School me on 300 Blackout

[bknilvr00]

I'm curious about this round for hunting deer, as well as throwing a can on it while doing so. I'm gna need a rifle before next season for my wife to use, so something manageable caliber and size wise is a must. I figure an AR with adjustable stock is a shoe-in. I'm also a huge fan of the potential for not having to wear ear pro while in the field. And before someone grills me for not wearing it and going deaf, I wear muffs when I duck hunt. The action is usually heavy enough to warrant doubling up plugs and muffs. After getting ear blasted three years ago my right ear rings constantly. Problem is when I'm rifle hunting, muffs and plugs bother the snot out of me. So if suppressed, do I not need to worry about my hearing

[h20hunter]

 

[emac]

How far will she be shooting at deer. I have a 300bo and there is major drop after 200 yards. I don't have a can on it but I've been told they are super quiet. Mine has hardly any kick and its light. I tend to carry my 6.8 more often cause of the range factor. I got a coyote at 428 yards with it last year and a deer at 300 yards a few years ago. It doesn't have any kick either. There are so many good calibers in the ar platform now days.

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[carpsniperg2]

There is 2 different things to look at. One when you are running sub sonic bullets most will not expand at sub sonic velocity's and have pretty poor killing power with no expansion. They will be almost silent with a suppressor. It's pretty amazing. Second if you are running standard velocity rounds they will be louder but still fine to shoot with a suppressor and without hear protection. The 300 blackout is not a fast round. I run 125 ballistic tips for my high velocity rounds and at a close range they will kill a deer just fine. For a sub sonic there are certain companies that make bullets that expand at sub velocity's. Yet the drop of a bullet running at sub sonic speeds is huge!!!! your range would be very very very close if you were going to attempt to use them.

I have a good bit of experience with this cartridge in both AR rifles and bolt guns. There are by far better choices for her. 7mm-08 or 308 would be great. Both can be loaded down to be very quiet and kill way better then a 300blk. The 300blk has it's place and we have killed a few critters with mine.

One other thing. If you don't have a suppressor already you better get on it. I have a few friends that are at 13 month wait times for the initial suppressor. I got one back in 3 months a few months back but I think that's because I already had stuff setup with my others.

[bullfisher]

I think its kind of a turd myself. If you go with a comfortable can length barrel, it will be worse.

[yorketransport]

Back in the old days when it was called the 300 Whisper ,  I used to shoot one out of 10" Contender. It's not a power house but I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a deer with one at a reasonable range. In fact I shot my deer last year with a 30 Herrett at about 85 yards  with a 130gr TTSX out of a 10" Contender and he was DRT. The 30 Herrett from a 10" barrel is just a touch behind the Blackout from a 16" barrel.

Run a 125-130gr bullet at 1900-2000fps through a suppressor and you'd have a quiet and efficient mid range (<150 yard) deer killer.

Andrew

[JJB11B]

Get an M1 Carbine and a set of Peltor's 

[bknilvr00]

I appreciate the responses you guys have given me so far. I'm just kinda looking into it. I haven't started buying build parts yet. I do believe I have talked her into doing a his and hers AR build though. So I just need to settle on calibers.
When you guys say close range is that under 200 yards? 100? 50? I'm fairly comfortable shooting to take a poke at 200, but she is a novice shooter. So a long range tack driver isn't necessarily needed.

[h20hunter]

Think about this also.....you got a kid...probably another in the next few years.....shooting time and hunting time may take a hit a bit. Sadly, been there, done it, know how it goes. So, when looking at a buy/build I think you have to look at versatility. Lets take the 6.8 compared to the .300. Wider range of bullet selection, can go up and down in powder loads to manage recoil and velocity. A pair of muffs or basic plugs can be put on/in the ears prior to shots...sometimes. How much will the gun get used if limited in range? How much will it get used if it can be a yote/bear/deer/elk gun from close in out to X yards? I think the limits of the .300 BO on range make it a novelty, a good novelty, but one that may be used then set aside. Also, the can. Like Carp said....over a year wait and that is now. Me...I'm going with a caliper like the 6.8, maybe a .243...and buying/building something that is going to get used for years to come. Just the fact that it is a semi auto will absorb much of the recoil from the smaller calibers....say anything under a 30. Then, it all comes down to noise and that can be managed by a little prepping ahead of time.

[300rum]

I would stay away from the AR-15 type platform and go with a DPMS LR type AR10 build.  On my build the rifle doesn't move and I can watch the bullet impact the target.  My 10 year old daughter can shoot it easily out to 450 yards, not that I would necessarily let her shoot at an animal at that range but she can ring the gong easily.

My rifle is set up with a full size BCG, an adjustable gas block, and a very good comp (hearing protection required).  Buy a pair of Howard Leight Impact Sport muffs and put them in your pocket. 

I have been kicking around the idea of putting a "can" on it but I see no reason to load sub-sonic so I would have to wear hearing protection anyway.     

[Yondering]

I would stay away from the AR-15 type platform and go with a DPMS LR type AR10 build. 

The OP asked about a cartridge that fits the AR15, not something 308-size to fit the AR10. Your suggestion means more weight, more recoil, and definitely louder.

To the OP - don't sweat the caliber decision too much. In an AR15, the difference between a 300 Blk and 5.56 is just a barrel and gas tube; you can always change it later. Bolt, mags, etc are all the same.
6.8 is certainly a valid choice too; ammo is cheap and it's a modest improvement in power over the 5.56. It will require specific mags and a 6.8 bolt though, just FYI. I'm using ACS mags, they seem OK.

Your goal of hunting suppressed without ear protection is perfectly reasonable. I usually still wear plugs for extended shooting, like in a ground squirrel colony, but often shoot my suppressed ARs without ear proteciton too. If running full power, suppressed, all of those rounds sound about the same to my ears. The 300 may be slightly quieter, but it's not a big difference, the supersonic crack is most of the noise anyway. All of them are right at the edge of my comfort level for multiple shots; for just a shot or two while hunting they are fine.

[Yondering]

One other comment - contrary to a lot of claims online, a suppressed 300 Blk, even with subsonics, is not "nearly silent" or "quiet as a suppressed .22". The action noise in an AR is significant, and subsonic loads that cycle an AR action are louder than you'd expect from watching youtube videos.

[lamrith]

One other comment - contrary to a lot of claims online, a suppressed 300 Blk, even with subsonics, is not "nearly silent" or "quiet as a suppressed .22". The action noise in an AR is significant, and subsonic loads that cycle an AR action are louder than you'd expect from watching youtube videos.

Yes sound at the shooter is louder than to the sides in the AR platform.  Pretty good pop from the action on each shot.  Stand a few feet away to side and it is much quieter..

Also realize that an AR (unless you do a specific light weight build) will be heavier than a bolt gun.  May not seem important, but after a few days/miles of hiking it can add up.  My AR I just hunted with was 9.75#+ammo and after 6days hiking mtns you notice the extra weight.  Bolt gun would be lighter and quieter if shooting subsonics and the can...  That said I prefer the AR platform so that is what I hunted with.

300blk is a viable hunting round you just need to be conscious of it's limitations, and choose appropriate ammo/shots. 

[Fl0und3rz]

Back in the old days when it was called the 300 Whisper ,  I used to shoot one out of 10" Contender. It's not a power house but I wouldn't hesitate to shoot a deer with one at a reasonable range. In fact I shot my deer last year with a 30 Herrett at about 85 yards  with a 130gr TTSX out of a 10" Contender and he was DRT. The 30 Herrett from a 10" barrel is just a touch behind the Blackout from a 16" barrel.

Run a 125-130gr bullet at 1900-2000fps through a suppressor and you'd have a quiet and efficient mid range (<150 yard) deer killer.

Andrew

I don't have skin in the game, nor do I have direct experience, but I have done a little research.

The claim to fame for the 300 BO seem subsonic and the AR platform, although at subsonic velocities, I wonder what benefit it would be as a general hunting platform over what some others listed here (such as the above) would provide.


There are many out there with regrets or at least dissension over the utility of the 300 BO.

Here's one such write up and a bit of a subsequent walk back.

http://www.alloutdoor.com/2014/05/22/300-aac-blackout/

http://www.alloutdoor.com/2015/03/19/anti-300-blackout-soapbox-downsized/


That said, don't let me dissuade anyone from a new rifle purchase.

[h20hunter]

Good reads.