More powerful than 5.56, somewhat shy of .308, the .300 Blackout, also known as .300 BLK, is a solid intermediate cartridge that performs well from smaller barrels and handles suppressors well.
If you’re considering taking on a project with a .300 Blackout build kit, here are a few things to be aware of.
.300 Blackout Delivers Way More Power Than 5.56
The ,300 Blackout cartridge delivers a lot more power than 5.56, which makes it superior for hunting and personal defense, especially in close-quarters situations. It is a great cartridge for hogs and deer, too. The one thing is that .300 BLK is less likely to fragment than 5.56, which can present a risk of overpenetration.
It Offers Better Performance in Short Barrels
If you’re considering a short barrel rifle build, .300 BLK is an excellent cartridge and performs much better in shorter barrels than 5.56. The powder charge in a 300 BLK cartridge will fully deflagrate in a much shorter barrel than would be required with 5.56, which makes this a prime one for building a short barrel rifle.
.300 Blackout Builds Respond Well to Suppression
Adding to the utility of short barrel rifle build kits, especially those formed around the .300 BLK, they handle suppression well. This will cut back not only on muzzle pop and overall volume, but will cut recoil and add power to the shot as well.
Better for Use in a PDW
Because the .300 BLK offers so much more stopping power than 5.56 and .223, some operators prefer its use in a PDW. Also, its performance from shorter barrels also makes it preferable for use in close quarters, so as a result, it’s a popular cartridge used for building PDWs or personal defense weapons.
.300 Blackout Is Abysmal at Long Ranges
With .300 BLK, it’s not all good news. One of the most serious limitations of this cartridge is its performance at long ranges, which is just terrible. The .300 BLK experiences serious bullet drop and does not perform well past 100 to 300 yards or so. For long-range shooting, it’s pretty useless.
.300 BLK Is More Expensive and Harder to Find Than 5.56
If you buy ammo instead of loading your own, the .300 Blackout might present some challenges. It is not only generally harder to find than 5.56 and .223, but it is a lot more expensive. Therefore if you do get a .300 Blackout build kit, you can expect the operating costs down the line to be more expensive.
However, You Can Load Your Own from 5.56 Casings
The one good thing about the availability of .300 Blackout is that if you have a lot of 5.56 casings, you can load your own by trimming and sizing the 5.56 casings to the required specifications. The other good thing is that, counterintuitively, .300 BLK requires less propellant charge than 5.56, which in some ways can make it more economical in the event that you load your own.
Where to Explore .300 Blackout Build Kits
Not sure where to get started with .300 Blackout build kits? Check out MCS Gearup, take a look through their build kits and the AR parts they sell, and get in touch with them if you have any questions. You can reach them at Sales@MCSGearup.com if you have any questions about their build kits or the parts they sell for customizing rifle builds.
