300 BO info needed

[tank1949]

I am new to the 300 BO but not new to reloading and military type weapons. I have some acreage that backs up against a game management area. My back yard has field fence keeping out coyotes after breeder does come into it to drop their fawns. However, the yotts aggravate and stress the does. I am researching to buy or build a fully suppress a 300 bo to shoot these varmints and not wake up my neighbors. I plan on reloading 220 SMK subsonic and have thermal optics. I need playing card accuracy at 100 yards. I don't know if a pistol kit or rifle kit will do my job. I live in Florida. I do not know the advantages or disadvantages of the type BOs. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[boltfluter]

To clarify these are deer having fawns on your property? 300 BO is not inherently accurate, nor will a 220 Match King kill very well at sub-sonic speeds. If it were me, I would consider a .223 with a plastic tipped bullet of 75 gr or so in a reduced load with an 8 twist. Should be fairly quite with a reduced load with H4895 and suppressed. Accuracy is usually quite good and killing power much better. Think heavy bullet. 22 mag round. Just a thought.
Paul

 

[dantiff2]

300 BO works just fine on whitetail fully suppressed but like Boltfluter said, get the right bullet! I have a buddy who uses one regularly. Look up the "Maker" brand sub rex bullets that are designed to expand at sub velocities. It's almost comical how quiet his setup is. It's in a Ruger ranch compact. Neat little package. Under 2moa accuracy at 100 yds but its hard to get much past 150 yards unless you have enough scope for the drop. The bullets are falling down after that distance not flying forward ; )
I'm currently working on a 450bushmaster with sub loads and it's sooo much fun. 415 gn lead cast and powder coated bullet at 1025 fps sound like a 22 and hit like a boulder. This will get a can put on and I'm also going to try some maker brand bullets.
P.S. You can buy them already loaded in the "Black Butterfly" brand ammo.
Dan

 

[SVT_Tactical]

I will give you another suggestion. Get yourself a good PCP gun with a suppressor in .25 minimum and you'll find a whole new love for shooting. They are hollywood quiet, accurate to your 100yd range with almost boring regularity, and being in Fl you'd have no problem finding a dive shop to fill a tank for refills. I took a head shot on a coyote at 110yds last week using mine and a 42gr lead bullet..... he was DRT. Will they always bang flop with the 25 no... but they will leave the fawns alone as they run off to die.

 

[tank1949]

I will give you another suggestion. Get yourself a good PCP gun with a suppressor in .25 minimum and you'll find a whole new love for shooting. They are hollywood quiet, accurate to your 100yd range with almost boring regularity, and being in Fl you'd have no problem finding a dive shop to fill a tank for refills. I took a head shot on a coyote at 110yds last week using mine and a 42gr lead bullet..... he was DRT. Will they always bang flop with the 25 no... but they will leave the fawns alone as they run off to die.

Thanks, but I am still in the investigative stages. I may just consider a suppressor on an AR 5..56 platform. It will eliminate boom, at least.

 

[dellet]

First you need to decide what’s more important, quiet or rate of fire. For ultimate quiet, you want a bolt action, rate of fire an AR.

The difference in sound will be basically air nailer quiet or suppressed air rifle quiet.

As far as accuracy, 2 MOA to 400 yards is no problem, vertical drop calculations are the problem. Within 100 yards, it’s not to big of deal.

You need to decide if you want a one or a two stamp setup. 16” integrally suppressed is only one stamp, but the suppressor can’t be used any where else. Using a pistol with a brace helps with a stamp, but cuts into accuracy a bit.

A lot goes into putting together a truly quiet AR, and a good portion of that is the load. Factory ammo is a waste of time and money if you want quiet, and most of the go to powders that make cycling easy, aren’t much better. The faster the powder, the more quiet it will be, but the trade off is what work is needed to be reliable.

Consider that even if you were to be able to make a “0 decibel” load, the sound of the action will sound like someone is nailing down a roof next door with multiple shots.

There are so many bullets out there now that perform well, using a 220 SMK would be my last choice. One of the biggest problems is over penetration. It’s one of a few bullets that actually penetrates “bullet proof glass” at subsonic speeds.

Lots to consider to do it right, but not that hard to do.

 

[dantiff2]

Thanks, but I am still in the investigative stages. I may just consider a suppressor on an AR 5..56 platform. It will eliminate boom, at least.

You're looking at a possible lead time of 10->13 months for a suppressor ; ) You could have a PCP air rifle in a few days and start playing with it right away. Make sure you have a good shovel and a strong back because that is a very deep but FUN rabbit hole!!
Dan

 

[spencerhenry]

I shoot quite a few coyotes and when I still had my property I killed many off of bait. I got the idea that I would shoot a subsonic 300bo, with the theory being that I could kill more than one per night as the coyotes would not disappear after the first shot.
I spent a considerable amount of time developing a load that would produce MOA accuracy. I finally succeeded with a load that was accurate, 220gr sierra matchkings, sorted brass, etc... I had coyotes on the bait, I shot the first one right through the chest at about 100 yards, both coyotes disappeared. I went out to collect my kill and found a very minimal blood trail in fresh snow. I tracked that coyote for over a half mile and never caught up to it. A few days later, I try again, same thing. Decent blood trail, but after several hundred yards it got onto property where I could not follow it. It happened one more time before I gave up on that setup. If there had not been snow, I would have thought I had missed.
I looked up bullets that would expand at subsonic velocities, my recollection is that the projectiles alone were about $1 to $1.50 each. It took me well over 100 rounds to find the accuracy load with the sierra. I was not about to spend $150 on components to maybe find an accurate load again. Especially considering that the idea of not scaring off the other coyotes was a bust. I use a suppressed but supersonic 223 now. I only get one shot off, but they are dead on the spot, I have even killed 3 in one night, just a couple hours apart.
But, if you still want to proceed with a 300BO, I have a D-Tech built 16" threaded upper for sale with only a couple hundred rounds through it.

 

[SVT_Tactical]

Thanks, but I am still in the investigative stages. I may just consider a suppressor on an AR 5..56 platform. It will eliminate boom, at least.

Understand. Just tossing out another option. If you've never experienced a PCP gun shooting with a suppressor you're missing something. I was reluctant as well. I've got many suppressors on tax stamps and many SBRs. I find when I want quiet I use the PCP gun more than those. I do pest control on beaches and folks don't even know i'm there.

 

[tank1949]

I shoot quite a few coyotes and when I still had my property I killed many off of bait. I got the idea that I would shoot a subsonic 300bo, with the theory being that I could kill more than one per night as the coyotes would not disappear after the first shot.
I spent a considerable amount of time developing a load that would produce MOA accuracy. I finally succeeded with a load that was accurate, 220gr sierra matchkings, sorted brass, etc... I had coyotes on the bait, I shot the first one right through the chest at about 100 yards, both coyotes disappeared. I went out to collect my kill and found a very minimal blood trail in fresh snow. I tracked that coyote for over a half mile and never caught up to it. A few days later, I try again, same thing. Decent blood trail, but after several hundred yards it got onto property where I could not follow it. It happened one more time before I gave up on that setup. If there had not been snow, I would have thought I had missed.
I looked up bullets that would expand at subsonic velocities, my recollection is that the projectiles alone were about $1 to $1.50 each. It took me well over 100 rounds to find the accuracy load with the sierra. I was not about to spend $150 on components to maybe find an accurate load again. Especially considering that the idea of not scaring off the other coyotes was a bust. I use a suppressed but supersonic 223 now. I only get one shot off, but they are dead on the spot, I have even killed 3 in one night, just a couple hours apart.
But, if you still want to proceed with a 300BO, I have a D-Tech built 16" threaded upper for sale with only a couple hundred rounds through it.

Thanks, I suspect that I will go the suppressed .223 way.

 

[dantiff2]

Thanks, I suspect that I will go the suppressed .223 way.

Please understand that full power supersonic 223's through a suppressor are not "Hollywood" quiet. Most of the time they are similar to high velocity 22 or 22 magnum ammo (noise wise). You may want to talk with your neighbors before pursuing that route, if you think it may be a problem.

 

[JSH]

I shoot quite a few coyotes and when I still had my property I killed many off of bait. I got the idea that I would shoot a subsonic 300bo, with the theory being that I could kill more than one per night as the coyotes would not disappear after the first shot.
I spent a considerable amount of time developing a load that would produce MOA accuracy. I finally succeeded with a load that was accurate, 220gr sierra matchkings, sorted brass, etc... I had coyotes on the bait, I shot the first one right through the chest at about 100 yards, both coyotes disappeared. I went out to collect my kill and found a very minimal blood trail in fresh snow. I tracked that coyote for over a half mile and never caught up to it. A few days later, I try again, same thing. Decent blood trail, but after several hundred yards it got onto property where I could not follow it. It happened one more time before I gave up on that setup. If there had not been snow, I would have thought I had missed.
I looked up bullets that would expand at subsonic velocities, my recollection is that the projectiles alone were about $1 to $1.50 each. It took me well over 100 rounds to find the accuracy load with the sierra. I was not about to spend $150 on components to maybe find an accurate load again. Especially considering that the idea of not scaring off the other coyotes was a bust. I use a suppressed but supersonic 223 now. I only get one shot off, but they are dead on the spot, I have even killed 3 in one night, just a couple hours apart.
But, if you still want to proceed with a 300BO, I have a D-Tech built 16" threaded upper for sale with only a couple hundred rounds through it.

^^^^^^ Hit the nail on the head, saved me a lot of typing!^^^^^^^^
I see a large amount of claims on super accuracy from sub sonic 300x221 and variations. I played with the combo for a number of years in the JDJ .300 Whisper era. I have to say it was the most frustrating cartridge I ever worked with, proclaim it marvelous one day and a turd the next. I gave up on sub sonic and went to accuracy loads. Once again speed trumps accuracy, no matter if it is slow or fast.

A good suppressor with some ammo testing will make you happy. Chances are your neighbors will not even notice unless you tell them.

 

[drop_point]

190 gr Sub-X bullets may be what you seek.

 

[Minshooter]

190 gr Sub-X bullets may be what you seek.

That is the best performer in my tests. That bullet is designed for sub velocities.
In a 16" 1-8 bolt gun, I can generally stay in an inch or so at 100 yards.
200 yards, can hit a 4" gong all day long.
Further out, the trajectory resembles Wiley Coyote after he steps off the cliff.
(For those who still remember Road Runner cartoons)

The other excellent suggestion is the PCP.
The best suppressed versions (see: Air Force) are accurate, powerful, and amazingly quiet.
You can own them with a credit card swipe, and best of all, they are not considered firearms
(in terms of shooting them within city limits), in many locales. Don't know about your FL laws.

 

[XTR]

Subsonic AR platform BOs have more than a few moving parts to get the system to run with subs, though getting it to cycle with the can is easier than without.

If you can get a pistol length gas system that’s a good start for subs. Higher pressure at the port makes more powder/bullet combos work and it will likely be less finicky about buffer components. It can be challenging to find a bullet powder combo that keeps the pressures up at the port to cycle action but will not be so high that it will make the bullet SS With carbine length gas systems.

I have a BO and I have a 458 SOCOM. I never use the BO, and I have cans that will fit both. Recoil from a shouldered 200 versus that from a 405 at subsonic speed is not that much difference. As subsonics neither of them have ballistics to write home about, and it has been said before that a smaller bullet might expand for a .458 damn sure won’t shrink. With a 405 gr bullet a SOCOM is duplicating 45|70 ballistics in an AR. In either case you are effectively running 22LR ballistic.

A 450 bushmaster is another suppressed option if you want to shoot pistol weight bullets.

(458=.458 bullets, 450 = .452 bullets)

 

[rockhound78]

I was going to suggest the Hornady Sub-x 190gr, but someone beat me to it. Nothing wrong with the 450 bushmaster using say, Hornady xtp bullets designed for the 45 acp. Should be quiet and have decent expansion @100yds. Maybe use bullets designed to fit in sabots for use in muzzloaders. Just don't shoot a sabot thru a suppressor. Bad JuJu

 

[gary0529]

I am new to the 300 BO but not new to reloading and military type weapons. I have some acreage that backs up against a game management area. My back yard has field fence keeping out coyotes after breeder does come into it to drop their fawns. However, the yotts aggravate and stress the does. I am researching to buy or build a fully suppress a 300 bo to shoot these varmints and not wake up my neighbors. I plan on reloading 220 SMK subsonic and have thermal optics. I need playing card accuracy at 100 yards. I don't know if a pistol kit or rifle kit will do my job. I live in Florida. I do not know the advantages or disadvantages of the type BOs. Any advice would be appreciated.

Take a look at either Lehigh or Outlaw States subsonic
Most if not all bullets not specifically designed to expand at sub speeds will just pencil through
I have a bolt setup and a suppressor and it is both quiet and effective within 125 yards on deer
The projectile makes all the difference in the world
However as others have said,it can be frustrating tuning a load at $1.50 a shot with these bullets
What I have done is to use a cast lead bullet to get close and then use the expanding jacketed round to finish the sight in
I do cast my own so it is more cost effective
Good luck with the project regardless of what how you proceed

Gary