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Is 300 BLK falling out of favor? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 7/24/2026 2:18:53 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Scooter1942][Edited]
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Just purchased my first 300 Blackout yesterday...a DPMS Kitty Kat in .300 BLK. Thought it would make a handy urban truck gun. But, in researching ammo options...predominantly supers...it seems like all of the internet influencers are starting to poo poo the cartridge. What say the hive? Gratuitous, pic of my kitty. 
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Shooter6 Out
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No, 300blk isn't falling out of favor Manufacturers are releasing news guns chambered in it, even FN, and the ammo is available off the shelf everywhere It's a great cartridge for reloaders and very popular for that too Not sure what "influencers" you're hearing this from, or why you'd listen to one in the first place 
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Originally Posted By Scooter1942: Whew...good to know. Follow up question...what's your preferred super for self-defense/general purpose? I'll probably buy the stuff to reload...anyone have a powder/bullet preference? 135 gr Sierra spire point with CFE BLK. The only .300 load I bother with. |
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Originally Posted By Scooter1942: Whew...good to know. Follow up question...what's your preferred super for self-defense/general purpose? I'll probably buy the stuff to reload...anyone have a powder/bullet preference? Depends on the distance you want to be accurate at? Heavier will drop faster. I prefer 110 Tac Tx or Hornady 110 grain for the velocity and distance. But I also shoot 190 subs. Have a 1x8 scope for my subs with a red dot on top for my supers. 300BO is going strong. Tell the haters to STFU! |
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Originally Posted By Scooter1942: But, in researching ammo options...predominantly supers...it seems like all of the internet influencers are starting to poo poo the cartridge. I think supers have always been an "oh yeah, I guess you can do that too" sort of thing from the 300blk, subs were always the main focus. |
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I have several 300 blackouts. Love the cartridge. I’ve converted over 5000 rounds of 223 brass into 300 blackout and have gone through most of it. All types of sub and super loads. I’ve used it for hog hunting for years and shot dozens and dozens of hogs. Over that time I have found it works on them, but you have to hit them just right or they run off and die. I still love my blackout, but I switched to a 308 and now the hogs fall down on the first shot every time. The blackout is good for a lot of things, it works, but it’s not the best for hogs. |
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Doubt it. Seems like many SWAT and SF units around the world are using them. A number of places are phasing out 9mm SMGs with them. British purchased some MCX rifles for the Royal Marines with very short barrels for ship boarding. I'd think a 6-8" barrel would be ideal if you had to maneuver inside of a ship. |
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Originally Posted By Flogger23m: Doubt it. Seems like many SWAT and SF units around the world are using them. A number of places are phasing out 9mm SMGs with them. British purchased some MCX rifles for the Royal Marines with very short barrels for ship boarding. I'd think a 6-8" barrel would be ideal if you had to maneuver inside of a ship. I guess they aren’t running suppressors, then. Seems like heavy subsonic 9mm hollow point would be more effective at short ranges when suppressed. The .300 BO supersonic rounds seem more effective for self defense, but running supers negates some of the advantages of the cartridge. |
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Originally Posted By willi3d: I guess they aren’t running suppressors, then. Seems like heavy subsonic 9mm hollow point would be more effective at short ranges when suppressed. The .300 BO supersonic rounds seem more effective for self defense, but running supers negates some of the advantages of the cartridge. Attached File |
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Originally Posted By John-in-austin: Nope. Stop listening to idiots on Youtube. If he stopped listening to idiots on youtube, he wouldn't even have gotten into 300blk.  It never was really "in favor". It was just the next hot "fancy new cartridge". The same sort of hipsters that jumped onto 300blk when it was new will jump on to the next one that comes out.
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300 Body Odor is one cartridge I'll be avoiding for now. It does have some cool features like being able to be resized from 223 brass, and it really makes sense for subsonic applications. But the risk of a 300 BO finding its way into a 223/5.56 chamber is just too great. It's one of the few times where mixing up ammo will blow up a gun, and the internet is full of pictures where it has happened. Here's how 300 BO round fits snuggly into a 223 chamber from which it cannot fit down the bore.  To answer the OP's question, no I don't think the 300 Body Odor is falling out of fashion, it looks as though it has carved out a permanent place in the lineup of calibers. Don't let my crusty attitude keep anyone from enjoying his or her favorite gun. Maybe you have a way to make sure things don't get mixed up. It's just not worth the risk for me. |
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Originally Posted By Scooter1942: Whew...good to know. Follow up question...what's your preferred super for self-defense/general purpose? I'll probably buy the stuff to reload...anyone have a powder/bullet preference? 110 Gr VMAX. Hornady or the Ammo Inc. load. Works great on deer and feral hogs, should work just fine on people too. |
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Am in the process of building my second .300BO, so there's that data point. It is so popular that WalMart will not carry .300BO ammo since they regard it as an 'assault gun' ammo but will carry .350 Legend. Others may have confused the situation with the rapid increase in SBR's where other chamberings (i.e. 6.5 Grendel) work really well at 12.5". But that is a different ballgame at a different barrel length/balance point where 400 meters shots may be required. The .350 Legend also works well at 12.5" for raw kinetic hunting power. But neither do at the sub 10" barrel lengths what the .300 BO does. And that is why the .300BO isn't going anywhere. |
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Originally Posted By kychas: As far as getting 300 BO in a 5.56 chambers, Don’t shoot them at the same event. Don’t store the ammo in the same place My 300BO ammo is with the rifle in the same case. Use clear mags for 5.56 so you can see if a .300 Eldest Son has snuck in there. |
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Originally Posted By wlderdude: 300 Body Odor is one cartridge I'll be avoiding for now. It does have some cool features like being able to be resized from 223 brass, and it really makes sense for subsonic applications. But the risk of a 300 BO finding its way into a 223/5.56 chamber is just too great. It's one of the few times where mixing up ammo will blow up a gun, and the internet is full of pictures where it has happened. Here's how 300 BO round fits snuggly into a 223 chamber from which it cannot fit down the bore. https://i.redd.it/aby0wzjgcz0y.jpg To answer the OP's question, no I don't think the 300 Body Odor is falling out of fashion, it looks as though it has carved out a permanent place in the lineup of calibers. Don't let my crusty attitude keep anyone from enjoying his or her favorite gun. Maybe you have a way to make sure things don't get mixed up. It's just not worth the risk for me. This is another reason why I'm hesitant to get into 300blk, I can shoot 9mm suppressed for much cheaper, and without fear of cross contamination. |
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Originally Posted By kychas: As far as getting 300 BO in a 5.56 chambers, Don’t shoot them at the same event. Don’t store the ammo in the same place My 300BO ammo is with the rifle in the same case. I had quite the collection of 5.56 before starting with 300 bo. ALL my 300 bo rifles are sand/tan. None of my 5.56 are anything but black. Same with mags. Also I have the nice amazon bands on mags to remind that it is 300 in case someone else pics up one of my mags. Ammo stored separately as well. |
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Originally Posted By kychas: As far as getting 300 BO in a 5.56 chambers, Don’t shoot them at the same event. Don’t store the ammo in the same place My 300BO ammo is with the rifle in the same case. This just means you need to be organized and disciplined. I keep all 300BO ammo and mags separate and I don't drill on both at the range. If I have both, I usually do all my AR zero, training drills first, put up all the 5.56/AR stuff away and then I will go pull out the 300BO rifles and do what I need to do. I just got into the 300BO game a couple years ago and I only have two SBRs (one is an AR15, the other a CMMG Dissent); both are suppressed, I can shoot supers for superior "combat distance" performance, or I can suppress and outperform most common pistol calibers while still being reasonbly quiet. ROCK6 |
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Originally Posted By wlderdude: 300 Body Odor is one cartridge I'll be avoiding for now. It does have some cool features like being able to be resized from 223 brass, and it really makes sense for subsonic applications. But the risk of a 300 BO finding its way into a 223/5.56 chamber is just too great. It's one of the few times where mixing up ammo will blow up a gun, and the internet is full of pictures where it has happened. Here's how 300 BO round fits snuggly into a 223 chamber from which it cannot fit down the bore. https://i.redd.it/aby0wzjgcz0y.jpg To answer the OP's question, no I don't think the 300 Body Odor is falling out of fashion, it looks as though it has carved out a permanent place in the lineup of calibers. Don't let my crusty attitude keep anyone from enjoying his or her favorite gun. Maybe you have a way to make sure things don't get mixed up. It's just not worth the risk for me. This is a real risk. We found a round of 300 body odor in a 556 gun at the range one day. Guy had been loading factory ammo from unopened boxes into his 556 AR. Ran a string, had a malfunction on the last target, made a hit then we cleared the rifle. When he opened the bolt a round of 300BO came out. He doesn't own a 300BO gun and there were none one the range that day. That was in the factory box of 556. Same brand brass as everything else he was shooting. He doesn't reload and shoots only factory new ammo. Around here 300BO is falling out of favor. The guys I used to see shooting it all the time have gone back to 556 and nobody seems to be buying or building guns around here in 300BO. If you want to do something crazy like 150gr subs, just get a 9mm carbine and run cheaper 147gr ammo. Then again I'm the one shooting 147gr tokarev in an AR for subs. BC is amazing in comparison! I do want to try 338ARC but projectile cost is high. |
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Originally Posted By willi3d: I guess they aren’t running suppressors, then. Seems like heavy subsonic 9mm hollow point would be more effective at short ranges when suppressed. The .300 BO supersonic rounds seem more effective for self defense, but running supers negates some of the advantages of the cartridge. 300 BLK is going to be more effective than 9mm in any situation or configuration. Supersonic or Subsonic. MAYBE the advantage goes to 9MM if you are limited to a 5" barrel and no suppressor. 300BLK subs are the weight of 45 ACP with the same velocity as 9MM subs only 50% heavier, with more penetration and better ballistics. They also suppress better than 9mm. 300BLK supers are vastly superior to any 9MM supersonic option. |
Atypical Millennial
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Originally Posted By Deerhurst: This is a real risk. We found a round of 300 body odor in a 556 gun at the range one day. Guy had been loading factory ammo from unopened boxes into his 556 AR. Ran a string, had a malfunction on the last target, made a hit then we cleared the rifle. When he opened the bolt a round of 300BO came out. He doesn't own a 300BO gun and there were none one the range that day. That was in the factory box of 556. Same brand brass as everything else he was shooting. He doesn't reload and shoots only factory new ammo. Around here 300BO is falling out of favor. The guys I used to see shooting it all the time have gone back to 556 and nobody seems to be buying or building guns around here in 300BO. If you want to do something crazy like 150gr subs, just get a 9mm carbine and run cheaper 147gr ammo. Then again I'm the one shooting 147gr tokarev in an AR for subs. BC is amazing in comparison! I do want to try 338ARC but projectile cost is high. You're clearly biased. 300 BLK subs are 220-230 grains, not 150 grain. That would still be supersonic at 150 grains. As far as a 300BLK round being in 556 ammo, I'm skeptical that occurred in factory sealed ammunition. I'm literally a distracted idiot with ADHD, and I've never made that mistake even when shooting both calibers back to back. |
Atypical Millennial
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Originally Posted By Scooter1942: Just purchased my first 300 Blackout yesterday...a DPMS Kitty Kat in .300 BLK. Thought it would make a handy urban truck gun. But, in researching ammo options...predominantly supers...it seems like all of the internet influencers are starting to poo poo the cartridge. What say the hive? Gratuitous, pic of my kitty. https://i.imgur.com/3b1pDQj.jpeg Tabloids gossip about interesting people. The same applies to influencers and cartridges. Arguments about obscure, less interesting cartridges don't draw the same attention. |
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Originally Posted By Scooter1942: Just purchased my first 300 Blackout yesterday...a DPMS Kitty Kat in .300 BLK. Thought it would make a handy urban truck gun. But, in researching ammo options...predominantly supers...it seems like all of the internet influencers are starting to poo poo the cartridge. What say the hive? Gratuitous, pic of my kitty. https://i.imgur.com/3b1pDQj.jpeg Forgot to add Kitty Kat Tooooo Kool for Skool.... It's not going anywhere..... 300 BO does 2 things really really good........ 1. Suppresses very well. Subsonics are lower pressure and use a smaller hole than 45. The smaller the hole the lower the pressure the easier it is to make it quieter. 2. It simulates the standard Russian 7.62x39mm in an AR15 very well. Yes basically a standard 7.62x39 in an AR15 without having to have funky bore sized barrels, Funky 7.62 AR magazines and knowing you are shooting a Commie Caliber in an American Rifle... Sound Eagle screeching should be reverberating in yer head now. America FUCK YEAH!!!! 3. Wait you said 2 TWO buddy WTF... I have thought about posting this but alas I have time now because Im off all weekend... PEAK ALLOY my friend Peak Alloy. Using the new Stronger Peak Alloy Cases could allow you to get a lot more pressure and velocity. 12.5" Midlengh gas system with a suppressor. Now imagine a heavy 140-150 grain Bonded bullet say a Federal Fusion traveling say 2500 FPS Plus. Forgot to say I shot a guys 300 BO PWS Pistol back in 2017 ish. Liked it so much I got one in 556. Now looking back that gun in 300 BO using Peak Alloy cases would have been OH SNAP COOL!!!! |
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Originally Posted By djkest: You're clearly biased. 300 BLK subs are 220-230 grains, not 150 grain. That would still be supersonic at 150 grains. As far as a 300BLK round being in 556 ammo, I'm skeptical that occurred in factory sealed ammunition. I'm literally a distracted idiot with ADHD, and I've never made that mistake even when shooting both calibers back to back. Very biased. I shoot 180gr or heavier 7.62x25mm. I have some 230s for tokarev too. Wasn't me talking about 150gr subs though I have seen them. You can make dammed near anything subsonic, I have 60gr 5.45 subs. Just because the bullet weight is such doesn't have any indication of projectile velocity. I am still skeptical about the 300bo in a factory box of 556 but I watched him pull the factory boxes out of a sealed case. Like I said, nobody at the range with 300bo and the guy with the issue doesn't own 300bo anything. |
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Originally Posted By rotorblade: Using the new Stronger Peak Alloy Cases could allow you to get a lot more pressure and velocity. 12.5" Midlengh gas system with a suppressor. Now imagine a heavy 140-150 grain Bonded bullet say a Federal Fusion traveling say 2500 FPS Plus. You are shooting a 150gr bullet at 2500 fps out of a 12.5" 300 blackout barrel? That's more like 308 win/7.62x51 velocity for that barrel length. |
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Originally Posted By willi3d: I guess they aren’t running suppressors, then. Seems like heavy subsonic 9mm hollow point would be more effective at short ranges when suppressed. The .300 BO supersonic rounds seem more effective for self defense, but running supers negates some of the advantages of the cartridge. What the hell are you talking about? 300blk subsonic are 200-220gr instead of 9mm at 147gr. 300blk also opens up way larger than a 9mm will due to the long pointed bullet. And then you have the option for supers for long distance that pack way more power than 9mm ever could. |
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300blk isn't falling out of favor. I think it is just past the "new and shiny" phase, and is now entrenched in the ecosystem. It is basically all I run (outside of .22LR and 9mm) As far as self defense ammo for supers, the most popular are: 110gr Barnes Tac-tx 110gr Hornady Vmax (and its variants, including the 110gr PSA Sabre Black Tip) ----- 110gr Nosler Varmageddon (basically Vmax) 115gr Sierra Varminter/JHP (PSA sold a version of this as well) 115gr Lehigh Controlled Chaos 120gr SIG HT/SBR There are a few others as well, but the first two seem are top choices for commercial ammo. |
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Originally Posted By willi3d: I guess they aren’t running suppressors, then. Seems like heavy subsonic 9mm hollow point would be more effective at short ranges when suppressed. The .300 BO supersonic rounds seem more effective for self defense, but running supers negates some of the advantages of the cartridge. Running supers is the primary way to use the cartridge. Subs are a novelty. |
Is 300 BLK falling out of favor? (Page 1 of 2)
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