It is no secret that .300 Blackout has been one of the most successful new cartridge designs of the last 15 years.
It seems like every year we get a new round that is supposed to be the latest and greatest, but most of them fail to catch on.
Between being able to use standard AR-15 magazines and bolt-carrier groups, its excellent performance out of short barrels, and its impressive suppression capability, the .300 Blackout is here to stay.
With .300 Blackout guns being used for everything from home-defense to hunting to suppressed plinking, finding and buying the right ammo will help you get the most out of your gun.
But with so many ammo choices, it can be a bit daunting. But don’t fret, we sifted through some of the best ammo so you don’t have to. So check out some of our favorite .300 Blackout rounds below!
THE QUICK LIST
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Best Plinking Ammo
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Best Subsonic Plinking Round
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Best for Home Defense
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Best Supersonic Hunting Round
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Most Affordable
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Best Subsonic for Hunting & Defense
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Best All-Purpose Round
Table of Contents
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Best .300 Blackout Ammo Comparison Chart
| Caliber | Bullet Type | Grain | Case Material | Muzzle Velocity | Rounds Per Box | Price | |
| Magtech First Defense | .300 BLK | Full Metal Jacket | 123 gr | Brass | 2230 FPS | 50 | $31 |
| Sellier & Bellot FMJ Subsonic | .300 BLK | Full Metal Jacket | 200 gr | Brass | 1060 FPS | 20 | $13 |
| Hornady Black V-MAX | .300 BLK | V-MAX Ballistic Tip | 110 gr | Brass | 2375 FPS | 20 | $23 |
| Federal Premium Power-Shok | .300 BLK | Jacketed Soft Point | 150 gr | Brass | 1900 FPS | 20 | $25 |
| AAC FMJ | .300 BLK | Full Metal Jacket | 150 gr | Brass | 1900 FPS | 20 | $12 |
| Hornady SUB-X Subsonic | .300 BLK | Flex Tip Hollow Point | 190 gr | Brass | 1050 FPS | 20 | $24 |
| AAC Sabre Blade Black Tip | .300 BLK | Sabre Blade Ballistic Tip | 125 gr | Brass | 2175 FPS | 20 | $12 |
How We Chose the Best .300 BLK Ammo
The entire team at Pew Pew Tactical contributed to this post. Most of us have .300 BLK rifles or pistols on tap for various roles and uses. We know a thing or two about what kind of ammo you need to achieve your goals — be it for training, home defense, or hunting.
Our picks for best .300 BLK ammo were based on the following criteria: Reliability, accuracy, consistency, bullet construction, price, and use case.
Best .300 Blackout Ammo
1. Magtech First Defense 123 GR FMJ – Best Plinking Ammo
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Relatively consistent
- Great for plinking
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Not well-suited for hunting or home defense applications
- Not as quiet out of suppressed rifles
Specs:
- Caliber: .300 BLK
- Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket
- Bullet Weight: 123 gr
- Casing Material: Brass
- Muzzle Velocity: 2230 fps
- Rounds Per Box: 50
Although .300 BLK has become a bit more affordable at the range, it’s still not as inexpensive as 5.56 NATO.
Plinking with .300 BLK isn’t cheap, but it’s certainly fun. Even if you are just tooling around, you still want something that performs reasonably well and cycles reliably.
For that, we recommend the Magtech First Defense 123-grain FMJ ammo. These rounds are new-manufacturered brass-case ammo.
It’s basic FMJ range ammo, but with solid quality control and pretty consistent velocities. You are looking at around 2230 FPS on these guys.
Magtech has a solid following of people who enjoy their ammo for both pistols and rifles. In addition to their .300 BLK offerings, we are big fans of their 9mm and .308 ammo for plinking due to their affordable pricing, consistency, and reliability.
2. Sellier & Bellot 200 GR FMJ Subsonic – Best Subsonic Plinking Round
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Subsonic
- Great for suppressors
Cons
- May be a little dirty when fired
Specs:
- Caliber: .300 BLK
- Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket
- Bullet Weight: 200 gr
- Casing Material: Brass
- Muzzle Velocity: 1060 fps
- Rounds Per Box: 20
One of the best things about the .300 BLK round is the fact that it’s extremely versatile. The rounds can range greatly in weight from light 90-grain supersonic loads to 220-grain subsonic sledgehammers.
When it comes to shooting suppressed, slower is better. Subsonic rounds don’t break the sound barrier, and thus lack that distinctive supersonic “crack.”
Subsonic .300 Blackout loads through a quality suppressor are nice and quiet. Nowhere near movie quiet, but quiet enough to be hearing safe.
The gold standard round for subsonic plinking with a suppressor is the Sellier and Bellot 200-grain FMJ ammo.
While they are on the lighter side of subsonic loads (200 grains instead of the normal 220), that translates into a little extra energy. These rounds chug along at around 1,060 feet per second.
The quality control on these rounds is great, and the at-ear sound when suppressed is amazing. They are widely available and almost universally well-liked by .300 Blackout users regardless of what platform they are using.
3. Hornady Black 110 GR V-MAX – Best for Home Defense
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Excellent expansion
- Good velocity
- Extremely consistent
Cons
- Not optimized for suppressed use
Specs:
- Caliber: .300 BLK
- Bullet Type: V-MAX Ballistic Tip
- Bullet Weight: 110 gr
- Casing Material: Brass
- Muzzle Velocity: 2375 fps
- Rounds Per Box: 20
Hornady brought the shooting world a true gem of a bullet design with their V-MAX projectiles.
Originally intended for varmint use, people soon found out that the V-MAX offers great velocity, crazy good expansion, and excellent accuracy.
Naturally, Hornady took their existing .30 caliber 110-grain V-MAX rounds and stuffed them in a .300 BLK case. The end result? Controlled chaos.
Like I said, the expansion on soft tissue for these rounds is quick and devastating. And since they expand so quickly, they really help cut down on overpenetration as well. This makes them an excellent choice for home defense.
The Hornady Black line is one of their more premium lines, so expect consistent velocities and great quality control.
4. Federal Premium Power-Shok 150 GR JSP – Best Supersonic Hunting Round
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Works on a variety of game
- Reliable and consistent
Cons
- Exposed lead tip can sometimes deform before shooting
Specs:
- Caliber: .300 BLK
- Bullet Type: Jacketed Soft Point
- Bullet Weight: 150 gr
- Casing Material: Brass
- Muzzle Velocity: 1900 fps
- Rounds Per Box: 20
One of the most popular .300 BLK hunting rounds is the 150-grain Federal Power-Shok.
These use a proven, classic jacketed soft-point design that offers great expansion upon impact, even at the lower supersonic velocities seen with blackout.
More importantly, the expansion is consistent, and consistency is everything when it comes to hunting.
Keep in mind that .300 BLK does have its limitations as a cartridge overall. While we don’t recommend any .300 BLK for large game, the Federal Power-Shok rounds will serve you well for everything from reasonably-sized white-tail deer and down.
5. AAC 150 GR FMJ – Most Affordable
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Affordable
- Reliable
- Decent accuracy
Cons
- Only available from PSA
Specs:
- Caliber: .300 BLK
- Bullet Type: Full Metal Jacket
- Bullet Weight: 150 gr
- Casing Material: Brass
- Muzzle Velocity: 1900 fps
- Rounds Per Box: 20
Palmetto State Armory is well-known for making extremely affordable firearms, but a few years back, they got into the business of making affordable ammo through the America’s Ammo Company (AAC) brand.
Saving a few cents per round here and there can really add up, especially the more you shoot. The AAC 150-grain FMJ does exactly that – shaves a few pennies off something like the Magtech ammo.
These rounds cruise at around 1,900 FPS and will provide a safe, quality shooting experience while saving you some dough.
We have run a ton of the AAC .300 150-grain .300 BLK and have yet to have an ammo-related failure with this particular round.
6. Hornady 190 GR SUB-X Subsonic – Best Subsonic for Hunting & Defense
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Reliable expansion at subsonic velocities
- Very accurate
- Sounds great suppressed
Cons
- Expensive
Specs:
- Caliber: .300 BLK
- Bullet Type: SUB-X Flex Tip hollow point
- Bullet Weight: 150 gr
- Casing Material: Brass
- Muzzle Velocity: 1050 fps
- Rounds Per Box: 20
For those in the know, it should be no shocker that Hornady makes this list twice.
This time around, we are looking at their subsonic 190-grain SUB-X rounds.
Plinking with subsonic is fun and all, but some people want to take advantage of that hearing-safe experience when they are hunting or setting up a gun for home defense.
Getting good expansion at lower velocities, especially when subsonic, can be problematic. Luckily, Hornady solved that issue with the SUB-X projectile.
These offer consistent and reliable expansion, and sound absolutely amazing when suppressed. One of our editors routinely gets sub-MOA grouping out his 10.5″ suppressed AR-15 with the SUB-X rounds.
If you are looking for an ultra-quiet hunting or defensive .300 BLK round, these are your guys.
7. AAC Sabre Blade Black Tip 125 GR – Best All-Purpose Round
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Pros
- Great for home defense
- Hornady-designed projectile
- Affordable
Cons
- Best out of a 12"+ barrel
Specs:
- Caliber: .300 BLK
- Bullet Type: Sabre Blade Black Tip
- Bullet Weight: 125 gr
- Casing Material: Brass
- Muzzle Velocity: 2175 fps
- Rounds Per Box: 20
Last but certainly not least, we are taking a look at a second round from AAC.
Their Sabre Blade Black Tip is a 125-grain round designed with self-defense in mind.
The Sabre Blade Black Tip projectiles were developed by Hornady and are built to offer maximum expansion and weight retention. These are very similar to the SST rounds offered by Hornady.
Velocity-wise, these rounds come in around 2,175 FPS. In our testing, we found these rounds to feed reliably and perform well.
And the best part? Well, the Sabre Blade Black Tips don’t cost much more than the standard AAC 150-grain FMJ rounds. The Black Tips typically sit around $0.65 – $0.75 per round, making them some of the most cost-effective .300 BLK hunting and defensive rounds on the market.
Meet the Experts
The lead writer for this article is Pew Pew Tactical CEO and Founder Eric Hung. As founder of PPT, he has researched and written over 250 articles on firearms and gear and fired thousands of rounds through a variety of weapons platforms. Eric is also an NRA-certified pistol instructor and a USPSA/3-Gun/NRL22 competitor.
Editing and adding picks to this article is Wyatt Sloan, Editor. Wyatt is an NRA-certified instructor, former competitive shooter, and avid hunter. Wyatt personally owns over 200 firearms and has 10 years of home-based FFL firearm sales. He has used his extensive experience with firearms at large to test guns for Pew Pew Tactical — evaluating them based on our standards and metrics.
Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. She uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Pew Pew Tactical. She also owns a handful of AR-15s in her collection that she enjoys taking to the range.
Additional testing and content was provided by various members of the Pew Pew Tactical staff and contributing writing team.
Final Thoughts
The .300 Blackout 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 accomplish a lot with a .300 BLK rifle, and the task you choose will determine the type of 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!
Latest Updates
July 2025: Removed US Cartridge 147 gr, Hornady .300 BLK 125 gr HP, Barnes VOR-TX TAC-TX 110 gr, Fiocchi 125 gr Extrema. Added: Magtech First Defense 123 gr, Hornady Black 110 gr V-MAX, Hornady 190 gr SUB-X. Added comparison chart.
February 2024: Added US Cartridge FMJ, AAC Ammunition Black Tip & FMJ
33 Leave a Reply
I use the Stelth 220g subsonic for my plinking needs. It is the only 300 BO ammo that has cycled flawlessly in my 10.5 inch suppressed rifle. It is inexpensive, and I have experienced frequent cycling errors with many higher priced rounds.
My experience of Sabre was negative out of a 9 inch barrel with continual failure to eject.
Earlier this year I did chronograph and gel block testing on about 12 types of 300 blackout ammo, both from my 5.5 inch Sig Rattler, and my 16 inch IWI Tavor. I almost exclusively used supersonic ammo for these tests as subsonic was too similar to handgun rounds in terms of ballistic energy, although the bullets are more aerodynamic.
In terms of the muzzle velocity in chronograph testing, the longer barrel typically got 400 to 500 fps better muzzle velocity, which you'd expect to see in 16 inch barrel vs 5.5 inches.
As far as gel block testing goes, most of the hollow points behaved pretty similar to each other, with the exception of the Controlled Chaos bullets from Lehigh and Underwood. Those had massively larger wound channel due to some of the petals consisterly breaking off. Unlike the Liberty Ammunition pistol rounds that explode on contact but have petals only penetrating 4 to 6 inches deep in ballistic gel, the Controlled Chaos 300 blackout rounds consistently had their petals penetrating 9 to 12 inches deep, and creating tracks that were usually the full 6 inch width of the gel block. To me that was hands down the best round to use for home defense, and I assume it would do well for hunting, except maybe not penetrate enough against really thick hide animals. It also had its core piece consistently penetrate 18 to 22 inches in gel block, while many other hollow points would hit 24 to 28 inches deep and likely a little higher risk for over penetration. The Fort Scott TUI rounds also create pretty wicked overall wound channels with wider tracks at deeper depths than most due to their tumbling, but they also frequently penetrated over 32 inches, so they're definitely a risk of over penetrating in an urban home defense setting, but might do well for hunting tougher animals.
Almost all rounds did perform better with the added velocity of the 16 inch IWI barrel, but the 5.5 inch Rattler was still enough to get good enough expansion, except with the Sig Elite Hunting round. That one did not expand at all from the Rattler.
I also tried shooting through level 3A soft and hard armor plates, the only round that didn't pretty easily get through from either the IWI or Rattler was a 150 grain Precision One hollow point. The Controlled Chaos left pretty nasty wound channels even through 3A armor, especially from the longer IWI barrel, while some of the other hollow points left pretty mild channels after slowing down from penetrating the armor. I expect basically any supersonic round should get through 3A armor. I tried shooting some through level 3 steel plate and none of them came remotely close to penetrating that, so don't expect to defeat heavier armor. Almost all the rounds penetrated through four 2x6 wood boards (shooting through the 2 inch direction on each), so they could definitely go through the walls of your house if you miss, but they won't go overly far after, so only your next door neighbor would probably be in danger in a typical neighborhood.
Long winded reply, but just wanted to share my testing results from earlier this year. Again based on all my testing, I will primarily keep the Controlled Chaos rounds loaded for home defense as they were far and away the most effective round in gel blocks, they defeat 3A armor, and are slightly less risk of over penetrating vs most others. There was little difference between the Lehigh vs Underwood variety. I'll also keep some of the Fort Scott in case a scenario arises where I need better penetration.
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.
I get FTF, one after another, on an 8" that feeds everything else. Also get a high FTF rate using these on two other 300 AAC BLK. I'm using Lancer Hybrid 20 and 30 rd. mags.
I do not recommend Sub-X.
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.
8.5” PSA with an Aero Precision Lahar K with a Vortex 1-8x24 Strike Eagle. Barnes 110 gr VOR-TX Blacktip, absolutely deadly on whitetails to 150 yds. Measured velocity using a Garmin Xero C1 Pro for a 5 shot average was 2186 fps for the 8.5” barrel. This is about the best 300 hunting ammo there is out there. Price shouldn’t matter for one shot ethical kills and nontoxic to the environment to boot. Broadside shots are nearly always pass throughs with massive internal damage. Right shot placement, DRT. Very lightweight, maneuverable platform for hunting. Great kids rig cause the adjustability of the brace, light recoil and muzzle blast and hearing safe with supers. Will stack Blacktips at 50 yards. Ya don’t need a magnum to take whitetails cleanly out to 150.
I agree completely with BB. The Fed regs on suppressors are ridiculous, oppressive and relic from the gangster era. We gotta get this changed, somehow. Every firearm should be capable of being legally and easily suppressed, including shotguns.
Saved me a bunch of typing! However I’ve made the extortion payment. I’ve spent more to get less enjoyment. Maybe the kids hearing will last longer than mine.
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.