Range Report .300 Blackout

[RN Submariner]

What are the real world expectations for this round at 100 yards?

Can 220 grain subsoincs group 1/2" out or a suppressed 9.5" barrel with an 'Improved' match chamber doing 1000 fps at the muzzle.

Is less than 1/2" at 100 yards achievable?

Or are manufactures making claims like this talking up their products and ultimately going to let down the unlucky customer who believes it.

 

[ewoaf]

Subsonic accuracy really depends on two things; bullet design and twist. In my 8" with a 7 twist, I have a really hard time getting good groupings with match designed bullets like most are using. it's not that it's a bad barrel, and even a 7" twist is more than most I think who are using 8s. However the same barrel shoots and easy half moa with a supersonic load of 110 vmax. I think there's just too much procession or yaw in the slower rounds. I do think it is quite possible with a shorter, more blunt, and high drag projectile much like we're used to seeing in low speed platforms, ie: pistol calibers or. 22s.

This begs me too ask the overall practicality of the blk. My best reliability and accuracy, not to mention terminal effect, comes from a lighter super sonic load. Why then not stick with what we already have, being the 5.56? Knock down power? Then an AR10 or AK all ready fits the bill. The prospect of running the AR15 platform with subsonic suppression was a long term goal for many of us, but now that the golden goose has hatched, I'm finding myself at a loss. It's a very fun platform, no doubt, but for myself and those who have ever had the unpleasantness of having to kill something with a sub sonic projo (more specifically a.30 sub projo) the effects can leave much to be desired. Short of a dome shot it takes effort and close distance.

Having just built a nice ak47, I'm selling my upper as we speak. Is a very viable system with a 110-130 range bullet pushed fast, but for the cost of ammo and versatility that the new AK adds to the family, I'll give up my beloved upper to help me with other goals.

In short, yes the accuracy can be achieved, but easier done going fast. I hope others chime in with better success stories, but for the level of suppression actually gained, I'm all for my suppressed mk18. The longer 16" blk uppers provide better suppression, reliability and supersonic MV. However let's be honest, what's the point of you don't NFA that bitch?

 

[TwoGun]

It's just not possible. Look what you're trying to achieve. You take a bullet that's longer than the case and jam it down so it's next to the primer. So the primer goes off and powder deflagration acts in a very random way on the sides of the bullet as it's pushing it past the neck. For top notch accuracy, you never want the bearing surface of a bullet below the neck and certainly not into the body of the cartridge.

So, my opinion, and I've tried many many combinations, is that's it's never going to happen. It's just too long a bullet in too short a case. I think Blackout/Whisper/Fireball heavy subs is a 2" cartridge on a good day and I don't care how long the barrel is.

That being said, I love it and I only shoot subs with a suppressor. Shooting 240gr pills at 1,040 feet per sec is just fun and shooting 230gr cast bullets is a hoot in an AR-15. Love it. I think of it as a 44 magnum that doesn't slow down to 300 yards. In that respect, it does what I want it to.

 

[redbullitt]

I shoot a lot of 300 whisper from a 16 inch 1/8 twist bolt rifle, so it is a different animal from the semi. I have not shot a semi whisper or blackout for accuracy really.

FWIW 1 inch @ 100 yards is realistic from my bolt rifle. .5 inch consistently? With super sonics YES quite possible, but with subs I am not there yet lol. Most subsonic groupings run 1 to 1.5 inch at 100 with lots of different bullets. IMHO this is pretty damn good for a sub.

Usually run lil gun, lc formed brass. As to primers, you have to experiment. They all do make noticeable differences in my rifle. In subs everything is magnified, so the little things most definitely do show up. I have never had good luck with magnum primers, and i don't think they are needed at all here. CCI 400s are my go to for super sonics and higher pressure loads. Rem 7.5s seem to do very well in my subs with 220 round nose and 240 smks. The rem 6.5s actually seem to do even better, but they show pressure signs much earlier than the 7.5s since they are for the 22 hornet and similar cartridges. The 6.5s work well in my rifle for subsonic Lil gun loadings under 220g. Heavier than that and pressure signs show up before acceptable velocity for me.

The 220 smks and 240 smks have shot the best for me, usually around 1 inch at 100 pretty consistently.

I am working on some cast loadings with the NOE 247g bullet and once I get them figured out I think they should be even better than the 240 smks, but I doubt I will ever be able to class it with a supersonic loading level of consistency.

 

[gaphighpower]

I got one...

UPPER:

WILSON COMBAT RECON
18" Stainless Steel bbl
1 in 8" twist
SHARK .308 suppressor

SIGHTS:

EOTech EXPS3-0
EOTech G23 3X magnifier

LOAD:

208g HORNADY A-max
9.1g Lilgun
MV around 1000fps


I run this gun 100% suppressed and can routinely get below groups @ 100yds off the bench with the EOTech. Never fired it (yet) using a scope - might tighten up a bit.

I won't ever get bench rest accuracy out of this gun. On the other hand, it far exceeds my expectations for a day/night coyote/hog gun out to 100yds.

Plus, I don't think you will find .300 BLK owner who doesn't think it's a BLAST to shoot. Only gun I have where I can fire, wait .5-1sec and hear the !!THAAWAAAK!! of bullet on target.

Of course, YMMV.

Cheers,
gap

​

 

[RN Submariner]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[cssnider1]

Let me see if I can shed some light on this. I'm running 3 300 blackouts right now, a 16" and 8", both 1:8 twists, and a breakover, also 1:8 twist.
At 100 yds, you're more than likely not going to get 1/2" MOA with subs. I handload Hornady 208 amax and the best I get at 100 yds is 0.985 inches. That happened once. And that is all three rifles. The 1:8 twist stabilizes my handloads well. Suppressed or unsuppressed.

Now, the Hornday 125sst handloads I can shoot sub moa at 100 yds almost every time from the bench on my 16" and breakover. that's suppressed and unsuppressed.

I haven't shot the 125 from my 8" yet, but I plan on doing that today to get velocity and accuracy from that barrel. I'll post those results later.

But just my opinion, I love the 300BLK caliber. The ability to utilize the same components as my 5.56, minus the barrel, and achieving over 50% more energy is quite great in my book. I deer hunt with the 125sst. I hog hunt with the 208 and 220gr subsonic rounds. Out to 100-200yds this thing is deadly. Mine are built for hunting, not precision, so I'm not worried about the 1/2" MOA. What I like is one that round hits the animal, and it takes it's last breath.

 

[verdugo60]

To give perspective, groups at 100 yards matter in precision only because they get bigger as you get further out. My Blackout has a 9" barrel and has an Eotech on it. With supers accuracy is going to matter a bit more, but standing I can hit a head-sized plate pretty much every time with subs at 100 yards. I'm not going to try to hit anything past 200 with subs, so I don't care about the groups that average around an inch at 100 because it will only be 2" at that distance. So don't stress and waste ammo and time trying to shave off 1/4" with your subs. Get it running reliably and go shoot the shit out of it!

 

[The Lawn Ranger]

I shoot sub reloads exclusively out of my Noveske SBR as this is what I believe is where the 300 BLK out shines over other calibers.

I never bothered with supers.

On a good day, I can shoot 1 MOA at 100 yds and am happy with that level of accuracy. I must add that shooting 208/220 grain bullets suppressed at 9mm speeds
is about as fun as it gets on a "short" range day. I love to hammer bowling pins at 200-250 yds off hand.

I have a JP SCR-11 in 6.5 Grendel as my accuracy/LR AR.

Different tools I guess.

 

[richidaho]

I would think if you are shooting a 300 blackout at sub sonic speeds why would you expect to get groups under 1 MOA. I shoot one suppressed with cast lead bullets and get 1-3 MOA groups this is cheep fun. I think it works just like it should and with sub sonic speed this is as good as it will ever get. Nothing better for a stray cat or dog..lol. On the other hand maybe try.
Take a look at some of the BPCR forums you will find a lot of info on sub sonic shooting. There are cast bullets made for sub sonic speeds. With one of these bullets you may be able to shoot sub MOA, you would have to experiment. I cast with #2 lead in a lee mold (TL309-230-5r, diameter .309, wt 230gr.) This is a cheep mold I use it because I'm not concerned about the accuracy. There are much better molds available try buffalo arms or have http://www.boomersmoulds.com[/URL]/ make you a custom mold a bit over $120. I do not gas check the bullets this will help with accuracy if you want to try this. I tumble lube the bullets and use 5-7g H335 great small game gun and quiet.

Thank
Rich L

 

[matt2143]

I built my 300 upper to fill the role of hunting 200 yards and in. I got tired of carrying an AR10 around and the suppressed report of a 110gr at 2350 is worlds quieter, more reliable and a lot LIGHTER than my 308 AR.