Did the .300 Blackout (BLK) Die Out?

[mattri]

Seems you hardly hear anything about the .300 Blackout anymore. There was a time it was burning up the web -- even the 300 BLK forum is pretty dead. Has it been passed over?

 

[rwj]

I don’t see many cases at the range anymore… but still see a lot of .223

 

[Knotwild]

It was a fad hyped up by every one. To use it at varied ranges with the wide variety of ammo available requires practice and ballistic knowledge. I have one I never shoot myself.

 

[SEGARE]

To be replaced with the 8.6BO with a 1:3 twist.

 

[LVLAaron]

Seems you hardly hear anything about the 300 BO anymore, there was a time it was burning up the web- even the 300 BO forum is pretty dead. Has it been passed over?

I've had one for 6-7 years and frankly never shoot it. They are a real pain to reload for... Bullet/powder combo has to be just right. It's just not a fun one to reload for, and factory ammo is silly expensive. I wish I never bought it.

 

[Fuj]

Just a fad for the suppressed crowd. Never was impressed.

 

[Monte F]

See what happens if you accidentally get a 300 Blackout in a .223. Does not end well!

Forum Boss: Here are photos and story:

.300 Blackout Fired in .223 Rem — Mistake Is Disasterous « Daily Bulletin

Photos and Facebook post by Tactical Rifle Shooters Yet another .300 Blackout disaster. Unfortunately, that .300 Blackout cartridge can fit in a .223 Rem chamber. Shooting a .308-caliber bullet in .223 bore is a recipe for disaster. <img src=https://accurateshooter.

bulletin.accurateshooter.com

 

[shoot4fun]

See what happens if you accidentally get a 300BO in a .223. Does not end well!

I guess anything is possible but I don't see how a 300BLK would chamber enough to allow the AR to FOB.
The neck diameter of the BLK is much larger than a 223 and overall length of the two is virtually the same.
But, I don't wish to try and prove me wrong.

Forum Boss: See photo pasted above.

I can tell you for fact though a 300BLK will chamber and fire in a 22-250 bolt gun. I actually saw someone do it. Thank goodness the 300BLK is fairly low pressure and the rifle was a well built one. The 110 Amax bullet really got swaged down in that 224 barrel. Barrel had a slight bulge, detachable magazine floor plate let go and the extractor was MIA but shooter unhurt.

 

[Oso]

It still is most popular AR15 cartridge other than .223/5.56. I think the novelty of subsonic wears off after a little while, and nothing like a shortage that drives up prices to meteoric levels...

I think most users finally come to appreciate that it performs best with supersonic loads. It is good for majority of distances that most deer and pigs are shot. It is a favorite for hunting pigs.

 

[Oso]

I guess anything is possible but I don't see how a 300BLK would chamber enough to allow the AR to FOB.
The neck diameter of the BLK is much larger than a 223 and overall length of the two is virtually the same.
But, I don't wish to try and prove me wrong.
I can tell you for fact though a 300BLK will chamber and fire in a 22-250 bolt gun. I actually saw someone do it. Thank goodness the 300BLK is fairly low pressure and the rifle was a well built one. The 110 Amax bullet really got swaged down in that 224 barrel. Barrel had a slight bulge, detachable magazine floor plate let go and the extractor was MIA but shooter unhurt.

300BO Subsonic rounds (+200gr bullets) won't chamber in 223 because these long bullets have a very pronounced ogee that gets in way of fitting into the chamber. The culprit is the lighter supersonic bullets (100gr-125gr), which tend to be short and pointy (no ogee to speak... profile is more of an elongated triangle). I had a guest mistakenly pick up a 30BO off the ground and load it into the 5.56 magazine. It was a cartridge loaded with a 125gr Speer TNT. Kaboom - no injuries but a $1200 upper destroyed.

 

[karrarararararar]

I guess anything is possible but I don't see how a 300BLK would chamber enough to allow the AR to FOB.
The neck diameter of the BLK is much larger than a 223 and overall length of the two is virtually the same.
But, I don't wish to try and prove me wrong.
I can tell you for fact though a 300BLK will chamber and fire in a 22-250 bolt gun. I actually saw someone do it. Thank goodness the 300BLK is fairly low pressure and the rifle was a well built one. The 110 Amax bullet really got swaged down in that 224 barrel. Barrel had a slight bulge, detachable magazine floor plate let go and the extractor was MIA but shooter unhurt.

It's well documented.

 

[mattri]

Interesting replies- thanks.

I just built one on a bolt platform and can definitely agree that it isn't easy to find a load it likes!

That 8.6 looks very interesting as well.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Other than suppressed, I never saw much value in it. Remington did a great job of marketing it and lots of people bought into it. I'd bet it sold more suppressors than any previous rifle cartridge ever has....maybe combined.

 

[drop_point]

.300 BLK is a great round. I know many that own them and see folks shoot them at the range often. I own two of them and don't shoot them all the time like 5.56, but they weren't designed for volume. For example, I am not going to go blast 100s of rounds through my hunting "pistol". Same with my little PDW....it was designed with the intent of having a 7.5" barrel gun I could easily pack and still get good performance. Try doing that with a 5.56. I shoot them both suppressed.

Even for general use, .300 BLK is around twice the price to shoot as 5.56 NATO. I don't think anybody intends it to be a high-volume shooter, but rather a niche for adequate energy, quite, short-barrel performer.

 

[shoot4fun]

I'd bet it sold more suppressors than any previous rifle cartridge ever has....maybe combined.

I think more so the other direction. I know many who owned suppressors well before going with a 300BLK.
The round itself was, IIRC, designed for the TC Contender by JD Jones and named the 300 Whisper. It was also AAC that brought it to forefront just before they were purchased by Remington.
That sale may have had much to do with the 300BLK's present lack of fame.

 

[300_whisper]

.300 BO is awesome. Flexible round, lots of rifles chambered for it, can get a lot of performance out of a 10 inch barrel. There’s ammo on the shelves and a lot of guys shoot it at my range. I see guys use them for hunting as well. I use one for hunting. My dad, brothers, and friends all own several.

 

[Bocephus]

Rarely shoot one, but in my experience the biggest advantage for the average person would be when introducing younger or inexperienced shooters to relative close range big game hunting. Especially in those states where the “elected elite”and “bureaucratic appointees” have deemed anything smaller than 6mm on big game as forbidden.
With proper bullet selection and placement it offers results way above its pay grade.

 

[Hohn]

I don't think it's dead by any means. But it is a niche cartridge.

One niche I think isn't explored enough is the cheap subsonic plinker. Imagine you have a suppressed bolt gun and want to plink. You can load coated cast bullets in 300bo and send them with only 12gr of powder or so. That's SUPER economical for a centerfire round these days. Cast heavies are right around 15c each, the powder is about a nickel or less.

You certainly can't find Grendel ammo (or load it) for anywhere near as cheap as 300BO. And you aren't going to find 7.62x39 ammo anywhere that cheap either.

I know the BO was developed for gas guns, but a modern mag-fed bolt gun with a suppressor and this is a compelling low cost subsonic round that's incredibly fun and super practical for short range stuff where an intermediate cartridge shines.

 

[Cbashooter]

I've had a 300 Whisper for years in bolt actions.Im fond if it and have only use cast bullets in mine.I find it no better than the 7.62x39 with cast bullets though.

 

[jdh47]

A friend of mine built one for his grandson and says it kills pigs. I never had the desire to build one. I like the Grendel though.