Posted: 8/31/2025 10:23:51 AM EDT
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I’ve been toying with the idea of using a 10.5” 300 BLK AR upper I recently put together for hunting whitetail out of tree stands this year where the longest shot I’ll ever take is about 125 yds, and likely much closer. I’d be using a 1.5-4x LVPO, and even with a short suppressor it’s just so damn handy that the idea is really appealing to me. The ammo I’d use is Barnes VOR-TX using the 110gr TAC-TX bullet, which chronos just under 2200 fps out of this rifle. My only hesitation is the energy limitation. The 1000 ft-lb minimum energy standard is often used a general hunting guideline for medium-sized game, and this is obviously subjective, however it’s a better metric than nothing I suppose. My ballistic app tells says that this bullet will deliver around 900 ft-lbs and 850 ft-lbs of energy, at about 100 yds and 125 yds, respectively. As always shot placement is the most important factor, and these numbers seem close enough to me to still be considered ethical, but I just don’t know because I’ve only ever shot a few coyotes with this rifle and load but no whitetail. I have plenty of other more than capable riflles I can use, albeit not quite as lightweight and handy, so it’s not like I have to use this one. Just interested in opinions. I’ve heard of a lot of people successfully using this load on whitetail, I just don’t know anyone personally. |
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Buddy used the same setup as described. While it got the job done with a well-placed shot at just shy of 100 yards, he indicated that the harvest wasn't quick and swift, and attributes this to the energy limitation. His setup no longer gets the call for whitetail duty. With a 10.5" barrel for whitetail and given the 1k ft-lb energy consideration, 6.8 SPC and 6.5 Grendel would be appropriate choices and should provide energy and accuracy to 150 yards (and maybe a bit more). Penetration should also be greater than 300BO (with an appropriate projectile), due to greater sectional density and velocity. For 6.8, 120gr SST bullets are an excellent choice for whitetail. |
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1,000 FPE for whittailed deer is way over rated. Our home state of Virginia only requires 350 FPE at the muzzle for legal handgun hunting cartridges. .300 BLK is a great round for VA deer hunting. I prefer the 110 gr VMAX. Or the 190 gr Sub X for a subsonic round. And the 190 Sub X only has 465 FPE at the muzzle |
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Originally Posted By VaFish: 1,000 FPE for whittailed deer is way over rated. Our home state of Virginia only requires 350 FPE at the muzzle for legal handgun hunting cartridges. .300 BLK is a great round for VA deer hunting. I prefer the 110 gr VMAX. Or the 190 gr Sub X for a subsonic round. And the 190 Sub X only has 465 FPE at the muzzle Good points. I’m not really interested in hunting deer with subs, just no need to. Why do you prefer the VMAX bullet? |
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Based on your description there is no reason it should not work just fine using supersonic loadings. My experience with subsonic hunting on NC whitetail is quite extensive. However my kids have been using supersonics, specifically the 110 barnes, and I absolutely love the results. Barrel lengths have been 7.5, 8.5, 10.5, 14.5 and 16. This past hunting season I was using 190 sub x loaded to just under 1400fps and the results were 1 that took 4 steps and laid down and another that went about 30 yds and crashed. The 1000ft lb. of energy is an arbitrary number that in reality means little to nothing. |
C co 2/325th AIR 91-96 11B1P
Father of 6 un-socialized homeschoolers and grandfather to 2 awesome little boys.
Father of 6 un-socialized homeschoolers and grandfather to 2 awesome little boys.
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Within its limitations, the Tac-tx is a hammer. I’ve killed some nice deer with it.Attached File |
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Originally Posted By garyd: This past hunting season I was using 190 sub x loaded to just under 1400fps and the results were 1 that took 4 steps and laid down and another that went about 30 yds and crashed. 1400 fps? Aren’t these designed for subsonic velocities? |
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Originally Posted By GimmeLibertee: Good points. I’m not really interested in hunting deer with subs, just no need to. Why do you prefer the VMAX bullet? The VMAX bullet is designed as a varmint bullet at .308 and .30-06 speeds. At .300 BLK speeds it's not quite so violent, it expands and penetrates quite well. I've used it on feral hogs and deer quite successfully. And it's only $3 more per box of 20 than cheap FMJ. (buying Ammo Inc version of it) |
The newer Hornady 125 grain usa ready jhps are fantastic in 300 black are great. DEATH SHROOMS?! 300 Blackout USA Ready 125gr Open Tip Ammo Test |
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The minimum energy thing means nothing. Millions of deer have been killed (including a few dozen by myself) by a stick with a sharp point on the end with nowhere even close to 1000ftlbs of energy. Put the bullet in the correct location and it will kill the deer. The much more important factor than energy, is that you choose a bullet that has an expansion envelope in the speed range you expect to be shooting it. My two daughters have used the 110gr tac-tx to kill several deer, most in the 75-100 yard range. All but one dropped where it stood with high shoulder shots. |
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My daughter has used her 300BO with great success. Her last few does were 25, 7, and 40 yards away and she had prefect shot placement right behind the shoulder. 110grn VMAX bombed all 3 of them however they all did run and none were dropped in their tracks. All 3 were dead on their feet and lungs were jelly and one she took off the top of the heart. Beauty of using a suppressor we could listen and hear them drop without worrying about ear pro. She was hunting for a big buck last season so she opted to use 270. She did shoot a big doe on her last day in the field which dropped in its tracks... 300BO is great for what it is. Shot placement is key, and you may not always drop them so hopefully you know how to recover animals. |
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Originally Posted By JestersHK: 300BO is great for what it is. Shot placement is key, and you may not always drop them so hopefully you know how to recover animals. Shot placement is key, as I alluded to in my OP. I’ve yet to find a cartridge that reliably drops deer where they stand, whether it’s .308, 6.5 Grendel, 44 Mag. .50 muzzle loader, etc., so I’m always prepared to recover as needed. I’ve also yet to have a deer run more them 75 yards after a double lung hit. |
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300 HAM'R Over 750 pages of discussion, hosted by Bill Wilson. https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=9260681&page=1 |
Tom Sawyer.
"If The Rules brought us to this, what use are they?"
"If The Rules brought us to this, what use are they?"
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Originally Posted By tortilla-flats: 300 HAM'R Over 750 pages of discussion, hosted by Bill Wilson. https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=9260681&page=1 Not interested in a different cartridge. I have several other more than capable rifles I can use. |
I dropped a decent 9 point last year with my 10.5in 300 aac shorty & Barnes 110 grain tac tx. The buck gave me a broadside shot about 90-100 yards away from my tower blind. I took a high shoulder shot and he dropped on impact! The round broke through both shoulders and was stuck in the hide on the other side. I was pretty stoked to recover the projectile when I started processing him. I prefer using a solid copper expanding round like the Tac Tx, due to less fragments I have to worry about when feeding my family 
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The 300blk is fine for deer as long as you understand the limitations of your bullet. I'll preface this with I don't shoot deer in the shoulders but just behind to save meat. If you shoot them in the shoulders it's a different ballgame as to bullet selection and range. I shot a handful with the barnes tipped copper bullets and all shots were 100-150yrds. They all ran (like they all do with a non CNS shot) but the blood trail was weak. One buck was closer to 150 and he jumped a fence and ran about 100 yards through a bean field without a drop of blood after the fence. I'd almost given up on finding him when I heard a squirrel going ballistic over the hill and went to check it out and he was laying (super dead) in a tree row. If I was doing that shot again, I'd prefer to use a vmax. Shot a couple does with the vmax in a pistol and the rib cage shots were very effective. On one it was running past me and I caught it in the ribs and one rear ham. The hole in the rear quarter looked like a golf ball went through it. Bullet recovered in the offside ribcage hide, was flattened out like a dime. I wouldn't shoulder shoot one with the vmax though. Under 100 yards most bullets should be fine. |
I'm not here because I make sound financial decisions.
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Originally Posted By VaFish: The VMAX bullet is designed as a varmint bullet at .308 and .30-06 speeds. At .300 BLK speeds it's not quite so violent, it expands and penetrates quite well. I've used it on feral hogs and deer quite successfully. And it's only $3 more per box of 20 than cheap FMJ. (buying Ammo Inc version of it) My results with Vmax have been superior to the TSX/TTSX rounds. I believe its for the above reason. |
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I shot a nice 8 pointer (137 5/8" with 19 3/4" inside spread) at 20 yards using 110gr Barnes TacTx out of my 7.5" with a can. The bullet entered 3/4 up the right shoulder, passed through the left armpit and out the lower left shoulder. Pencil hole in and pencil hole out with no blood trail. Fortunately, I heard the deer crash about 30 yards away, but had he gone out of hearing, I'm not sure I would have found him. I was not overly impressed with bullet. |
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Originally Posted By seaskidoo: My results with Vmax have been superior to the TSX/TTSX rounds. I believe its for the above reason. Originally Posted By seaskidoo: Originally Posted By VaFish: The VMAX bullet is designed as a varmint bullet at .308 and .30-06 speeds. At .300 BLK speeds it's not quite so violent, it expands and penetrates quite well. I've used it on feral hogs and deer quite successfully. And it's only $3 more per box of 20 than cheap FMJ. (buying Ammo Inc version of it) My results with Vmax have been superior to the TSX/TTSX rounds. I believe its for the above reason. A family member had poor performance from 6.5G last year with Barnes. Switched to ballistic tips and it is devastating. Save the copper projectiles for higher velocity applications IMO. |
| I used a Handi Rifle with Barnes 110 grain to take several deer. I took high shoulder shots because I was on a small plot of land surrounded by other hunters and didn’t want them running. None of them took a step after being hit. No complaints with 300 blk on big Michigan deer. |
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Aforementioned buck that was shot twice last year with Barnes. Found a week later. Bullet holes visible. Attached File Attached File Attached File |
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I have killed 4 whitetail and 1 black bear with 200gr Maker REX and 1025fps (at the muzzle) My labradar estimates 905fps at 50 yards. All the deer were killed around 65-70 yards and the bear at 80 ish All looked like broadhead kills and all were complete pass thru's. I wouldnt go past 100 yards. In my home test, these still expanded to over 1.5" down to 700fps. |
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Originally Posted By wvfarrier: I have killed 4 whitetail and 1 black bear with 200gr Maker REX and 1025fps (at the muzzle) My labradar estimates 905fps at 50 yards. All the deer were killed around 65-70 yards and the bear at 80 ish All looked like broadhead kills and all were complete pass thru's. I wouldnt go past 100 yards. In my home test, these still expanded to over 1.5" down to 700fps. What was the powder? I’ve got 100 of those bullets, waiting on brass and 4# of H110. We have a long doe season here and lots of tags available. I hope to get a frontal shot and recover an expanded bullet. |
"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there."
L.P. Hartley
L.P. Hartley
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My 8yo son got his first deer yesterday with factory 110gr AAC black tip. Bang Flop at 40yards. Broke the spine and demolished the lungs. Attached File |
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Attached File Barnes 110-grain blacktip. He didn't run 20 yards after the shot. I use the .300 Blackout in thick woods and a .260 Rem for everything else. |
It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.
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First time hunting with .300 AAC, I admit I had some apprehension. 3 shots, 3 kills, 2 were DRT, a large doe ran 40 yards. Remington M7, 1-8 Trijicon, SWR Octane 9 HD 200 grain Maker Rex at 1075 FPS, recovered 2 bullets. Attached File Attached File This little rifle is so light, handy, and quiet I think I’m hooked. |
"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there."
L.P. Hartley
L.P. Hartley
| Two whitetails and a hog down with a 16” .300 BLK in an AR platform using 150gr Federal Fusions. Hunting areas are 150 yards max and fairly brushy. The Fusion has been AWESOME. All animals broadside double-lunged and all had decent sized exits and amazing blood trails and none ran more than 50-70 yards. I’m not worried about bang-flops with a double lung shot. I’ve had them run with 30-06 and ballistic tips (with exits)- I want an exit and good blood trail with the thick stuff we are hunting, and this load delivers. Very gentle recoil and concussion (A2 birdcage on the end.) Like another user stated, the perfect 150 yard and in deer cartridge. |