I don't understand the popularity of the 300ACC Blackout

Hoser hit it on the head, what was once a wildcat cartridge is now a commercially available caliber to buy due to AAC's involvement and that definitely plays into 300BLK's popularity. While 300BLK isn't a ballistic monster compared to other AR15 cartridges, I think it makes for it in versatility. It uses standard AR parts, suppressor friendly, efficient in short barrels and 30cal bullets allow a wide range of bullet choices. It'll have similar ballistics with 7.62x39 on supersonic ammo. Go heavy and it'll have subsonic ammo that cycles, try that with 5.56 or any of those hot rod cartridges. IMO, it shines as a home defense round but I think you could poke at some whitetails with some 110-125 grainers within it's ranges. People use 300BLK on hogs all the time. There's a video of Travis Haley going 700m on a man sized target, so I'm assuming it's reasonably accurate for long range use. It wouldn't be my first choice but it's there. All in all one could say that it's a jack of all trades master of none kind of cartridge

If you check out the 300blk forums there are actually quite a few who use it for hunting. The lighter bullets like the 110-125g barnes and hornady seem to be beast at putting down hogs... from an AR platform.

I have mine for the fun they are suppressed. Triggerhappy is to blame. He's a bad influence. Shot a few rds of his 300 suppressed and you literally only hear the bolt slap.. it was great.

My SBR's are 300blk. I don't intend they'll ever be used for long range.. that's why i'm building a DMR.. and I have a .50 for whatever won't fall down with that.

I don't hunt, it's too damn cold in this state during hunting season for me. I used to think it was cold when it was 50 in the winter.. I'm recovering from that..still. But after reading about it, and shooting it... I think it's an ideal round for what I would ever use it for.

It seems to me that there are a lot of answers to the OP.

1. Americans tend to dislike metric rifle calibers. That is waning a bit, but it has historically been true.

2. Not many people "need" a flat shooting, hit past 200 yards with humane killing energy levels on game in an AR platform.

3. AAC MARKETED the heck out of the 300BO. They essentially paid a few top shooters to win matches with it and supplanted some other cartridges in development at the same time. When you put a LOT of product into the hands of gunwriters and have SF guys follow up with them and tell them how much they like it...that tends to work in America.

I like my 16" and 10" 300BOs. I'll never shoot them as much as .223 for a variety of reasons, but they do fill a few little niches well. Frankly, the "average shooter" can not get anymore range than 100 yards from their skillset anyway. The VAST majority of deer and hogs, especially in the East and South, are shot at distances well under 100 yards, so the 30 caliber bullet is not bad at all. So too, some states allow "pistols" with some restrictions that allow a .300BO even though a .223 rifle would not be allowed.

Now to the 6x45, it has great appeal and personally, in a few years, there may a vaild debate between the 6x45 and the 6.5PCC as to which one can be considered the ultimate do-all caliber in the AR-15 platform. Both can outperform the .223 and .300 BO in almost every measurable metric. But interest and support for both are still pretty niche. IMHO, if someone enterprising and well funded had gone after a 6mm or 6.5mm based on the .223 case with just a barrel swap, named it well and marketed it in the manner that AAC did with the 300AAC, the story might be very different.

When I look at my purposes/goals and the AR-15 platform, the only cartridge in a normally operating AR-15 that need a different bolt and mags and still interests me is the .450BM. I have sold off my .204 Ruger, .308 platform ARs and gone .223, 300BO and .450BM. The 300BO does not do enough to be truly considered an adequate filler between the .223 and .450BM. Who knows, after enough work with the 6.5PCC and maybe another dabble with the 6x45, I might just get rid of the 16" .300BO.

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Originally Posted by Dave

That's actually been a plan of mine, 7.62x39 pistol with the brace and folder for the up close and personal. For me, the only thing I would do 300 blackout in is if/when I start getting NFA items and I do a SBR build with a can and shoot the heavy subsonic loads to replace the Draco with brace. I have thought about going with a .300 AR pistol with brace, but I already have AK's and therefore have the ruskie ammo on hand. 123 gr HP's in MOUT conditions will do the job just fine. I saw Bert putting one of them together when I was dropping a few items of my own off for some work and decided to start with one of them the next time I can find one cheap enough that will ship here with our mag laws.

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It is a sweet setup. Fits inside a backpack when folded up.

In reality, I have one because I can, there's no logical justification for me beyond, it's another fun toy. I'm actually working on a more precision load using a now discontinued 125 gr Berger OTM that shows promise, that I plan to run at one of Hoser's prairie dog matches. It's all for fun and nothing else.

The 2 biggest things I really like (neither of which am I utilizing right now) about 300 BLK is the efficiency in short barrels, and running them suppressed, for that combo (short and quiet) I don't think there's much else out there than can hit those marks and put as much energy on target with the retention of std mags, bolt, etc using an AR15 platform in a CQB type scenario. That said, 99.9% of the public will never utilize all of those things in real world conditions.

I also have a 25 DTI (6.8 w/30° shoulder necked down to .257), it's a NASTY little zipper for large varmints and whitetails. It's all in what you want, and the application of it. The 6X45 is one I'm also interested in and have thought about giving up either the DTI or the 300 BLK for that, but then again, I may just add it to the fleet sometime down the road, because I like stuff that's a little different from what everyone else on the line is shooting.

I agree with Hoser that the start of this thread appears to have the "square peg - round hole" mindset. The cartridge wasn't designed to be the end all, be all at long distances so if hunting at the range is what you really intend to use an AR platform for, then there are better options than the 300 BLK or even miniscule 5.56. You can keep the AR lower you already have an go with a stronger cartridge like the 6.8 SPC (you DID notice my logon name right?) or6.5 Grendal. As for .308, well then you are buying a completely different rifle as that round cannot fit the magwell of your standard AR. So what IS a 300 BLK for then? It excels at suppressed fire with really short barrels and for 150yd and closer hunting using supersonic rounds. Plus it can use standard .308 or AK bullets and you can make endless brass using 5.56 brass! You can go from shooting really quiet subsonic rounds in CQB to taking that 150 yard shot with a Barnes TAC-TX 110 grain with nothing but a mag change. And yes, this round has way more energy out of a 9" barrel than a 5.56 out of a 16" carbine because the round was designed to burn all the powder in the first 9 inches. So NOT one size fits all for all uses but darn good at what it was designed for.

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...because the round was designed to burn all the powder in the first 9 inches.

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I am pretty sure that is not correct. With some powders this occurs, but it is a function of the powder/pressure curve of the chosen powder, not the "design" of the cartridge. I am not advocating slower powders or faster powders, just pointing out that the "ideal" window is based on several factors. A 20" rifle length gas barrel can also suitably run 300BO, as could a blow-back 4" barrel if one was so inclined. There are people experimenting with 150 grain .30 caliber slugs at 2650 fps out of AR-15s with 18" barrels and significant changes in the BCG/gas system, so let's not shut the door yet. :)

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Originally Posted by MarkCO

There are people experimenting with 150 grain .30 caliber slugs at 2650 fps out of AR-15s with 18" barrels and significant changes in the BCG/gas system, so let's not shut the door yet. :)

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what caliber?

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Originally Posted by MarkCO

I am pretty sure that is not correct. With some powders this occurs, but it is a function of the powder/pressure curve of the chosen powder, not the "design" of the cartridge. I am not advocating slower powders or faster powders, just pointing out that the "ideal" window is based on several factors. A 20" rifle length gas barrel can also suitably run 300BO, as could a blow-back 4" barrel if one was so inclined. There are people experimenting with 150 grain .30 caliber slugs at 2650 fps out of AR-15s with 18" barrels and significant changes in the BCG/gas system, so let's not shut the door yet. :)

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Links to any of this? I like my current reloads with this bullet weight, wouldn't mind reading more about this.

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I have a 300BK. I like it. Fun to shoot and since I load .223 and .308 and X39 it did not take a big investment. At first blush it is a reliable alternative to an AR in X39. <200 yard performance is good. The suppressed side is a big plus.

I also have a FAL in 7.62X25 that weighs 5.8lbs. I spent $600. When I built it .308 was $129 per k and it cost $350 to build a normal one. I was asked why I did this in 2003. Because I can was my reply and I think this applies to the 300BK. It has become a very popular toy.

As I get older I understand the "different strokes for different folks" thing. Years ago I could not understand some peoples fascination with many calibers. As long as one can load there own ammo for whatever they choose then more power to them just don't bitch when you find that 6.66X49 ammo is not available at wal-mart. I don't shoot 9mm but I love my 38 super.

And if I get bored with 300BK then $200 or less turns it back into a normal AR but since it seems to be a tack driver @ 100Y I think not.

Just some thoughts on the subject.[Flower]