What fails faster than me trying not to eat Taco Bell when I’m trying to lose weight?
Completely new rounds.
Seriously, every year we get a new round that’s been declared the latest and greatest.
One round that hasn’t failed is the .300 BLK. In fact, it’s simply grown and grown in popularity.
Here’s what we have found for ammo that is in stock:
.300 BLK Ammo in Stock
For more specific .300 Blackout ammo check out Palmetto State Armory and True Shot Gun Club.
For the most up-to-date ammo info for all other calibers…check out our Best Places to Buy Ammo Online article.
If you don’t have time for the details, here are our top picks for best .300 Blackout Ammo:
As the shooting industry was beginning to lean towards short rifles and suppressors – the .300 BLK just so happened to be designed for short-barreled rifles, equipped with suppressors.
It was one of those moments where everything collided just perfectly.
While initially designed for a military RFI (Rapid Fielding Initiative) the civilian market accepted it quickly.
.300 BLK functions perfectly in an AR-15 platform with hardly any changes, this makes it inexpensive to adopt and easy to test out.
So what about ammo?
If you have a .300 BLK you need to feed it, right? We’ve put together some of the best ammo on the market.
Given the fact this is such a versatile round, we’ve broken up our choices by end purpose.
Summary of Our Top Picks
Best for Pinking/TrainingMagtech First Defense 123gn 300 BLK - 500 rounds
Slightly more affordable, good for plinking
Best for HuntingBarnes VOR-TX Tipped Triple-Shock X Hollow Point 110gn 300 BLK - 20 Rounds
Good for hunting with an Ar, but a little pricey
Best .300 Blackout Ammo
1. Magtech First Defense
.300 BLK is slowly becoming a more affordable round. It may be nowhere near as cheap as .223 or 7.62×39, but the price has been dropping. (Or at least was before the ammo shortage.)
Now, if we avoid questionable reloads and want quality factory loads, we are led to Magtech First Defense.
I’ve always found this 123-grain FMJ ammo to be affordable, reliable, and easy shooting.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Supersonic ammunition flies forward at a blistering 2,230 feet per second, the ammo uses premium brass cases and high-quality FMJ projectiles.
This is very basic ammunition designed to function reliably and accurately for all your training needs, perfect to be bought in bulk.
When it comes to purely plinking, you can trust some lower-quality rounds, but in good conscience, I won’t suggest anything that might blow your gun up.
Magtech consistently makes quality ammunition — a solid choice for general fun gunning, tactical training, three gun, and more.
When the time comes to put lead downrange, regardless of the reasons, you’ll be hearing bangs and not clicks.
2. Sellier and Bellot
One of the best things about the .300 BLK round is the fact it’s superbly versatile. The rounds can range greatly in weight from light 90-grain supersonic loads to 220-grain subsonic baseball bats.
When it comes to a suppressor, slower is better. A subsonic round lacks that supersonic crack. Suppressors only stop the blast at the muzzle end of the gun — they do nothing for the supersonic crack.
A subsonic load through a suppressor is nice and quiet. Nowhere near movie quiet, but quiet enough to be hearing safe.
One solid subsonic load for the suppressor enthusiast is the Sellier and Bellot 200-grain FMJs.
These are on the lighter side of subsonic loads, so they move a little faster than the 220 grains, and this translates into a little extra energy.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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The lighter loads are chugging along at only 1,060 feet per second.
Swap in a magazine full of supersonics and bam you got your long-range performance back at the sacrifice of getting a little louder.
3. Barnes Vor-Tx
I personally hunt with an AR-15 and don’t see an issue with it, but the .300 BLK has found its way into guns like the Ruger American Rifle.
It’s a great hunting cartridge and can be used both in a suppressed platform and a loud platform.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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The only thing you need to consider when using .300 BLK to hunt with is that it offers a limited range…200 yards for supersonic ammo and 150 yards or less for subsonic ammo.
When it comes to hunting I’d stick with a supersonic cartridge. They fly further, hit harder, and are much more capable of quickly killing your game of choice.
There are a number of different hunting cartridges out there, but one that’s proven is from Barnes.
Barnes is a premium ammo, and it comes at a premium price, but the payoff is ethical hunting, and that makes it worth the extra cents.
4. Federal Premium Power-Shok .300 AAC Blackout 150 grain
Another decent hunting round to consider is Federal’s Power-Shok. This 150-grain soft point features a muzzle velocity of 1,900 fps.
In short, it packs the punch you need to bring your chosen game down.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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This reliable round is consistent – which is everything when it comes to hunting.
You don’t want to guess whether your ammo is going to perform like you need it. Not to mention, we believe in ethical hunting around here, so we chose rounds we know will be both humane and effective.
Federal answers that call.
5. Fiocchi 125-Grain .300 BLK
A suppressed, short-barreled rifle is a mighty good home defense device. Even if you subtract the short-barreled part, a semi-automatic rifle is a helluva way to deal with things that go bump in the night.
For this, the Fiocchi load is perfect. This is a brass-cased premium round loaded with a projectile from Hornady.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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The projectile is a Super Shock Tip projectile, reaching 2,200 feet per second. It’s designed to deliver controlled expansion at high velocities.
A lot of times, a company hypes their ammo a bit, what I like about the Fiocchi SST is that it actually has some solid reasons backing it up:
- SST projectile expands on contact and penetrates with near reckless abandon
- Hornady’s Interlock ring keeps the copper jacket and leads internals together, allowing for excellent weight retention and penetration without over-penetration
6. Hornady .300 BLK 125gr HP
The folks at Hornady have been in the ammunition game since the late 1940s, meaning they know a thing or two about what works and what doesn’t.
Hornady’s .300 BLK 125-grain HP offering brings a quality option for those looking for a defensive-style round.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Not to mention, even amid an ammo shortage, we’ve seen this on shelves more often than not.
The company equips its rounds with high-quality brass and primers, so you can expect to get a solid performer that won’t let you down.
These rounds bring a velocity of 2,175 fps with muzzle energy at 1,1313 foot-pounds.
Final Thoughts
The .300 BLK is a modern little cartridge that absolutely rules the 0-300-yard range. It’s potent, powerful, versatile, and popular enough to give you a wide selection of rifles to choose from.
You can do a lot with a .300 BLK rifle, and the task you choose is going to determine the ammo you need.
Let us know in the comments what your favorite .300 BLK ammo is and why! If you’re looking to build a .300 BLK rifle for yourself, take a look at our top picks for .300 BLK Uppers!
27 Leave a Reply
Huge fan of Gorilla Ammo.
Big fan of the Hornady 190g Sub-X. I've been handloading them with CFE BLK powder to get 1000fps, 1" groups at 50yds.
My first build was a .300 AAC AR Pistol with an 11" barrel. It's my Home Defense AR. I enjoy shooting it more than 5.56. I've used the Fiocci and Hornady 123 gr's, and reload with Hornady's 123 gr bullets (saves a few bucks per box). In the process of building a 2nd .300 with a 16" barrel to see how it compares to my 5.56 rifles. Retired, so it takes me a bit to get all the parts together on a fixed income.
I'd love to get a suppressor, but I refuse to pay $200 to A$$holes Taking Firearms for "permission." F that and F them. I'll do without.
I just bought an Aero Precision .300 pistol with an 8" barrel. I plan to buy a suppressor for it soon. This will be a home defense gun. Is it possible to use the same self defense ammo for suppressed and non suppressed?
You will have to let me know what SBR gets 2200 FPS with a 125 grain bullet. Would that be a 16” SBR?
I’ve tried using that Fiocchi on deer in south Texas out of a 16” barrel. Zero expansion on thin skinned animals. It’s probably the most consistently accurate ammo I’ve ever used but I won’t use it for hunting deer or home defense. On hogs it’s an absolute beast.
Great comment! Appreciate you taking the time to make it.
Any runner up home defense options since Fiocchi is sold out literally everywhere? Would the plinking rounds suffice?
Hornady with the same bullet. Check gunbroker for currently available ammo, then daily for new offerings. You can filter what is shown by new within 24 hours, 48 hours, currently active, and price. Be prepared to pay $2-3.00 a round, perhaps more for specialty ammo like Lehigh. Try to snag brand name new 300 aac/Blackout cases by a reputable manufacturer like Norma, Remington, Winchester, Speer, etc. Get some dies (preferably small base with taper crimp.) You can add a cannelure if desired. , primers, and what ever bullets you prefer. Cases will run 50¢ to $1 each. Bullets $1.00 or so, perhaps more depending on design. Follow your reloading manual. I prefer to run the 110-125gr around 2250-2300 if no pressure signs appear. If using short barrels, use faster burning powders. It isn't cheap to roll your own at present, but it helps with availability.
Have a question that wasn't really covered in the article, I’m looking to build a .300 blackout pistol AR with a 7.5 barrel... I’m going with the .300 for this because it performs better in a shorter barrel. Gun is going to be range toy and HD. I will be looking to go suppressed but that is a long way down the road. So 1: firing a 7.5 300 blackout in an indoor range... what ammo would work best as so I’m not flash banging myself?
The reason it works better than 5.46 in a shorter barrel is because the volume and burn rate of the propellant used in .300 BLK is intended to burn quickly and efficiently within the first 9” or so of barrel so you probably won’t get an amazing muzzle blast from any loading. However, the heavier bullets are longer and take up even more space inside the cartridge case, leaving even less room for propellant, so if you want the absolute minimum muzzle blast/flash from your unsuppressed shorty then get the heaviest subsonic ammo you can find.
The shorter barrels are flame throwers. I do have a coworker at the range I work at that installed a Witt machine SME muzzle break. The flip, sound, and flames were greatly reduced.
Checkout out Discreet Ballistics.... they specialize in subsonic rounds for hunting and home defense. They even have a target round to help zero and practice with your rifle. When you order they even ask for barrel length and twist to make sure they get you the proper round
I’m confused. For home defense you start by saying a short, suppressed .300 BO is great for home defense (agreed). You even include a picture of 2 suppressed rifles in the section. Then you state the Fiocchi SST 125gr is a perfect round for defense after just explaining in section 2 that supersonic ammo is eneffective at staying suppressed because of breaking the sound barrier. Are you assuming that even though supersonic, it wouldn’t reach those velocities in the close confines of a home defense situation or something? The holy grail round for self defense .300 BO seems to be 1) subsonic so quiet, 2) expanding (at subsonic speeds) so no over penetration yet is still a one shot threat reliever and maybe 3) costs less than $1 every time you need to take a shot. Honestly most people will settle for 1 and 2. You really don’t need high velocity, long distance accuracy when the largest open space in your house is 30-40 ft. Despite the confusion I do appreciate the article because it was quick and helpful but still searching for the holy grail. Thanks!
I didn't read the subsonic part here b/c it's not what I was looking for, but I assume his point is that subsonic 300 isn't ideal for defense, it's ideal for being quiet. Once 300AAC is going subsonic it's not really a rifle round anymore it's a handgun round, ballistically similar to subsonic 45ACP. You don't get the hydrostatic shock, the round has to be going 1800-2000+ fps. Also rounds need to be supersonic and then some to penetrate cheap 3A soft armor reliably, which has become more common in home invasions, which is when you're most likely to need a HD rifle.
There's been a lot of back and forth on this over the years, and it's not like subsonic 300 is BAD, some people want lower sound over actual fight stopper, especially since most bad guys run away after getting shot at anyway. Still if I were building a subsonic AR today, it'd probably be a 9mm shooting 147gr HST out of a super short 5"-6" barrel with a 9mm suppressor. I kinda wanna build one as a small persons/first timers rifle anyway, light shooting and suppressed makes for a good intro.
I know there are lots of opinions about home defense, and all are respectable.
My thoughts:
1.- The louder my gun, the better, as I would want all my neighbors to know something bad is happening. Anyway, suppressors are illegal where I live.
2.- The heavier and most expansive my bullets, the better. The sonic or subsonic part of the equation has nothing to do in the decision.
3.- The less penetration my bullets have, the better. I'm hoping not to confront armored assassins, and at least I'm pretty good at going for head shots.
4.- #s 2 and 3 above is why I'm betting on medium to heavy .300BLK bullets vs. 5.56, but still haven't decided on what grainage to use for hollowpoint bullets.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.
The speed of the bullet is determined at exit of from barrel so size of house plays no factor in sub vs super. Expansion without over penetration is king for home defense, speed is critical for expansion. Yes you are correct that common sense says quiet in home defense would be awesome but reality is suppressed supersonic blackout is tolerable without ear protection and expansion is more important than a little ear irritating. Hunting is all about quiet because of follow up shots and not spooking other animals or neighbors is king.
Get some 200-220 grain for home defense..hollow point if you can find them
Sig sauer 120 grain elite all copper are great on hogs and deer.
I keep my shots within 200 yards
I built two 10 1/2 Daniel Defense barrels. I have been shooting Sellier and Bellot 200hrs full metal jacket subsonic. I tried to abbreviate but system changed it to CNN. Queer Don't you think.
Ok, I'm perfectly clear on the self defense rounds. Not really. I saw the Lucky Gunner gel test of handgun ammo, but sadly haven't seen a rifle equivalent. I get the concept of over penetration, but again I do not see actual tests demonstrating that concept with data that I can use for an informed decision. Plenty of personal experience and learned wisdom out there though.
I can see the logic in a handgun for close range, but from close range to 100 or 150 yards is that a shotgun or 300blk, or 5.56, or something else.
Out of all the sub loads for 300 BLK what are the top 10 or 5 with the quietest sound and can be fired without a suppressor and will load properly in a ar pistol. Same goes for 9mm in ar pistol platform n glock, .45 acp in ar pistol platform, n 5.7 in ar pistol platform and fn pistol.
Without a silencer there is still going to be considerable noise even from subsonic rounds. I thought i could shoot my surpressed 22 (10/22) in my back yard but after two shots of powderless subsonic rounds it became evident the neighbors would notice in short order. Silencers (like the inventor called them) or suppressors do NOT make your weapon a little poof poof gun. Subsonic rounds without a silencer will obviously still be load enough to hurt your ears. A standar 1911 in 45 acp is sunsonic but loaud as fuck without hearing protection.
I use CZ 7.62x39 carbine and Ruger Scout .308 to hunt deer and hogs. Two years ago I bought a Ruger American Ranch in 300 Blackout and learned to love the caliber. I even built an AR with 16” barrel around that caliber. I get consistent devastating result using the all copper Sig Elite 120gr HT hunting ammo at less than 100 yards. Hearts turned to mush. Couple times I used a Remington 120gr OTFB with Barnes casing on hogs. Result was great. Will try the Fiocchi SST on my next outing.
Sig 120 grain elite is a great round
I never wanted an AR-15 until larger calibers started being produced for the rifle. 6.8 x 43 and 6.5 x 39 Grendel rounds were great but I love and currently own a .300 AAC Blackout rifle. It uses magazines that feed the standard 5.56 x 45 round and I use 123 grain rifle rounds with it. (If you are using supersonic rifle rounds I recommend 110 to 125 grain rifle rounds.)
I believe the rifle to be really effective to about 230 yards using a 16 inch barrel. After 275 yards the bullet drop is about ten inches and at 325 yards that increases to about twenty inches. As long as 7.62 x 39 and 5.56 x 45 rounds are around .300 AAC Blackout will be around as this cartridge is assembled using a 5.56 x 45 casing and 7.62 x 39 bullets.
Maximum effective range using supersonic 125 to 110 grain rifle rounds is about 440 yards (but bullet drop is around 57 inches at this range).
Wrong. The 7.62x39 uses a .311 diameter bullet while the .300 Blackout utilizes .308 diameter bullets. Size matters, dude.
My experience has been that standard 5.56 mags (specifically, Magpul Gen 3 windowed P-mags) are NOT ideal for 300 blackout, because ribs in the magazine brush against the larger shoulder of the bullet, and cause failures to feed. I had to get mags that are designed specifically for 300 blackout for reliable feeding. The internal specs for every mag are a little different, so your mags may feed them fine. But mine didn't.