300 blackout was a mistake
- Thread starter azrocks
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marksman13
Member
Meh...there are plenty of “better” rounds, but there is nothing inherently wrong with the 300 BLK.
FL-NC
Member
I was/am more interested in the round than the gun. AR's by their nature are designed to be high round count guns. I wanted a 300BLK for suppressed use. I decided on the Ruger American ranch, which is bolt action and has a 16" barrel, and by design, not a "high round count" gun. It is the host for my silencerco omega. Very quiet and very accurate. I successfully bagged a deer with it using Hornady's excellent 190 grain sub-x, and Mrs. Fl-NC now uses it as her deer rifle. For practice and "range fun", I use Remington 220 grain subs (which were available at around $16/20 pre-covid). The Remingtons were also "close enough" to the zero as the Hornady rounds ($26/20) within the 50 yards or so that the rifle is used on smaller food plots.
greyling22
Member
I think what annoys me about mine the most is that I can't get the SBR to run with a subsonic cast lead bullet. I keep having feeding issues.
Robbins290
Member
I also found out the 300 was a mistake. Sold mine about a year after i got it. I would much rather have the cheaper 762x39. I got a ar15 in 762x39 and it has been flawless.
Tommygunn
Member
I bought a Sig Canebrake pistol in .300 AAC BLK about a year ago back when the Democrats were blathering about banning them. I bought the .300 because I believed it maintained a large % of its power from a short barrel.
I don't regret it at all. But otoh I have several M4orgeries in 5.56 and two AR-10s .308 so I am not without something with .30 caliber punch.
.300 BLK does have its place. I obtained .300 BLK pmags for the Sig.
I have lever-actions in both .44 magnum and .44-40, so I'm familiar with the discipline of KEEPING CALIBERS SEPARATE.
I don't regret it at all. But otoh I have several M4orgeries in 5.56 and two AR-10s .308 so I am not without something with .30 caliber punch.
.300 BLK does have its place. I obtained .300 BLK pmags for the Sig.
I have lever-actions in both .44 magnum and .44-40, so I'm familiar with the discipline of KEEPING CALIBERS SEPARATE.
I didn't jump on the .300BLK wagon. Nothing particularly wrong with it, just didn't fill any nitch for me. Neither in hunting or competition.
Now for hogs I did get into .458SOCOM which I don't regret. Big, H E A V Y bullet. A real stopper for hogs and deer easily out to 100yd range. I just wish one of the ammo companies would get behind it and get it on board with SAAMI.
However,I'm wondering about the 6mm ARC for long range in the AR15 platform. I mean the 6mm and 6.5mm offer the highest BC's and on-paper it looks impressive.
Now for hogs I did get into .458SOCOM which I don't regret. Big, H E A V Y bullet. A real stopper for hogs and deer easily out to 100yd range. I just wish one of the ammo companies would get behind it and get it on board with SAAMI.
However,I'm wondering about the 6mm ARC for long range in the AR15 platform. I mean the 6mm and 6.5mm offer the highest BC's and on-paper it looks impressive.
Gordon
Member
Back in it's development by J D Jones as the .300 Whisper we all knew it was a specialty niche round. It was designed to excell in a short pistol length barrel and provide a heavier bullet with better short to medium range killing power at subsonic speeds. It also gives amazing supersonic performance in pistol barrel without crazy muzzle blasts. In pistol length barrels that premium .300 BO 110 load can and does exceed 2100 FPS so approaches 7.62x39 power from carbines It approximates the old .30 Carbine load from an 7.5" barrel , which is amazing as that was designed and has a decent record as an antipersonnel round to 200 yards. Yeah it is a 200 yard round, but so what ? There really is nothing to compare with it in a pistol AR and that is it's niche and purpose . My son was first to adopt it as a motorcycle carryable deer hunting round in Oregon . I jumped on the band wagon with my own switch barrel AR rig.. We are aware of the keeping them separate from 5.56 issue , it's pretty easy if you are careful as we are. They are a reliable 200 yard deer gun with 110 or 125 bullets , FROM A PISTOL ! Very accurate too, much more so than the 7.62x39 with any ammo I've seen yet. You can use that old 5.56 brass, which doesn't have them pesky steel cases and berdan primers !
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dogtown tom
Member
Sounds like OP didn't do much research before buying.
As noted above, Identify your mags with simple colored tape, different type or color of magazines to differentiate .300 mags from .223/5,56 mags. Heck, theres even cool little rubber bands with ".300" printed on them. I have a friend that stencils his mags with 5.56 or .300 so he doesn't mix them up.
I would rather hunt pigs with a .300Blk AR with red dot and silencer than an AK with similiar setup.
As noted above, Identify your mags with simple colored tape, different type or color of magazines to differentiate .300 mags from .223/5,56 mags. Heck, theres even cool little rubber bands with ".300" printed on them. I have a friend that stencils his mags with 5.56 or .300 so he doesn't mix them up.
I would rather hunt pigs with a .300Blk AR with red dot and silencer than an AK with similiar setup.
BreechFace
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I use Lancer 300 BO magazines for mine, which I feel are the best magazines for the 300 BO.
My 556 uses PMAGS and USGI Magazines
With as many different types of magazines we are afforded, its easy to keep things separate.
My 556 uses PMAGS and USGI Magazines
With as many different types of magazines we are afforded, its easy to keep things separate.
dogtown tom
Member
When I received my FFL in 2008, .458 Socom was probably the most popular chambering other than .223/5.56 in the ARs I transferred. Once AAC began doing silencer shoots to promote .300Blk, transfers of .458 virtually disappeared and .50 Beowolf as well.
Chuck R.
Member
I really like mine as a truck gun/HD gun.
9.5" barrel gets 2130 with 110's, better ME than a shorty 5.56. IMHO it's one of the best PDW calibers available and with a linear comp it's about as loud as a 16" AR. Reloading for it is only slightly more expensive than .223. I simply mark my 300 mags with bands I can see and feel. IF you can build or modify an AR15 and have got the tools, it's just a barrel. That was a major selling point for me.
What's not to like?
9.5" barrel gets 2130 with 110's, better ME than a shorty 5.56. IMHO it's one of the best PDW calibers available and with a linear comp it's about as loud as a 16" AR. Reloading for it is only slightly more expensive than .223. I simply mark my 300 mags with bands I can see and feel. IF you can build or modify an AR15 and have got the tools, it's just a barrel. That was a major selling point for me.
What's not to like?
Cannibul
Member
I've got a 7.5", I'm building a 10.5", and I have a Ruger American Ranch on the way. I still need to pick up a decent can.
I would rather have had a 45 ACP AR, but the 300 Blackout was a lot less expensive.
I use dedicated 300 mags, with bands on them.
I would rather have had a 45 ACP AR, but the 300 Blackout was a lot less expensive.
I use dedicated 300 mags, with bands on them.
mcb
Member
I was a late adopter of 300 BO and I love the cartridge. Been having lots of fun using it and reloading for it. For my use its primarily a subsonic cartridge. I have two 300 BO but after building the pistol and getting my suppressor the carbine gets minimal use. My 300 BO pistol is my truck/UTV gun when going out to the hunting property. It is a thoroughly enjoyable cartridge and firearms for that purpose. Easy on the ears and with good bullets the terminal effects are more than adequate for what I need.
Top: 16-inch 300 BO carbine Burris 1-4x24 MTAC scope, Bottom 9-inch 300 BO pistol, SBA-3 brace, Vortext 3X Spitfire, with AAC SDN-6 suppressor (will mount on either plus a few other firearms I have)
Left to Right: Maker 220 gr Rex, Berry's 220 gr Spire Point, Speer 125gr TNT, Barnes, 110 gr TAC-TX
Subsonics are buy far the most used. On the right is the Maker 220 gr REX an all copper bullet designed to expand at subsonic velocities and has performed excellently for me so far. The Barry bullets are cheap subsonic plinking rounds costing me ~$0.31/rd to reload.
I have dispatched a bunch of unarmored opossums (armadillos) with the REX on the hunting property. This bullet was found in the chert behind the last armadillo I dispatched. Excellent expansion and 100% weight retention.
I am thorough enjoying my 300 BO.
Top: 16-inch 300 BO carbine Burris 1-4x24 MTAC scope, Bottom 9-inch 300 BO pistol, SBA-3 brace, Vortext 3X Spitfire, with AAC SDN-6 suppressor (will mount on either plus a few other firearms I have)
Left to Right: Maker 220 gr Rex, Berry's 220 gr Spire Point, Speer 125gr TNT, Barnes, 110 gr TAC-TX
Subsonics are buy far the most used. On the right is the Maker 220 gr REX an all copper bullet designed to expand at subsonic velocities and has performed excellently for me so far. The Barry bullets are cheap subsonic plinking rounds costing me ~$0.31/rd to reload.
I have dispatched a bunch of unarmored opossums (armadillos) with the REX on the hunting property. This bullet was found in the chert behind the last armadillo I dispatched. Excellent expansion and 100% weight retention.
I am thorough enjoying my 300 BO.
748
member
Now that I have my first 30 cal silencer I might get a 300bo SBR upper.
(I'll put 2 or 3 tax stamps on 1 gun, it's only money)
Once prices come down.
(I'll put 2 or 3 tax stamps on 1 gun, it's only money)
Once prices come down.
WestKentucky
Member
300blk is a very nice round for the niche it falls into, but it’s usefulness is questionable because of its limitations. That in itself is what makes me think that it’s the perfect round for 2 platforms, the AR and the TC Contender. Realistically a person buying a 300blk is either looking at home defense, deer/hog hunting, or suppressed shooting, or a combination therein. Having a swappable barrel or upper makes the “gun” more usable to step out of that niche and into another than to simply put it away and drag out another gun. It’s something I struggle with having ARs because every upper I have has a lower underneath it, but for guys without that particular affliction you can have a nice or a really great AR and then slap a $400 upper on it and go from one niche to another while keeping your upgraded lower. In a contender it’s as easy as swapping barrels, so again it’s a niche gun with a niche caliber in a niche role, but once you whack that hog in the thick mess you can use the same gun with a different barrel to go handle prairie dogs, or squirrel, or whatever. A dedicated 300blk, not for me. A 300blk hanging around for a quick trip to the deer woods, now we are talking.
Captcurt
Member
That would have to be sweet in a Model 7. i envy you.
I feel a 30 Carbine would be an excellent home defense rifle for my hobby horse farm. But, post WWII commercial carbines have questionable reliability and I would not subject a WWII GI carbine to that kind of service.
Enter the 300 Blackout. It has a bit better performance than the 30 Carbine. It is good out to 100 yards or so and has a rainbow trajectory beyond that. The rainbow trajectory helps minimize collateral damage at longer ranges.
My 300 Blackout AR-15's shoot only supersonic ammunition and they groups well. (Suppressed, subsonic 300 Bkackout guns have their place, just not for me.)
I'd rather shoot quality ammunition and not rely on ComBloc surplus stuff. Since I reload, that is not an issue.
Finally, what Walkalong said.
Enter the 300 Blackout. It has a bit better performance than the 30 Carbine. It is good out to 100 yards or so and has a rainbow trajectory beyond that. The rainbow trajectory helps minimize collateral damage at longer ranges.
My 300 Blackout AR-15's shoot only supersonic ammunition and they groups well. (Suppressed, subsonic 300 Bkackout guns have their place, just not for me.)
I'd rather shoot quality ammunition and not rely on ComBloc surplus stuff. Since I reload, that is not an issue.
Finally, what Walkalong said.
Swampman
Old Fart
I believe the .300 Whisper was developed by J.D. Jones of SSK.
Larry Kelly of Mag-na-port hunted with it extensively and did a lot to popularize the round.
https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2012/11/5/shades-of-gray-300-whisper-300-aac-blackout/
"The .300 Whisper was developed, documented and trademark-registered in 1992 by J.D. Jones."
This is exactly what I do.
However TBH, it really doesn't make a difference since I built my 300AAC so different from my 5.56 that I'd never mix them up. Where I'm really glad I adopted 300AAC early is that over the past few years during ammo shortages when 5.56 components are gone I load for 300AAC and vice versa.
someguy2800
Member
I really really liked my 300 blackout because it introduced a lot of new ideas to me that I later expanded on. I had actually almost completely lost interest in my AR before I built my 300 upper and it renewed my interest in the platform. I ended up separating out its niches into separate rifles though.
I started with a supersonic load pushing a 125 grain hp to 2400 fps from a 16” barrel and I really liked shooting steel with it out to 200 because it hits so much harder on the steel than 223 does. I quickly figured out though that I got tired of making brass for it just to plunk with and it became a chore, so I built a 7.62x39 upper to plink steel with. The 7.62x39 combo I settled on is amazingly accurate with steel case ammo and handloads and it my go to steel plinking rifle and I liked it so much I decided to deer hunt with it. I loved hunting with it but after taking 3 deer with it I decided I wanted something with more punch so I built a 358 yeti upper that is now my main deer hunting rig.
Then I went to trying the blackout suppressed and was impressed with that but again I didn’t like all the brass prep to load it and good heavy 300 blackout bullets are expensive. So now I built 9mm CMMG radial delayed blowback upper and I load a 147gr HP’s which is much cheaper and a fraction of the work. Subsonic 9mm doesn’t reach out like the 300 does, but it’s a good trade off. For the past couple days I’ve been thinking now I want something that I can shoot suppressed that I can reach out farther than 9mm and also load a bigger heavier bullet than 300 blackout so now I’m looking at getting a fast twist 350 legend barrel made.
So the ironic thing is my 300 blackout barrel is now sitting on my shelf with no upper, but look at all the interesting tangents that it led me too. I’m very happy I tried it. I’m also thinking of going full circle and getting another blackout barrel, this time an 8” for a home defense build.
I started with a supersonic load pushing a 125 grain hp to 2400 fps from a 16” barrel and I really liked shooting steel with it out to 200 because it hits so much harder on the steel than 223 does. I quickly figured out though that I got tired of making brass for it just to plunk with and it became a chore, so I built a 7.62x39 upper to plink steel with. The 7.62x39 combo I settled on is amazingly accurate with steel case ammo and handloads and it my go to steel plinking rifle and I liked it so much I decided to deer hunt with it. I loved hunting with it but after taking 3 deer with it I decided I wanted something with more punch so I built a 358 yeti upper that is now my main deer hunting rig.
Then I went to trying the blackout suppressed and was impressed with that but again I didn’t like all the brass prep to load it and good heavy 300 blackout bullets are expensive. So now I built 9mm CMMG radial delayed blowback upper and I load a 147gr HP’s which is much cheaper and a fraction of the work. Subsonic 9mm doesn’t reach out like the 300 does, but it’s a good trade off. For the past couple days I’ve been thinking now I want something that I can shoot suppressed that I can reach out farther than 9mm and also load a bigger heavier bullet than 300 blackout so now I’m looking at getting a fast twist 350 legend barrel made.
So the ironic thing is my 300 blackout barrel is now sitting on my shelf with no upper, but look at all the interesting tangents that it led me too. I’m very happy I tried it. I’m also thinking of going full circle and getting another blackout barrel, this time an 8” for a home defense build.
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