About .300 Blackout

A Word of Caution

Shooters should be cautious and vigilant if they find themselves at the range with both .300 Blackout and 5.56x45mm NATO ammo and firearms. Due to dimensional similarities, both cartridges are accommodated by STANAG spec magazines. If one does not pay close attention to what they are doing, they could accidentally insert .300 Blackout ammunition into their 5.56x45mm NATO rifle. Additional danger comes from the fact that a .300 Blackout cartridge can potentially be chambered by a 5.56x45mm NATO rifle. If the cartridge is chambered and fired, there is a significant chance for catastrophic damage to the firearm and injury to the user.

One can avoid this potential hazard by paying attention to which ammunition is loaded into which magazines. Additionally, one can make efforts to mark their magazines to denote which magazine will hold which caliber. This can be done by utilizing tape, markers, colored bands, or stickers. Magazine manufacturers such as Magpul and Lancer Systems even produce specific magazines for use with .300 Blackout. In addition to featuring things such as redesigned feed lips, these magazines also feature distinct traits to set them apart from 5.56x45mm NATO designed magazines. Of course, one could always inspect a firearm to determine its caliber prior to shooting.

Different Names for .300 Blackout

The .300 Blackout cartridge goes by many names. The full designation for the cartridge is .300 AAC Blackout, a name often abbreviated as .300 Blackout. This full designation references AAC’s involvement in the development of the cartridge. Additionally, the cartridge is also simply denoted as .300 BLK or 300 BLK. Metrically, the cartridge is referred to as 7.62×35. Simply put, all of these names are used to refer to the .300 Blackout interchangeably and are present on ammunition boxes and firearms.

How Available is .300 Blackout Ammunition?

At this point in time, .300 Blackout ammo is plentiful and easily accessible. The caliber is supported by a wide range of ammo manufacturers who produce various types of loadings. Producers of .300 Blackout ammunition include companies like Sellier & Bellot, Winchester, Barnes, and Sig Sauer. Loadings are available in many forms such as full metal jacket (FMJ) range loadings and specialized loads for specific use cases such as hunting and suppressed shooting.

Typically, one can purchase .300 Blackout ammo in various quantities. These quantities range from individual box offerings to bulk ammunition offerings. Bulk .300 Blackout ammo offerings are typically found in the form of battle packs, ammo cans, and case quantities. These loadings are commonly found in most places where ammo is sold. Additionally, if one elects to shop for ammo online, their .300 Blackout options become even broader. Simply put, can find .300 Blackout ammunition easily.

How Available are Firearms Chambered in .300 Blackout?

Currently, the market has many firearm options capable of accommodating .300 Blackout ammunition.  Firearm offerings of this type are typically available at most places where firearms are sold. Firearms chambered in .300 Blackout are commonly found in the form of bolt action and semi-automatic rifles, with semi-automatic offerings being the most common. Many of these firearms feature threaded barrels, allowing them to accept suppressors or suppressor mounts. This is done to capitalize on the round’s suppressed performance. Additionally, many non-AR pattern firearms in .300 Blackout accommodate STANAG type magazines, making magazine procurement easy.

Companies such as Sig Sauer, B&T, Daniel Defense, and Ruger are among the producers of .300 Blackout firearms. Of course, one could build a rifle in either bolt action or AR form to accommodate .300 Blackout ammunition. Many companies offer complete upper receiver groups in the caliber, allowing an end user to purchase an upper for use on an existing lower receiver. If one were to go this route, one could easily swap between 5.56x45mm NATO and .300 Blackout shooting on the fly without having to purchase another rifle. Of course, one should ensure they use the proper ammo for each upper. Simply put, one can easily get into a firearm or upper receiver capable of accommodating .300 Blackout ammo.