Just how big is the .300 BLK?

Everyone is welcome to their own point of view and both calibers are fun to shoot, who cares if Army X ordered 40,000 of one or the other. I load .223 and as a spin off got into 300 Blackout, I built a couple of AR's and have had tremendous fun shooting supersonic loads as plinkers. Will it take game? My AAC Handi Rifle took seven Texas hogs last month, one of them weighed 350 pounds and went down with a single 125 gr TNT. Sure I like the cartridge , it works for me but maybe something else is better suited for you.
Ok I said mine you can go back to biting each other's ankles now.

The OP didn't ask whether the BO was adequate for marginal use, but how big the bandwagon.

I like 300blk and agree it is getting very popular. I also like 6.8. However if Im going heavy in a caliber im going 7.62x39. Its just the economy of it.

was skeptical until I built one, didn't much care for it in subsonic but I do really like it in full house loads running at 2465 with 110 grain bullets. This rifle is turning out to be a great 200 yard or less range rifle. With the suppressor it sounds like a loud sneeze when fired.
this was last weekend...

I do really like it in full house loads running at 2465 with 110 grain bullets. This rifle is turning out to be a great 200 yard or less range rifle. With the suppressor it sounds like a loud sneeze when fired.

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Must be a loud sneeze everything I have ever fired supersonic still had the "crack" nothing better that around .22lr sound levels.

That said the round has been around more than twenty years under several different names, I bet it's still around in one form or another in another twenty.

No, it doesn't compare to 6.5 or 6.8 at range, but then it was never intended to. I wanted something on an AR platform in .30 cal, but not a .308 . I built mine as a CQB/point defense rifle, sights are all zero'd at less than 150 yards (red dot x1 mag at 125, laser at 75, irons at 50). I can shoot subs unsuppressed without cycling issues, but usually go for 125 to 155 weight bullets from 1900-2200 fps, there's plenty of downrange energy with those to 300 yards, anyway. Only accessory other than sights is a 500 lumen light. It's good for anything from full daylight to full dark.

If I need more than that, I have the trusty scoped M1A and a bolt gun. Any more than that, and the aliens have landed and it won't matter anyway.

When I visited a Cabelas a few weeks ago they had 4 or 5 different brands on the shelf, maybe more. They had subsonics and supersonics.

I recently put together a .300 blackout. For me it's not about whether it's better or worse than a 7.62x39 or a 6.8SPC. None of that matters when you're not buying into it purely based on ballistics. Ballistics aren't everything....think about all the great rounds out there that you can't even buy commercial ammo for and that any components for it has to be custom built or ordered online with long wait times and at a high cost. You can't exactly walk into walmart and buy some 6XC ammo.

What really matters is that you can use all standard .556 AR parts (except for the barrel of course) that are available everywhere. You can now shoot a different round that does well out of a short barrel (unlike the .556), can shoot subsonics that are even commercially available (great if you have a suppressor). If you're a reloader it's fantastic because there's piles of .223 brass everywhere for cheap.....and you can walk into any store that sells reloading components and find at least a few different bullets that will work with it.

I'm sure a 110 grain Barnes TSX would get the job done on a lot of things. It's not some kind of knock your socks off amazing round of the century....but it has it's place. There's so many companies making ammo and barrels that it's not going anywhere for a long time.

Suppressors are becoming more and more popular and that will only make this round grow in popularity.

Nice shot with the pigs TIMC.

I been around long time, served in war........I see this caliber as a fad.....a caliber that has relevance to only a few, and most of those read gun magazines and articles.....well, guess if you want one and can have, get after it, so many more existing calibers do the same job so much better and so much more sensibly

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Well said.

Are you still this mad about the popularity of the 30/30?

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Nope, even bought one years before the 6.8 was a known quantity.

Lightweight carbine with easy to use controls and an intermediate cartridge that reaches out to 250m without too much bullet drop. A great number of hunters acquired one, and the ammo is extremely widespread and commonly inexpensive.

Sounds like the AR today.

At some time in the not too distant future we could expect .300, 6.8, and X39 to all be about the same price as new commercial ammo on the shelf.

What could change things is X39 imports being completely disrupted due to world politics, 6.8 surplus hitting the market, and the Army moving to a different cartridge. It would mean a huge surplus of 5.56 on the market worldwide as others follow suit, and that wouldn't necessarily hurt .300 reloaders, but would eventually impact them as brass dries up. There would be no once fired cases to play with.

Cartridges come and go precisely because of inexpensive supplies. .308 was big in the '80s and '90s, but once 3Gun transitioned to cheaper milsurp 5.56, and the excess stocks shot up, it's back to being an also ran. Before that, it was .30-06.

In the day, .30 Remington was giving .30-30 a run for it's money. Now it's known mostly as the base cartridge for 6.8 brass.

I have no issue with folks who understand the ballistics and deliberately choose one over the other. What popularity is all about, tho, isn't the ballistics, if anything, it's completely left off the table. What popularity focuses on is "What are the other guys shooting, I want to be part of that crowd of cool dudes."

Goes to the latest version of the AR pistol - everyone is building a faux SBR with brace, long slick CNC handguard, and recessed oversized compensator. It's a matter of acquiring the same parts as the other guy, not equipping it for efficiency. It's just "me too" building, and that is what is currently happening with .300. It happened with 6.8 and 6.5, too, until some discovered there was no cheap surplus. Then they squalled like cats with their tail in the door and whined about ammo being pricey.

There's no .300BO surplus, and I'm waiting to hear about ammo being pricey. Seems it's an issue many are in denial about - or they simply aren't shooting all that much.

5.56 is still KING for cheap.

.300 is just the current fad, again, wait five years and then we will see who is still shooting it and why. They will be the real users, not the fair weather fans who move on in their quest to be the first to own the Cartridge of the Month.

TIMC said:

was skeptical until I built one, didn't much care for it in subsonic but I do really like it in full house loads running at 2465 with 110 grain bullets. This rifle is turning out to be a great 200 yard or less range rifle. With the suppressor it sounds like a loud sneeze when fired.
this was last weekend...

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@ TIMC : Do you have any pics of the wound track when you dressed them?

HOOfan_1 said:

I consider the .300 Blackout more of a "why bother" hunting round, than the 6.8SPC.

The 62-64 grain .223 hunting ammo hits just as hard as the 110-125 grain .300 blackout hunting ammo. If you live in a state with caliber restrictions, it isn't as powerful as the 7.62x39 and the 6.8SPC really outshines it in power and range.

If you are looking at .308, .270 or .30-06, then you are not looking at AR-15s

If you are looking at AR-15s, what exactly does the .300 ACC Blackout do even as well as the 6.8SPC other than use standard .223 Magazines?

If you are looking to hunt with an AR-15, you don't need tons of magazines, so why not buy a specific 6.8SPC magazine?

If you are looking to plink at the range, why would you spend the money on 300 AAC ammo over .223 Ammo?

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WHO...said anything about "hunting-round"...
...not me, not the OP.

patriot53 said:

WHO...said anything about "hunting-round"...
...not me, not the OP.

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You ABSOLUTELY did....

patriot53 said:

6.8SPC as it's de facto caliber...it's going nowhere...relegated to a "why bother hunting round".

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crazysccrmd said:

The 300BO is a result of excellent advertising to people who aren't concerned with ballistic tables. It is great for subsonic work, marginal out to about 200m when supersonic and nearly useless beyond that. A 5.56 will do everything better other than subsonic, and a 6.8 (SPC II) will do everything better than a 5.56. The 6.8 (maybe 6.5 too) is probably the best round for a hunter wanting to use a standard AR15 and easily available ammo.

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AGAIN...who said anything about "hunting"???

HOOfan_1 said:

You ABSOLUTELY did....

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Uh..sorry, out-of-context...
...let me re-phrase that for you so maybe you'll understand;
"who said antything about THE .300AAC BO, in regards to HUNTING...not me,not the OP.

The "hunting" reference was directed to the 6.8spc, an "aside" comment that had nothing to do with the OP or the .300AAC.

The .300 blk could easily be nicknamed the .30-30 Weak

I get that it was originally designed for use subsonic and suppressed, but wouldn't one of the big bore AR rounds be more effective for subsonic, suppressed use?

As for a .30 cal AR round, if someone could design one that matched the ballsitics of the .30-30 in equivalent bullet weights, that would be interesting.

patriot53 said:

Uh..sorry, out-of-context...
...let me re-phrase that for you so maybe you'll understand;
"who said antything about THE .300AAC BO, in regards to HUNTING...not me,not the OP.

The "hunting" reference was directed to the 6.8spc, an "aside" comment that had nothing to do with the OP or the .300AAC.

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You brought it into the conversation as a reason you think the 6.8 SPC's popularity will diminish.

I pointed out that the .300 Blackout really has very few aspects which I think will keep it popular.

.300 AAC uses the same bolt and Magazines as 5.56...ok...great, so what?
Why would I use the .300 AAC over the 5.56?

1)I want a suppressed round. Great...how many people are jumping through the hoops to get suppressors? My guess is not enough to fuel the .300 AAC's popularity.

2)My state doesn't allow .224 caliber for deer hunting, but I really like shooting the AR. Ok, great, but the 6.8 SPC is a much better hunting round, and IMO it is worth the ~$100 you would spend to buy a dedicated bolt and magazine.

1)I want a suppressed round. Great...how many people are jumping through the hoops to get suppressors? My guess is not enough to fuel the .300 AAC's popularity.

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"The civilian market for silencers soared 37% in 2013, when the total number shot up to nearly a half a million, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives registry. That's compared to 360,000 in 2012 and 285,000 in 2011."

You're right that the 6.8 is a better hunting round. If you only care about ballistics and nothing else then that's the one to go with. The .300 is way more versatile and less expensive too. I like both of them myself. I think I might build a 6.8 or a 6.5 next.

Just as a reminder of the design parameters for the 300 BLK.

From the following AAC web site...

http://300aacblackout.com

"Introducing the Advanced Armament Corp. 300 AAC Blackout (300BLK). This system was developed to launch 30 caliber projectiles from the AR platform without a reduction in magazine capacity and compatible with the standard bolt.

Full power 115-125 grain ammunition matches the ballistics of the 7.62x39mm AK, and eclipses 5.56mm with much higher-mass projectiles for a more dramatic effect on the target. Or choose subsonic cartridges for optimal use with a sound suppressor - 220 grain Sierra OTM (open-tip match) bullets vastly outperforms a 9mm MP5-SD in penetration and long range accuracy."

HOOfan_1 said:

You brought it into the conversation as a reason you think the 6.8 SPC's popularity will diminish.

I pointed out that the .300 Blackout really has very few aspects which I think will keep it popular.

.300 AAC uses the same bolt and Magazines as 5.56...ok...great, so what?
Why would I use the .300 AAC over the 5.56?

1)I want a suppressed round. Great...how many people are jumping through the hoops to get suppressors? My guess is not enough to fuel the .300 AAC's popularity.

2)My state doesn't allow .224 caliber for deer hunting, but I really like shooting the AR. Ok, great, but the 6.8 SPC is a much better hunting round, and IMO it is worth the ~$100 you would spend to buy a dedicated bolt and magazine.

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...STILL has NOTHING to do with why the .300 is getting HUGE, OP did not specify hunting.
I'll be the grownup here and you can respond however, I don't really care anymore.
OFF TOPIC.

patriot53 said:

...STILL has NOTHING to do with why the .300 is getting HUGE, OP did not specify hunting.
I'll be the grownup here and you can respond however, I don't really care anymore.
OFF TOPIC.

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The 300BO is popular because it's had a ton of money spent on advertising and is the "new cool thing" to have. Other than easy suppression it really offers nothing over the 5.56 and other products on the market.

Other than easy suppression it really offers nothing over the 5.56 and other products on the market.

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I respectfully disagree. I would much rather shoot 300BLK out of an unsuppressed short (10.5" or less) barrel than any sort of 5.56. I have shot both, and 7.62x39 as well. 5.56 out of a short barrel is unpleasant to both the shooter and those around him. 7.62x39 is fun but the fireball is ... excessive.

The SIG brace "craze" is indirect evidence that short barrels are gaining significant traction in the market.

300BLK fills what appears to be a growing niche: its supersonic muzzle energy compares favorably with 5.56 at short-to-mid-range distances out of a short barrel, it's easily suppressed when subsonic, and it fits 30 rounds/mag. The commonality of parts with 5.56 is a bonus as well.

Try to keep in mind that there are other applications for the AR-15 besides 300+ yards and hunting.

I reload 300blk for 10.8c ea. round in my 8.25" ar pistol with sig brace.
That's why I shoot it. I convert brass and cast my rounds and powder coat. no gas check. I want training rounds not hunting or KD.

I've used and been around ak pistols and short 5.56 - no thanks! In supressed the above is cheap, and very pleasant shooting that doesn't intimate some the way a barking pistol does in other calibers.

I know there are others that jumped to 300blk for the same - not because it's new or cool. I can reload it cheaper with less complications than .223 right now. Buying projectiles would change that.

I had an entry photo but can't find it, these are the exit wounds from a 300 Blackout using a Barnes 110gr Vor-Tx. I've done my part by having four 300 Blackouts in varying configurations.

Jason_W said:

The .300 blk could easily be nicknamed the .30-30 Weak

As for a .30 cal AR round, if someone could design one that matched the ballsitics of the .30-30 in equivalent bullet weights, that would be interesting.

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Comparative ballistics between a 30-30 shooting a 150 gr HP against a 300 BLK shooting a 155 gr shows the BLK staying supersonic out to almost 700 yards with a terminal velocity of 1087 fps (MV of 1995 fps, BC .443). 30-30 goes subsonic around 400 yards with terminal velocity of 1178 fps (MV2390 fps, BC .218). 300BLK drop at 400 yards 48", 30-30 drop at 400 yards 64". Much of it is the type bullet used, most 30-30's are blunt nosed with relatively poor BC and bleed energy rapidly due to aerodynamic drag. 300 BLK typically uses high BC bullets and are able to maintain a higher percentage of downrange energy and velocity.

And....the comparison doesn't account for the BLK shooting from a 16" barrel and the 30-30 from a 20" barrel.

I'd say someone HAS designed a .30 cal AR round that at least matches 30-30 ballistics.