Recently began considering doing a 300 blackout build. My criteria is quiet and accurate to 100 yards. Pretty simple right? lol. I always wrote the 300 BO off as a fad and didn’t get it but a dedicated subsonic rig seems like the solution for what I’m looking for. The reason is I live in a neighborhood but we have lots that are 2 to 3 acres and we are surrounded by farm land. Recently some coyotes have been seen and actually killed a neighbors little yip yip dog. So I’m looking for something to use on them hence it has to be quiet. The neighbors actually requested I take them out, but I don’t want anyone to know when I actually do lol. I have a spare AR lower so I have the option to build one in that platform or I was thinking a Howa Mini bolt gun. Any thoughts or suggestions? Still haven’t decided what can to go with either. I also thought about getting a big bore PCP air rifle but not sure.
300 BLK Build help
- Thread starter Leroy-J
- Start date
I have a suppressed 22lr. I don’t feel a 22 is ethical for coyotes. Just my opinion.
Honestly I'd do either the howa or the ruger american gen2 that take AR mags. That way you don't have to mess with getting the AR gas system right and it will be quieter.
I'm on the camp for a little bolt action with a cheaper ish thermal. You can use those digital night vision scope as well.
In all honesty the optic type (thermal/NV) is going to be a lot more important than the caliber.
From the sounds of it you can get pretty close and you will be taking pot shots.
I'm pretty sure a 22lr will work just fine with less risk than a full on high power cartridge.
A 300BLK with good ammo will smoke a coyote. If you take a good shot a 22 will work just fine too.
The concentration though should be on detection IMO.
In all honesty the optic type (thermal/NV) is going to be a lot more important than the caliber.
From the sounds of it you can get pretty close and you will be taking pot shots.
I'm pretty sure a 22lr will work just fine with less risk than a full on high power cartridge.
A 300BLK with good ammo will smoke a coyote. If you take a good shot a 22 will work just fine too.
The concentration though should be on detection IMO.
If it were only legal to hunt anything with a night vision scope in my state.
Coyotes now have a season on when they can be hunted.
You can own a night vision scope as long as you don't hunt anything with it.
And that could have changed in the last legislative session...
Last time I checked the scope could have a lighted reticle...but no other electronic gagets like a rangefinder inside the optic.
The rangefinder could be carried separately.
Catch and release fishing, if you raise the fish more than 12" out of the water while releasing it...that's a big fine...there are no small fine infractions these days.
The bolt gun is going to be cleaner and quieter than the AR pattern.
The AR pattern is quiet but you still have the BCG slapping about, making noise.
The drop on a heavy sub is stupid past 100yds. Off the top of my I forget what is was to 200 yds but it was significant but still fun.
For the AR pattern and 300 BO either use aluminum GI mags or 300 BO specific mags to avoid feeding issues. Been down this road.
The AR pattern is quiet but you still have the BCG slapping about, making noise.
The drop on a heavy sub is stupid past 100yds. Off the top of my I forget what is was to 200 yds but it was significant but still fun.
For the AR pattern and 300 BO either use aluminum GI mags or 300 BO specific mags to avoid feeding issues. Been down this road.
There's no contest between an AR and a bolt action for sound. I have a 16" and 9" 300BO bolt gun, 12" 338 Spectre bolt gun and a 7" 300BO AR. The 16" 300 BO is by far the quietest. The 338 Spectre is disappointingly loud. The AR isn't what I would call quiet. But here's the kicker. I have competed in NRL22 and done pretty well. I have a couple of 22LR rifles. A quality 22LR rifle is heads and shoulders more accurate than a center-fire 300 or 338 rifle. And much, much, much more quiet. For the job you're referring to, I would take a 22LR and limit myself to head shots.
First I’m no hunter so my opinion carries less weight than theirs in that respect. IF I WERE to shoot a coyote I would not feel good using a subsonic 22. I wouldn’t do it. Given the situation, subs are necessary. A bolt will be quieter for sure. I’ve shot AR 300Blk with the Velos LBP and I don’t believe anyone who wasn’t within 25 feet of me outside knowing what I was doing would know it’s a gunshot. But who knows, my eyes aren’t as great as they were so maybe my hearing isn’t as well. A 300blk with decent suppressor (no super short K can) with subs (I use 220 grain SMK over 10.6grains N120 at sea level and get right around 1025fps) is insanely quiet and insanely fun. It probably won’t apply to you, but when I built my first 300blk I used an AGB and traditional suppressor. I tuned it to shoot about as smooth as my current build (using fixed gas block and Velos). Problem was somewhere around the 3rd mag carbon buildup would start causing malfunctions. If I accounted for that in the beginning, there was a noticeable increase in recoil for the first mag and a half. Not a huge deal, but my new build is for run and gun night vision use so smoother makes a big difference when shooting while moving.
Have you ever shot and wounded a dog? I have. They are loud as fuck. It's like pull priorities. There's some important stuff to do if you have time, but when you're out of time for gods sake just open the fucking parachute. Nothing is as important as that. A person can make all the arguments in the world, but none of it matters if you don't have the hit probability to kill the animal instantly. Because if you don't, they are loud as fuck. 30 cal subs penetrate, a lot. I wouldn't rely on them to kill better just because they're bigger. The only caveat is maybe if you're using dedicated expanding subs( Hornady SUBX bullets aren't that). So, the only answer is head shots regardless of what you're shooting and therefore accuracy is the most important factor. So what's the best candidate for accuracy? It just happens to be the quietest option as well.
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