.300 BLK?

[Caster]

.300 AAC Blackout. Basically just a .300 whisper with longer throat and touch looser neck.

Anyone here have one? In my wishywashy, can't make up my mind like a stupid woman, quest to build another AR, I'm now looking long and hard at this one. It'll certainly never have the popularity of the Grendel or 6,8SPC but it it's easily formed from .223 brass, so I'm okay with that. Load data is a touch scarce but I have read this thing is pretty awesome in the ranges I shoot at and it is especially adept at subsonic/suppressed.

If anyone has one, do tell about it.

[Il Duce]

I am currently doing a build for this round

[Caster]

What direction are you headed with it if I may be so nosy?

I'd like to do a 16" free floated, no gimmicks or tacticool trifles.

What weight bullet do you anticipate using? I'd like to use a thin skinned varmint bullet like a Vmax and just for fun, try the 168g Amax I use in my .308.

I've read people claiming it's just a 7,62x39 but I beg to differ. Better bullet selection. Quality brass made from .223 and no feed issues from a Pmag, which by the way looks good, unlike the goofy curved turds out there for 7,62x39.

[9teeneleven]

I actually think this round is going to go mainstream in ways the 6.5 and 6.8 have been trying to. I'm going to get a short bbl as soon as cmmg releases them.

[Caster]

I'd like to deal with Delta Company, but they seem to be backed up something fierce.

[Alleycat72]

I have a Blackout and a Whisper. The Blackout is a 10.5” and the Whisper is a 16”. Both are suppressed.

http://www.quarterbore.net/forums/index.php?f=27

I also have a 7.62 Covert. A 7.62 x39 Improvedor a necked up Grendel. I work with subsonic expanding rifle bullets for these types of guns for hunting. I have videos of the effectivenessof a 30 cal sub bullet

Edited July 12, 2011 by alleycat72

[mikegideon]

That thing looks pretty good

[Caster]

I actually think this round is going to go mainstream in ways the 6.5 and 6.8 have been trying to. I'm going to get a short bbl as soon as cmmg releases them.

Well, if you use MidwayUSA as a guide, I think you are right on. Dies, brass, headspace gauges ECT. All say out of stock, or coming soon. I think I am going to go for it, but I'm going to paddle slowly until Lee releases their dies, crimp die and trim tooling.

[Caster]

Well, I'm officially onboard. I ordered a Forster full length sizing die so I can get started forming brass.

[Alleycat72]

Have you shot one yet?

[Caster]

Have you shot one yet?

Nope. Somehow, I feel confident that I'll like it.

[MacGyver]

Have you got a 7.62mm suppressor?

[Caster]

Have you got a 7.62mm suppressor?

Form 1 to be filed as soon as I have the rifle built. Still working out my design.

[Caster]

So, Alleycat72, Do you make your own brass for the BLK? If so, what length do you trim to?

I'll have my die this week, and I am going to modify a .308 Lee trim gauge pin to the length of the BLK and use a .223 lockstud to do my trimming. I just need to know what length would be good. 1.368 is the number I am finding but with no actual reloading data in my hands, I should very much like to verify with someone who actually does it.

Edited July 19, 2011 by Caster

[Alleycat72]

I trim all my brass to 1.355. That length will work in all the Whisper variants. Some of the chambering such as 30-221 or 30 fireball were setup for mainly supersonic witha small gas port and had a trim length of 1.400. The Blackout is extremely close to the SSK Whisper chamber. The only noticeable difference in my two is the throat lengths (The Whisper is longer) and port size. I use Winchester brass and aForster power case trimmer on a drill press.

Power Case Trimmer for drill press - Forster Products

I make 500 at a time. The Winchesters have a consistent 0.11 neck thickness. Somewhere between 0.11 and 0.13 neck thickness is acceptable for most all variants. The Quarterbore link I put up is a huge wealth of knowledge on the cartridge. A few members sell bulk LC brass. Midway will have new 300 Blackout brass at the end of September. If you want a gun quick you can get in touch with Spook or TP555 over there and you could have a barrel by the first of next week. If you need more specific information or just want to shoot one, I can PM my phone number.

Edited July 18, 2011 by alleycat72

[Alleycat72]

:D

[Caster]

*sigh*

Mine, most likely, won't be so cool. BUT, I'm doing what I can on my budget.

The more I read, the more excited I get about this caliber.

[Capbyrd]

Caster, I stole this from somewhere else but if you haven't seen it, it might be useful for you.

Listed Below is the suggested loading info released by AAC.

300 AAC BLACKOUT (300BLK)

HANDLOADING INFORMATION

If you load your own ammo, pay special attention to all of the normal safety practices.

Recommended powder for most supersonic loads is Hodgdon H110.

For subsonic, there are special requirements and nearly all published loads are non-optimal for the 300 BLK upper.

Many existing loads were developed for Thompson Center® single-shot pistols,

or for ARs by people not aware of the magazine limitations.

These loads pay no attention to automatic rifle function and should not be used.

Look for a load which results in a cyclic rate of 700 rpm or more.

AA1680 is recommended because its bulk density matches the case capacity and it will generate enough gas pressure to cycle the weapon.

Suggested subsonic load:

• R-P 300 AAC BLACKOUT brass

• Remington 7.5 primers

• 11.2 grains of AA 1680 powder

• Case length is 1.368 +0.000 -0.020

• Sierra 220 MK loaded to 2.089 OAL (this length is optimal for reliable feeding from USGI magazines)

• Chamber pressure 21,100 psi.

Existing AR magazines have a rib which normally contacts the 5.56mm case-neck.

With 300 BLK ammo, the contact is on the bullet.

Because the bullet is a larger diameter, the rib will push the cartridges out of alignment,

and can lead to binding potentially resulting in Failures to Feed.

For this reason, it is important to load ammunition so that the contact point with the magazine rib is on the bullet ogive in an area of about 0.250 inch diameter.

Here are some suggested OAL for popular bullets:

• Hornady 110 V-Max, OAL: 2.000

• 110 TSX, 2.015 OAL

• Sierra 155 Palma, 2.150 OAL

• Sierra 220, 2.089 OAL

• Lapua B416 200 grain, 1.960 OAL

• Hornady 150 FMJ-BT 3037, 2.065 OAL

• Nosler Ballistic Tip 125 grain, OAL: 2.085

• Remington AccuTip 125 grain, OAL: 2.085

• Hornady 130 SP #3020, OAL: 2.010

• Sierra H2120 125 ProHunter, OAL: 1.950

• Speer TNT 125 1986, OAL: 2.010

Reloading Dies are available from Forster

•Full Length Sizing Die only, 300 BLK, Part # 005545

•Standard Seating Die only, 300 BLK, Part #006205

•Ultra Micrometer Seating Die only, 300 BLK, Part #U00099

•Set of Full Length Sizing Die and Standard Seating Die, 300 BLK, Part #004453

•Set of Full Length Sizing Die and Ultra Micrometer Seating Die, 300 BLK, Part #U04453

-----Forster Products

-----310 East Lanark Avenue

-----Lanark, Illinois 61046

-----PHONE & FAX

-----p: (815) 493-6360

-----f: (815) 493-2371

It would be awesome to see Redding pickup this cartridge as well.

(AAC has stated on other forums that they would provide the cartridge drawings to them if asked.)

SilencerTalk • View topic - 300 AAC BLACKOUT (300BLK)

The more people that ask for it the more likely they will produce it:

-----Redding Reloading Equipment

-----1089 Starr Road

-----Cortland, NY 13045

-----Phone (607)753-3331

-----FAX (607) 756-8445

There is plenty of info on case length and oal in there.

[Caster]

Hey thanks Capbyrd! I appreciate that!

I was just talking to Alleycat, I think I am on the right path. I'm going to focus on supersonic loads with light bullets until early next year. By then I hope to have my suppressor for it. Then the heavy weights come out. Average distance for where I would deer hunt would be 50-75 yards. This thing ought to be great for that, as well as zombies.

[Caster]

Well, I am ready to start making brass. I use Lee trimming tools BTW. I started off by shortening a 223 pin to cut LC brass down to just the edge of the shoulder. Then deburr, lube and run through the sizing die.

Then I set a 308 winchester pin up in the lathe .

Set it back.

Then after thirty minutes of slowly filing it down, I got it to final length. Now I can trim like a mad man! .....well, I made three before I come back in the house for a break. Not a bad mornings work.

[Caster]

Lee is supposed to release these soon, but I hate waiting on Lee to do anything. They are pathetic at filing orders unless its a warranty repair, and even then, they aren't stellar.

Going to be some long hours trimming cases this week if I want to get this pile done. I'm hoping to have around 3K made by next week. My back being the way it is, I doubt it.

[mikegideon]

3k! That's what I call committing to the caliber

[Caster]

Well, I figure it not being a common caliber, it would behoove me to make a decent little supply of it.

[mikegideon]

Plenty of brass is a good thing. I just hope lee doesn't screw up on the dies. They had a rough start with the .458. I think they fixed it, but only after some folks ruined a little brass.

[Caster]

I'm using Forster Dies. I had a discovery whilst experimenting. The Forster dies say DO NOT use their dies to deprime any cases that are crimped; Use a universal decapping die. I don't have one. I used my 308 winchester die. I ran one all the way through the die and it opened up the mouth easily because the LEE 308 winchester die's expander has a looong taper. It made it easy as pie to then run through the Forster die. Then trim once. Saves me from having to trim twice.