.300 BLK for elk?

[copasj]

That load bests a 50 caliber muzzle loader with round balls.

I'll bet weight retention would be pretty good at those velocities as well.  BT's/SST's etc come apart when moving fast, but not so much at lower velocities.

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[mountainman]

Research some of Bob Mileks test with the TCU line of cartridges in the contender..

[bullfisher]

I just can't figure out the agenda behind this cartridge.
So many better choices for an AR.
People push this thing like yuppies push kale...

[jay.sharkbait]

I just can't figure out the agenda behind this cartridge.
So many better choices for an AR.
People push this thing like yuppies push kale...

It works very well in the AR subsonic and suppressed.

[copasj]

I do think it has a lot going for it.  30 caliber (cheap, wide selection) bullets.  .223 brass, so there is plenty of that as well.  And the only part that is different from a 5.56/223 AR is the barrel.  From that perspective it's head and shoulders above most other AR-15 alternatives.

Close enough to a 30-30 at 100 yards as to make no difference.  Not exactly an answer to any prayers.  But a decent niche cartridge. 

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[lamrith]

I just can't figure out the agenda behind this cartridge.
So many better choices for an AR.
People push this thing like yuppies push kale...

It was definitely not designed as a hunting round.  It was designed as a possible replacement for 556, offering better down range power on par with the comblock 7.62*39 round.  But also to fit in existing AR15/M16 platform with minimum changes. (It is just a barrel swap, everything else is std 556 parts)  It was also developed with subsonic and short barrel weapon in mind for use with a suppressor in CQB situations.

Those last features are what have made it popular with the general public as it has brought subsonic rifle cartridge into the general market and suppressors are legal in most states.  That hunters started being interested only makes sense given how big game reacts when the cannons start booming each fall and many areas people hunt the shots are <100yrds.

I said earlier I thought it would be ok for Elk to about 100yrds, I stick by that if you use good hunting specific ammo and are not taking marginal shots.   Now is it optimal, HECK NO, as mentioned there are much better options, and if someone has a big game caliber in the stable I see no reason to take 300blk out for elk.  If it was the only big game legal caliber someone had, keep it under 100yrds and hunt as if you would with a bow, up close and personal and realize you are going to have much less opportunity to harvest due to that limitation.

[lamrith]

I do think it has a lot going for it.  30 caliber (cheap, wide selection) bullets.  .223 brass, so there is plenty of that as well.  And the only part that is different from a 5.56/223 AR is the barrel.  From that perspective it's head and shoulders above most other AR-15 alternatives.

Close enough to a 30-30 at 100 yards as to make no difference.  Not exactly an answer to any prayers.  But a decent niche cartridge. 

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For big game AR15 the Grendel is a much better option than 300blk and only added needs are a bolt (many grendel barrels come with them) and a magazine, though an AR mag can work in a pinch as the only difference is the follower...  Grendel factory ammo is also much cheaper than 300blk ammo (20-25 vs 25-30) and has much longer usable range (~400yrds on elk) and the rounds buck wind extremely well and ballistics of a 308 with very low recoil so even young shooters can enjoy it with no fatigue.

[copasj]

I do think it has a lot going for it.  30 caliber (cheap, wide selection) bullets.  .223 brass, so there is plenty of that as well.  And the only part that is different from a 5.56/223 AR is the barrel.  From that perspective it's head and shoulders above most other AR-15 alternatives.

Close enough to a 30-30 at 100 yards as to make no difference.  Not exactly an answer to any prayers.  But a decent niche cartridge. 

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For big game AR15 the Grendel is a much better option than 300blk and only added needs are a bolt (many grendel barrels come with them) and a magazine, though an AR mag can work in a pinch as the only difference is the follower...  Grendel factory ammo is also much cheaper than 300blk ammo (20-25 vs 25-30) and has much longer usable range (~400yrds on elk) and the rounds buck wind extremely well and ballistics of a 308 with very low recoil so even young shooters can enjoy it with no fatigue.

That's getting into some pretty significant expense once you change out bolt, mags/follower and barrel.  Add in the odd ball cases and less common bullets and we're getting more expensive.  And once we start talking long range shots we are out of the niche market and into mainstream.  At this point, might as well get a decent bolt gun in 260 Rem or 7mm-08. 

On the other hand, last night I ordered everything I needed to convert one of my AR's to 300 Blackout (Blacktails, not Elk though).  Out the door at Brownells for $200.  All I needed was a barrel, flash hider and dies.  Everything else is common enough that I already have stuff on hand.  I might even be able to make my 30 caliber 150gr cast mold for my 30-30 work.  Even if it doesn't, I have plenty of 130gr speer hollowpoints from the 308.  That is what I think makes the 300 blackout really shine.

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[lamrith]

I do think it has a lot going for it.  30 caliber (cheap, wide selection) bullets.  .223 brass, so there is plenty of that as well.  And the only part that is different from a 5.56/223 AR is the barrel.  From that perspective it's head and shoulders above most other AR-15 alternatives.

Close enough to a 30-30 at 100 yards as to make no difference.  Not exactly an answer to any prayers.  But a decent niche cartridge. 

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For big game AR15 the Grendel is a much better option than 300blk and only added needs are a bolt (many grendel barrels come with them) and a magazine, though an AR mag can work in a pinch as the only difference is the follower...  Grendel factory ammo is also much cheaper than 300blk ammo (20-25 vs 25-30) and has much longer usable range (~400yrds on elk) and the rounds buck wind extremely well and ballistics of a 308 with very low recoil so even young shooters can enjoy it with no fatigue.

That's getting into some pretty significant expense once you change out bolt, mags/follower and barrel.  Add in the odd ball cases and less common bullets and we're getting more expensive.  And once we start talking long range shots we are out of the niche market and into mainstream.  At this point, might as well get a decent bolt gun in 260 Rem or 7mm-08. 

On the other hand, last night I ordered everything I needed to convert one of my AR's to 300 Blackout (Blacktails, not Elk though).  Out the door at Brownells for $200.  All I needed was a barrel, flash hider and dies.  Everything else is common enough that I already have stuff on hand.  I might even be able to make my 30 caliber 150gr cast mold for my 30-30 work.  Even if it doesn't, I have plenty of 130gr speer hollowpoints from the 308.  That is what I think makes the 300 blackout really shine.

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True you can build a 300blk a little cheaper.  $300 6.5 barrel and bolt from Brownells that shoots submoa all day long though is not bad.  Mind you it is bolt only, not complete bcg that you need to change.  300blk barrels can be had cheap but most are not submoa shooters and we are talking as an elk round.  $20-25 mag that as mentioned you do not HAVE to have a std mag will work in a pinch. 

If you are not a reloader, grendel is cheaper long term.  Grendel SST ammo is regularly $20/box, the 300blk hunting rounds I could find were $25-30.  Brass is the only handicap to reloading grendel, bullets are all over, as they fit the other 6.5 calibers just like 300blk uses 30cal.  Run factory ammo for a while to break in the gun and then you have brass, heck I know guys that run only factory ammo and sell the brass to other grendel guys for like .30-50/case and shoot for VERY cheap because of it.  If you already load for 308/30-06 yeah 300blk makes lots of sense for sure to share bullets.

I was sticking with the AR platform as that is what was previously mentioned, but my original write up I had said the same thing.  I hunt with a AR in grendel, but honestly for a hunting only rig, I would recommend a bolt gun to most people over an AR.  No big issue, just little things make a bolt gun a better fit for most people imho, plus cost.  $300 at any sporting good store and you walk out with a Savage Axis XP with a scope in any big game caliber you want.  Add some ammo to sight it in and you are set for <$350 for a complete weapon, not just a new upper for an existing rig.

Don't get me wrong I have 300blk and love it, carried mine all day yesterday in the rain hunting blacktail while the kid had the grendel.  But as a elk round there is no comparison and while usable there are much better options for not much $.