300 AAC Blackout

[savingprivateyang]

So, I found an Encore barrel (Bargera) for the .300 AAC Blackout at Sportsmans Guide for $ 249.00. Trouble is, it is a 16 1/2 inch threaded barrel. I think the barrel is long enough to be legal on a rifle, but I also think there is an overall length requirement for rifles as well. As Encore's tend to be somewhat compact in design, does anyone know what that overall length requirement is? How does a 1:8" twist rate sound to you guys? Regards.

exile

The minimum required length of a rifle barrel is 16", measured from the bolt face to the end of the barrel. Many manufacturers like to go 16.5" to be safe. The minimum rifle length is 27". That is from end of buttstock to end of barrel. If the buttstock is collapsable, you measure with the buttstock extended. This is what I understand to be true. If it isn't someone please correct me.

[GARD72977]

I shoot a 20" heavy bbl 300/221 1/10 twist on a Encore. I have been using 165gr RCBS SIL bullet with GC and get decent accuracy. It will do 1.25 to 1.5 inch groups at 100 yds. I like it as a standing scoped plinker at 100 yds. I take a supply of coke cans and shoot banks of 10. It is the cheapest fun I have ever had with a gun. I think the balance is great with the heavy BBL. If it was a tapered bbl I may go 24. I tend to like shorter bbls with my cast bullet. I don't want to post any load data without being positive but I use AA 2200 data powder.

[xacex]

I only have a bolt gun (mk77) for the Blackout. I tested the Lee 180 and Blue Dot. I started at 7.0gr and stopped at 10.0gr. The 8.0gr and 9.0gr loads shot the best, all touching. At 10.0gr, the groups opened and the cci400 primer was getting flat.

I am interested in blue dot loads. I have found several listed for weights from 110 to 230, all of which were supersonic. One listed 10-to 11 grains for the 150 grain bullets (Nosler ballistic tip 150) with a speed of 1492, to 1628. Not screaming by any calculation, but my experience with Blue dot is it does produce quite a bit of gas. I don't know if it is enough for semi auto, but it works well with semi shotguns (saiga 12) which are gas hogs. If it is enough for function, and accuracy is not bad it is a solution for those who have this powder on hand at the moment. I know it burns complete in my 45acp, 9mm, and 12 gauge loads, I don't see why it wouldn't in a 9 or 16" AR barrel.

Anyone want to run it on quickloads to see what the pressure would be with the lee 155 seated at the crimp groove? I cant imagine it would be over 40k.

[Gunnut 45/454]

btroj/ 35rem
Never said I would shoot a deer at 300 Blk. Just pointing out it can be used to that distance if one had the skills and the need to! You boy's have your underwear a couple sizes to tight - loosen up! Now I will have a chance to hunt antelope this next fall In Wyoming and I will most likelt take my 300 Blk unless they have some restriction on hunting with an AR?
So a 200-250 yard shot will be possible - I'll let you see the out come if I get one!

[A pause for the COZ]

Just wanted to pop in here to see how every one is doing with their 300 blk's. Now that they have been out for a while now. We should have some 1st hand experiences to go by now.

My report:
I have had mine, (AR 16 inch carbine) For about 8 months now. In my opinion.
This set up is Mana from heaven. I have not found any bullet I cant make shoot.
Shoots cast better than just about any 30 cal gun I have.
Its super easy to reload for. Brass is super cheap. ( at least it was. I have a couple 5 gal buckets full of 223 brass) Works with a wide range of powders.

Out of the 20+ fire arms I have. It is the one that gets taken to every range outing. Where as my 5.56 AR has only been out twice.

The only guys that I have heard from who got rid of their 300 Black outs are the dedicated Bolt gun guys. I dont think it scratches that itch.

But man for an AR guy. WOOT!!!

[Smoke4320]

I love mine .. 10.5" novoski with or without a suppressor its just plain fun . and like above anything from 115 to 230 grn it shoots Very Accurately

[xacex]

Some days I love mine, and others days it shoots horrible. Must be the shooter.

When the 300's are treating me bad the Grendel puts the smile back on my face. I am thinking about selling the 300 BO pistol. That one will be hot or cold depending on the position I shoot from, what I ate that day, what altitude I shoot at, what color shorts I am wearing, what was on the radio that day ect.

[Smoke4320]

ah yes the grendel is now my go to hunting rig for deer .. blackout for fun and short range deer, hogs quitely with suppressor

[Mark_IV]

During the winter panic I struggled to get an AR built, nothing fancy, took about 4 months before I could finish it with a BCG. After that AR parts started to trickle in. What next I thought? Checked into the AAC Blackout and at this time Midway had a Stoner SS 16" and DPMS had this nice upper plus I started to get into reloading and had 1000 556 brass so.... it was a logical step.


This is my first group of this type I have shot. Didn't site in the scope yet. One reason I started to get into casting boolits. Now again I have to wait for an available mold (Lee C312-155-2R) is what I would like to try.

[Jailer]

Built an upper for a buddy using that barrel and it runs great. Very accurate and relatively inexpensive.

[Scout800a]

I love this round. So far one of the best for me is a 150 gr lee (309-160r) boolit over 15 gr of 296.

[Jailer]

What is your seating depth for the 309-160r? I have a few loaded up to test tonight but I had to seat them quite deep to get them to chamber.

[Scout800a]

I'm seating to about 1.89 oal. It is deep, but I'm showing no signs of pressure. My C312-155-2R should be here tomorrow. Midway and Titan reloading had them last I looked

[arjacobson]

Just wanted to pop in here to see how every one is doing with their 300 blk's. Now that they have been out for a while now. We should have some 1st hand experiences to go by now.

My report:
I have had mine, (AR 16 inch carbine) For about 8 months now. In my opinion.
This set up is Mana from heaven. I have not found any bullet I cant make shoot.
Shoots cast better than just about any 30 cal gun I have.
Its super easy to reload for. Brass is super cheap. ( at least it was. I have a couple 5 gal buckets full of 223 brass) Works with a wide range of powders.

Out of the 20+ fire arms I have. It is the one that gets taken to every range outing. Where as my 5.56 AR has only been out twice.

The only guys that I have heard from who got rid of their 300 Black outs are the dedicated Bolt gun guys. I dont think it scratches that itch.

But man for an AR guy. WOOT!!!

Same here!!

[NavyVet1959]

Can we please let this thread die? No one is going to convince anyone of anything at this point.

The very idea of being able to take a 300 yd shot is completely alien to me. Around here, if you can see 300 yds, it means that you're on a highway and in danger of being run over. On one of the places where I hunt, I'm lucky to be able to see 50 yds through the brush.

On one of the other threads, someone was wanting to use a .45ACP for bear defense in Canada. Although it has been shown that it is *possible* to kill a bear with a mag worth's of .45ACP, it doesn't mean that it is the best choice. It would be interesting *academically* to see what a 230 gr cast bullet for .300AAC would do though, especially when you factor in 30 rounds of it in a typical mag. Around here, bears are even less common than 300 yd shots in the woods.

[xacex]

Well, if a guy can kill a griz with a mag full of 5.45 I don't see a reason why you couldn't do the same with a mag of blackout. Not my first choice, but in a pinch. I figured out what was wrong with the 300BLK pistol. I had a bad scope in it. Put a new one on and she is GTG. Got my blacktail with it last fall. I think she will stay with me now that it can do 5 for 5 on a 8" plate at 100 yards standing without a hitch. Figured out the scope problem by lending it to my brother in law. He came back with a ring around the eye after shooting it on the 50 Beowulf I had just put it on. Said he couldn't get it to focus right, and put his eye right up to it. I hate to see someone get hurt, but I wish I had a video of that. He got up grinning ear to ear with damn near a shiner and blood dripping from the brow. So, that one got tossed, and a better one put on. The Vortex has been treating me good so far.