.223 or 300BLK for small Florida deer?

[Eurodriver]

I have both, and am trying to decide what would be best to use before I start loading up hunting rounds.

My 300blk is a 9" AAC with an AAC Suppressor. It's very quiet and shorter than my 20" 5.56mm AR. It is heavier, however. Deep down, I want to use my 20" 5.56 but if 300BLK is a better round I certainly won't mind and the suppressor would be an added bonus.

I guess my questions can be posed as follows:

1) Is 300blk out of a 9" barrel more or less deadly for a deer than 5.56mm out of a 20" barrel?

2) Is 300blk a significant disadvantage at shots longer than 150 yards due to accelerated drop and loss of velocity?

[Waylander]

.....

[Eurodriver]

Thank you for all of that info SixEight.

The only thing drawing me to 300BLK was the suppressor, really. I wasn't going to choose it unless it had significantly more power than 5.56mm which it appears not to have.

[FlyingHunter]

I've taken a fair number of deer with a 9" AAC SBR, suppressed 300Blk. Always use supersonic. I prefer Barnes 110r Tac-Tx. Reasonable placement of your shot will be a quick and capable dispatch. The key is placement. Do not use subsonic which has ballistics similar to a .45acp. I have also taken many deer with 5.56. Almost the same answer...use the right ammo and selective placement and it works fine. Big fan of 5.56 70grain TSX bullet design. A real winner. Both will work if you do your part.

I prefer the 300Blk based on my fairly extensive real world experience specifically with whitetail (terminal effects).

[daddyusmaximus]

I'd chose the .300 over the 5.56 if I had both in SBR form, but with a 20" rifle you're golden. You guys are lucky to live in a state that allows deer hunting with .223/5.56.

[jwsturr]

.....answered my own question