300BLK on AR Platform for Bush Hunting

I've been wanting a AR for a long long time (pretty much forever) but have never been able too justify it given I already have a .223 which is very accurate and goes everywhere with me. There's no point in owning 2 .223's and selling it isn't an option.

I see NZAR15 (Digit) have a nice wee AR platform in 300BLK. I don't know much about the calibre other than is probably slightly better ballistically than the 7.62x39 (arguable?) and factory ammo can be bought subsonic or supersonic.

Anyone using a 300BLK AR as a bush gun? Pro's vs. con's? I imagine it would be a pretty lethal calibre within 150m on deer, goats, pigs in the bush/fringe country etc? What about wallabies hares and rabbits? How accurate is this calibre for a 150-250m varmint shot?

At the moment I don't have a rifle in between my 223 and 280 for bush type hunting, as I have sold one 308 and given the other to my sister. And another rifle we are looking at buying Dad has already claimed as his own even though its left hand...so I won't get to use it either!

Interested to hear some input guys.

Thanks in advance. Josh.

Hi Josh,
There's some really good stuff on you-tube showing a 300 blk AR fired and suppressed with heavy caliber pills hand loaded to be subsonic. Looks certainly the business as they say for shorter ranges you could hear the rounds smacking the dirt in the berm and that clack of the action and that was it. They had I think a .223 version and just swapped out the barrel in the upper and that was it... I think it was the Daniel Defence upper version they were playing with.

They were pitching it as the "best of both worlds" ie. hitting power of 7.62x39 with less recoil and being able to stay on target watching the fall of shot that the faster, smaller .223 round wouldn't be as capable of and rely upon the frangible nature of the bullets to take the animal down and less wind effect. I'd be interested to look at the ballistic comparisons actually as to effective ranges in practical terms.

I understand getting the brass and factory rounds can be a issue so would pay to look into that I guess as well as the uppers can be quite pricy from what i understand from my LGS.

look at these two... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ALp8-d3dQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_D9neCL2c8

Hope that helps and I'll be interested in your feedback as I've got a plan for one of these in the background...a long long way in the back ground.

Thanks mate :)

I'm in the process of building one out of sheer boredom really. It will basically be like a x39 except a little friendlier to hand load. 125gr Speer TNT will probably be my projectile of choice. Varmint projectiles do well on deer at AAC velocities. Mate has shot a couple reds with 110gr V max.

ar15s arnt exactly the best bush rifles around
they are pokey and tall from the bottom of the pistol grip to the top of the scope which is a pain when you are climbing thru thick stuff
everything about them ballistically would be fine for bush shooting and very similar to 30-30 or 7.62x39 which are low recoil and fine at dropping animals
I want one too by the way,

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Originally Posted by Beavis

I'm in the process of building one out of sheer boredom really. It will basically be like a x39 except a little friendlier to hand load. 125gr Speer TNT will probably be my projectile of choice. Varmint projectiles do well on deer at AAC velocities. Mate has shot a couple reds with 110gr V max.

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How was his shot placement, and results (other than obviously dead)? I've been watching a lot of stuff on youtube from the US and there seems to be quite a few animals dead on their feet but running to cover. This suggests to me that that it isn't as forgiving as say a standard NZ hunting calibre like 308/7mm08/270 etc. I would most likely be neck shooting everything within 100m, but if that option is out, is it capable of a killing shot thru the shoulder on a red?

it is a smaller caliber so behind the shoulder and neck is preferable

I have a 6.8SPC that im using as a bush gun. I had the barrel profile taken down and a carbon handguard fitted, its just over 6lbs with scope.

Running 110vmax at the moment which kills ok on deer. Thinking about 85ttsx so im a bit more comfortable planting a shot in the centre of a big shoulder.

I like it

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Originally Posted by Bill999

it is a smaller caliber so behind the shoulder and neck is preferable

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Yep I realise that. I shoot 90% of my deer with the .223 at the moment.

Ok then, so what will a 300blk do in a hunting situation that a .223 doesn't though? Anything better?

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Originally Posted by PerazziSC3

I have a 6.8SPC that im using as a bush gun. I had the barrel profile taken down and a carbon handguard fitted, its just over 6lbs with scope.

Running 110vmax at the moment which kills ok on deer. Thinking about 85ttsx so im a bit more comfortable planting a shot in the centre of a big shoulder.

I like it

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So it's a slightly bigger projectile, but still designed for longer range accuracy like the .223? Its more of a speciality calibre in the AR though isn't it?

Would the 300blk not be more appealing as a AR owner because all that's needed to go from 223 to 300blk is a barrel swap? Whereas the 6.8 would require different bolts and mags?

I like the idea of subsonic 300blk for goat and wallaby culling, which isn't possible with 223/6.8.

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Originally Posted by JoshC

I've been wanting a AR for a long long time (pretty much forever) but have never been able too justify it given I already have a .223 which is very accurate and goes everywhere with me. There's no point in owning 2 .223's and selling it isn't an option.

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Bollocks, who are you trying to convince? :)
Wouldn't mind a splat gun myself

@Spanners was bringing in brass at one stage.
I know getting the right recipe for subsonic with a suppressor has been an issue despite the Youtube vids making it look so easy hickok45 - YouTube

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Originally Posted by sako75

Bollocks, who are you trying to convince? :)
Wouldn't mind a splat gun myself

@Spanners was bringing in brass at one stage.
I know getting the right recipe for subsonic with a suppressor has been an issue despite the Youtube vids making it look so easy hickok45 - YouTube

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Lol. A man can never have enough toys right? :D

With regards to the v max my other mate used the same rifle and shot a red hind quartering away and it penetrated all the way into the chest taking out a lung I think he said

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Originally Posted by JoshC

So it's a slightly bigger projectile, but still designed for longer range accuracy like the .223? Its more of a speciality calibre in the AR though isn't it?

Would the 300blk not be more appealing as a AR owner because all that's needed to go from 223 to 300blk is a barrel swap? Whereas the 6.8 would require different bolts and mags?

I like the idea of subsonic 300blk for goat and wallaby culling, which isn't possible with 223/6.8.

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Yep with the 6.8 you need a different bolt and mags. I just have a 223 upper as well with a dedicated bolt, to be honest most people that I have seen with multiple uppers have a different bolt carrier for each one, it kust makes switching them out even more easy.

I can push a 110vmax to about 2650 in a 16" barrel while the black out pushes them at 2250ish I believe.

Sub sonic is a bit of novelty from my experience, I have killed a number of goats with subs in the 308 and its pretty average in terms of killing ability.

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Originally Posted by PerazziSC3

I have a 6.8SPC that im using as a bush gun. I had the barrel profile taken down and a carbon handguard fitted, its just over 6lbs with scope.

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Thats impressive, often when people talk about a 'lightweight' AR it turns out its still 8lbs!

toys.....LOL.

:D

I have shot a few animals with 125 gr nosler ballistic tip out of my 300 whisper. They penetrate very well and do enough damage to kill a deer cleanly, but they don't have the grunt of a 308 or 270. So beware if you are going to try neck shot, YOUR bullet will need to touch the vitals!
As for subsonics (220 gr/240 gr smk and 208amax), despite all the internet rag about them,( as said above )they do not clean animal well. They fly through with out stoping, inflicting wounds sometime not wider than the bullet diameter, living the animal in pain till you finish it properly .

I run Targex 125 match as a super load in my Blackout, and Sierra 240 MK's for subs. I've shot a few stinkies with the supers, they drop well, I really rate the Targex pills. My mate was using it and dropped a stinky with a neckshot at 180m, offhand. I shot a fallow with the subs, it dropped, but the pill went straight through. I think @Spanners was working on pills with cuts in them that would peel back, probably be better. Thought about loading a MK backwards so it hits blunt end first but haven't tried it yet. Took a bit of finesse to get the subs to cycle, but she goes good now.

I make brass here. Have a dedicated machine setup.
Expanding Proj have tested well - it's a time thing to make them with the other 50 projects I have going

I would be hesitant to use subs on anything larger than goats. The energy levels just aren't there. Typical sub loads have the same energy at the muzzle that a good 5.56 load has at like 400m. I bet they are fun to shoot with though.

Agree, of you really want subsonic then they are great but for deer I'd pick a 6.5 grendal or ar10.

The attraction IMO is getting a competent close range hunting round in an AR without needing funky bolts or magazines. Use the same mags as your 5.56

I have only shot one deer with 300blk ao my sample size is not huge!
Seemed to work well,and getting the performance out of a very short tube-something I like in the bush.
Have shot a fair number of goats and a few bunnys with the subs and to be honest .45apc works better-even tho 300bkl gives a lot longer effective subsonic range.

Honestly I would go with 6.8spc for a bush ar,still works with a short tube and better ballistics than 300blk.

buy a cheap 2nd hand 308 or 7mm08 , plenty out there, and chop down the barrel to 18in. Much better, lighter option for bush bashin and lower costs to run imo. And much more effective in terms of knock down power.

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Originally Posted by chainsaw

buy a cheap 2nd hand 308 or 7mm08 , plenty out there, and chop down the barrel to 18in. Much better, lighter option for bush bashin and lower costs to run imo. And much more effective in terms of knock down power.

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Been there done that. Just sold a 7-08 bush pig I built. Looking at something different, that's all. And always wanted an AR so trying to justify it :D

Sell ya bolt 223 and get a couple of uppers, then it will be justified

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Originally Posted by PerazziSC3

Sell ya bolt 223 and get a couple of uppers, then it will be justified

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Could never part with it. Too much sentimental value. :)

Why do you need to justify it? Just get it :D

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Originally Posted by Toby

Why do you need to justify it? Just get it :D

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I know Toby, it really is that simple. But when buying something new I always try to learn as much about it as possible so I can make a informed decision on whether it'll be suitable for the purpose I intend to use it for. Hence asking all of you wise men your opinions on the calibre for NZ bush hunting ;)

Its not the best tool for the job. Its that simple. But they are fun and something a bit different

Quite a lot of info on the calibre over at the SportShooter forum too on the 300BLK

Just to muddy the waters, have you considered a 9mm or a 7.62x39 on an AR platform?

I don't know about AR15 300 blk, only used the bolt action rifle in subsonic's, shot only 2 deer and 5 pigs all head and neck shot at no more that 60m. Subs are grate for knocking a few goats over on the way to your favourite deer hotspot without a sound. Easy to make brass for and reloading too. Have not reloaded in supersonics yet but would think it would be similar to a 223 in noise and performance within 200m. I do like the idea of a AR blackout the fun factor and with the ability to double tap shots and after all its 2 guns in 1, subs and supers. win win. One thing about hunting with an AR they noisy when in tight bush and cocking them when in the zone compared to a bolt action.

I don't know anything about ar rifles but have used 30 cal subsonic a bit.
It will never have the knock down of full power loads of course but with a projectile that will expand and fragment it is effective.

Some of spanners projectiles fired into lots and lots of wet newspaper at 30 yards, launched at around 1000 fps out of a t3

Attachment 30142

Big wound channel in the paper and penetration of around 14 inches.

Sent from my GT-S5360T using Tapatalk 2

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Originally Posted by JoshC

I've been wanting a AR for a long long time (pretty much forever) but have never been able too justify it given I already have a .223 which is very accurate and goes everywhere with me. There's no point in owning 2 .223's and selling it isn't an option.

I see NZAR15 (Digit) have a nice wee AR platform in 300BLK. I don't know much about the calibre other than is probably slightly better ballistically than the 7.62x39 (arguable?) and factory ammo can be bought subsonic or supersonic.

Anyone using a 300BLK AR as a bush gun? Pro's vs. con's? I imagine it would be a pretty lethal calibre within 150m on deer, goats, pigs in the bush/fringe country etc? What about wallabies hares and rabbits? How accurate is this calibre for a 150-250m varmint shot?

At the moment I don't have a rifle in between my 223 and 280 for bush type hunting, as I have sold one 308 and given the other to my sister. And another rifle we are looking at buying Dad has already claimed as his own even though its left hand...so I won't get to use it either!

Interested to hear some input guys.

Thanks in advance. Josh.

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They just came out with 300 "Ripout".. shit looks deadly, Can be used in anything that uses 300BLK Check this vid out of ballistic test.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2cOnJYgs8A

Dpms gen ii.basically an AR platform but shoots 308.

I'm looking at the new dpms gen2 for my 1st AR they have been getting good reviews.