Hatin’ on the 300 BO?

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I like 300 BLK. I load primarily super sonic 110 to
150 grain bullets with 125 grain being the main load.

I can see the advantage of heavy, sub-sonic loads for various applications but I am not willing to fool with getting a suppessor.

I like the 300 BLK for defense around my hobby horse farm. Reasonable rsnge but not excesdive flat tradjectory that might cause excessive down range collateral damage.

I’m not excited about relying on surplus Combloc ammunition so the 300 BLK fits that need as well.
 
Masonlaw1 said:
Mr FL-NC, I have read and appreciated your posts here for several years. I don’t disagree with your observations, although 4 doesn’t make a sample set. Two years ago I shot two smaller bucks with a 308 GSR from Ruger using 150 grain soft point deer loads. Hit the first one high in the shoulder at 12 paces. Snap shot on a rutting buck who stopped for a second, giving me a shot. Fell in his tracks but gave me 45 seconds of death I hate watching. Second was a double lung heart shot. He ran like a scalded dog into thick underbrush. While I found him 40 yards from the hit, I got lucky he died where he did, otherwise I could have looked all day. Deer, like people, don’t always do what you would expect when shot. If used properly, I think the supersonic 300 is every bit of the gun a 243 is under similar conditions. But we could just be arguing Ford versus Chevrolet. Individual preference biases memory. Thanks for commenting.
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The 300 BLK is not equivalent to a 243 in terms of wound channels. FL-NC’s sample size is four deer. My sample size is probably closer to a hundred pigs shot with 300 BLK using both subsonic and supersonic ammo and it just isn’t a very effective round. Yes, it will absolutely kill pigs and deer. No, it does not kill them with the same authority as most of the other cartridges I’ve used. I’ve shot as many pigs with 6.8 SPC and 5.56 as I’ve seen shot with 300 BLK and I would take a 5.56 over a 300 BLK every single time if my goal was killing pigs or deer with no regard to sound suppression. I’d take a 6.8 SPC over either of them. There are a lot of reasons to like the 300 BLK, but it’s effectiveness as a killer of medium sized game is not one of them.
 
David Hoback said:
No, it’s the good ol’, run of the mill Nitro (Carbon) Fouling that “can” plug an AR’s gas system. However, this would take some serious neglect of cleaning & many, many firing sequences to actually accomplish.
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I'll help clear up some of those myths with my experiences in the Army.

Yes if you shoot enough uncoated lead 22lr through a 5.56 barrel, then the gas port can get closed off by lead. BUT the lead usually gets blown out within the first 5-10 rounds of 5.56 ammo shot.

As far as carbon clogging up the gas port or otherwise fouling up the barrel, one has to shoot a lot of blanks with a blank adaptor installed before that happens. And that is only if the soldier does NOT periodically clean the weapon when using blanks. Yes we would see that happen occasionally on long FTX's if rifles were not cleaned regularly and a lot of blanks were shot.

Back on subject. I don't hate or love the 300 BO. I have thought about building a 300 pistol for use during alternative methods deer season here in Missouri. But I have not got around to it. I know the 300 is very popular here in Missouri for use during the alternate method deer season and for hogs. With that said, the 300 is better suite for the deep woods and forests of southern MO. It would not be my first choice in northern Mo where it is more open.
 
I considered building a 300 blackout AR but since I already had a thousand rounds of 7.62x39 and no 300 blackout rounds I figured it would be redundant so I just built a couple of AR47s.
 
cfullgraf said:
I can see the advantage of heavy, sub-sonic loads for various applications but I am not willing to fool with getting a suppessor.
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The 458 socom or even the 450 BM win in this area by good margin.


marksman13 said:
My sample size is probably closer to a hundred pigs shot with 300 BLK using both subsonic and supersonic ammo and it just isn’t a very effective round. Yes, it will absolutely kill pigs and deer. No, it does not kill them with the same authority as most of the other cartridges I’ve used.
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If you haven’t tried the projectile in the OP, I’d suggest giving it a try. It’s the only thing that changed my opinion that pretty much mirrored yours. Except I had no interest in it for subsonic use.

In a trap a .22 works just fine but that’s a bit different. There you have all the time you wish to place a shot. Even wait for them to move into a better position or circle them yourself for a better shot. Not a lot of hunting situations allow the same opportunity.

731D3144-5261-4517-BD1C-9F1839E85F93.jpeg 6EF1BB10-469F-4BDC-81C4-585889311C99.jpeg 78C7150E-4E3E-4734-97A3-A029EB3434A2.jpeg
 
jmorris said:
The 458 socom or even the 450 BM win in this area by good margin.




If you haven’t tried the projectile in the OP, I’d suggest giving it a try. It’s the only thing that changed my opinion that pretty much mirrored yours. Except I had no interest in it for subsonic use.

In a trap a .22 works just fine but that’s a bit different. There you have all the time you wish to place a shot. Even wait for them to move into a better position or circle them yourself for a better shot. Not a lot of hunting situations allow the same opportunity.

View attachment 1106892 View attachment 1106893 View attachment 1106894
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I have not used the Barnes Tac-TX, but I’ve used everything Hornady offers as well as that Maker bullet mentioned earlier in this thread. I’ve always thought that 110 grains was awfully light for a .30 cal bullet and much prefer to drop down in bullet diameter when going that light. I’m not discounting your experience at all. Barnes bullets work exceptionally well. I just prefer a 6.8 mm or 6.5 mm bullet when dropping below 150 grains.
 
I think you and I are reading from the same sheet of music, I too felt the same way. Only tried the bullet a because of endorsement. It works though, if you still own a 300 and would like it to be useful, you might give it a try. Nothing else I tried impressed me either.
 
marksman13 said:
I have not used the Barnes Tac-TX, but I’ve used everything Hornady offers as well as that Maker bullet mentioned earlier in this thread. I’ve always thought that 110 grains was awfully light for a .30 cal bullet and much prefer to drop down in bullet diameter when going that light. I’m not discounting your experience at all. Barnes bullets work exceptionally well. I just prefer a 6.8 mm or 6.5 mm bullet when dropping below 150 grains.
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Normally, most bullets that are that light for caliber are lightly constructed varmint bullets and switching to a different cartridge would be prudent.

That particular 110gr pill is specifically designed for 300blk at super sonic speeds and medium sized game.

It's the exception to the rule it seems.

I would feel pretty good about using it, I've seen alot of positive reports on it.

The next question is if you want to be tied to one supplier making one bullet for your carbine to be up to snuff.

A 6.5G has plenty of good options for bullets, which gives me a bit more of a warm fuzzy feeling.
 
From experience of shooting a few deer with 7.62x39, I am not really a fan of using either 7.62x39 or 300 blackout for medium size game. I have tried the barnes bullet though. I've only used 125 gr nosler accubonds at 2600 ft/sec and I wasn't impressed, though I did kill 4 deer with it. I will probably use that rifle as a low recoil starter deer rifle for my girls, but I have better options for myself. Particularly my 358 yeti.
 
12Bravo20 said:
I'll help clear up some of those myths with my experiences in the Army.

Yes if you shoot enough uncoated lead 22lr through a 5.56 barrel, then the gas port can get closed off by lead. BUT the lead usually gets blown out within the first 5-10 rounds of 5.56 ammo shot.

As far as carbon clogging up the gas port or otherwise fouling up the barrel, one has to shoot a lot of blanks with a blank adaptor installed before that happens. And that is only if the soldier does NOT periodically clean the weapon when using blanks. Yes we would see that happen occasionally on long FTX's if rifles were not cleaned regularly and a lot of blanks were shot.

Back on subject. I don't hate or love the 300 BO. I have thought about building a 300 pistol for use during alternative methods deer season here in Missouri. But I have not got around to it. I know the 300 is very popular here in Missouri for use during the alternate method deer season and for hogs. With that said, the 300 is better suite for the deep woods and forests of southern MO. It would not be my first choice in northern Mo where it is more open.
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LOL! You’ll help clear up these myths with your time in the Army? Now that is hilarious!
NO…You are simply keeping “myths” alive.
 
David Hoback said:
LOL! You’ll help clear up these myths with your time in the Army? Now that is hilarious!
NO…You are simply keeping “myths” alive.
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And that is where you ARE wrong. I was an instructor and also a machinist that worked directly with the unit armorers. And as a machinist I also did depot level maintenance on weapons. I then retired as a tool and die maker and gunsmith after getting out of the Army. I have seen all that happen.
 
It's great for suppressed subsonic shooting...unless you actually want to kill something with more certainty than you would with (much less costly) 9mm or 45acp.

7.62x39 still is more economical.

Sure makes you look cool on Arfcom, though. Yeah, I'm a 300 BO hater.
 
This is why I hate it really. Because regardless of what the manufacturers say or what you think with your feelings, this is the reality! And some reality. 300 Blkt is typically closer in velocity/bullet-weight to 30 Carbine than it is to 7.62x39.

 
David Hoback said:
This is why I hate it really. Because regardless of what the manufacturers say or what you think with your feelings, this is the reality! And some reality. 300 Blkt is typically closer in velocity/bullet-weight to 30 Carbine than it is to 7.62x39.

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Not sure what that video told us other than comparing two FMJ to each other and in that combination the 300 BO penetrated the ballistic 2x6's better. I don't think anyone in this thread is suggesting FMJ for anything more than range fun.

For fun find a similar video comparing sub sonic ammunition in both 223/556 to 300 BO....
 
Why would anyone shoot sub sonic anything except for playing Mall Ninja at one’s favorite shooting range? :confused:

Or I have another little ploy the fan boys do in videos. They test 300bo & 223 both in short barrels! Again, why in hell would I use a 10” barrel with 223 in hunting, defensive, military role?? Test them BOTH in 16” barrels. You’ll find the 300BO hardly picks up any velocity where as not only does 223 pick up a ton of velocity, it puts the velocity in that sweet spot for bullet disruption/penetration, etc.
 
Hunting with suppressors has become quite popular in the last few years. And the subsonic 300 BO does well when suppressed. Also it was initially designed to run in the M4 Carbine which has a 14.5" barrel.

Like any cartridge, it has its positives and negatives. If the positives outweigh the negatives then go with it.
 
David Hoback said:
Why would anyone shoot sub sonic anything except for playing Mall Ninja at one’s favorite shooting range? :confused:

Or I have another little ploy the fan boys do in videos. They test 300bo & 223 both in short barrels! Again, why in hell would I use a 10” barrel with 223 in hunting, defensive, military role?? Test them BOTH in 16” barrels. You’ll find the 300BO hardly picks up any velocity where as not only does 223 pick up a ton of velocity, it puts the velocity in that sweet spot for bullet disruption/penetration, etc.
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In my 16-inch 300 BO I am getting 2378 fps with Barnes 110gr TAC-TX. That is better muzzle energy that M193 from a 20 inch barrel a lot better than M193 from a 16 inch barrel. And better terminal performance at ranges under 200 yards by most metrics.

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My four favorite loads left to right: Maker 220gr REX, Berry 220fe Spire Point, Speer 125gr TNT, Barnes 110gr TAC-TX.
20180731_173001.jpg

As for short barrel and sub-sonics a short barrel AR pistol in 300 Blackout is a wonderful platform for a UTV/Tractor/woods gun. I have killed a heap of up-armored opossums (and a nope-rope or two) on my hunting property with my two pistol setups. With subsonic ammo they are quiet, thus easy on my unprotected ears, and do not spook everything else around me. I got two armadillos last weekend, less than 25 yards apart due, in part, to the low noise. They are compact, even with the suppressor mounted, making them nice to carry and easy in/out - on/off vehicles. As a general purpose utility/varmint gun around the hunting property they really are nice and enjoyable.

BeCztsvl.jpg


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-unabashed 300 AAC Blackout fanboy!
 
I didn’t say a thing about suppressors. I asked why anyone except a mall ninja would use Sub-Son ammo. Its plain wrong intentionally hunting with SUB-SONIC ammunition.. ammunition we know & have proof does not perform like full power loads. To me, it’s on equal terms of hunters who try taking unethically long distance shots! It serves no purpose. I love hunting. Wish I could still go. But I look down on POS, Unethical hunters.
 
David Hoback said:
I didn’t say a thing about suppressors. I asked why anyone except a mall ninja would use Sub-Son ammo. Its plain wrong intentionally hunting with SUB-SONIC ammunition.. ammunition we know & have proof does not perform like full power loads. To me, it’s on equal terms of hunters who try taking unethically long distance shots! It serves no purpose. I love hunting. Wish I could still go. But I look down on POS, Unethical hunters.
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I think you are wrong with the blanket statement, "Its plain wrong intentionally hunting with SUB-SONIC ammunition." There are plenty of ethical hunters out there using a larger variety of subsonic cartridges to take game from small to medium to larger. I use sub sonic ammo because in my suppressor its very quite, quite enough to not need hearing protection, and to not disturb the environment around me.. There is nothing unethical about hunting with sub-sonic ammo, if you match your cartridge to your game and situation.
 
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