Sometimes people want some quiet time, and pistol caliber carbines are easy to suppress. However, at the end of the day, they still only fire a pistol caliber.
That’s where the .300 Blackout comes in.
The .300 Blackout cartridge was designed explicitly for short barrels. Where 5.56 only reaches its full velocity potential at 20 inches, the fatter .300 Blackout does it from a mere 9-inch barrel.
One of the other benefits of .300 Blackout is that it can pack a supersonic cartridge for better range and velocity or heavier subsonic cartridges for maximum suppression.
Plenty of cartridges have come and gone, but .300 Blackout is enjoying success because it doesn’t try to beat 5.56 — it complements it.
With that in mind, we’ve gathered some of the top-tier .300 Blackout rifles on the market that aim to provide you with a platform that’s quiet, maybe short, or both.
Let’s dive in and find out.
Editor’s Note: Recent ATF regulations have reclassified some AR pistols as SBRs under the NFA. To read more about these regulations and what impact they might have on your purchasing decisions, check in on Pistol Braces vs. the ATF.
THE QUICK LIST
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Editor’s Pick
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Best Budget Option
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Lightest Option
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Best Integrally Suppressed Rifle Option
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Best Compact .300 BLK
Table of Contents
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How We Chose the Best .300 BLK Rifles & Pistols
Input for this article came from the editorial staff and freelance writers at Pew Pew Tactical. Each model has spent hands-on time with a staff member or writer for PPT and has undergone a minimum of 500 rounds through each if not more on the exact model or a similar caliber variant.
Additionally, models were selected based on features, price, value, durability, and ease of suppression.
Best .300 BLK Rifles & Pistols
1. Palmetto State Armory JAKL – Editor’s Pick
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Pros
- Compatible with standard AR-15 lowers
- Adjustable gas block
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Front heavy
PSA JAKL .300 BLK Specs & Features
Specs
Features
PSA made waves when they released the JAKL in 2022, but one of the first questions people asked was, “When can I get one in .300 Blackout?” Suffice to say, PSA delivered.
Featuring a 6105 monolithic upper receiver and a long-stroke piston-driven operating system, the JAKL definitely exudes shades of guns like the FN SCAR — but at a much cheaper price point.
A fully captured recoil system in the upper means you don’t have to deal with a pesky buffer tube. No buffer tube means you can get a folding stock or brace, which can make for a nice compact package.
If suppression is something you are considering, the JAKL also sports a toolless 6-position adjustable gas block to help you tune your gun easily and keep it running smoothly.
To top it all off, the JAKL is compatible with any mil-spec AR-15 lower. So if you just want to dip your toes in and try an upper only, the world is your oyster.
Check out our full review of the 5.56 JAKL!
2. Ruger American Ranch .300 Blackout – Best Budget Option
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Pros
- Affordable
- Compatible with AR-15 magazines
- Easy to suppress
Cons
- Slower rate of fire
Ruger American Ranch .300 BLK Pros & Cons
Specs
Features
When we think of .300 Blackout, it’s natural to think of suppressed use.
While the round was designed with AR-type rifles in mind, it’s become increasingly popular in a multitude of platforms, including bolt action rifles.
The Ruger American Ranch .300 Blackout offers shooters a bolt-action option for suppressed usage. With a bolt gun, we lose the clack-clack noise of a standard AR-type semi-auto rifle.
No reciprocating bolt and gas system means the weapon is quieter and more efficient when suppressed.
Ruger wisely threaded the barrel to make suppressed use easy and accessible, and a built-in Picatinny rail makes adding optics easy. A cold hammer-forged barrel and Ruger’s Power Bedding system keep things shooting straight.
They also added the Marksman trigger to help increase accuracy. Additionally, the rifle is designed to accept standard AR-15 magazines, which makes finding spares and differing capacities easier.
The Ruger American Ranch rifle is an awesome and affordable option for those who might not need a semi-auto action.
It’s a very accurate choice, and at around $500-600, it will outshoot almost any AR in that price range.
3. Q Honey Badger Pistol – Lightest Option
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
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Pros
- Lightweight
- Short overall length
- Soft shooting
Cons
- Expensive
Q Honey Badger .300 BLK Specs & Features
Specs
Features
With tax stamps, once you get one, it’s likely for a product you plan on keeping forever. If you purchase a factory SBR in .300 Blackout, why not spend a little extra money to get the most gun possible?
The Q Honey Badger is a PDW-sized premier option for those seeking a gun in .300 Blackout.
If the SBR and tax stamp aren’t for you, you can purchase a pistol variant of the gun and have a braced .300 Blackout pistol. Either way, you are getting a fantastic option for home defense and the range.
The guys at Q used to be at AAC, and AAC invented the .300 Blackout round.
With the Honey Badger, they’ve taken the AR platform and shrunk it to nearly SMG size. The barrel is a mere 7 inches long, and with a can, you still have a barrel shorter than most carbine-sized rifles.
Its PDW-sized stock (or brace) gives you an ultra-small platform, keeping the gun’s overall length at only 25 inches when fully extended.
At the shortest length, the gun is only 20 inches and weighs 4.5 pounds. For comparison, the MP5SD is 9mm, and is 23.62 inches at its shortest length, and weighs 7.5 pounds.
The Honey Badger offers plenty of features to make it desirable, in addition to the outstanding build quality and parts quality that make it a true elite-tier AR rifle.
4. Daniel Defense M4ISR – Best Integrally Suppressed
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Pros
- Integrally suppressed
- SBR and suppressor with one tax stamp
- Accurate and reliable
Cons
- KeyMod rail instead of M-LOK
- Expensive
Daniel Defense DDM4ISR Specs & Features
Specs
Features
Oh boy, let’s say you want a suppressed SBR, but the idea of a two-stamp AR is too much of a headache. Heck, that’s $400 just in tax stamps. No one wants that.
Daniel Defense produced the all too often overlooked M4ISR for shooters who want the combination of a short barrel and a suppressor without two stamps.
The M4ISR features an integrally suppressed design with a 9-inch barrel paired with a permanently attached suppressor that brings the total length to 16 inches.
You get a short-barreled rifle and a suppressor with only one tax stamp. The 9-inch barrel allows you to reach the max potential of the .300 Blackout cartridge while retaining a shorter length when suppressed.
This results in a very quiet but effective platform for self-defense and home defense.
Daniel Defense also provides a modern rifle platform with almost all of the accouterments, including an ambidextrous safety, Daniel Defense furniture, and a .300 Blackout PMAG.
What’s odd is that Daniel Defense kept the Keymod rails — maybe they just invested heavily into Keymod and are looking for a way to get rid of all those rails.
Regardless, the DDM4ISR offers you a one-stamp option with only a 16-inch overall barrel for a light and handy platform.
Be sure to check out our video and full review of the DDM4ISR.
5. Sig MCX Rattler – Best Compact .300 BLK
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Pros
- Short overall length
- Ambi controls
- Interchangeable barrels
Cons
- Expensive
- Limited space for accessories
Sig Sauer MCX Rattler Specs & Features
Specs
Features
Sig blended the AR-15 ergonomics and the performance of a short-stroke piston rifle to produce a reliable and versatile platform they called the MCX.
One of the joys of a short-stroke gas piston system is that the gun doesn’t care much about barrel length, so you can shrink the barrel without much of a problem.
With that in mind, Sig produced the Rattler to provide the shortest MCX platform out there. The MCX Rattler comes as both an SBR model and a PCB model, which is a braced pistol.
Short barrels and .300 Blackout go hand in hand, and the short 5.5-inch barrel keeps the weapon ultra small and light, and this gun is absolutely begging for a suppressor.
The Rattler platform has been adopted by SOCOM as their PDW of choice, and it’s easy to see why. In .300 Blackout, these guns are the size of SMGs, even suppressed, but pack the power of a carbine.
Sig’s mini Rattler also provides a collapsing stock, a short M-LOK handguard, a reduced-sized grip, and ambidextrous AR-15 controls.
Want to know more about this small guy? You can read our full review!
6. Steyr AUG – Best Bullpup
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Pros
- Bullpup design allows for shorter length while retaining a rifle-length barrel
- Extremely quick barrel changes
- Reliable
Cons
- Trigger isn't great
Steyr AUG .300 BLK Specs & Features
Specs
Features
Yes, you read that right. Steyr can now stake its claim on this list thanks to finally offering complete AUG rifles and barrels in .300 Blackout.
We previously had the Tavor X95 in this slot, but IWI has discontinued the .300 Blackout Tavor. But if you are looking for a compact .300 Blackout gun without having to resort to a pistol variant or using a brace, the AUG has you covered thanks to its bullpup configuration.
The AUG has proven its reliability time and time again since the 70s. Since the .300 Blackout variant is a simple 5-second barrel swap, you are not altering the core operating system, keeping that reliability intact.
Steyr opted to include a 6-position adjustable gas plug to help users dial in their guns for suppressor usage. It should be noted that they do recommend against flow-through suppressors if you plan on using subsonic ammunition.
Yeah, the trigger isn’t great, but damn is the AUG cool, and damn is it durable. On top of that, they are selling combination kits that include the gun, a fixed 1.5x Steyr optic, a 16-inch .300 BLK barrel, and a 20-inch 5.56 barrel — all for around $2000.
Take a look at our full review of the 5.56 Steyr AUG!
Final Thoughts
The .300 Blackout is superbly capable, versatile, and efficient. It’s big, heavy, and capable of being used in short platforms without a huge velocity penalty.
It really is a wonder round that compliments the weaknesses of the 5.56 caliber. A .300 Blackout may not replace your 5.56 rifle, but it will do some things that your 5.56 can’t.
These are some of my favorite .300 Blackout rifles, but what are yours? Let us know in the comments below! Don’t forget to also check out our article on the 5 Best .300 Blackout Scopes and Optics: Correct Drops!
Latest Updates
June 4, 2024: Removed PSA Custom .300 BLK, IWI Tavor X95, B&T SPR300 PRO. Added PSA JAKL, Steyr AUG. Added supplemental information and media to each product. Also, introduced additional details into How We Tested section.
26 Leave a Reply
It shocks me the Wilson Combat wasn't included in this, I bought one for my grandson and it's so accurate I'm going to get one for myself. Thanks Wilson for such a accurate and deadly deer rifle. Curt
When a 16 inch barrel nets 200-300 more fps than a 9 incher for 300blk, I don't think its accurate to say that the cartridge reaches its full potential out of a short barrel. There is a substantial difference between 950 and 1450 ft lbs of energy on target.
Recommend optics for a 300blk 10.3 pistol? My sights are set on the Trijicon AccuPoint. Is 1-4x too little? Not enough? I like the triangle post reticle but wonder at how practical that is. Also concerned about the brightness compared to an LPVO or red dot.
It really depends on how you will be using it, I'm a huge fan of prism sights, check out the primary arms 5x prism sight, very similar to acog without the price, if you want a red dot, I'd recommend a dot with a flip to side magnifier, sig has had a deal for a while on their romeo/juliet combo
I like the magnifier idea, but I’ve got an Astigmatism. As far as 1x goes, it should be fine. It’s the 3x I’m concerned will give a starburst effect. The prism looked good, but will I need 5x on a 10.3 pistol? Looks like I’m pretty limited.
Sugar Weasel 300 B.O. I love this pistol.
In my research, I haven't been able to find a reliable expanding sub sonic round, any ideas?
The new hornady subsonic line expands at low velocities! I don't know of anything else that expands at low velocity
For what it’s worth to anyone looking at a 300 blk system. Avoid DTT (delta team tactical). I got a “deal” on an upper… complete junk, feed ramps not aligned, hand guard out of alignment and can’t be secured anyway. I didn’t get around to checking it out for a couple months after I received it so out of time frame for returning.
Just a FYI
I have good success with the fold AR .300 black out. compact and l9ght weight with interchangeable barrels.
What about PWS and BRN-180? Short or long piston with a suppressor is the way
One of the best .300 Blackouts is the Robinson XCR-L. I'm surprised this was not mentioned. I've had a 9.5" XCR-L for a few years now. It has worked flawlessly. I can shoot 5.56 and many other calibers out of the same rifle with caliber changes.
I've the PSA 11" pistol Upper mated to a Noreen 80% Lower a buddy let me use his CAD/CAM to finish out. Absolutely love it. Unfortunately, unless the Brace rule gets tossed, I'll either have to swap out the barrel or find a 5" long muzzle device to pin and weld to the existing barrel if I ever want to shoot it in public again.
PWS doesn’t get mentioned…again?! 300BLK guns are usually suppressed, and piston systems are a better option than DI systems when running a suppressor.
I bought a PSA pistol and couldn't be happier. Added my can on it and with subsonic rounds it's really quiet. I've shot this very heavily over the past 2 years suppressed and unsupressed. Never had an issue.
SWS Rifles - I own 3 and they are amazing. Very accurate and there is no gas back to the face at all. all are one stamp guns.
And seriously why do we have to wait for approval to post a comment?
Don't treat us like children (even though some act as such) the 1st ammendment is under attack just as much as the 2nd is (youtube, facebook, the MSM, etc......).
Those of us who believe in and support the constitution, need to support the constitution fully in all its amendments not just when it agrees with our personal views.
Ok now best 8.6 blackout list.
The JTAC ELF OWL 1:5 or 1:7 twist is a awesome light weight shooter and for $1500 for a custom built chassis rig it is not a bad value.
Well…I know it’s not the best, sure isn’t the fanciest….but, a few years ago on a whim I bought a PSA dissipator upper in .300 blk, pistol length gas system. I’ve put it through a number of different configurations and different optics for fun. It’s currently a flat top using fixed sights and A1 stock. Pretty much a coyote gun now, the accuracy is unreal with reliability to match. It is a handy caliber to have.
I understand wanting to include a bullpup in the list, but not the selection of the X95 - since it’s not being imported in 300blk anymore and hasn’t been in any retail shop in a long time. The Desert Tech MDRx in 300 is a more appropriate (and roughly equivalent) choice.
I think the best 300 blackout is the diamondback. Very under rated. But with a great optic it should definitely be in the top ten
We have a DB 300 blk pistol in our house, and it is a very nice gun!
8. Make one yourself.
Exactly!
I assembled mine from a 16" carbine 80% kit and milled two 80% lowers one aluminum the other a polymer- just because. Must have done alrirght cuz it operates just fine-as it should- and is open sight accurate out to 175 yrds( length of my land). And all built for under 400 $ AND on an installment payment plan ta boot.