Some 300 black questions

[SWThomas]

I'm looking at getting into the 300blk realm. I'd like to build one myself, although that new DDM4V5300 looks pretty awesome and is pretty much exactly what I would build.... And I can get one for about $1,200. But I have a few questions...

What would you consider the optimum barrel length for this bullet? What I mean is, are there any advantages/disadvantages to going with a 16" barrel VS a shorter NFA barrel? Do you give anything up or gain anything by going one way or another? Logic would dictate better accuracy with a longer barrel.

I know this is a relatively new load and there isn't a lot of data out there, but I know a bunch of you guys have been shooting them for a while. I'd appreciate any input you can offer.

And if you happen to have the DD I mentioned above, what's your review of it?

[Quiet Riot]

Barrel length affects velocity, not accuracy within the velocity range that the bullet is stable. The 300 BLK doesn't need a lot of barrel to stabilize a bullet, nor does it lose velocity as much as 5.56 when going short.

My 8" 1:8 twist Noveske barrel is very accurate with both subs and supers, and with a can is a very nice overall length. Without a can, the rifle is crazy small, but the 300 BLK recoil is very manageable.

As with any firearm, you have to think about what you want to do with it. If you need every bit of velocity you can get from the round, 16" is the way to go.

If you don't, then 8-9" is an awesome setup with plenty of KE and not too much increase in blast (as long as you're not using a brake ). I personally don't see much appeal to lengths in between with this caliber, but others might share different opinions on that.

[High Tower]

As quiet said, barrel length affects velocity so it would depend on what your plan for the .300B is and what ammo you will feed it. For hunting, unless you use the Barnes ammo, I would use a 16" (which I do) so you have the added velocity for better bullet performance on game.

I do not own the DD .300, but I have shot a few of them and they all ran very well.

In my opinion, the only reasons not to SBR the .300B is if you cannot legally, don't want to deal with NFA stuff, or for hunting.

[Robert_R]

I've got a DD V7 in 300 and really like it. It is accurate and eats any ammo I feed it. I'll eventually SBR it or buil/ buy an SBR 300 and add a can when things calm down. If there was no wait involved, I'd have bought an SBR from the start.

[armed_zebra]

I've been in the 300 game for almost two years now. I love my 8" suppressed AR and it is my "go to" weapon. There is plenty of load data available to get an idea of where to start with. I don't really see a point in going longer than 8 or 9 inches if you can own SBR's.

Right now, the only drawback is ammo availability but if you're a handloader, you're pretty much good to go. And the ammo will come back soon enough if you aren't.

[Kokopelli]

My 16" AAC runs well. I haven't yet seriously paced it out, but it runs well. I'm building a 10-1/2" pistol that I would like to stamp and SBR later, so we'll see. It seems that the 300 runs in most any variation people request of it.. JMO.. Ron

[Onyx Z]

I built a 16" 300BLK around a DD S2W barrel. The only reason I didn't SBR it is because of legal hoops and time to process all the paperwork. I kinda wish I would have gotten a Noveske barrel though... oh well, once I find an accurate load, I'm sure I won't be able to outshoot mine. My gun will eat anything I put in it, ZERO malfunctions. It's more reliable than I was expecting.

In the words of John Noveske:
"Barrel lengths and caliber selection are determined by the following factors: weapon weight, maximum required range, terminal ballistic requirements, ammunition supply, and vehicular or mission-based length maximums. In my opinion, a shooter should try to select the shortest barrel possible to accomplish the given task. Short barrels are very accurate because of their relative rigidity compared to a longer barrel of equal diameter. I don’t subscribe to the school that thinks short barrels burn powder at differing rates; if that were true, the velocities would differ on the longer barrel as well. Also, in most cases, the fastest load out of a short barrel will be the fastest load out of a long barrel. Adding barrel length only increases velocity, which translates to increased range. If you have a barrel length maximum, but require greater terminal ballistics, choosing a larger round may be a good answer. There are too many anecdotes to list here. I like the saying, "Overkill is an oxymoron, there are many levels of wounded, but only one level of dead." Choose what you realistically think you will need, and err on the lighter/smaller side."

[SWThomas]

Thanks for the input fellas! I guess I should get off my lazy ass and get this Form 4 trust done and open up my options.

[Fortenbras]

We can't have SBR's here in NY so I have mine set up for carbine length at 16 inches and I'm VERY happy with it. 16 inches actually gets you a pretty short rifle when it's all set up and I think it's the best of both worlds, you get the velocity and the compactness.

BTW, if your looking for a barrel, I have to suggest SOTA arms. There is a little bit of a wait but he does a quality job and the price is pretty good. Unless you buy that pre-made one, but I tell you I had a blast building my own, it really is a fun experience.

[SWThomas]

We can't have SBR's here in NY so I have mine set up for carbine length at 16 inches and I'm VERY happy with it. 16 inches actually gets you a pretty short rifle when it's all set up and I think it's the best of both worlds, you get the velocity and the compactness.

BTW, if your looking for a barrel, I have to suggest SOTA arms. There is a little bit of a wait but he does a quality job and the price is pretty good. Unless you buy that pre-made one, but I tell you I had a blast building my own, it really is a fun experience.

That's the route I think I'll take. I like building my own too.