.300 Blackout, is there a point if not suppressing?

[Justin///M]

I've been hmming and hawwing about getting a Sig MCX when the prices become more reasonable, but I have no intension on suppressing, so I'm wondering if .300 Blackout has a point if not suppressing? What does it offer over 5.56?

I've been reading on it, but most of what I read is geared towards suppressing.

Justin

[phillyd2]

I don't find the question funny at all!

[NathanB]

The big draw is it goes subsonic without losing its ass. But it's a 30 caliber round in a standard ar platform. It's a versatile round with bullet weights available from 110 to 220. But you are correct most suppress it. It's a fun round with very little recoil.

[wanneroo]

I shoot it unsuppressed at the moment and have for years. It makes a bigger hole in the target and has more punch with the lighter supersonic 30 cal bullets than a 223. I could be wrong but it seems not as loud as a 223 rifle also.

Also for me it simplifies logistics with reloading. I don't have any 223/5.56 rifles. For general purpose shooting I reload the same 147-150g FMJ 30 cal bullets in both 300 BO and 7.62 NATO cases. Different powders and primers of course but I can buy in bulk thousands of the same bullets.

[theunrulychef]

I've shot both suppressed & unsuppressed 300 blackout for about 2 years now. Unless you really just have to have a 30 cal in the AR15 platform, I would suggest skipping the 300 blackout & going to an AK or AR10. Now, if you have a SBR lower in 556 & you want an alternate SBR upper, by all means. But if you're thinking about a new semi auto rifle for 30 caliber, I would go another direction.

The 300 blackout round really shines suppressed. It's freaky quiet & still has a big whollop. It makes a larger hole than 556, but that's generally moot in PA as you can't hunt with it (edit: in a semi auto platform). Ammo is much, much more expensive than 556/223 - it's down lower now, but as soon as Hillary gets elected or if this renewed push for gun control really takes hold, you won't be able to find 300 BO ammo anywhere, let alone for affordable prices. It's really a reloader's / tinkerer's cartridge.

All in all, I would recommend getting 300 blackout only if you're planning on suppressing it.

[Justin///M]

Good stuff, thanks for the info all!

Justin

[wanneroo]

The 300 blackout round really shines suppressed. It's freaky quiet & still has a big whollop. It makes a larger hole than 556, but that's generally moot in PA as you can't hunt with it (edit: in a semi auto platform). Ammo is much, much more expensive than 556/223 - it's down lower now, but as soon as Hillary gets elected or if this renewed push for gun control really takes hold, you won't be able to find 300 BO ammo anywhere, let alone for affordable prices. It's really a reloader's / tinkerer's cartridge.

All in all, I would recommend getting 300 blackout only if you're planning on suppressing it.

I think more companies are selling ammo for it now and prices have come down but certainly it is probably more of a niche cartridge and that has to be taken into account.

And yes to get the most out of it in terms of flexibility of loads and finances you probably have to reload for it, otherwise it's definitely not a plinkers cartridge like 223 where you can slap the Slidefire stock on and go hog wild putting rounds down range.

But despite it's niche status one benefit it does have is that commonality with 223/5.56 thanks to 300 BO being a cut down 5.56 case. It doesn't take a lot to swap between calibers if you choose.

I like 7.62 NATO rifles but they are pigs to carry around the property. The 300 BO rifles have basically the same size and weight of a 5.56/223 M4 type AR with about the same amount of recoil, yet it shoots a 30 cal bullet.