Considering an AR in 300 Blackout. Thoughts?

[inkinskin]

I am considering picking up an AR 15 complete or upper in 300 blackout. I already have an AR 15 in 5.56 and an AK 47 in 7.62 and mostly just use them for plinking & fun at the range. This would be for the same purpose so my question is, are these used for mainly hunting or suppressed fire, or is it a readily available round that is affordable to have fun with? Or, would it be something that looks cool but will sit in the back of my safe and not get shot?

Thanks.

 

[ArtP]

I'm getting ready to build myself. I'd like to have a 300 but it cost a lot more to shoot, even with reloads. For a plinker, expensive ammo doesn't work for me.

I'm actually on the fence still and if I choose it, it will be for more a self defense role.

Component bullets cost $10-$13 per hundred in 223, while Blackout bullets start at $21 and go up. Then the issue of more expensive brass or make your own.

 

[txblackout]

It is not a readily available round. It is extremely difficult to find and expensive. Ozark ordnance has the best prices on subsonic (around $1) and supersonic (around $.65) blackout. I wouldnt go blackout unless I was shooting suppressed (I do).

 

[hso]

It is NOT affordable and it is not a plinking round at $1.00-$1.50 a round (IF you can find it).

I put together a .300 Blackout 9.5" pistol upper and the price of the ammunition drove me to go to a 11.5" 7.62X39 pistol upper because I had plenty of AK ammo on hand. I'll eventually get the equipment to load .300 Blackout (and Whisper), but right now the price of buying ammo makes me wish I hadn't gotten the Blackout upper first.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

I keep mine in available rounds like .308.....good luck finding ammo, you probably wont be able to use it too much....still aint ever seen a good reason for this round. then again I aint ever been a follower.

 

[inkinskin]

Cool. Thanks for the input guys. I guess it is time to step up to the 7.62 Nato/308 project.

 

[cfullgraf]

This would be for the same purpose so my question is, are these used for mainly hunting or suppressed fire, or is it a readily available round that is affordable to have fun with?
.

If you reload, the 300 BLK can be affordable to shoot. Not so much if you have to buy factory ammunition.

In my opinion, the 300 BLK makes a dandy home defense rifle. My 16" version serves that purpose well for my farm.

The round is similar in performance to the 30-30 or 7.62x39. Lots of deer have been taken over the years with a 30-30. With the 300 BLK, better performing bullets can be used which will give it slightly better range than the 30-30.

I only shoot supersonic so I cannot comment on subsonic.

Just one opinion.

 

[Lennyjoe]

The only problem I am having is finding 200+ grain .308 bullets. Powder and brass is a non issue as I am cutting down my LC 5.56 brass and re-sizing on my own. I built if for suppressed only and am still waiting on my stamp (since May last year).

 

[ArtP]

Will you describe for me the muzzle blast difference between super and subsonic?

The only problem I am having is finding 200+ grain .308 bullets. Powder and brass is a non issue as I am cutting down my LC 5.56 brass and re-sizing on my own. I built if for suppressed only and am still waiting on my stamp (since May last year).

 

[Strahley]

I just ordered the last group of parts for my 7.5" .300 Blackout build (bolt carrier group stuff). It's starting out life as a pistol but will turn into an SBR soon enough. I wanted something for close to medium range (0 to 200 yards but capable of 250-300 minute of Ivan in a pinch) with good capacity, larger/heavier bullets than 5.56/.223, and is suppressor friendly

It fit the bill but also came with other positives. Since all you need is a new barrel to convert an existing rifle, everything else would be a standard AR15 part (including the magazine). It's well suited for a short barrel since it's not dependent on velocity (which makes it a great choice for subsonic suppression) and you don't get a blast of unburned powder (since the powder typically burns in the first 8 or so inches)

Factory ammo is expensive, but that's where reloading comes in. I can roll plinking/training rounds for about 20 cents a round (add roughly 10 cents a round if you have to buy your own 5.56 brass to modify). I spent $30 on a saw/jig and can quickly convert 5.56 brass over to .300 BLK brass. I already had a lot of brass from when I used to shoot 5.56, and I have a friend who gives me all of his used brass. Even if I only used each piece once, I probably wouldn't need to buy any brass for a decade

If you get one and use it the way it was intended to be used, I think you'll be really happy. If you get one expecting it to do things it wasn't meant to (i.e. keeping up with a .308 at 500+ yards or matching a 12ga 00 buck round per round at point blank), you will be unhappy

 

[ArtP]

Strahley, what kind of component bullets are you using and from where, at under $20 per hundred? Actually you'd have to be getting those component bullets for under $14 per hundred, considering primers and powder and the final product at .20 each.

Where?

 

[WestKentucky]

I am not a experienced person in 300blk, but I did consider it as a potential contender barrel purchase. What pushed me away were these factors...For hunting, it was not effective as a .308 bullet is too slow for expansion if using "better bullets" so your pretty much stuck on jsp bullets made for 30-30. Brass is special order only. My take on this is that it fills no void and is expensive thus destined to fail in a few years leaving a person forming brass from 223. Although I load my own for 90% of my shooting, I want something I can go buy at Walmart if that box doesn't make it across the country on a hunting trip or if it were to get soaked in a storm, flood, boat and not be reliable. 300blk is cool, but no armies I'm aware of have chambered it. No void is filled by it. Other cool cartridges are being developed which have military promise (6.5)...it's destined to fail. I hate that because it's hugely popular right this minute,but next year it will be a new AR cartridge taking over and it currently looks like the 6.5 will be it.

 

[goon]

Just because no military has adopted it, that doesn't mean it's entirely destined to fail. I think .300 Blackout will be available for awhile, but it will probably be a specialty round that you'll have to search for and reload for. It'll never be as cheap and plentiful as 5.56, but .300 Whisper has been around since I was a kid. If the Whisper lasted that long in obscurity, the Blackout is going to be around, especially with so many AR's and increasing interest in suppressors.

 

[pintler]

"what kind of component bullets are you using and from where, at under $20 per hundred?"

Missouri Bullets has cast lead 245 gr bullets that work well in 300AAC at $36 per 250. That's subsonic. I dunno how well they work w/ suppressors (i.e. whether you need a suppressor you can disassemble). You might want to check a batch for stability in your barrel, too.

 

[Walkalong]

If you reload, they are relatively cheap and lots of fun to shoot as a range toy, especially if you make your own brass from cheap or free .223 brass.

Many like the ability to shoot them subsonic, and can use a short barrel to keep rifle OAL down, as the 300 BLK does not need a long barrel. Some folks like that think Supersonic loads are a waste of time, but many folks love plinking with supersonic, and it could serve for self defense as well. I would feel well armed with mine shooting 123 to 155 Gr stuff.

There are better options like 6.8 SPC or 6.5 Grendel if you are looking for more punch or range, but these come at higher brass cost, which is a negative if you just want a cheap fun plinker. They also have fewer choices in suitable bullets.

I am real happy with mine and very glad I converted a .223 to 300 BLK. (Still have a .223 of course.)

When the craziness subsides, there will be reasonable priced ammo available.

 

[atomd]

Buying factory ammo at this point is pretty expensive. I reload a good portion of what I shoot and I already reload a good amount of .223. .300 blackout would be one of the lesser expensive cartridges for me to reload. In fact, if I had a set of dies, I could reload some right now with components I already have on hand for other cartridges (just cut down some .223 brass). Piece of cake.

 

[Bush Pilot]

I've been researching the 300 Blackout with the thought of buying one. I came to the conclusion that it's an answer in search of question.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

That question would be "Do you own a sound supressor?" and it is an excellent answer to that question. If not, I really don't see the point. Can't see why the OP would want to plink and shoot paper with one.

Mike

PS. Compared to quality .308 and other 30 cal rounds, I don't find the cost argument against 300 BLK persuasive however.

 

[bugs1961]

I'm testing MBC 165gr lead bullets and at less than 20 cents a round, the 300 BLK is a lot of fun. I have tested them with 12.0gr 300MP at 1450fps up to 13.0gr at 1650fps. No leading at all.

I use RCBS AR dies and have found a taper crimp is necessary or once in a while the bullet will get set back and not feed.

I had to open my gas port to .125" to get them to cycle reliably. A JP adjustable gas block prevents over gassing with full power jacketed loads.

My barrel is a Wilson Combat SS.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

I'm using an AR Stoner (Shaw?) and they even have a warning about being overgassed with a suppressor. Unsupressed supersonics lock the bolt back on the 7th position (1.75 turns) and subsonics on the 9th (2.25 turns) on my Syrac adjustable gas lock.

Mike

 

[Rusty Luck]

I have a 300AAC and I use it for hunting and some plinking. Ammo is getting more available and the hunting rounds cost about the same amount as .223 hunting rounds.

 

[goon]

Just in my preliminary searching I've found ammo and reloading components for .300 AAC, and I'm only looking for them out of curiosity from this discussion. I don't own a .300 AAC.

If you just bought one and needed a few boxes of ammo to try it out and hunt with it, you could find it. If you wanted to get into reloading for it, you could also do that. Just a matter of knowing where to look.

 

[Strahley]

Strahley, what kind of component bullets are you using and from where, at under $20 per hundred? Actually you'd have to be getting those component bullets for under $14 per hundred, considering primers and powder and the final product at .20 each.

Where?

Primers are $5 per 100 (CCI No 41) (5 cents each). I'm using Hodgdon Lil'Gun right now which is $25/pound (16gr per round, rounding down to 430 rounds per pound is 5.8 cents each). I'm using Missouri Bullets' 135gr .309 cast bullets (10.8 cents each). Comes out to 21.6 cents per round...admittedly just a touch higher than my 20 cents/round guesstimate (however if I could ever find an 8 pound jug of Lil'Gun, it would probably be in the high 19.xx cent range)

Primers and powder I'm buying from a local sporting goods store. They charge close to what you can find available online, but you don't have to worry about the hazmat fee . These rounds are shorter than "normal" ones (due to the bullets I'm using), but they're still within spec and cycle fine (tested in a friend's rifle using PMAGs)

I've been researching the 300 Blackout with the thought of buying one. I came to the conclusion that it's an answer in search of question.

Plenty of people wanted a .30 caliber AR15 that didn't require proprietary parts or have reliability issues. That's part of why the AR vs AK debate has been around for so long (and for ME has been solved)

 

[W.E.G.]

The more guns you get, the more of them "just sit in the back of the safe," no matter how swell you think they are.

 

[kimbernut]

300 aac blk

I'm enjoying the 300 BLK. I have put together. I plan to use it for hunting mostly and to teach young grandchildren to hunt. The adjustable length butt stock and light recoil will be perfect for that purpose. IMHO if you do not reload the 300 BLK is not for you. The only factory I have found is $1.50/ round. I have made my own brass from .223/5.56 on hand and build rounds for .35/round for Sierra SPT and premium Nosler and Barnes for accordingly more.