.300 Blackout vs .300 Winchester Magnum
Hey all, today we at True Shot Academy are going to go over two types of .300 cartridges, the .300 Blackout and the .300 Winchester Magnum. While both .30 caliber cartridges feature .300 diameter projectiles, the two rounds are quite different as are the firearms that utilize them.
Today, we are going to give a brief overview of the cartridges and discuss some of their traits and use cases. So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
.300 Blackout
The .300 Blackout cartridge, formally known as the .300 AAC Blackout, began its life as a wildcat load. The round can often be found in two forms, supersonic and subsonic loadings.
The supersonic loadings will produce higher velocities than their subsonic counterparts and thus have a longer effective range. The subsonic counterparts are more suited for suppressor use as the rounds will not break the sound barrier.
The cartridge has also received military and law enforcement attention throughout its existence. While the cartridge and earlier wildcat variants are relatively new when compared to other more contemporary options, the .300 Blackout has proven to be a popular cartridge that will serve many shooters well in a variety of roles.
.300 Winchester Magnum
The .300 Winchester Magnum, often referred to as .300 Win Mag, is a long-standing and commonly used magnum cartridge. Introduced in 1963, the round has become a mainstay load Even though the .300 PRC and other newer magnum cartridges exist, the .300 Win Mag continues to be popular and viable.
The cartridge has seen continued use as a sniper rifle chambering in rifles such as the M24 and Mk.13. A number of law enforcement agencies have also utilized the cartridge for sniper use, often employed by S.W.A.T. units and other specialized personnel. Essentially, this is a long-standing magnum cartridge which has been utilized by shooters for over half a century for a variety of uses.
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Firearms that use .300 Blackout
Typically, one can find many semi-automatic firearms chambered in the .300 Blackout cartridge, often in the form of AR-15s. One can also find bolt action and single shot firearms chambered in .300 Blackout such as the Ruger American Ranch rifle.
While the .300 Blackout can be used in standard 5.56x45mm AR-15 magazines, some companies such as Magpul and Lancer Systems offer magazines specifically made for the cartridge.
One must be careful when utilizing .300 Blackout in close proximity to AR-15s chambered in 5.56x45mm due to the commonality of magazines. It is possible for a 5.56x45mm rifle to chamber a .300 Blackout cartridge, a dangerous phenomenon which can produce horrific results ranging from a destroyed firearm to potential bodily harm.
Firearms that use .300 Winchester Magnum
An overwhelming majority of firearms chambered in the .300 Win Mag cartridge are going to be bolt action rifles.
Some semi-automatic rifles chambered in .300 Win Mag exist, such as the Falkor Defense Petra and the Nemo Omen line, these options are eclipsed by the number of bolt action rifles on the market in the caliber. Typically, the rifles made in this caliber will come either optimized for long-range shooting or target shooting.
Availability of Ammunition
Both the .300 Blackout and .300 Win Mag are popular cartridges in the United States and have a wide variety of loadings available.
One can easily find .300 Blackout loadings optimized for roles such as hunting, target shooting, and self-defense. Ammunition will often be labeled prominently as either supersonic or subsonic, making it easy for someone to discern the velocity of the ammunition they are consider.
Typically, one can encounter loadings that range from 110 grains to 220 grains as far as projectile weight goes. The heavier loadings will tend to be subsonic while the lighter ones will be of the supersonic variety. Like most calibers, one can find full metal jacket, hollow point, and other exotic projectiles such as Hornady V-Max projectiles when browsing .300 Blackout ammunition.
As far as .300 Win Mag market goes, one will typically encounter loadings optimized for hunting or long range target shooting. You can usually find loadings in the 150 grain to 200 grain range with full metal jacket, hollow point, soft point, and more exotic, specialized projectiles being common. Specific options, such as lead-free options, exist for purposes such as hunting in areas that restrict lead projectiles.
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Usage for .300 Blackout
The variety of loads for .300 Blackout such as the many supersonic and subsonic loads, have led to the cartridge being utilized for multiple purposes. As far as hunting goes, the round is well-documented as an effective hog hunting cartridge. One can easily find reports of the round’s efficacy when it comes to dispatching hogs, with footage of helicopter hunts being all over the internet.
Most shooters will associate the cartridge with suppressed use, the most common use for subsonic ammunition. A firearm in .300 Blackout with optimal ammunition and an effective suppressor can get very close to achieving “Hollywood quiet” suppression.
Usage for .300 Winchester Magnum
The .300 Win Mag has seen a great deal of use since its introduction in 1963. The round is most commonly used in hunting and long-range shooting applications. As a magnum cartridge, the .300 Win Mag is easily capable of humanely dispatching most game in North America.
With the wide variety of specialty hunting loads available on the market, the cartridge is truly an optimal hunting load. When it comes to long-range target shooting, one can also find a great deal of loads optimized for this application, often equipped with boat tail or other specialty projectiles well-suited to accuracy and performance.
Conclusion
All in all, both the .300 Blackout and .300 Win Mag are cartridges that serve different purposes. While the two cartridges share a diameter of .300, the rounds are suited to unique roles that set them apart from each other. One would be well-served by firearms in either cartridge as they are built to serve different purposes and will not be redundant.
Having firearms in both .300 Blackout and .300 Win Mag will make a shooter’s collection more well-rounded and provide more opportunities to send lead downrange. At True Shot, we carry a variety of options for each cartridge to provide you with solid ammunition for either the field or the range. Happy shooting.
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