Reloading/Handloading 300 Blackout

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I'm not sure if they still do, but Barnes offered that same bullet and weight and diameter in two different offerings. One was tailored specifically to blackout and to expand at blackout velocities and the other one was for 308 velocities so ensure you get the right one when ordering
 

PanhandleGlocker

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I'm not sure if they still do, but Barnes offered that same bullet and weight and diameter in two different offerings. One was tailored specifically to blackout and to expand at blackout velocities and the other one was for 308 velocities so ensure you get the right one when ordering

I believe the one pictured is the one meant for 300blk.

I think someone said black tips were specific for 300blk and blue tips were for .308 etc.
 

PanhandleGlocker

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H110 and W296 are the same and are interchangeable (30 Carbine). H110 is the original fast powder for 300BLK.
Lilgun works great too. All these work all the way up to heavy subs.

Just like the 30 Carbine, the 300BLK is actually a pistol cartridge, not a rifle cartridge. It has almost 10gr less case capacity than a 44spl. and 3-4gr less than a 357 mag. It uses pistol powders in 90% of the loads. If you treat it as such, you'll be successful and happy. If you treat it like a rifle cartridge, you'll end up sad, pissed off, or missing eyeballs and/or fingers.

Hodgdon and Load Data.com are awesome resources.

Also, remember that 300BLK was designed for pistol gas in a short barrel. It doesn't like dwell time. So if you are using a 16" bbl and carbine gas, and your gun is all squirrelly and doing everything but functioning correctly, you probably need to open up your gas port.

I’ll be on the lookout for some H110/W296 then.

And luckily this isn’t a gas gun. Just a 16” barrel.
 

Glocktogo

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I’ll be on the lookout for some H110/W296 then.

And luckily this isn’t a gas gun. Just a 16” barrel.
If you don't find it, don't be afraid to try LilGun and see what it does. At least in shorter barrels, it seems to return more velocity relative to pressures generated?
 

Shinneryfarmer

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And if your plan is deer hunting don't be afraid to go heavy bullets. My deer load for 300BO is with a 168grn Amax and H110. I know, I know Amax is not a hunting bullet. I beg to differ what i have found is at BO velocities with the 168grn it mushrooms nicely while retaining bullet weight. Shot a buck facing me at 150yds, bullet entered chest traveled the length of the buck through the right hip lodging under skin after breaking hip bone. Buck dropped in its tracks found bullet while cleaning deer weighing it at 159grns.
 

PanhandleGlocker

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And if your plan is deer hunting don't be afraid to go heavy bullets. My deer load for 300BO is with a 168grn Amax and H110. I know, I know Amax is not a hunting bullet. I beg to differ what i have found is at BO velocities with the 168grn it mushrooms nicely while retaining bullet weight. Shot a buck facing me at 150yds, bullet entered chest traveled the length of the buck through the right hip lodging under skin after breaking hip bone. Buck dropped in its tracks found bullet while cleaning deer weighing it at 159grns.

I’ve heard the 120grain Barnes is excellent as well. That’s my main reason for wanting to go with that bullet.
 

JEVapa

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Sell it and buy a 7.62x39 it'll do everything the blackout will do and much more. My blackouts sit in the safe and rarely come out to play.
I partially agree with you. 300BLK is a contentious subject for gun people, especially AR folks.
I think a 7.62x39 in the platform it was designed for is ideal - AK or SKS, but not in an AR...too many issues.

300BLK was designed for a specific purpose and that gets lost on people, especially when they try to make it a rifle and an AK replacement. While it works great, it'll never really have the ass an AK or heavy 5.56 has. It works best in a short barreled platform, unless you overpressure it for a bolt gun. But still, that's silly when you have real rifle cartridges unless you are just f-ing around and having fun.

Now if you want to pop critters at 25-100m with subs, it's great and lots of fun, and super quiet, but if you want to reach out a bit, you have to go supersonic and it doesn't have the ass a rifle round has and is just as loud.

That doesn't mean no 300BLK, just saying don't confuse it with a real rifle cartridge. I have several and they are for specific purposes. Plus, I enjoy making brass from 5.56, loading, experimenting, and shooting it.
 
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