Tell me more about the 300 AAC Blackout

[Huskerguy]

My brother in law alerted me to this cartridge and it sounds interesting. Anyone on here have one or load this cartridge? I have read a couple articles but would like to hear first hand about your experiences.

Thanks

[tobnpr]

Interesting, why?

Depends what you want to do with it.

Ballistics are about the same as the 7.62 x 39 when loaded supersonic.
Decent punch at short range, drops like a rock at longer ranges- good hunting round for that application.

For subsonic applications with a suppressor, (which most have no need for unless you're a mall ninja) they're used by guys hog hunting at night...

[UtopiaTexasG19]

I reload for the 300 Blackout because I like the heavy 30 caliber loads for under 150 yards and home defense. Many of us reload from 110 grain to 245 grain bullets in the 300 Blackout which gives a great weight range to try out different loads. The 245 grain loads are like throwing bricks at a target and the drop is huge due to the weight though it make a good round for close up. Think of the 300 Blackout as a 30-30 Winchester bullet/load in a AR platform. Go to 300blktalk.com for specifics.

[oldpapps]

I have and like the 300 AAC Blackout.
That said, the round is not a .308 Winchester. But then its not intended to be.

Starting with the pluses:
It is the same as a standard AR/M16/M4 with a carbine gas system, same bold/BCG/Lower/Upper/sights/magazines, everything, except the barrel is 30 Caliber. Commercial brass or cut down (shortened to just behind the shoulder) regular 223/5.56 brass and bullet weights from 110gr to over 220grs. For those who do SBR and/or suppressed, the round/loading is great. I don't do either and still like it, a lot.

And now to the negatives:
Not as flat shooting as the 223/5.56. Doesn't have the energy of the 308/7.62. Uses different powders than the 223/5.56 and 308/7.62.

It will do just about everything a 30.30 with do (leaning toward the lighter weight bullets) only with the instant option of changing mags between 110gr fast light jacketed loads to heaver jacketed hunting loads with just a mag change. Zap that P-dog, switch mags and humanly drop a big hog or deer.

I don't see where the load replaces anything. It does a good job of supplementing that in-between area and putting it in the very handy AR/M4 weapon. Oh, you can just switch uppers to do this.

Enjoy,

OSOK

[Lennyjoe]

For subsonic applications with a suppressor, (which most have no need for unless you're a mall ninja) they're used by guys hog hunting at night...

Variety is the spice of life!

I want one just because I can. Was gonna build a Whisper but there isn't much difference performance wise between the two and there seems to be more aftermarket stuff coming out for the AAC. I'm a reloader too so the round is more attractive to me since I don't have to pay for production ammo.

[capodastro]

I really like loading this cartridge, its a bit of a challenge in that you can't use the same powder for supersonic and subsonic(I tried using h110 for sub and it does not work, as specified on the 300 aac website, you need accurate 1680 for that) and I love a challange, which ar15's/semi autos are. It also fills a hunting niche in that it is a .308, but nowhere near the 308 winchester in case capacity, it really makes you think of the bullet weight you are using for a specific animal with regard to muzzle velocity and take down power at a specific range. as has been mentioned its really a 100 yd +or- round. my point is, get it you will really enjoy loading for it as long as its not your only gun.

[SVO]

I have two Whispers and a Whisper/300 BLK, For a supersonic load, I like the Nosler 125 gr BT using either H-110 or 296. For a sub-sonic load, I've been playing with the Sierra 190gr MK with AA-9 or AA-1680 but haven't settled on a final load yet. The supersonic loads, I'm loading in reformed Remington .221 FB cases. The sub-sonic loads in Remington 300 BLK cases. Primers are Fed 205M's.

2400 is another powder that works well in sub-sonic heavy bullet loads. In supersonic loads, 2400 won't develop the velocity that H-110/296 will.

[CS86]

I don't have a book in my reach right now, but what are you guys getting for velocities? Min and Max..roughly. I thought this would be an interesting round to play with myself. I've heard about the wisper but I think this is the first time I've heard about the 300 blackout.

[UtopiaTexasG19]

Cartridge: 300 AAC Blackout
Load Type: Rifle
Starting Loads

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Maximum Loads

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Bullet Weight (Gr.) Manufacturer Powder Bullet Diam. C.O.L. Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure Grs. Vel. (ft/s) Pressure

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110 GR. HDY V-MAX IMR IMR 4227 .308" 2.040" 17.6 1942 36,500 CUP 19.5C 2130 46,700 CUP
110 GR. HDY V-MAX Winchester 296 .308" 2.040" 18.8 2259 40,600 CUP 20.0 2382 50,600 CUP
110 GR. HDY V-MAX Hodgdon H110 .308" 2.040" 18.8 2259 40,600 CUP 20.0 2382 50,600 CUP
110 GR. HDY V-MAX Hodgdon Lil'Gun .308" 2.040" 18.9 2248 31.000 CUP 20.0 2388 37,600 CUP
110 GR. HDY V-MAX IMR Trail Boss .308" 2.040" 4.5 880 21,900 CUP 6.3 1046 20,200 CUP
115 GR. BER TGT FB IMR IMR 4227 .308" 2.050" 17.6 1934 36,800 CUP 19.5C 2110 47,000 CUP
115 GR. BER TGT FB Winchester 296 .308" 2.050" 18.8 2220 39,300 CUP 20.0 2348 50,800 CUP
115 GR. BER TGT FB Hodgdon H110 .308" 2.050" 18.8 2220 39,300 CUP 20.0 2348 50,800 CUP
115 GR. BER TGT FB Hodgdon Lil'Gun .308" 2.050" 18.9 2235 32,600 CUP 20.5 2393 39,900 CUP
115 GR. BER TGT FB IMR Trail Boss .308" 2.050" 4.5 894 23,200 CUP 6.3 1044 19,900 CUP
125 GR. NOS BT IMR IMR 4227 .308" 2.060" 16.5 1818 38,000 CUP 17.7C 1965 49,800 CUP
125 GR. NOS BT Winchester 296 .308" 2.060" 16.7 2020 40,200 CUP 17.8 2118 48,800 CUP
125 GR. NOS BT Hodgdon H110 .308" 2.060" 16.7 2020 40,200 CUP 17.8 2118 48,800 CUP
125 GR. NOS BT Hodgdon Lil'Gun .308" 2.060" 16.9 2086 35,900 CUP 18.0 2185 40,800 CUP
130 GR. SPR HP IMR IMR 4227 .308" 2.005" 18.0 1902 41,900 cup 19.2 2008 47,600 CUP
130 GR. SPR HP Winchester 296 .308" 2.005" 17.9 2056 40,400 CUP 19.0 2155 48,400 CUP
130 GR. SPR HP Hodgdon H110 .308" 2.005" 17.9 2056 40,400 CUP 19.0 2155 48,400 CUP
130 GR. SPR HP Hodgdon Lil'Gun .308" 2.005" 18.3 2073 37,700 CUP 19.5 2213 41,900 CUP
135 GR. SIE HPBT IMR IMR 4227 .308" 2.120" 17.1 1818 39,700 CUP 18.2 1960 47,600 CUP
135 GR. SIE HPBT Winchester 296 .308" 2.120" 17.3 2010 43,100 CUP 18.4 2109 51,200 CUP
135 GR. SIE HPBT Hodgdon H110 .308" 2.120" 17.3 2010 43,100 CUP 18.4 2109 51,200 CUP
135 GR. SIE HPBT Hodgdon Lil'Gun .308" 2.120" 16.5 2017 37,800 CUP 18.0 2127 43,200 CUP
220 GR. SIE HPBT IMR IMR 4198 .308" 2.260" 11.5 1036 25,300 CUP
220 GR. SIE HPBT Hodgdon H4198 .308" 2.260" 11.5 1068 25,600 CUP
220 GR. SIE HPBT IMR IMR 4227 .308" 2.260" 10.5 1014 28,800 CUP
220 GR. SIE HPBT Winchester 296 .308" 2.260" 9.9 1050 29,700 CUP
220 GR. SIE HPBT Hodgdon H110 .308" 2.260" 9.9 1050 29,700 CUP
220 GR. SIE HPBT Hodgdon Lil'Gun .308" 2.260" 9.0 1077 31,100 CUP

The chart above is for the Hodgon powders though Accurate 1680 is used by some on other loads. Also not shown on the chart are the 245 grain cast lead bullets some of us use for sub-sonic speeds below 1050 FPS. I really like the 300 Blackout loads in the really heavy weights for up close and personal home defense and out to 150 yards for chunking lots of lead in the AR15 platform, but there are much better calibers/loads for past 150 yards in my opinion. For sub-sonic supressed loads or close in shooting it is a versital platform.
PS- You can shoot 300 Whisper rounds in a 300 Blackout chamber but you cannot shoot 300 Blackout rounds in a 300 Whisper chamber.

[A pause for the COZ]

Cant tell you how it shoots yet. Still waiting for my Upper to ship. Two more weeks they said today. They wanted to know if I still wanted it.
I said Heck yea get it here.!!!!

I think if people keep realistic notions about what to expect from the 300 AAC Black out, Your likely to be pleasantly surprised with what you get.
If your looking to get a new kind of .308 win, then your likely to be disappointed.
If your like me and think it will be the perfect new 30 carbine. Then your going to be very happy.

Here is what works for me.
I can order the upper with out a bolt carrier group and get to shooting for very little initial out lay. ( I already have a AR in 223)
Then I can build as the budget permits.

I already have a built in Brass supply. I have in excess of 5000 5.56 cases under the bench. ( try that with 7.62x39)

The only extra thing for reloading I needed to buy was the dies. Shel plates and all the other stuff already fits.

The best part for me is that I can reload these for the same price as I can 223.

If you are like me and have a 16 year old with buddies. it does not take to long for them to shoot you out of house and home.

One way to save on the out lay is to use cheap to buy 124gr .310 pulls. I can get them for about $90 for 1000


Run them through a LEE .308 push through sizer.



Then you end up with a good cheap plinking load. I think on my math I have it to about $4 for a box of 20.
They shoot good too.
I use them in 7.62x39, 7.62x54R, 308Win and 30-30 bolt gun.



Then if I want load some premium stuff I can do that too.
Its a no brainer as far as I am concerned.

[capodastro]

I'm getting 1846 fps using 15 gr H110 and a 150 gr bullet. My rifle is a S&W M&P15 with a 16 inch barrel, 1 in 7.5 in twist. I just worked up some loads with 110 gr bullets, but have not shot them yet. the bullets are all hornady spire point.

[A pause for the COZ]

All right see... now I am getting all pumped for my 300 BLK.
If that upper gets here before deer hunting its coming to the brush with me.
Thanks for the load I was wanting a 150gr brush load using H110

[Amsdorf]

It's an attempt to make up for the lousy performance of the 5.56 round with which America's servicemen have been crippled with for nearly 50 years.

[bedlamite]

Decent round if you want a suppressed SBR, but for every other purpose there are better options for the AR-15.

[A pause for the COZ]

Not counting the Subsonic stuff. All those same things have been said about the 30 carbine. Most are probably true too, except every one wanted one in the truck. I know I did.
You can find another caliber/ Rifle combo that can do each individual thing better but you wont find one that will do all the things better.

[bedlamite]

Actually, you've got that backwards. 6.8 and 6.5 do all things except subsonic SBR better than 300 bo.

[greentick]

I thought this was interesting when I started looking into the 300BO.

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/...rbine-project/

Take it for what it's worth and do your research. I don't own one so no personal experience.

[UtopiaTexasG19]

Savage did all there work up with a 1:10 twist barrel. Most 300 Blk made are either 1:8 twist or 1:7 twist.

[bedlamite]

Originally Posted by UtopiaTexasG19

Savage did all there work up with a 1:10 twist barrel.

Are you sure about that? From their press release:

we have tested many variants of this cartridge in various barrel lengths and rates of twist

[dacaur]

Decent round if you want a suppressed SBR, but for every other purpose there are better options for the AR-15.

The great thing about the 300blk that make it better than many of the other popular AR cartridges, is that ALL you need to convert is a new barrel. (assuming an existing upper in .223) Thats it. Install it in the upper and boom, you have a 300 blackout. Cant say that about 6.5 grendel or 6.8 spc, since both require new bolts and special mags for reliable feeding.

Plus, since the parent cartridge is the 223/5.56, you dont even need to buy brass....

it might not have quite the trajectory or power of the other two, but the difference isnt much, not enough to worry about in my book.....

.300BLK FTW!

[bedlamite]

Just make sure you mark those mags very well. Using a used bolt and/or switching them between guns has been known to increase headspace to out of spec, you really should keep a bolt matched to every barrel no matter what caliber it is.

[rsilvers]

[bedlamite]

OK, so you came up with a website that hasn't been updated for a year when Savage dumped the BO six months ago.

[dacaur]

Plus the 300blk doesn't make ANY sense in a bolt action. It makes sense in an AR-15 because of mag size constraints. But in a bolt action, you might as well just get one in 30 carbine..... People have all sorts of reasons for wanting a bolt action in 300blk. few hold any water.

Only use it for plinking and want something with the same trajectory as your ar-15. = this one is BS unless you have the same length barrel on both, which you dont.

Dont want the expense of reloading another caliber = BS for obvious reasons, "why didnt you just stick with .223 if cost is such an issue" being one of them...

Light recoil = There are plenty of "real" hunting cartridges with light recoil, sissy man.

Only hunt under 150 yards = Even discounting un-hunting-like accuracy, 300blk is not a good hunting cartridge, velocity is to low to really expand a .30 cal hunting bullet at any useful range. Yea I know people do hunt with them, but my dad has taken deer with .30 carbine and the .22 rimfire has probably accounted for more game than any other single cartridge in history, but then, you dont hear about the wounded and lost game, do you?

Lots of others I have heard, and probably some I havent....

The only one I have heard that makes a lick of sense is "because I can"..... Not because its useful, but rather, because its my gun and I will chamber it any way I like, thank you very much....

[rsilvers]

Every time some new 300 BLK product comes out, or something is back in stock, I list it here: https://www.facebook.com/300aacblackout - so if you join the page you will be in the first group of people to know about it.