300 Blackout Upper question

[rdm227]

I want to get a 300 Blackout upper receiver for hunting use within 100-150 yards and suppressed. Is there any reason to NOT go with a 16” barrel?

I don’t want to jump through the paperwork hoops and this seems like the easiest option.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[topgunz1]

If you don't want to do an SBR or a pistol (with whatever the current rules are on that), might as well do 16, no sense being any longer.

 

[Dishonored]

If you will be using a sandman or the keymo mount system at all, I’d suggest looking at a 13.7” maybe 13.9” with a pin and weld of the SOLGW NOX muzzle device.
The FPS drop from 16” to 13.7” is negligible.
However, for hunting purposes, there is some unofficial data out there that would support increased accuracy from a longer barrel. So for your intended use, I’d say the barrel length of 13.7” is a good middle ground. Longer and better accuracy (supposedly) yet shorter for better mobility without sacrificing much in terms of FPS/Energy numbers.

Most people choose 8”-10” as it’s the standard go to length for adequate performance of the .300 blackout round for most defense applications with vastly improved mobility.

 

[rdm227]

That sounds like a good middle ground. I have an AAC SDN 6 so I’d have to factor the 51T length in.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Magdump]

I hunt with a 300BLK Ruger American Ranch. 16” barrel and yeah, I know, not a AR but I can attest to the longer barrel making a difference. Quieter and more stable if nothing else. My AR’s shoot great with the 220gr stuff, but I wanted to load a lighter/faster round and still go subsonic, just flatter shooting. Hand loaded 168gr Hornady AMAX at 1100 fps gets it done. That’s about 200 fps faster than the little 8 and 10” AR will send a 220gr sub and still not breaking the sound barrier. The precut copper bullets are great too and will open at sub sonic velocities but they’re over a buck per pill. Whatever you wind up with, look into rolling your own if you really want to get the most out of a 300BLK for hunting.

 

[rdm227]

Great feedback. Thank you.

 

[twinin]

As others have said, the longer barrel will give you a little more velocity but is also obviously longer which matters when hunting and especially when adding a suppressor to the end of the barrel.

The only other piece of advice I would give is that if you are running suppressed without an adjustable gas block. You may benefit from a longer barrel with a longer gas system (carbine length vs pistol length) if you are shooting supersonic bullets suppressed. Not sure about 13.9" but probably all 10" and under are pistol length. I have seen 16" with both carbine and pistol length.

Of course, if you are using an adjustable gas block, it wouldn't matter much and you can manage gas that way.

 

[rdm227]

Thank you