300 blackout for deer?

[Edwardteach72]

Really trying to figure out if 300blk would be worth hunting with this year. 2 part questions for those with knowledge that I don't have.

I am planning on getting a fixed mag pistol lower, figure that could be useful for hunting and range toy

I already have a 16 inch 300blk upper that I would throw on the pistol lower for this season which I have come to understand would be decent for deer at 100-150 yards.

Now my question is for the ballistic scholars, if I built my pistol upper with a 9.5 or 10.5 inch barrel, would 300blk still be good at 100 yards for deer?

Or is there some other caliber that works with a standard AR15 pattern lower and magazines I could look at for that size barrel

 

[Eddie Gunks]

I shot a deer with a 300 bo. I was not impressed. It died.

To be fair I was using 125gr i think. They have a 110 that is auppoaed to be superior.

Are you realky shooting at 100? Where i live itnis a forest. All shots are way inder 50. Most are like 25-30.

I would run a 6.8.

@meketrefe will tell you, and i agree, if it is not suppressed then 300 bo sucks.....or atleast there are better options

 

[Edwardteach72]

I shot a deer with a 300 bo. I was not impressed. It died.

To be fair I was using 125gr i think. They have a 110 that is auppoaed to be superior.

Are you realky shooting at 100? Where i live itnis a forest. All shots are way inder 50. Most are like 25-30.

I would run a 6.8.

@meketrefe will tell you, and i agree, if it is not suppressed then 400 bo sucks.....or atleast there are better options

From what I have seen the 110 barnes are the best pick.

And for the yards I doubt I would shoot that far off I think my one buck was at 35-45 yards, but have one run my dad has taken most of his deer that is about 75-100 yards.

As for leaning 300blk, mostly because of barrel length and I cant seem to find any info on 6.8 out of that short of a barrel, but do believe it's a better round

 

[Jem45472]

From the research I've done, I'd have no problems with barnes 110 at 100 yards with an 8 inch barrel. Built one myself.

6.8 is no doubt the more powerful round, with a flatter trajectory for longer range, but I'd say 300 is just fine for inside 150.

Let @dsdmmat chime in.

 

[Edwardteach72]

@Jem45472 are you using your 8in pistol for deer hunting?

 

[Eddie Gunks]

@Jem45472 are you using your 8in pistol for deer hunting?

My buddy uses a pistol 6.8 for deer all the time, much better round, way better than 300 blackout.

 

[Edwardteach72]

My buddy uses a pistol 6.8 for deer all the time, much better round, way better than 300 blackout.

What size barrel is he running. Doing some reading I am liking the 6.8 more and more

 

[Edwardteach72]

And I'm trying to figure out a good 6.8 mag to use for a fixed mag option

 

[ManrisFrack]

I see a lot of 6.8 users settle at 12.5" barrels with suppressors for hogs. It seems to lose about 100fps compared to a 16" 6.8 with most factory ammo. https://68forums.com/forums/showthread.php?46684-12-5-quot-SBR-velocities-realistic-ones Check out post #9.

Evidently the drop between 12.5 and 10.5 seems to accelerate a bit but it's tough to gauge because a lot of what people report is hand load data.

The XM68GD load seems very popular, especially with short barrels. Evidently it was designed for a foreign military contract using 8.5" barrels and uses a 9ogr bonded bullet. I would imagine you could come pretty close to factory performance with some of the faster 6.8 powders if you reload. The bullet was recently released as a component. If you don't reload, TargetSports has it for $1/round.

I use PRI Precision Reflex mags in my 6.8. First issue popped up after 5 years last time I went to the range - the second to last round would nosedive into the upper just below the feed ramp. I haven't troubleshot yet, so I don't know if it's the mag. Many seem to like ASC these days. Whichever mag you go with, you'll probably want to tweak the feed lips a bit so that the nose of the round points up a bit.

 

[Eddie Gunks]

What size barrel is he running. Doing some reading I am liking the 6.8 more and more

He uses 8.5" and 12.5" w/ midlength gas.

FWIW my other friend has a 12.5 that shoots sub MOA on factory ammo. We cut down an inexpensive barrel at that!

 

[dsdmmat]

From the research I've done, I'd have no problems with barnes 110 at 100 yards with an 8 inch barrel. Built one myself.

6.8 is no doubt the more powerful round, with a flatter trajectory for longer range, but I'd say 300 is just fine for inside 150.

Let @dsdmmat chime in.

The only thing I hunt can shoot back so, if it is inside my house they are getting introduced to the Barnes 115 Grain TACX delivered by a 300BLK chambered AR. Inside 200 yards the 300BLK should be fine to kill deer. I have never killed one so IDKFS.

 

[Jem45472]

@Jem45472 are you using your 8in pistol for deer hunting?

I built for hunting but have been swamped with various things and have not even been able to shoot it yet.

 

[Eddie Gunks]

 

[JamieZ]

Shot a Doe last year that was running full tilt at 200yds, it dropped at 225. Used my 16" home built 6.8 with 100gr accubond reloads. Would I use a 300blk, yes if it was a 100yds or closer. I built a 300blk,,had it for roughly 2 weeks,,,,,after taking it to the range I decided to sell it. Clocked my 100gr reloads at 2650fps

 

[Uzi]

I shot a deer with a 6.8 and it bounced right off its body. When I tried the 300 blackout, it went through the other deer standing next to it and exploded, now there is a tiny black hole in the woods somewhere. Sucked both deer right in! Needless to say I was not impressed by the 6.8, I sold mine right away, junk!

 

[JamieZ]

Use your brain next time instead of being a dumb ass. Dont use the 6.8,,,you would be better off with your 17hmr.

 

[Jem45472]

The 300 burns all powder by 9 inches. That's why I went with it, I wanted the shortest, lightest ar possible. Not sure what's an acceptable lenght for 6.8 without the blast and concussion.

 

[Edwardteach72]

The 300 burns all powder by 9 inches. That's why I went with it, I wanted the shortest, lightest ar possible. Not sure what's an acceptable lenght for 6.8 without the blast and concussion.

See if I was going to stick with 16" I would most likely go with 6.8, but wanting this to be small and light I cant seem to find much data out of an 9-10in barrel but know that 300blk there isnt much difference in 9-16inch

 

[ManrisFrack]

https://68forums.com/forums/showthread.php?48460-Day-at-the-range-with-8-5-quot-SBR

Go to Google and put in "site:68forums.com 8.5 velocity" or whatever search term you want after the .com.

I'm pretty sure @BuellSix8 has a short 6.8 or two. Might be worth a message to see if he's got data.

If you want something that short, the 6.8 and the BO are going to be really close.

110gr Barnes VOR-TX does about 2150 from an 8.5" - 1129 ft.-lbs. at the muzzle
90gr XM68GD does 2450 from an 8.5" - 1199 ft.-lbs. at the muzzle (according to Federal)
YMMV with both of these, of course.
​

Mags and blast might tip the balance to the BO at this length? Whatever you choose, know what your setup is doing. You'll likely be on the edge of your bullet's performance envelope shortly past 100 yards.

 

[meketrefe]

The BO is a +P 30 carbine. Treat it as such.
Of course it will kill a deer. A 22LR will kill a deer too.
All values at the muzzle and even downrange are kind of pointless because killing potential
is determined by so many other things. Normally you rely on speed and good bullet or otherwise big bores and grain
all with proper terminal designs and characteristics.
Once you are limited in both speeds and grain then you have to be more careful.
The 30 caliber is not one inherently design for slow speeds and low grains and that is why the 30 carbine had such huge limitations.
Even you start with a x39 123gr one should be careful also due to the bullet construction but luckily one has more options
because of the new calibers.
It is a simple choice for people but hardly the most versatile caliber unless one is going to do subsonic work and for that it
should be great but a dedicated system in my opinion. That is how the cartrige was conceived like all the other calibers in the whisper line designed by JD Jones from SSK Industries.
The rest is an adaptation and lots of marketing dollars to push it into market with a new name. It is really the same Whisper with a logo.

I think many people go for it because of the great deals and intended simplicity but there are better cartriges easier
and even more cost effective, specially if one reloads. If one doesn't reload maybe is not such a huge deal.
Some people might choose it to consolidate calibers but in reality the bulk 30 caliber bullets like 130gr-150gr military FMJs
are too much for the blackout and will only be good for practice/burners. One will not be able to use those in defense
or hunting as it will lead to pin whole wounding. This is where speed and bores like the 6mm, 6.5, 270 will be better suited.
Even the modern 223 ammo delivers more in the end but for whatever reason the people do not include the best ammo
in their 223 assortment.

Again if one wants to hunt with authority and something that is forgiving the 223 nor the BO are the right calibers.
Like I said is not that it cannot be done but ethical hunter is about doing the best one can do for the animal and not
the internet pics.

Here Bill Alexander the creator of the Grendel and Beowulf explains the shortcomings of the blackout. These design flaws are well known to senior wildcatters and cartridge designers.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Yeah but the BO excels with a short barrel. If one wants a short barrel at less than 10.5 inches, it's either the BO or the x39. All other calibers become flamethrowers with that short of a barrel.

 

[meketrefe]

Yeah but the BO excels with a short barrel. If one wants a short barrel at less than 10.5 inches, it's either the BO or the x39. All other calibers become flamethrowers with that short of a barrel.

"excels" and whisper/blackout should not be used in the same sentence.

It is understood the slow moving cartriges are for close range so actual pistol calibers are king here.

The 6.8 actually gets a lot more out of the same short barrels people just don't know about it because it is not advertised.

The 10mm and 9x25 dillon are amazing in those barrels and one can have a weapons system (gun and pistol) in those.

Then you have the 450 bushmaster, 50 beo, 458 socom that use Big bore, large grain, heavy hitters.

The one we created here the gunner leaves all of the above behind in any department subsonic, supersonic, long or short barrels.
Just to give you an idea at 300 yards hits harder than the x39 full power from the muzzle with any size barrel so even harder
than the BO. One can even make it happen with a tricked 9x39 that one can easily reload for high power.

The other choices are endless and they actually do excel a several things to create a substantial distinctive advantage.

I forgot the black hills with the 77gr TMK works amazingly well in the short pistol barrels contrary to popular believes.
Not the ideal but a lot better than most people think. The seals use Black hills.

 

[BuellSix8]

Sorry for the late reply... Yes I have taken quite a few deer and other four leggeds with the 6.8 since Meke and JamieZ got me into it years ago. I have pistols with 7.5", 8.5", and 12.5" barrels that all eat 90gr XM68GDs, 110 HPBTs, and 120 SSTs. Make no mistake the 300BLK has it's purpose but it does not have the power or ballistics that the 6.8 SPCII has inch per inch in barrel length.

 

[BuellSix8]

I have a bison armory Upper assembled with milspec Barrel nut if you want to get into a pistol cheap. All assembled just needs a Handguard. PM me if you’re interested.

 

[dsdmmat]

Was out ringing gongs (off hand) out to 300 yards with my 300BLK last night. That being said its ethical killing power is limited. I am sure that 110 grain bullet I was launching last night would kill at 300 yards but, it might take a follow up shot or two. Inside my house I have no doubt the 115 TAC-X 300 BLK rounds will do what is needed to stop a perpetrator with one shot. If you are using a short barrel 8.5- 10.5" all the Powder will be burned so you are getting almost all of the energy potential out of the cartridge.

It is your money and your hunt, do what you feel like doing. There are fanboys and haters of everything under the sun.

 

[dsdmmat]

Of course if you want a 30 caliber rifle in an AR but don't want a 300 BLK Bill Wilson has a solution to your problem.
Introducing the 300 HAM'R......... The next boutique cartridge to hit the market.

300 HAM'R - Wilson Combat

 

[Edwardteach72]

Of course if you want a 30 caliber rifle in an AR but don't want a 300 BLK Bill Wilson has a solution to your problem.
Introducing the 300 HAM'R......... The next boutique cartridge to hit the market.

300 HAM'R - Wilson Combat

I kinda want one I dont now why but I do,

Just wondering if it's just a barrel swap like the 300blk or bolt barrel mags as well

 

[Edwardteach72]

Ok more reading. Just need a barrel. And looks like it prefers a mid length gas system

 

[Marine Cpl]

That Hamr will solve your pistol FFL problem since it needs a longer barrel.

 

[Edwardteach72]

That Hamr will solve your pistol FFL problem since it needs a longer barrel.

That's what I'm thinking. 16.2" barrel for about $220 (not bad)


Now trying to find ammo I think Wilson sells a box for $15 (and of course wont ship to NY)