several years ago i wrote an article on my efforts to build a "whisper" cartridge on a standard 6.8mm remington spc cartridge case, with no modifications to the case or bullet length so that i could use it in a standard ar-15 upper.
i wrote about that here, http://wintersoldier2008.typepad.com/summer_patriot_winter_sol/2010/11/a-new-direction-for-the-68mm-spc-whisper-project-a-new-powder-imr-trail-boss-w-150-grain-sierra-bull.html , and indicated that i had developed a relatively serviceable round using .277 caliber 150 grain sierra bthp (matchking) bullets in front of a reduced charge of imr "trail boss" powder. as of the time of the article i had not chronographed the load, and should indicate i have found since that optimism alone does not get things very much below the speed of sound as easily as one might expect. close. but not quite.
i should indicate that the round as described does not make much noise, however, and generally met expectations. still some tinkering to do.
but, to the point of all of this.
i am getting an occasional "hit" from foreign search engines on the topic, most particularly russian web sites. as an example, this page, http://yandex.ru/yandsearch?clid=9582&text=Sierra%20Trail%20Boss&lr=16 , has inquired about the post several times.
which got me to thinking. (not all that easily done, sometimes. laughing.) ---
why could not an enterprising rooskie, or anyone else owning or enamored of the 7.62x39mm russian (model 43) cartridge, be able to build a pretty good facsimile of a "whisper" cartridge using either a sierra 168 grain or 175 grain hpbt bullet, .308 caliber, or the very similar sierra matchking in .311 caliber, and make a pretty good whisper-type cartridge out of it, using the methodology discussed in the above article.
seems plausible to me. as a matter of fact, the model 43 has a bit smaller case than the remington round i am working with, and would push heavier bullets, making the 7.62x39mm a bit easier to throttle down to around 1000 fps plus.
just sayin'.
john jay @ 01.23.2011
p.s. i have an engineer friend who likes the 7.62x39mm russian, and also likes shooting cast bullets of his own making. i think, that if memory serves me correctly, that he has gotten some pretty good results shooting 250 grain bullets from the little model 43 case.
interesting, to say the least.
p.s.s. the term "whisper" is a term of art, and the concept and word are owned by j.d. jones of ssk industries, who did the yeoman's work in developing cartridges and concept. if it doesn't have ssk on it, it is not a genuine "whisper," but a whisper-type cartridge inspired by jones.
he led the way, he should get the credit. a smart, innovative and very creative man.
http://yandex.ru/yandsearch?clid=9582&text=Sierra%20Trail%20Boss&lr=16 , go here, if you want to see what the rooskies are up to. kind of interesting, to say the least.
Good piece. Thanks.
Posted by: BrockTownsend | January 23, 2012 at 02:22 PM