.300 Blackout accuracy

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  • Broom_jm

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    There is no one, correct answer to a question like this. The best ammo for accuracy, in any cartridge or firearm, depends a lot on the gun and the shooter. The ONLY way you'll know what shoots well in your 300 Blackout is to buy a few boxes of different stuff and try it out. Better yet, learn to reload and make the best possible ammo for your firearms.
     

    bstewrat3

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    As Broom said above, it's dependent on your combo, but your chances of getting a good result will improve by using ammo loaded with good bullets. What I am getting at is the plinker stuff loaded with FMJ ammo will sometimes less accurate compared to ammo loaded with match bullets. If you don't load your own and accuracy is more important than cost stick with the big name companies loading premium bullets.
     

    Sniper 79

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    The ones I assemble myself.

    I only shoot supers from a 16" pipe. Had good luck with game kings and sst's. Looking for a cheaper alternative otherwise this gun will be in the classy adds.
     

    throttletony

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    speaking in generalities ....
    very good accuracy is possible/probable for lightweight (110-130 gr) flat bottom bullets for supersonic rounds pushed near max speed.

    I'm NOT saying that this would be the best hunting round (considering bullet construction), but the general consensus is that these qualities lead to good accuracy in 300BLK

    I'll let someone else speak for subsonic
     

    Sniper 79

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    speaking in generalities ....
    very good accuracy is possible/probable for lightweight (110-130 gr) flat bottom bullets for supersonic rounds pushed near max speed.

    I'm NOT saying that this would be the best hunting round (considering bullet construction), but the general consensus is that these qualities lead to good accuracy in 300BLK

    I'll let someone else speak for subsonic

    I would have to agree. I am shooting 125's and maybe 150's. Both are flat based pushed near the upper end of the powder charge (IMR4227). Shot some nice groups out to 150 yards with very little drop. Hits like a sledge compared to the meek .223 on steel swinger targets.

    Overall happy with the cartridge. Wish I could find a cheaper projectile than the SST's at $27 per hundred so I can actually shoot the thing. Hard to justify loading for when I can shoot the .223 for less than half the price. Be nice to trade it off now that I have shot it a few times to see what the fuss was about.
     

    Broom_jm

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    Why flat bases instead of boat tails?

    In simplistic terms, flat-based bullets have equal pressure exerted on them as they exit the crown of the muzzle. Any yaw in a bullet is accentuated by a boat-tail design. It's usually not too difficult to resolve this, with good loading techniques and quality bullets (reducing or eliminating yaw), but flat-based bullets are often the most accurate option for shorter distances.
     

    throttletony

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    Why flat bases instead of boat tails?

    In simplistic terms, flat-based bullets have equal pressure exerted on them as they exit the crown of the muzzle. Any yaw in a bullet is accentuated by a boat-tail design. It's usually not too difficult to resolve this, with good loading techniques and quality bullets (reducing or eliminating yaw), but flat-based bullets are often the most accurate option for shorter distances.

    This sounds right. My more simplistic answer is....
    I learned from others' mistakes :) After looking for lots of postings and a few vids on youtube, it seems that the flat based bullets are just more accurate in the 300 BLK (at shorter distances, say <200 yds).

    For extreme distance and stability, you definitely want the boattail design for aerodynamics (reduced drag + improved weight distribution = higher BC) - but when we're talking about short distances, we can sacrifice these things to gain an extra .25-.50 MOA
     

    JMitch

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    That makes sense particularly since I am loading super using 110-155 grain bullets. I took a nice buck this year using a 155 gr A-MAX.
     

    Broom_jm

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    That makes sense particularly since I am loading super using 110-155 grain bullets. I took a nice buck this year using a 155 gr A-MAX.

    I would be very interested in hearing about your results with the 155gr A-Max, at 300BLK velocities. I'm loading them for my son's Savage Model 10 FLP, in 308 Winchester, but the MV is obviously much higher.

    What kind of bullet performance did you get and do you have any idea what your impact velocity was? My experience with 125gr Nosler Ballistic Tips (30-cal) is that they may act like varmint bullets at higher velocities, but when you slow them down (reduced '06 loads) they deliver terminal performance that is suitable for deer and other thin-skinned medium sized big game.
     

    JMitch

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    I don't know the impact velocity and I can't estimate it because I didn't record the chrono results but it was loaded with 14.7 gr of H110. The shot was a quartering front shot that entered near the neck and exited near the shoulder. The deer went about 50 yards. I was able to recover the jacket just inside the hide. It opened up nicely but the core departed. It did not strike bone but the cavitation near the exit ruined some of the meat. I zeroed the 5 Moa red dot at 50yds and the shot was between 75 and 100 yards. I hope that helps.
     

    Broom_jm

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    Yes, that does help...if the jacket and core separated under the low impact speeds a 300BLK generates, I don't think I would trust it to do anything more than grenade on a deer at 308 Win. numbers. I think I'll avoid using it for big game.
     

    hog slayer

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    I just started shooting my 300 again. I've shot it a little in the past and took it to Wabash gun range north of Delphi somewhere. Kinda thought I heard a banjo playing... I was able to shoot satisfactorily on their steel targets (We were really there for a couple of bolt guns) all the way out to the 700 yard line. I'm just now really putting it on paper and I'm sort of embarrassed. I know I don't usually exhibit the sort of patience needed to really shrink group sizes, but I couldn't get anything better than 2" at 100yds. So far it's all factory ammo. I've got a small sampling of brands/weights/etc/super/sub/etc. I've also got a standard mil-spec trigger on it. Again, that hasn't been this detrimental to accuracy in the past, that I recall. It's a BCM 10.5 upper. I was shooting prone off a bipod and a sandbag under the stock. Even worse, yesterday I sighted it in at 100 (if you can say 2" is sighted in) and today went to the range and put up a bunch of small targets to shoot "groups." After the smoke cleared and I was 40 rounds lighter I didn't have crap to show for myself on the paper.

    What sort of accuracy should I expect?
     

    BiscuitsandGravy

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    speaking in generalities ....
    very good accuracy is possible/probable for lightweight (110-130 gr) flat bottom bullets for supersonic rounds pushed near max speed.

    I'm NOT saying that this would be the best hunting round (considering bullet construction), but the general consensus is that these qualities lead to good accuracy in 300BLK

    I'll let someone else speak for subsonic

    I would have to agree. I am shooting 125's and maybe 150's. Both are flat based pushed near the upper end of the powder charge (IMR4227). Shot some nice groups out to 150 yards with very little drop. Hits like a sledge compared to the meek .223 on steel swinger targets.

    Overall happy with the cartridge. Wish I could find a cheaper projectile than the SST's at $27 per hundred so I can actually shoot the thing. Hard to justify loading for when I can shoot the .223 for less than half the price. Be nice to trade it off now that I have shot it a few times to see what the fuss was about.

    I would agree with above as well with 125's and 110's. We have great luck with Lil-Gun around 17.5-18gr. out of a 16" tube. Very accurate and flat from 100 to 150 yds so far. We haven't had the opportunity to go farther yet or set up the chrono. Thats later this spring. Just accurate and consistent. You can get 125 SMK's for $57/250 for pulled. They are currently on sale on Midway. My Son took his 6 pointer with Barnes TacTX 110gr. solid copper. 1 shot-DRT. The only issue with the Barnes TacTX is they are pricey. $.68/round. More accurate than the other 110 and 125's we've tested but twice as much $.

    Very fun, versatile round to shoot. Great way to get started reloading. Spend $35 for a Caldwell rail mount brass catcher. You'll never regret it.

    We are currently running Lil-Gun but used 296/110 last year. I don't have my log book in front of me to compare.

    :ingo:
     

    BiscuitsandGravy

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    I just started shooting my 300 again. I've shot it a little in the past and took it to Wabash gun range north of Delphi somewhere. Kinda thought I heard a banjo playing... I was able to shoot satisfactorily on their steel targets (We were really there for a couple of bolt guns) all the way out to the 700 yard line. I'm just now really putting it on paper and I'm sort of embarrassed. I know I don't usually exhibit the sort of patience needed to really shrink group sizes, but I couldn't get anything better than 2" at 100yds. So far it's all factory ammo. I've got a small sampling of brands/weights/etc/super/sub/etc. I've also got a standard mil-spec trigger on it. Again, that hasn't been this detrimental to accuracy in the past, that I recall. It's a BCM 10.5 upper. I was shooting prone off a bipod and a sandbag under the stock. Even worse, yesterday I sighted it in at 100 (if you can say 2" is sighted in) and today went to the range and put up a bunch of small targets to shoot "groups." After the smoke cleared and I was 40 rounds lighter I didn't have crap to show for myself on the paper.

    What sort of accuracy should I expect?

    Hog- what ammo are you shooting? When we started with 300BO years ago, before reloading, I found that factory Remington 125's (IIRC) were terrible.

    IMO, You should definately be able to get under 2" with a 10.5" but again IMO its going to be load related.

    :ingo:
     

    hog slayer

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    Hog- what ammo are you shooting? When we started with 300BO years ago, before reloading, I found that factory Remington 125's (IIRC) were terrible.

    IMO, You should definately be able to get under 2" with a 10.5" but again IMO its going to be load related.

    :ingo:

    most of my inventory is from Remington. Unfortunately, they have been cheapest. I've got some sig and hornady. I'll send them downrange next

    So any thoughts on probable group sizes?
     

    Deereman7

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    Apr 29, 2016
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    Greencastle
    I just started shooting my 300 again. I've shot it a little in the past and took it to Wabash gun range north of Delphi somewhere. Kinda thought I heard a banjo playing... I was able to shoot satisfactorily on their steel targets (We were really there for a couple of bolt guns) all the way out to the 700 yard line. I'm just now really putting it on paper and I'm sort of embarrassed. I know I don't usually exhibit the sort of patience needed to really shrink group sizes, but I couldn't get anything better than 2" at 100yds. So far it's all factory ammo. I've got a small sampling of brands/weights/etc/super/sub/etc. I've also got a standard mil-spec trigger on it. Again, that hasn't been this detrimental to accuracy in the past, that I recall. It's a BCM 10.5 upper. I was shooting prone off a bipod and a sandbag under the stock. Even worse, yesterday I sighted it in at 100 (if you can say 2" is sighted in) and today went to the range and put up a bunch of small targets to shoot "groups." After the smoke cleared and I was 40 rounds lighter I didn't have crap to show for myself on the paper.

    What sort of accuracy should I expect?

    That is a million dollar question. Imho it's up to your ability, and gun/ammo. I have a 10.5 dd that I worked up a load. It's h110 and Barnes tax-tx. My sbr with a 3 moa red dot does .85 at 100 repeatedly. Considering I have 3" error. I consider it a win. But my full size will blow a 2.5" inch group with a 12 power scope and that same load. My bolt gun loves the same as my sbr. Wether it's factory or handloads. You just have to find the right combo, and take your time shooting. Hope this helps
     

    craigkim

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    Jun 6, 2013
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    Fishers
    I spent a fair amount of time on this. I focused on 3 different powders, VV N110, Lil Gun, and W296. I used 2 different projectiles, the Hornady 110 Vmax and the Barnes 110 TAC-TX. I chose those 2 because I felt that either would likely be suitable for deer hunting, my primary purpose.
    I also came up with several subsonic loads, Hornady Amax 178, BTHP 208, and 225, then the Sierra 220, but I haven’t shot those at over 20 yards yet. I really didn’t make it any further on them than to run the initial ladders in order to find about 1050 FPS using A1680.
    Unlike my results with 223, spending more time on nit picky details got me very little with 300 blk and my chosen bullets/loads. I was never able to get better than 1.0” 5 shot groups at 100 yards with my 300 Blk rifles and I would say the average was about 1.5”. Seems like every group had at least one flyer, so I would get 3 holes nearly touching and then 2 holes an inch away. My barrels were an 8.5” Noveske, a 16” Noveske, and a 16” AR Stoner. The AR Stoner barrel was, surprisingly, just as accurate as the 16” Noveske and produced chrono results that were identical too. I know it wasn’t me on the groups, because I could group my 223 at the same sessions much better.
    I tried using 300 blk cases made from LC brass and Nosler new cases and found the LC cases to be more accurate with my setup. Lil Gun just didn’t group well and the VV110 didn’t group better for me than W296, but it was slower, so I selected W296 for my powder. I can’t remember FOR SURE, but I think that my load was somewhere 19.3-19.5 with the Barnes. I feel like the Vmax may have been slightly less. During hunting season, I used the Barnes load in both the rifles and the pistol barrel, but I didn’t see a deer last season, so no report there.
     

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