.300 Blackout upper or just get high-end 5.56 hunting ammo?

[feedramp]

If one were in the market for a complete M4 and also considering either a .300 Blackout upper (in addition to a regular upper) to swap onto the lower for occasional recreational hunting use, or using the money to just buy more expensive and currently scarce hunting ammo (Barnes TSX, Nosler, etc) in .223/5.56, which would you choose and why?

Factors:

Hunting inside 200 yards.
Hogs, coyote, etc.
Improved home defense capability always a plus.
Not running suppressed or NFA length bbls.

Would the heavier weight bullet of .300 Blackout perform so much better in hunting use over 5.56 hunting loads that there's no reason to bother with the latter?

Would the added versatility of having two different caliber uppers outweigh the cost of the .300 upper and its ammo vs just picking up some heavier pricier 5.56 ammo?

Or do you feel the cost savings of not buying the .300 upper is too great to ignore?

Is .300 Blackout reportedly performing best from shorter barrels a significant factor in this equation and how the two uppers would be set up, if the decision is to get both uppers?

For example, the .300 Blackout for hunting/hd use might get a 14.5" bbl w/ flash hider and carbine gas, and the standard upper designated more for accuracy or longer range might be 16"-18" bbl w/ comp and mid-length gas.

[QuietShootr]

I'll tell ya. I shot a suppressed auto 8" .300 with subsonic ammo yesterday, and I'm really rethinking building one. The port noise is pretty damn loud. If I can find one of the Model 7s that isn't a piece of shit I think I'm going to go that way, since I'm after ultimate quiet.

[feedramp]

So in this case, not going NFA length nor running suppressed, .300 would be fairly unpleasant, eh?

[Texas42]

Listen, the .223/5.56 does fine on deer. If you put the right bullet in the right place, there is no reason it won't do. Lots of people believe that is heracy, than anything less than a magnum just won't kill deer efectively. It isn't legal in many states.

The 300 BO does shoot a bigger bullet and will do fine on deer.

If you have a .223 upper, then try it and see how you like it. If deer hunting is your goal. Then shoot some deer with it.

you can buy a LOT of ammo for the cost of an upper. And hunting 300BO ammo isn't going to be any cheaper. Either will work.

Either way, if your concerned about ammo scarcity. reloading really helps with specialized ammo. A lee single stage with a case tumbler and trimmer aren't too expensive. And there is always the internet.

[AKDoug]

I honestly don't think the .300 is going to be much worse in the sound dept. than a 5.56.

I have gone round and round with the idea of .300 vs. 5.56 in an all around rifle. I use my current AR for HD, wolf, coyote and deer hunting. It's a joy to carry on my ATV and snowmobile.

I was set on the .300, but availability of cheaper .223/5.56 was what started to win me over. The great performance of the 70 grain Barnes TSX on game was the final straw. They work great on critters all the way up to caribou.

I really need two rifles (or two uppers). There is always a comprimise when it comes to building a multi-purpose firearm. The biggest issue on my carbine came when trying to decide on an optic. I finally had to settle on a Trijicon TR-24 and a QD mount (on their way) so that I had a reasonable close combat sight and decent enough magnification for longer shots. That optic/QD combo cost as much as a good M4. I'd much rather have an Aimpoint on the HD rifle, and a 4x12 on the hunting rifle.

[Javelin]

You need to look at all of the load data posted here by rsilvers of the 5.56 and 300 blackout and decide for yourself if you need to step up to a 300 blackout or not.

[Delemus]

Availability is limiting to me right now with 300BLK. 5.56 is available almost anywhere and and a cheaper price. Ive also never had any trouble taking hogs or predators with the 5.56 load either.

[feedramp]

You need to look at all of the load data posted here by rsilvers of the 5.56 and 300 blackout and decide for yourself if you need to step up to a 300 blackout or not.

Thanks, I've actually read through quite a few threads in the Reloading/Ammo and Beyond 5.56 subforums but I wanted to hear opinions from others who likely have first-hand experience working through the same decision I'm facing.

[djmorris]

.223/5.56 will **** deer up. It'll **** most anything within reason up. Just about any .223/5.56 round is no joke and excels at ****ing shit up -- anyone who says otherwise is only kidding themselves. I say stick with good 5.56 loads. Lots of variation and at good prices.

[aquajon]

I went largely the same route. I have several 5.56 AR's I use typically to train or compete with and I assembled a dedicated 300BLK gun with nearly identical specs to my "every day" 5.56 gun. I partially justified this by calling it my hunting gun, but it was mostly motivated by the cool factor. Why hunt with 5.56 when you can hunt with suppressed 8" 300BLK It has to be at least as effective as 5.56 but makes the girls panties wet.

I have read much to suggest the potential of the 300BLK round would be better in terminal ballistics, however those wonder bullets do not exist for the most part. On the other hand, we have excellent bullet designs in 5.56 widely availibile which my non-scientific evaluation would call equal to the 300BLK bullets commercially available today. The cost of quality bullets in 300BLK, 5.56, 6.8, 308, xxx are all about the same.

Depending on the spare parts laying around, the cost of a new upper may just be a few hundred on a barrel. That was the case for me at least and made the choice fairly easy. If you decide it's stupid, sell the barrel and put a 5.56 one on.