Guns & Outdoors Forum

Grendel/6arc case, shortened to 1.293". Necked up and loaded with a 307gr .338" sub-x bullet @ 1050fps, or a 175gr Match HP @ 2075fps

AR-15 compatible.
Thoughts? Anyone interested?

edited to add: It's a cute li'l thing

Intriguing but I really have no use to justify the cost of 338 bullets. I am having for with the 300 BO though.

Could be fun! Heavy hitters on the sub. For what I use the 300 blackout for I’ll stick with it. Although a Cz 527 in that would be super fun with an 20” tube.

Yeah, It's supposedly designed to work through most 9mm handgun cans. Besides a new upper, getting set up to reload for it, a scope and Silencer will probably price me out of one, at least for a while.
$1.50-$2.00/ round for subs, and the price of just the sub-x bullets won't help either. I have little to no interest in the super loads.
Supposedly Palmetto State Armory is partnering with Hornady to bring ammo out in their AAC line though.

I have no interest/use in/for sub ammo. I’ve played with it. Scratched that itch. It’s a meh for me.

I bet that makes a pretty good THWACK when it hits an object going quiet and slow. I like it based solely off it being weird.

My interest in things suppressed is more toward making things "Hollywood quiet", so stuff that has a clicky, clacky, automatically reciprocating bolt works against that aim.

AR-15 compatibility therefore of little interest.

Ability to shoot supersonic also works against that aim.

Such a thing is going to be a rainbow-trajectory, sub-200 yard proposition, so high B.C. bullets won't deliver much benefit.

I've gotten nine milk jugs of penetration out of both .45 ACP and 9x19 at their standard bullet weights and subsonic speeds, so I'm not sure why I'd need to pile on a .338's sectional density either.

Ruger/Marlin offering threaded muzzles on their new .357 and .44 model 1894 leverguns. These, and the handgun compatibility of their ammo, are A LOT more intriguing to me.

If I was eradicating hog herds, I might have different notions, but as it is, meh.

Bigslug wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 2:31 pm<snip>

Such a thing is going to be a rainbow-trajectory, sub-200 yard proposition, so high B.C. bullets won't deliver much benefit.<snip>

Closer to a "100yds and in" from the numbers I crunched.

That 307g Sub-X has a decent BC of 0.375. At 1050fps MV it's predicted to drop ~12" between 100 and 150 yards, with a 2.5" sight height and a 100 yard zero and ~33" low @200 with the same zero
Add ~3" more drop between 200 and 205 yards and just for S&Gs between 295-300 it's dropping ALMOST 5", to 106" low.
So right at 1" drop per yard @ 300, or dropping at pretty much a 45°angle, if shot "level"

Edited to add: That roughly 3/4oz bullet is STINGY with it's velocity though. 1050 MV, 986 @100, 934 @200 and 890 @300

Rare to see numbers showing a bullet only losing 160fps from the muzzle to 300 yards

ETA 2 (Absurd level): You get to 10 FEET low @315yrds and just over 20' by the time you hit 415yrds. You hit 30' low right around 485yrds. Even at 485 yards, that bullet's STILL chugging along around 820fps

All that trajectory number-crunching only matters if it matters.

As I often say, if you're that concerned about trajectory, break out a REAL rifle cartridge. Then accept that it's going to have a supersonic crack. Even the flattest elk-worthy cartridge out there will only give you a point-blank trajectory to MAAAAAYBE 400 yards at best, but any round will give you that to a point. Beyond that point, you'll have to range and do the math

All this subsonic stuff is basically going to be a glorified pistol. It's not hard to wing it at a hundred yards. 200 will be pretty interesting, but not impossible = the Brit's 9mm STEN had sighting for it. Like you say, at 300 yards even this .338 is a mortar.

A 200 grain .357 or 300 grain .44 will get you there without the "exotic car" taxes.

It's also something fun to do while this **** foot's saying, "You do NOT want to be standing on me"

Bigslug wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 4:58 pm All that trajectory number-crunching only matters if it matters.

As I often say, if you're that concerned about trajectory, break out a REAL rifle cartridge. Then accept that it's going to have a supersonic crack. Even the flattest elk-worthy cartridge out there will only give you a point-blank trajectory to MAAAAAYBE 400 yards at best, but any round will give you that to a point. Beyond that point, you'll have to range and do the math

All this subsonic stuff is basically going to be a glorified pistol. It's not hard to wing it at a hundred yards. 200 will be pretty interesting, but not impossible = the Brit's 9mm STEN had sighting for it. Like you say, at 300 yards even this .338 is a mortar.

A 200 grain .357 or 300 grain .44 will get you there without the "exotic car" taxes.

I shoot my 44 special 1873 carbine at 200 yards it’s not real hard just using the ladder sight as it’s designed. I shoot my pistol carbines at 200 yards regularly….and a ton of fun!!!!
I use a 240 grain cast bullet and 7 grains of unique.

Elk Creek wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 5:40 pm

Bigslug wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 4:58 pm All that trajectory number-crunching only matters if it matters.

As I often say, if you're that concerned about trajectory, break out a REAL rifle cartridge. Then accept that it's going to have a supersonic crack. Even the flattest elk-worthy cartridge out there will only give you a point-blank trajectory to MAAAAAYBE 400 yards at best, but any round will give you that to a point. Beyond that point, you'll have to range and do the math

All this subsonic stuff is basically going to be a glorified pistol. It's not hard to wing it at a hundred yards. 200 will be pretty interesting, but not impossible = the Brit's 9mm STEN had sighting for it. Like you say, at 300 yards even this .338 is a mortar.

A 200 grain .357 or 300 grain .44 will get you there without the "exotic car" taxes.

I shoot my 44 special 1873 carbine at 200 yards it’s not real hard just using the ladder sight as it’s designed. I shoot my pistol carbines at 200 yards regularly….and a ton of fun!!!!
I use a 240 grain cast bullet and 7 grains of unique.

Everything old is new again. That old adage works well in the firearms industry.

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 6:23 pm
Everything old is new again. That old adage works well in the firearms industry.

Check my current sig line. Hopefully, I'll have pics of my current project up in a week or two. It's something of a middle finger to all this "new", not actually being all that "new".

Bigslug wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 4:58 pm All that trajectory number-crunching only matters if it matters.

As I often say, if you're that concerned about trajectory, break out a REAL rifle cartridge. Then accept that it's going to have a supersonic crack. Even the flattest elk-worthy cartridge out there will only give you a point-blank trajectory to MAAAAAYBE 400 yards at best, but any round will give you that to a point. Beyond that point, you'll have to range and do the math

All this subsonic stuff is basically going to be a glorified pistol. It's not hard to wing it at a hundred yards. 200 will be pretty interesting, but not impossible = the Brit's 9mm STEN had sighting for it. Like you say, at 300 yards even this .338 is a mortar.

A 200 grain .357 or 300 grain .44 will get you there without the "exotic car" taxes.

Ok Boomer, who doesn’t get to have suppressors.

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 7:13 pm Ok Boomer, who doesn’t get to have suppressors.

Nah. I'm Gen X, masquerading as Silent Generation. . .who doesn't get to have suppressors.

Bigslug wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 7:47 pm

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 7:13 pm Ok Boomer, who doesn’t get to have suppressors.

Nah. I'm Gen X, masquerading as Silent Generation. . .who doesn't get to have suppressors.

I wouldn’t mind a suppressor, but by the time I get to thinking I have the fun tokens for one a distraction firearm shows up! That and the 2
$200 dollar “pretty please, May I please, I’ve been good” tax. I just can’t swallow that one.

Bigslug wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 7:47 pm

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 7:13 pm Ok Boomer, who doesn’t get to have suppressors.

Nah. I'm Gen X, masquerading as Silent Generation. . .who doesn't get to have suppressors.

You really gotta change that profile pic. It's really throwing us off

Justsomedude wrote: ↑Sat Mar 01, 2025 9:23 pm
You really gotta change that profile pic. It's really throwing us off

Why? John and I have approximately the same hairline.

GrapeApe wrote: ↑Thu Feb 27, 2025 5:38 am Yeah, It's supposedly designed to work through most 9mm handgun cans. .

I hadn’t seen this. A friend and I have discussed it on a Ruger American action.

Ok if it run well through a 9mm pistol can it MIGHT get my attention.

That's what I read in a place or two. Personally, I'd check with the silencer's manufacturer to make sure before I started launching them through one.

As long as it's stable, a .33" bullet should easily fit through holes meant for .35" ones, but I'm not sure on the muzzle pressure.

This guy makes enjoyable videos and just put this out on the 338 ARC. Pretty cool. That things a hammer, even going slow.

https://youtu.be/rbQYCWY_uss?si=WHF9PUF5l0tqF1_O

Justsomedude wrote: ↑Sun Mar 02, 2025 5:45 am This guy makes enjoyable videos and just put this out on the 338 ARC. Pretty cool. That things a hammer, even going slow.

https://youtu.be/rbQYCWY_uss?si=WHF9PUF5l0tqF1_O

Yeah, Banana, Tools & Targets and Johnny's Reloading Bench (He's creating new content again ) are pretty much the only 3 firearms related youtube channels I watch regularly.

GrapeApe wrote: ↑Sun Mar 02, 2025 3:50 am That's what I read in a place or two. Personally, I'd check with the silencer's manufacturer to make sure before I started launching them through one.

As long as it's stable, a .33" bullet should easily fit through holes meant for .35" ones, but I'm not sure on the muzzle pressure.

The pressure was my concern as well.

IF, I get a 338 ARC, I'll definitely be checking with the manufacturer of whatever silencer I'm buying

Here's what SilencerShop says about it

One major benefit of the 338 ARC is that it can be used in many 9mm suppressors, so long as they are rated for 8.6 or 300BLK pressures. This opens up the compatibility of 338 suppressors and gives you a ton of awesome options. Becuase the bores are similar .338 -.355 we would expect great performance out of these silencers.

https://www.silencershop.com/blog/338-arc