300 Blackout Loads for Single Shot and Bolt Action Rifles

[kenton]

I just picked up a Ruger American Ranch in 300 Blackout. I seem to remember seeing a bunch threads about people using faster pistol powders with cast boolits to create subsonic loads in non semiautomatic firearms but I can't seem to find them now.

I figure I may just play with 38spl load data for similar weight boolits to turn my Blackout into a bolt action 32-20 with robust, easy to find or form brass.

Does anyone have any thoughts, links, or loads they would like to share?

[Ford SD]

I just picked up a Ruger American Ranch in 300 Blackout. I seem to remember seeing a bunch threads about people using faster pistol powders with cast boolits to create subsonic loads in non semiautomatic firearms but I can't seem to find them now.

I figure I may just play with 38spl load data for similar weight boolits to turn my Blackout into a bolt action 32-20 with robust, easy to find or form brass.

Does anyone have any thoughts, links, or loads they would like to share?

I have a Ruger American Ranch in 300 Blackout.

A Lot of the reloading data out there is on the hot side

have shot a bunch of 147 fmj ... lots of data out there try to stay below 1900fps
at some point you need to switch to mag rifle primers

Cast shot a bunch but all supersonic, and have found that longer bullets work better than short blunt bullets

I have shot rcbs 165 sil / rcbs 180g sp 311299 30 xcb and a few others

if the case neck thickness is too thick you will have trouble clambering a round/ or if nose is too large

Powders

lilgun /1680 4227 5744

Unique / bullseye for some of the slower cast loads with but have not shot any subsonic 12-13-1400 fps


If you hunting try the 311299 (207g or so bullet) or other bullets on the heavy side

but 100-150 yards should be good if you compensate for bullet drop

[MarkP]

What wts of molds do you have? I have a Rem Seven AAC Micro in 300 BO and have shot 93 gr RN, 113 FN, 140 FN, 150 RCBS Cowboy, 230 RFN, 247 RFN at subsonic velocities. With a 16" bbl they were still pretty loud. No suppressor.

I used Alliant E3 and Red Dot

[Ford SD]

Ruger American Ranch in 300 Blackouthas the 1/7 twist barrel so when cast loads open up you know you have reached the rpm threshold

very easy to do with any cast load

Can be a very fun cheep plinker paper punching rifle to load for

the short 16 in barrel is not very good for keeping the sound down
the muzzle pressure is still very high so you still need ear protection
but not as bad as a larger case

[kenton]

Thanks for the feed back.

I currently have a homemade 2 cavity no lube groove 150gr that I powder coat and some Missouri Bullet HITek coated 215gr and 245gr from when I purchased my 300 Blackout AR upper. I'm not opposed to buying new molds but with the demands on my time I would probably buy commercial cast boolits for the time being so I could spend my limited time loading and shooting.

I also have 500 pulled 125fmj bullets that I just got in and some random 100 pack 30 caliber bullets my dad got at an estate sale a while ago. I figured I would use published load data for those. I do see what you mean Ford SD about the "variety" of load data available. Hodgdon has a 125gr nosler ballistic tip at 2.06" with 17.8 to 21 grains of Lil' gun, My Lyman 50th has a 125gr Speer HP at 2.19" with 17 to 18 grains of Lil'gun. Split the difference, start low, and proceed with caution I guess.

I have also possibly bumped the RPM threshold as well. I had some acceptable 150gr plinking rounds loaded up for my 1/8 AR upper that I couldn't keep on a sheet of paper with my new Ruger.

Being in Illinois a suppressor isn't even an option for me unfortunately. I was surprised talking with the salesman when picking up my rifle that 300 Blackout is one of the few approved bottle neck rounds for deer hunting. I haven't hunted deer before but could probably get one from my bathroom window while they are grazing on the dropped apples. I have the single shot sled and some 125 Noslers on order. Now if only my local higher education institution would reopen their summer community education butchering classes...

[Ford SD]

For your load

Hodgdon has a 125gr nosler ballistic tip at 2.06" with 17.8 to 21 grains of Lil' gun, My Lyman 50th has a 125gr Speer HP at 2.19" with 17 to 18 grains of Lil'gun. Split the difference, start low, and proceed with caution I guess.

I would say that is a over pressure load from previous results
I would use 15.0 g as a Max and start 5% below that .... even if you load 5 rounds you will see how it does

GRT predicts 15.0g = 2124fps @42665 psi for your load ..... use a Magnum primer or you will get very flat primers
14.3 should give you app 2030 ................. a small bit of powder makes a big difference in the 300

SEE
https://saami.org/wp-content/uploads...2021-06-02.pdf

SAAMI Revised Cartridge & Chamber for the 300 aac blackout

Bullet Weight, Grains Instrumental Velocity, fps
90 2,500
115 2,270
120 2,100
123 2,280
125 2,185
150 1,900
220 1,020

Thanks for the feed back.

I currently have a homemade 2 cavity no lube groove 150gr that I powder coat and some Missouri Bullet HITek coated 215gr and 245gr from when I purchased my 300 Blackout AR upper. I'm not opposed to buying new molds but with the demands on my time I would probably buy commercial cast boolits for the time being so I could spend my limited time loading and shooting.

I also have 500 pulled 125fmj bullets that I just got in and some random 100 pack 30 caliber bullets my dad got at an estate sale a while ago. I figured I would use published load data for those. I do see what you mean Ford SD about the "variety" of load data available. Hodgdon has a 125gr nosler ballistic tip at 2.06" with 17.8 to 21 grains of Lil' gun, My Lyman 50th has a 125gr Speer HP at 2.19" with 17 to 18 grains of Lil'gun. Split the difference, start low, and proceed with caution I guess.

I have also possibly bumped the RPM threshold as well. I had some acceptable 150gr plinking rounds loaded up for my 1/8 AR upper that I couldn't keep on a sheet of paper with my new Ruger.

Being in Illinois a suppressor isn't even an option for me unfortunately. I was surprised talking with the salesman when picking up my rifle that 300 Blackout is one of the few approved bottle neck rounds for deer hunting. I haven't hunted deer before but could probably get one from my bathroom window while they are grazing on the dropped apples. I have the single shot sled and some 125 Noslers on order. Now if only my local higher education institution would reopen their summer community education butchering classes...

[popper]

Red dot, hp38/w231 work. Just make sure subs exit barrel.

[technojock]

Check here. https://www.300blktalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=92768

This site also has my favorite cast bullet load for the .300 Blackout, 3g of Red Dot behind a boolit from a Lee mold meant for .32 caliber revolver. With my alloy, they drop at .310" and 87g... This load is just under subsonic.

[reddog81]

I use 5.5 grains Unique or VV N340 with 180 to 200 grain bullets for right around 1050 FPS in my Ruger.

[P Flados]

For fast powder subs from a bolt gun, here is a sample of Quickload estimates with a 180. To be truly useful, we really need to know specifics for actual bullet, AOL & powder. Note that I have the data sorted with lowest muzzle pressure on top.

Cartridge          : .300 AAC Blackout (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .309, 180, LEE C309-180-R
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.110 inch = 53.59 mm
Barrel Length      : 16.0 inch = 406.4 mm

C A U T I O N : any load listed can result in a powder charge that falls below minimum suggested
loads or exceeds maximum suggested loads as presented in current handloading manuals. Understand
that all of the listed powders can be unsuitable for the given combination of cartridge, bullet
and gun. Actual load order can vary, depending upon lot-to-lot powder and component variations.
USE ONLY FOR COMPARISON !

Powder type          Filling/Loading Ratio  Charge    Charge   Vel. Prop.Burnt P max  P muzz  B_Time
                                      %     Grains    Gramm   fps     %       psi     psi    ms
---------------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------
Vihtavuori N310                     40.1      4.3     0.28    1000   100.0    25288    1078   1.720
Hodgdon Clays                       49.3      4.4     0.28    1000   100.0    26079    1083   1.696
Hodgdon TiteGroup                   30.8      4.7     0.30    1000   100.0    21673    1123   1.763
Vihtavuori N320                     41.4      4.5     0.29    1000   100.0    20563    1131   1.795
Alliant RED DOT                     45.9      4.2     0.27    1000   100.0    21738    1139   1.768
Alliant GREEN DOT                   43.0      4.4     0.29    1000   100.0    20172    1152   1.795
Hodgdon HP38                        30.6      4.7     0.31    1000   100.0    19059    1160   1.812
Accurate Nitro 100                  42.4      4.1     0.27    1000   100.0    20196    1163   1.789
Accurate Solo 1250                  42.4      4.7     0.30    1000   100.0    18142    1168   1.834
Ramshot Zip                         30.6      4.8     0.31    1000   100.0    18653    1169   1.821
Winchester 231                      34.1      4.8     0.31    1000   100.0    18653    1169   1.821
Vihtavuori N330                     38.7      4.7     0.30    1000   100.0    17623    1188   1.861
Hodgdon Universal                   38.0      4.5     0.29    1000   100.0    17554    1204   1.861
Vihtavuori N340                     38.9      4.8     0.31    1000   100.0    15798    1234   1.900
Accurate No.2                       37.2      4.6     0.30    1000   100.0    15529    1254   1.898
Alliant BULLSEYE                    33.2      4.1     0.26    1000   100.0    15472    1270   1.899
Alliant UNIQUE                      37.6      4.5     0.29    1000   100.0    14941    1281   1.937
.

[Lloyd Smale]

i use 5.5 grains of unique (dont ask me why. its a load i just pulled out of the air) and a rcbs 130 spitzer gas check. very quiet and although theres some serious drop that load shot into 1.5 inches at a 100 yards. i have a nikon blackout scope on it and if i sight the main line right on at 50 yards where it tears a ragged whole then using the second line puts it 2 inches low at a hundred. cool thing is that using full power jacketed hunting loads with 130 tsx bullets its about dead on at a hundred using the main line again

[marvelshooter]

I agree with Lloyd. My favorite cast boolit load for my 300 is 6 grains of Unique under a NOE 309-169-FN with a gas check.

[steve urquell]

Check here. https://www.300blktalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=92768

This site also has my favorite cast bullet load for the .300 Blackout, 3g of Red Dot behind a boolit from a Lee mold meant for .32 caliber revolver. With my alloy, they drop at .310" and 87g... This load is just under subsonic.

I'm in that thread posting some of my data before I had a chrono. Another good resource is from here and uses 32-20 low velocity data and fast powders. 32-20 has case dimensions similar to .300BLK and the data crosses with very similar velocities.
http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

[kenton]

Thanks again everyone, that is all great info. That 300blktalk forum has a bunch of info as well, I hadn't thought of 32 pistol boolits but it makes perfect sense.

Also, thanks for the quickload data P Flados, that was a very useful way to sort that data. I was surprised Bullseye had that much more muzzle pressure than Titegroup, I viewed them as mostly equivalent

I had more to say but I had an eventful evening and I got distracted and forgot what I was thinking.

Thanks again everyone.

[popper]

You can get a free copy of GRT (Gordon's Reloading Tool == quickload) and determine your safe good loads. It doesn't have the faster shotgun powders though. I use it for my CVA and AR loads, super and sub.

[1006]

All of my loads have been with a 150 grain bullet, and have been fired in a Ruger American Ranch.

Subsonic:
Trail Boss 6.40-accurate
Red Dot 5.00
Clays 5.00-most accurate subsonic, clean burn
Solo1000 5.70

Supersonic, all with rifle primers.
8.5 HS-6/=1350fps

AR15 16 inch carbine loads-also work in the Ruger American Ranch
14.5 Alliant 2400 = 1839 - accurate
17.2 LilGun = 1950 - accurate
18.5 Reloader #7 = 1630 - very accurate, full case of powder.

[kenton]

I finally got a chance to do some more shooting tonight. I loaded up some of the 125gr pulled bullets with a starting load of Lil Gun and finally sighted in the gun for real (ish)

I couldn't find the targets I thought I had in my shed, so I used an old beer box for a target.



Between the cheap 4x crossbow scope, the $13 bipod I slapped on, the pulled bullets, no load workup, and the mixed headstamp converted brass I'm pretty happy with approximately 2 inch groups at 100 yards.

I may be blasphemous but the cheapest 30 caliber bullets or boolits I could find were plated 30 carbine bullets. I loaded 5 over 5 grs of trailboss. They didn't want to consistently chamber, granted I was holding a flash light while trying to cycle the bolt. They were definitely not hearing safe without a suppressor. I will have to try out some of the other recommended powders but either way I can make some plinking rounds and use the single shot sled if needed.

If things slow down this winter I plan on casting up some more of my 150gr NLG boolits and keeping an eye out for any 4+ cavity 30/32 caliber molds.

1006, are those jacketed 150gr bullets?

So far I think I am going to enjoy this rifle.

[pipehand]

Has anyone had problems with protruding primers with the very low pressure "cat's sneeze" loads like the pistol boolit with 3 grains of RedDot? The Blackout has such a slight shoulder, I was wondering if there was also shoulder setback from using such light loads. In other bottleneck cases, I have drilled out primer holes, and kept those cases segregated for use in the squib range.

[1006]

I have had a number of headspace issues due to the mismatch caused when using one company’s shell holder with another company’s die, or by non standard brass. Some non-standard brad brass comes from manufacturers-surprise, surprise.

The problem only shows up with my Ruger American Ranch, not my AR.

I.E.: Using a Lee shell holder with a Hornady die. I have had a number of light primer strikes due to head spacing.

My cure may also work for the protruding primers problem:

Seat the bullet, so that it runs into the rifling. when chambered, this’ll hold the base of the cartridge firmly against the bolt face and prevent the primer from backing out.

After this is done one time, the shoulder will be exactly where it needs to be for the next time you shoot, and you will not have to seat the bullet out so far.

I neck size for the 300BLK bolt gun.

[pipehand]

1006, my bolt gun is a Ruger Hawkeye that a friend had rebarrelled by McGowan. I havent shot it much. I have 2 AR's in process of building in .300, but have been caught up in other things. Thanks for the advice.