.300 Blackout on deer

[NWPilgrim]

Is that chart realistic to show the .300 BLK being effective to 300 yds? Isn't there quite a bit of bullet drop pass 200 yds with that low BC bullet and low velocity?

Seems kind of subjective SWAG what with the undefined "versatility".

[rsilvers]

Is 0.320 considered a low BC? I am just asking - not sure what the answer is - but it is higher than a 69 grain 224 MatchKing.

[et2041]

Sorry guys - no pictures.

Our gunsmith just took two does with his .300 Blackout this past Thursday during the early doe season.

He was using the 110 grain Hornady .300 Whisper load and he said they both dropped on the spot. This is a barrel that I gave him that was from Model 1 Sales and was the old .300 Fireball. He bought a Pacific T&D reamer and made everything right. Now its all he will hunt with.

I cannot wait to get out with mine during the regular deer season!

What State was that in and how large were the does?

[40Arpent]

The shots were to the vitals - lung and heart.

And yes, a .22 may be capable of the same, but that just isn't legal in most states. As for the range, that's a fairly average shot for around here.

thanks for the add'l info. My point about the .22wmr obviously didn't make its mark. I only used it to make the point that merely killing animals at short range does not speak enough to its effectiveness. Knowing that the shots were placed in the vital area says quite a bit more, so again, thanks.

[jc000]

I'm looking at the chart and the range comparison is obvious, but I'm not sure exactly how versatility is defined. Maybe, if it's a complicated answer, you could post the information that went with the chart.

I'd like to know that as well.

Very interested in this caliber, considering picking up a 5.56 rifle to convert to 300BLK as soon as cost/availability are no longer issues.

[SHIVAN]

...which is why I asked for more information to further the discussion.

Fair enough. With all due respect, a tip I've found useful on internet gun forums, is to try not to be so abrasive when genuinely seeking more information.

I'm sure by now, you're getting my point. Least I would hope.

[rsilvers]

Versatility is the number of jobs it can do, number of rolls it can fulfill, and the number of other weapons it can replace.

For example, it can replace the MP5-SD as a quiet suppressed platform, but unlike the MP5-SD, it can also shoot out to 300 meters and do the role that the Mk18 is supposed to do. And the Mk18 cannot be quiet suppressed - hence it is more versatile than either. It can also handle the role that is sometimes filled by a subsonic 308 bolt action rifle.

[darr3239]

I get it a little more now. I'm interested in reading up on this topic, so how can I access the source that used the chart?

[NWPilgrim]

Is 0.320 considered a low BC? I am just asking - not sure what the answer is - but it is higher than a 69 grain 224 MatchKing.

Sierra MK 69 gr .224" has a BC of .305 between 2800 and 2200 fps, so it is slightly less but also going 2,700 fps compared to 2,300 fps for the the 123 gr .300 BLK.

Compared to similar construction .308" bullets of 150-180 gr it is on the low end for BC. And it is low velocity compared to similar BC .224" bullets.

The reason I am questioning the effective range of 300 yds is that no other .308" - .311" bullet launched at 2,300 fps is considered effective at 300 yd due to bullet drop and the greratly reduced velocity at that range. Maybe the .330 BLK is different, but I can't find terminal performance information for a 123 gr at 2,300 fps out to 300 yds.

For the 69 gr .224" bullet launched at 2,700 fp, it will have velocity at 100 yds of 2,400 fps, at 200 yds will be 2,150 fps, and at 3000 yds it will be 1,886 fps. Bullet drop is about 27" at 300 yds.

From what I can calculate, the .300 BLK 123 gr would have a muzzle velocity of about 2,300 fps, 2,050 fps at 100 yds, 1,800 fps at 200 yds and 1,600 fps at 300 yds. It appears bullet drop is about 38" at 300 yds.

In an earlier post you said:

So rather than tell them to make it expand down to 1600 fps, I said it must penetrate 12-18 inches of 10% gel at 1950-2000 fps - which is at a short range for a 7.5 inch barrel, but about 100 yards for a 16 inch barrel. The result is controlled penetration even at lower velocities.

So at 300 yds we have 38" drop, 1,600 fps and what appears to be either below or at the lower edge of performance range of the bullet. Most .308" bullets are not going to perform well at 1,600 fps but if this is a custom designed bullet for the .300 LK, what is the expansion and penetration at 1,600 fps?

[rsilvers]

Yes, it is a custom bullet, so what we know about 308 bullets at that velocity does not apply.

Drop at 300 yards is 15 inches from a 200 yard zero.