHM 308 can on my 16" midlength Grendel. On a whim, I loaded up some 120gr Core Lokt bullets with 10 grains of H335. The bullets were subsonic and the bolt locked back! This was with no bullets in the mag. I fired a couple more with 5 in the mag and the carrier would eject the shell, but wouldn't cycle with the upward pressure of the loaded mag. I think that with a little load development I can get it to cycle with 5 rounds in the mag.



Schulze: I tried H335 in my 10.5". I worked up to 17 grains with the Hornady 160g RN bullets. I used a very heavy crimp and magnum primers, but I still got erratic velocities (695-1341fps w/16 grains of H335) and incomplete powder burn. My rifle definitely didn't like it. Barrel length might play a part... It did eject most cases, but would never lock back on an empty mag. Your longer barrel may make the difference, both in complete burn, more uniform velocities, and in cycling as well. Your mid length has far more barrel in front of the gas port. When Bill Alexander brought out the 10.5"s he said they would be intentionally undergassed for suppressor use. I'm back to the IMR Trailboss for now. Keep us posted on anything you come up with though, and I'll update any findings I get as well.
Thanks guys,
Variable556

I'm sticking with the 10.5" barrel for now because if I can find a load that works in it, a slight tweak (for velocity at a given length) should work in the others as well. My 10.5" didn't like the H335 load at all. There was quite a bit of incompletely burned grains in the weapon after each shot, and the velocities were highly erratic. Like I said, an overall longer barrel length coupled with more barrel past the gas port (longer dwell time under pressure) would likely help a lot with the burn and cycling, but with load densities this low, positional sensitivity will probably always be a problem. I also feel like I'm flirting with the potential for a "SEE" occurence/detonation/mystery kaboom (or pick your other name for it) occurence as well.

I'm intentionally using Wolf brass (soft) for this stuff, as Lapua cases are hard enough that you could probably get into trouble easier. I accept in advance there is a certain amount of inherent risk involved in driving completely off the beaten path also.

Here is what I'm seeing/thinking so far:

1.) Trailboss is perfect in it's load density for subsonic velocity loads in the 6.5 Grendel. It may be unique in that aspect...

2.) Trailboss does not generate a high enough pressure at the gas port to cycle my selected weapon for this load (10.5").

3.) I need to get the same velocity and load volume results (or very close) as the current Trailboss loading while somehow increasing pressure.

4.) My current Trailboss load appears to have a very low chamber pressure

5.) If I could increase the burn rate of Trailboss, it would probably raise my pressures?

6.) If my chamber pressures are indeed very low as they appear, it may be possible to raise presures across the board and hit propper port pressure before exceeding max allowable chamber pressures.


I'm starting to wonder about duplex loads??? Maybe 6 to 7 grains of Trailboss (for bulk) and then start adding one tenth of a grain at a time of a different faster powder and watch/measure/chrono super closely to see what happens? I need to avoid the low density loads, while still somehow raising pressures to a reasonable level (cycling) all at the same time without going over 1050fps... Ergggh :confused: !!!

I'm also thinking about building some kind of test rig to do this stuff in. I put my body armor on (chicken plate and lexan too. :D ) for the first Trailboss loads, and I'm really sure it's safe by now, I just need to go (safely) further into the unknown zone. The H335 made me a little nervous.

Has anyone here had any experience or success putting a strain guage on an AR? I know there is the whole barrel extension/chamber interference thing going on, but maybe one could modify the rig enough to get it to work somehow? With a test rig and a string I could try a lot of loads much more quickly! :D

WARNING/DANGER RELOADING DISCUSSION- DON'T COPY OR YOU COULD DIE, ETC, ETC...

I'm going to copy this post over to the reloading board for load discussion. It seems part of this discussion is headed that way. Maybe cans in this thread and subsonic loads on the other. :D