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Hunting & Fishing 300 Blackout Opinions
- Thread starter Rlandry
- Start date
Never again. Lost two fox and a coon because of that round. Tried several rounds only ever had one fox that was DRT. Was a great idea for suppressed chicken defense but in real life it failed...hard.
Hog people swear the 6.8> .300
Blackout kills fine when a expanding bullet is put in the correct place. Hell the 220smk works well when the target is facing toward or away from you.
Blackout kills fine when a expanding bullet is put in the correct place. Hell the 220smk works well when the target is facing toward or away from you.
I’ve taken two white tail with the Barnes tac-tx out of an 8.5 inch barrel. Both within 100 yards both dead within 10 yards. Shot distance and impact velocity will be your only real concern with a good expanding round like the Barnes
Worked fine for me for years on pigs primarily, and a few deer. Used the Barnes 110 TSX exclusively. Pricey ammo, but worked very well. Have since gone back to .223 which should work fine on pigs for my purposes.
If using an AR with suppressor and multiple shots at a time, would recommend piston setup over DI.
In my experience benefit of subsonic is overrated unless shooting at a known distance each time (over a feeder from a blind). I'm typically hunting from the ground off a tripod starting at 35 yard shots then continuing to engage out to 200 yd+ as they run, and subs don't work so well for that.
If using an AR with suppressor and multiple shots at a time, would recommend piston setup over DI.
In my experience benefit of subsonic is overrated unless shooting at a known distance each time (over a feeder from a blind). I'm typically hunting from the ground off a tripod starting at 35 yard shots then continuing to engage out to 200 yd+ as they run, and subs don't work so well for that.
Have you considered the .300 HAM’R? Designed by Bill for hogs.
www.wilsoncombat.com
300 HAM'R Rifles | Wilson Combat
The 300 HAM’R® offers effectiveness on large game animals with amazing accuracy and low recoil in the lightweight and compact AR15 platform.
www.wilsoncombat.com
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That's what I was thinking. He just described the 6.5 Grendel to a T.
the .300 blk was horrible for me. shooting the 220gr suppressed, it literally ricocheted off a tactical possum (armadillo) at roughly 80 yards twice! It wouldn't put a pig in the dirt either for me. several hits at close range and it took these rounds like Nurf darts. I lost all confidence in it and sold it. I do want to try the 350 legend on one. I normally run a 6.8 or a .556 in a 75gr. both do wonders. 7.62 would probably be the cheapest route.
Well your problem was shooting subsonic loads and @ 80yds.... In my testing subsonic 300blk rounds are a fun range toy, thats it. I know guys that hunt with them which I dont agree with but wont take a shot outside 50yds with them.
Now.....you shoot 300blk with expanding supers and you have a very deadly setup. I load 125 TMK's with 18.6gr H110 and they are 2100 out of my 10.5" 300blk UltraMatch barrel and insanely accurate. They expand like crazy too. This is the same bullet Black Hills uses in their 300blk defensive ammo.
Use the right tools for the job...
My son has killed a pile of deer with the blackout supersonic. 125gr Speer TNT with 296/H110 loaded at around 18.0gr works wonders on game animals. Subsonics are only for known ranges preferably under 50 and not used for hunting.
Like all others have said use SuperSonics. I load the Barnes tac tx or the Sierra varminter rounds for 300 BO. I mainly shoot hogs at night with mine and have dropped huge boars in one shot. My 2 oldest boys (5 & 7) both killed their first deer with it along with my niece who’s also 7. Kids like the lack of recoil and I like the exit wound. With the right projectile it’s deadly.
I *think* he means 7.62x39, in which case I'd say close enough.
I honestly didn't think 80 yards was too far fetched for this round and I can't see where 30 yards would make a drastic difference but it's something I'll probably never know either. I ran 125 SST's through mine suppressed the remainder time I owned the gun. I knew it wasn't a long distance gun to begin with but I expected it to perform a tad better than what I experienced. now I know Hornady makes a subsonic expending round now which watching videos on seemed to do the job so maybe someone can weigh in on that.
to answer the OP question, I believe the 6.8 will be the better choice over the .300 blk
It is not far fetched for this round. Its far fetched for a subsonic 220gr though.. While you cant see it, the numbers tell it. your 220gr subsonic @ 80yd has 479 ft lbs of energy on target where the 125 TMK @ 80yds has 1020 ft lbs of energy on target. Big difference...
Like I said, right tool for the job. The 125 TMK load has zero issues banging the steel ram out of my Ultramatch @ 500M all day with a 1.5-5x20 scope.
I had a 300 blackout, but sold it. My daughter and I killed several bucks with it using 110, 125, and 150 supers.
With supersonic ammo suppressed it really wasn't any quieter than say a 223 or similar round. (16" barrel)
I'm thinking of buying another 300 blk, but it would be just a want. My daughter and I have hunted with a 6.5 Grendel this season. It has put 5 animals down very well. So every time I think "hey, I want to buy another 300 blk to play and hunt with" then I remember oh, yeah, I have the 6.5 Grendel for hunting.
With supersonic ammo suppressed it really wasn't any quieter than say a 223 or similar round. (16" barrel)
I'm thinking of buying another 300 blk, but it would be just a want. My daughter and I have hunted with a 6.5 Grendel this season. It has put 5 animals down very well. So every time I think "hey, I want to buy another 300 blk to play and hunt with" then I remember oh, yeah, I have the 6.5 Grendel for hunting.
My 125 TMK load with my Rugged Surge 7.62 on my 10.5" 300blk is much quieter than shooting my 5.56 AR's. Its not subsonic quiet but definitely quieter.
I'm working from memory. A friend had all the gear - 3 ARs - 300 blk, 6.5 grendel, and 6 grendel. We shot supers out of all, and I couldn't tell much difference. I can't remember what kind of supressor he had, but I want to say Silencerco.
Agree. If I never wanted to hunt elk and was only going to shoot deer and pigs inside 300 yards, I would buy/build a 6.5 Grendel.
90 yards sub sonic on this 8 point with the 190gn Hornady Sub-X. Went 40 yards and died. 12.5" Proof with a Sandman Ti.
Also took a 10 point with a 16" DDM4V11 and 120gn Barnes last year from the same 90 yards.
I happen to like 300Blk.
Also took a 10 point with a 16" DDM4V11 and 120gn Barnes last year from the same 90 yards.
I happen to like 300Blk.
Two deer the year one at 87 yards other at 115 both lung shoots neither one ran more than 25-30 yards fell dead 120gr Barnes out of a 11-1/2 in cva v2 pistol I can’t knock it it works for me
Absolutely for hogs, coyotes and deer. My buddy and I switched to something close to it in 7.62x39 due to cost eradicating hogs/yotes/therma it works great for everything it's all we shoot now from steel to game. I was on 308 and he had 300BO.....both more than adequate, but dang it was starting to get expensive after first year with thermal we were looking at options. As you probably know staying out all night wither thermal you can come up on several sounders in a night and that's a lot of ammo! Literal truck beds full of dead hogs will attest both cals work fine. His 300 was great, but we run the x39 for about 1/4th the cost of 300BO hunting rounds. We both run PWS suppressed 16" piston rigs they make 300 as well....you have tons of options with 300 I have a buddy in GA and one LA who hunt with them successfully too.
Regarding 6.8 it's hugely popular with one of my buddy's in TX who owns Night Vision Outfitters.....and htat dude has tried it all he's run that for about 5 years now.
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i use a 300 Blackout as my main hunting rifle mostly running subs, hand load Lehigh 168gr CF for deer and 208gr ELD for goats.
291 deer killed in 5 years and 2000+ feral goats , she is a awesome little round with the right ammo and shot placemen.
works good on pigs too.
291 deer killed in 5 years and 2000+ feral goats , she is a awesome little round with the right ammo and shot placemen.
works good on pigs too.
I’m idk if anyone told you but 300 blk subs can’t kill anythingi use a 300 Blackout as my main hunting rifle mostly running subs, hand load Lehigh 168gr CF for deer and 208gr ELD for goats.
291 deer killed in 5 years and 2000+ feral goats , she is a awesome little round with the right ammo and shot placemen.
works good on pigs too.
Having put down over 100 hogs in the last 3 years with BLKOUT and 223 i prefer the 223 or anything else supersonic. it just doens't have the power.
The only reason to use the BLKOUT is with subs and its quiet
The only reason to use the BLKOUT is with subs and its quiet
I deer hunt with a blk, 120 supers have great for me (6 deer in 3 seasons so far). I have nowhere to hunt past 100 yards and most have been 40-80 yard shots and with proper shot placement I've had zero issues with it. I also have a 10.5 pistol that I keep my can on that I have 220 subs in for night time pest control around the house.
I have a suppressed 300 BLK AR pistol and shoot it three ways... FMJ supersonic for plinking, Lehigh Max Expansion 194 gr for subsonic hunting inside of 100 yards (center neck shot kills 50-150 lb pigs DRT) and 110gr TTSX supersonic for bigger stuff or longer range.
Something to remember... The subsonic rounds hold their velocity a lot longer than a supersonic round does, so even though they drop like rocks there is not much energy lost at 100 yards. For example, a Lehigh 194 gr max expansion with a muzzle velocity of 1000 fps is traveling at 973 fps at 100 yards.
Something to remember... The subsonic rounds hold their velocity a lot longer than a supersonic round does, so even though they drop like rocks there is not much energy lost at 100 yards. For example, a Lehigh 194 gr max expansion with a muzzle velocity of 1000 fps is traveling at 973 fps at 100 yards.
6.8SPC preferred here. We kill a Bunch of hogs and tried 300 BLK out and yeah the barnes black tips killed hogs but it just hasn't been as good in the field as the 6.8. Now everyone is running 6.8's and we are piling hogs and deer up. 2nd choice on AR is 223 for hogs, killed a bunch with that too. 6.8 ammo isn't too expensive, Hornady 120 SST's are great. My 6.8 SBR has become my go to hunting rifle which slightly annoys me because I want to hunt with a bolt action like the good old days but the 6.8 just ticks every box besides the "hunting with dad" nostalgia feel.
I started with a 5.56 killing hogs on my ranch. As with almost any round...if placed well it kills. I've killed some big boys with CNS shots and even a boiler room shot or two.
Running shots though (less than perfect placement) I've had more shoats and piglets get up and run off after being rolled with a 5.56. It just lacks the killing power to quickly end an animal if the shot isn't in an excellent spot. I've even had two boars turn on me after being hit...makes it more exciting, but I'm not after that much fun.
The same goes for my friends who tried the subsonic 300blk. Kills great with a CNS shot, but the running joke (pun intended) is that they spend more time looking for the hog they shot than looking for hogs to shoot at. If you are only going to shoot one hog at a time, no problem. However I'm trying to eradicate as many as possible, so I chose a slightly better cartridge.
If you aren't going to go with a .308 based AR style platform, then I'd look at the 6.8 or the Grendel. This is what the OP is looking at anyways. More penetration, more expansion than a 5.56 bullet styles being equal...and more velocity than a 300blk allowing for a better chance at expansion at slightlly further shots. Let's face it, 2200fps or so at the muzzle takes most 125gr hunting bullets below their designed expansion threshold just after about 100 yards.
The blk and 5.56 have their place, and are both great cartridges...but there are just better options, the 6.8 being one of them.
Sorry for rambling.
Running shots though (less than perfect placement) I've had more shoats and piglets get up and run off after being rolled with a 5.56. It just lacks the killing power to quickly end an animal if the shot isn't in an excellent spot. I've even had two boars turn on me after being hit...makes it more exciting, but I'm not after that much fun.
The same goes for my friends who tried the subsonic 300blk. Kills great with a CNS shot, but the running joke (pun intended) is that they spend more time looking for the hog they shot than looking for hogs to shoot at. If you are only going to shoot one hog at a time, no problem. However I'm trying to eradicate as many as possible, so I chose a slightly better cartridge.
If you aren't going to go with a .308 based AR style platform, then I'd look at the 6.8 or the Grendel. This is what the OP is looking at anyways. More penetration, more expansion than a 5.56 bullet styles being equal...and more velocity than a 300blk allowing for a better chance at expansion at slightlly further shots. Let's face it, 2200fps or so at the muzzle takes most 125gr hunting bullets below their designed expansion threshold just after about 100 yards.
The blk and 5.56 have their place, and are both great cartridges...but there are just better options, the 6.8 being one of them.
Sorry for rambling.
Our shots are 300 yards and closer and are getting great accuracy out of the 6.8. Also at the time ammo was cheaper but looks like you can find some about the same price now (doing a 30 second search)
I have no experience with the grendel but there seems to be so much debate between the two they probably would be equal for the distances I shoot.
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I agree with that... 300 BLK with the subsonic Lehigh and a CNS works very well, but in this situation you have to wait patiently for the right shot and/or stage the kill zone (hunting from a blind over feed). However, if I were in a field trying to shoot a dozen pigs on the run, I would want something faster with more energy. Shot one needs to stop the pig, or at least slow it way down, for a follow-up shot if needed. In that case I would want a semiautomatic and I would probably 'go big' (relatively), build an AR10 setup in 6.5 CM or the like, and handload with the Barnes 120gr TTSX. Or possibly go with a standard AR10 .308 and even heavier bullets.
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IMO it mostly comes down to barrel length. 6-9" plays best with 300AAC, 9-16" plays best with 6.8SPC, and 16" and over plays well with 556 and 308. Outside of 556 I'd use any of them all the same in regard to using supers on deer or smaller, for subs 300AAC is king but like others have mentioned it requires a bit of change in approach to hunt with it.
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