300 Bllack-Out Feed Back Requested Please

[Surgeon]

So, here's the deal. My wife just bought me a gift certificate for my birthday to Radical Firearms in Houston. (not an advertisement BTW). They do custom work. I already have a S&W AR-15 that I love. So I'm thinking about a new upper in AAC Blackout. I already have collection of 30 cal bolt action rifles from .308., 30-06, .300 Win Mag to 7.62 an Israeli Mauser and an SKS & Mosin.
They offer a wide selection in uppers: 6.8 SPC II , 458 SOCOM, 6.5 Grendel , 12.7x42 .50 Cal., 7.62x39 and of course .223/5/56 & 300 AAC Blackout.
Thank being said, does anyone have any "personal" insight about the 300 blackout round and performance or suggestions? I've researched the availability of ammo and costs and I do reload all of my 30 cal ammo.
I figure with the cost, which is not much, I'd have enough left over for a suppressor (30 cal/7.62) to fit all of my .30 cals., a Harris Bi Pod and maybe a nice scope but, I've never shot the Blackout round as yet and wonder if its a good mid range round for hogs and medium game and I'd really like to hear from someone who has experience with it. Thanks much.

Suggestions and comments please?

[Weg]

I have a .300 Blackout AR. I bought it for suppressed shooting, both target and hunting. I started hand loading it and have found it to be reasonably affordable. I have a Gemtech HVT-QM on it. I have shot 3 deer thus far using hand loaded sub-sonic Lehigh Defense 194 grain Maximum expansion bullets with no issues. Overall, if I was not wanting to shoot suppressed and as quite as possible I probably would have just stuck with a 5.56 AR, but for what I use it for it is great. I have never had jamming or feeding issues with it, and my subsonic hand loads work fine.

[Unocat]

I just ordered a .50 Beowulf upper from Radical Firearms. Go big or go home!

[Surgeon]

I have a .300 Blackout AR. I bought it for suppressed shooting, both target and hunting. I started hand loading it and have found it to be reasonably affordable. I have a Gemtech HVT-QM on it. I have shot 3 deer thus far using hand loaded sub-sonic Lehigh Defense 194 grain Maximum expansion bullets with no issues. Overall, if I was not wanting to shoot suppressed and as quite as possible I probably would have just stuck with a 5.56 AR, but for what I use it for it is great. I have never had jamming or feeding issues with it, and my subsonic hand loads work fine.

That's want it for as well plus my hearing is starting to go. I've heard the recoil is less and allows you get back on target sooner too.
Thanks for the feedback.

[Surgeon]

I just ordered a .50 Beowulf upper from Radical Firearms. Go big or go home!

Nothing like going for the "boy dog". I may do that at some point when I need to take down a helicopter or shoot through an engine block. Let me know what you think of it.
Thanks

[txblackout]

I mainly shoot 300 blackout supers for hogs (omega suppressor and specwar 762). It works great at short ranges (under 200 yards)

I like it out of an SBR.. (10 inches is about ideal) so if you can, SBR the 300 blk. You can run it as a pistol until the tax stamp comes in.


I like barnes vortx 110 or tac tx.

for subsonics I have lehigh maximum expansion but havent shot anything with them yet.

What is nice is it hits harder than 223, but has much less recoil than 308 for follow up shots.

[The Annoyed Man]

I have a .300 Blackout AR. I bought it for suppressed shooting, both target and hunting. I started hand loading it and have found it to be reasonably affordable. I have a Gemtech HVT-QM on it. I have shot 3 deer thus far using hand loaded sub-sonic Lehigh Defense 194 grain Maximum expansion bullets with no issues. Overall, if I was not wanting to shoot suppressed and as quite as possible I probably would have just stuck with a 5.56 AR, but for what I use it for it is great. I have never had jamming or feeding issues with it, and my subsonic hand loads work fine.

That's want it for as well plus my hearing is starting to go. I've heard the recoil is less and allows you get back on target sooner too.
Thanks for the feedback.

I e-filed a Form 1 for a .300 Blk SBR a couple of weeks ago. Like the OP, I own other .30 caliber rifles (except mine are all in .308 Winchester except for a single Mosin Nagant and an old M1 Carbine), but I specifically wanted something that would be useful in the following two situations: (1) Home Defense; and (2) Hog & Deer hunting at shorter ranges. My hearing has suffered over the years too, and they ring all the time. That was one reason I bought my first suppressor - an AAC 762-SDN-6, which was originally developed for the .300 Blk cartridge, but works just dandy for 5.56 NATO and .308 Winchester.

My upper will have a 10.5" barrel, and I imagine that I will almost exclusively shoot suppressed subsonics in it....since that is the whole point of the project. Like the OP, I've been doing my research and talking to those who know more than I do. It appears that a 220 grain HPBT or ballistic tip bullet at subsonic velocities will knock the bejabbers out of whatever it hits inside of 300 yards. I found this graphic while surfing around:


#16 sounds magical.

One thing..... and others can correct me if this is wrong.... but it seems that the only way to get a suppressed .300 Blk SBR to cycle reliably in an AR platform is to (A) avoid gas-piston systems generally and (B) to stick to pistol-length gas systems specifically. That first one breaks my heart as I've become a devotee of gas-piston systems, and the direct impingement SBR upper will just end up pooping all over the innards of my 'til now pristine AR15...... which of course is perfect justification to build out another Spikes Tactical/Timney/MFT lower to keep my 5.56 carbine upper mounted on.

[psijac]

I have a .300 Blackout AR. I bought it for suppressed shooting, both target and hunting. I started hand loading it and have found it to be reasonably affordable. I have a Gemtech HVT-QM on it. I have shot 3 deer thus far using hand loaded sub-sonic Lehigh Defense 194 grain Maximum expansion bullets with no issues. Overall, if I was not wanting to shoot suppressed and as quite as possible I probably would have just stuck with a 5.56 AR, but for what I use it for it is great. I have never had jamming or feeding issues with it, and my subsonic hand loads work fine.

That's want it for as well plus my hearing is starting to go. I've heard the recoil is less and allows you get back on target sooner too.
Thanks for the feedback.

I e-filed a Form 1 for a .300 Blk SBR a couple of weeks ago. Like the OP, I own other .30 caliber rifles (except mine are all in .308 Winchester except for a single Mosin Nagant and an old M1 Carbine), but I specifically wanted something that would be useful in the following two situations: (1) Home Defense; and (2) Hog & Deer hunting at shorter ranges. My hearing has suffered over the years too, and they ring all the time. That was one reason I bought my first suppressor - an AAC 762-SDN-6, which was originally developed for the .300 Blk cartridge, but works just dandy for 5.56 NATO and .308 Winchester.

My upper will have a 10.5" barrel, and I imagine that I will almost exclusively shoot suppressed subsonics in it....since that is the whole point of the project. Like the OP, I've been doing my research and talking to those who know more than I do. It appears that a 220 grain HPBT or ballistic tip bullet at subsonic velocities will knock the bejabbers out of whatever it hits inside of 300 yards. I found this graphic while surfing around:


#16 sounds magical.

One thing..... and others can correct me if this is wrong.... but it seems that the only way to get a suppressed .300 Blk SBR to cycle reliably in an AR platform is to (A) avoid gas-piston systems generally and (B) to stick to pistol-length gas systems specifically. That first one breaks my heart as I've become a devotee of gas-piston systems, and the direct impingement SBR upper will just end up pooping all over the innards of my 'til now pristine AR15...... which of course is perfect justification to build out another Spikes Tactical/Timney/MFT lower to keep my 5.56 carbine upper mounted on.

IWI has released a 300 blk conversion kit for the Tavor. Also Sig MCX can be converted to a 300 black with a barrel and rod change. Both of those rifles are piston.

[Weg]

"One thing..... and others can correct me if this is wrong.... but it seems that the only way to get a suppressed .300 Blk SBR to cycle reliably in an AR platform is to (A) avoid gas-piston systems generally and (B) to stick to pistol-length gas systems specifically. That first one breaks my heart as I've become a devotee of gas-piston systems, and the direct impingement SBR upper will just end up pooping all over the innards of my 'til now pristine AR15...... which of course is perfect justification to build out another Spikes Tactical/Timney/MFT lower to keep my 5.56 carbine upper mounted on.

"

Mine has a pistol length gas system with a 16" barrel and it functions fine with everything, and yes, it gets very dirty, especially with the suppressor on it.

[Surgeon]

Some great first hand comments and I think I'm headed in the right direction but leaning toward the 16" barrel as my selection. I like the idea of adding the suppressor at some point to cross over for my other .30 cals as well and the good selection of ammo the Blackout offers.
Thanks guys, I appreciate your input.

[The Annoyed Man]

IWI has released a 300 blk conversion kit for the Tavor. Also Sig MCX can be converted to a 300 black with a barrel and rod change. Both of those rifles are piston.

That's good information, thanks. Unfortunately, I've already registered the SBR for an AR lower, so for this build I'm committed to that platform. Perhaps when I decide on a 7.62x39 platform I'll take a look at the Sig. I know the TVOR is a fine weapon, but I just don't have a personal desire for a bullpup.

"One thing..... and others can correct me if this is wrong.... but it seems that the only way to get a suppressed .300 Blk SBR to cycle reliably in an AR platform is to (A) avoid gas-piston systems generally and (B) to stick to pistol-length gas systems specifically. That first one breaks my heart as I've become a devotee of gas-piston systems, and the direct impingement SBR upper will just end up pooping all over the innards of my 'til now pristine AR15...... which of course is perfect justification to build out another Spikes Tactical/Timney/MFT lower to keep my 5.56 carbine upper mounted on.

"

Mine has a pistol length gas system with a 16" barrel and it functions fine with everything, and yes, it gets very dirty, especially with the suppressor on it.

Weg, how dirty is "dirty"? I have noticed that when shooting my 5.56 upper suppressed, even with the gas-piston system, if I remove the magazine while it still has rounds in it, the metal of the remaining cartridges is dull and obviously dirty with something, although it is more like a dulling of the metallic sheen, rather than visible crud. The magazines appear to get dirty faster too. The dirty cartridges feed just fine. Unsuppressed, the gun runs clean as a whistle with the GP operating system. It just gets a little noticeable dulling of the metal finish on the barrel around the gas block (it's a matte finish stainless barrel), which wipes right off. I'm asking all of this, because I'm curious how much of the dirt in your gun is from the pistol-length gas system, and how much is from the suppressor?

[TheDude]

Weg, how dirty is "dirty"? I have noticed that when shooting my 5.56 upper suppressed, even with the gas-piston system, if I remove the magazine while it still has rounds in it, the metal of the remaining cartridges is dull and obviously dirty with something, although it is more like a dulling of the metallic sheen, rather than visible crud. The magazines appear to get dirty faster too. The dirty cartridges feed just fine. Unsuppressed, the gun runs clean as a whistle with the GP operating system. It just gets a little noticeable dulling of the metal finish on the barrel around the gas block (it's a matte finish stainless barrel), which wipes right off. I'm asking all of this, because I'm curious how much of the dirt in your gun is from the pistol-length gas system, and how much is from the suppressor?

A lot of the dirt from a suppressor is from the gas coming back down the barrel not just down the gas tube. I determined that dirty magazines is just part of shooting suppressed. As TAM noted, it doesn't affect operation from what I have seen. My buddy has a LWRC piston gun and we put my AAC M4-2000 on his gun thinking it would be much cleaner running than my DI gun. We were surprised that it was still pretty dirty. Its not as bad as a DI gun but its way dirtier than unsuppressed. We also noticed that his piston gun is not as quiet as my DI gun. Might be our imaginations but we were shooting it side by side with my DI gun.

As far as 300blk goes, I have another buddy with a 9" DI 300blk that is super quiet with subsonic loads. He is running a AAC 762-SDN-6 on it. I have a 16" 300blk upper that I purchased specifically for deer hunting in the woods. I shot a doe with the 110g Barnes Black Tip at about 60 yards. She ran about 20 yards and collapsed. It was a thru and thru double lung shot and I did not recover the bullet. The bullets do not fragment so most animals will run for a very short distance unless you take a high shoulder shot which damages meat. I would not hesitate to shoot another deer with it out to about 150 yards. Don't expect the instant DRT shots like you get with a 7mm Rem Mag or .30-06 but the 300blk will get it done. It is not a long range hunting round because it drops energy pretty fast. I think the 110 barnes drops below 1000 ft-lbs after 200 yards. Think of it as a 30-30 in a semi-auto.

[Surgeon]

As far as 300blk goes, I have another buddy with a 9" DI 300blk that is super quiet with subsonic loads. He is running a AAC 762-SDN-6 on it. I have a 16" 300blk upper that I purchased specifically for deer hunting in the woods. I shot a doe with the 110g Barnes Black Tip at about 60 yards. She ran about 20 yards and collapsed. It was a thru and thru double lung shot and I did not recover the bullet. The bullets do not fragment so most animals will run for a very short distance unless you take a high shoulder shot which damages meat. I would not hesitate to shoot another deer with it out to about 150 yards. Don't expect the instant DRT shots like you get with a 7mm Rem Mag or .30-06 but the 300blk will get it done. It is not a long range hunting round because it drops energy pretty fast. I think the 110 barnes drops below 1000 ft-lbs after 200 yards. Think of it as a 30-30 in a semi-auto.

I think you just answered what I was looking for in a mid-range "Goldilocks) hunting rifle.....Not too light and not too hard but just right for my purposes, especially the 30-30 in semi auto part.

Thanks much!

[LSUTiger]

I have been toying with the idea of 300 black out in 9" from radical. For the cost of the upper it's a no brainer. And for the cost of the ammo, for my limited purposes wont break the bank, but it is another caliber to stock.

I've shot 300 blk out SBR's before and they are lots of fun.

[Surgeon]

I have been toying with the idea of 300 black out in 9" from radical. For the cost of the upper it's a no brainer. And for the cost of the ammo, for my limited purposes wont break the bank, but it is another caliber to stock.

I've shot 300 blk out SBR's before and they are lots of fun.

Kinda my thoughts too. I've checked other prices on uppers and Radical seems to offer some great cost saving leaving more play money for ammo and necessary toys....
BTW, I have to ask, did you go to LSU and what years? I was there until'78'. Geaux Tigers!