TODAY'S GUN TIME

[shooterdon]

Well, I learned what I pretty much already knew. The .300BO is pretty much a waste of a chambering, shooting suppressed. I didn't have any pigs come in, but I shot 5 coons, and should have had probably 3 more.

I have 3 problems with it:
First, it has the trajectory of a thrown stone. I'll need to hone up on the ballistic holds, but you pretty much need to be a long-range computational wizard to deal with the arc of that sucker. 15 yards longer or shorter than your zero and you better get factoring that in.

Second, even though it's quiet and I'm using a Dead Air Nomad 30 can with an e-brake, it still makes enough noise that the game runs from it. Not quite the same as unsuppressed, but they still know to get out of Dodge. I find this with full speed calibers too, when hunting hogs, that they hear it, but they're just a little slower in figuring out what direction to run.

Third, anemic. I'd be hesitant to shoot a large hog unless I had the perfect shot.

The bottom line (and I surmised this already), the .300 BO sub-sonic is a novelty with no real practical hunting use IMO. I'd rather blast away with a .223, .260, 6.5 or .308 and be sure of my ballistics and terminal performance.

It's fun as heck to shoot, but I like performance for hunting, and it lacks in that cartridge. Once again, I was reminded of how/why I landed on the chamberings I already shoot for most game.

I have never understood a bolt gun in .300 BO.

I have .308's (and this applies to any "real" .30 cal) and can produce handloads that offer the same anemic performance as a .300 BO. I suppose if someone does not reload it has a place.

 

[Sigarms]

I have never understood a bolt gun in .300 BO.

I have .308's (and this applies to any "real" .30 cal) and can produce handloads that offer the same anemic performance as a .300 BO. I suppose if someone does not reload it has a place.

Don, you need to check out the 8.6 blackout!

The older I get, just keep the 30-30, 308, 300 Win mag and the 45-70, and even then you could still cut a couple of calibers out. Thing is, without the newest, latest and greatest caliber, the gun market would become stagnant and the gun rags would have nothing to write about and gun makers wouldn't have anything to sell.

That said, wildcat cartridges were designed for a reason. The question becomes how to make that cartridge popular and make money with it (which generally isn't the original intent of the design IMO). I still remember how the .450 was going to replace the .45-70 in all the gun rags.

I remember seeing a gun rag for the first time a LONG time at my mechanics shop. Now their pushing suppressors and really, really cool looking guns. Nah, it's not possible for a magazine writer to be swayed on his review determined by how much his employer receives in add money from the manufacturer of the product being reviewed...

 

[shooterdon]

Sigarms, over the decades I have owned dozens of guns and at least 15 calibers. I started downsizing 15 years ago.

You are right...most calibers are "useless"...by that I mean another caliber will do the job just as well.

My calibers are:
.22 LR
.223 for SHTF and varmints
.308 for SHTF and hunting
9mm for carry self-defense and plinking
.38/.357 for plinking/training and short range SD if AR's are banned.

I keep a few .30/30's in case the morons ban AR's but do not use them.

I get most of my trigger time these days with PCP air guns. Putting holes in paper or plinking does not need a massive amount of energy or cost.

 

[paulsharvey]

I have never understood a bolt gun in .300 BO.

I have .308's (and this applies to any "real" .30 cal) and can produce handloads that offer the same anemic performance as a .300 BO. I suppose if someone does not reload it has a place.

If you don't mind sharing, you happen to have a non-Trail Boss loads you would care to share? Maybe something using 200gr Lee roundnose powder coated?

 

[paulsharvey]

My 300 Blk experience, although very limited is; super sonic, it's a very over priced, but limited performance, bur whatever, it's fine... Sub sonic; dang it's a balancing act. Everything is so close to either not cycling or being super sonic, or uses very expensive 220gr projectiles. Ideally, it would be reliable, shooting something like 180-200 round nose or cast. Even still, if you want expansion, now your looking at $0.80-2.00 Projectiles, for the copper/brass expanding.

I'm not saying you can't get a load that cycles reliably, but what I'm saying is, no other round seems to be as much trouble to make work. 308, get anyone of 30 powders, projectiles from 110-220 grains, and follow load data, it works. 300 Blk, it seems like you need to buy and try 9 powders, and 5 bullet weights to find one that works right in your set up.

 

[paulsharvey]

I have really came around to the idea that 357mag/38spl lever is a Much better option than 300blk.

 

[John0829]

I read about all these different calibers and think "Designer" kinda like someone wearing some kind of special brand pants when a good ole pair of blue jeans will do the job just as well or better.

I changed several years ago from looking at the latest and supposedly greatest to just keeping a compliment of firearms in my favorite calibers and making up reduced loads for them. For example take the 22-250, reduced loads equal to a .22WRM all the way to hot near to a 220 Swift, just pick the load for the occasion. Same for my go to rifle a 243 using a reduced load that is very effective out to 100 yds, at least the ground hogs have not complained.

 

[Sigarms]

I'm not saying you can't get a load that cycles reliably, but what I'm saying is, no other round seems to be as much trouble to make work. 308, get anyone of 30 powders, projectiles from 110-220 grains, and follow load data, it works. 300 Blk, it seems like you need to buy and try 9 powders, and 5 bullet weights to find one that works right in your set up.

A 300 blackout in a load the requires cycling reliably you better have a 18 series MOS. Other than having the government helping you, it's a complete waste of you time hunting 4 legged animals IMO as a civilian in that round with a semi auto rifle.

The only reason why IMO the 300 blackout has been marketed to everyone is because of what the government was looking for, and the manufacturers trying to capture more of the civilian market.

 

[Joel/ak]

Received the lower today and put together from spare stuff I had laying around.

Bore sighted and now get out after turkey season to shoot. Not perfect but functional.

 

[gsganzer]

You are right...most calibers are "useless"...by that I mean another caliber will do the job just as well.

My calibers are:
.22 LR
.223 for SHTF and varmints
.308 for SHTF and hunting
9mm for carry self-defense and plinking
.38/.357 for plinking/training and short range SD if AR's are banned.

One of the few "modern" chamberings that I think has a lot of utility is the 6.5CM. In reality, it just succeeded in fixing the shortcomings of the original .260rem, but doesn't use the .308 parent cartridge.

For medium game (whitetail/pigs), I find myself grabbing my 6.5CM or .260 Rem. They've even replaced my original favorite, the .25-06, but mainly because I pick up the advantage of them being short actions.

For larger game or paid hunts, it's still the .300WM or .375 H&H.