Thread: .300 aac blackout projectiles for deer?

This is my bush rig and has smoked over 100+ deer, a cheap second hand Tikka T3 223rem rebarreled to a 12" 1:7 300BLK. The 300BLK doesn't need a long barrel unless you want to shoot further out then you might as well get another calibre but in saying that I've head shot deer at 250m with subs. The 300Blk really shines as a short barrel multi projectile supersonic and subsonic calibre.
My setup uses a zero-stop dial up scope with the zero-stop set for 125gr supers zeroed at 100m and just a twist of the dial 11 MOA up set on 0 MOA for subsonic 198gr Lehigh ME at 60m, the best of both worlds 2 guns in one. Any good suppressor will work, DPT if I was on a budget and ODL at the top end if your got the coin.

Yeah, this is what I was planning on doing - dial up scope so I can switch between subs (lehigh 168g) and supers, looks like I'll be going with the Barnes 110g in that department.

What model scope is that?

Originally Posted by OWS

Yeah, this is what I was planning on doing - dial up scope so I can switch between subs (lehigh 168g) and supers, looks like I'll be going with the Barnes 110g in that department.

What model scope is that?

Nightforce NXS compact 2.5-10x42 MOAR.
Yeah the Lehigh 168gr are a great deer killer and very impressive organ damage on big reds. The only problem not as much blood trail because you don't get an exit hole but if your got good tracking skills and or a dog no worries.

Digging up an old thread I know.
@tikka what barrel did you use for your setup? Assuming custom?

Is the 1:7 twist fussy with light projectiles?
I'm thinking of doing something similar to your set up, but will likely run a 50/50 mix of subs/supers so want to make sure I can shoot both accurately.

It is a Hardy Engineering custom, I had to wait for him to get the tooling to do the 1:7 twist and it was the first one they had done with that twist rate, the others they had made was 1:8. But I wanted the 1:7 because my mates Rem700 blackout had that twist rate and work really well.
No not fussy at all, it shoots 125gr projectiles just fine. Haven’t used anything lighter though.

Originally Posted by tikka

It is a Hardy Engineering custom, I had to wait for him to get the tooling to do the 1:7 twist and it was the first one they had done with that twist rate, the others they had made was 1:8. But I wanted the 1:7 because my mates Rem700 blackout had that twist rate and work really well.
No not fussy at all, it shoots 125gr projectiles just fine. Haven’t used anything lighter though.

Cheers.
How does the Tikka custom build compare to the Rem 700? Worth the extra faff going the Tikka route?

Originally Posted by Beetroot

Cheers.
How does the Tikka custom build compare to the Rem 700? Worth the extra faff going the Tikka route?

Well worth it if you shooting as many animals as I do 250+ Red deer and way more goats than that. Shorter barrel = more compact in the bush and when its tided into my pack without suppressor it the same length as my pack, a lot lighter that the standard factory rem 700 tactical bull barrel, doesn’t rust as its stainless steel, custom barrel easy to clean, super slick bolt for rapid firing, Tikka triggers adjust easily and spare magazines for different ammo. A lot of bonuses really.
All it needs now is a carbon stock but all that’s going to do is make it lighter not run any better.

So your current set up will get you an honest 300m with supers and 200m with subs?
If you don't mind me asking, what velocity are you getting with the 125gr and 198gr?

Have you tried any factory ammo?

300m max long range and 200m is easy with my rig using 125gr. 280m with the 168gr CF Lehigh subs. A few months ago a mate and I shot 4 stags with 5 shots one was double tapped 2 inch’s apart, at 180m and 270m with a 28 degree up hill free standing. Mate was using 194gr ME Lehigh’s in his blackout, 2 deer dropped on the spot the other 2 ran 60m max. Once you get used too it and shoot a few deer it’s just second nature. Using subs is under rated and the Lehigh,s subs bring it to a new level.
The subs aren’t for the novice hunter or someone half arsed into, I put it in the same league as long range hunting and everything has to be prefect, ammo, temp, angle, wind or your wounding and loosing animals.

those last two lines sum it up completely....

Originally Posted by tikka

300m max long range and 200m is easy with my rig using 125gr. 280m with the 168gr CF Lehigh subs. A few months ago a mate and I shot 4 stags with 5 shots one was double tapped 2 inch’s apart, at 180m and 270m with a 28 degree up hill free standing. Mate was using 194gr ME Lehigh’s in his blackout, 2 deer dropped on the spot the other 2 ran 60m max. Once you get used too it and shoot a few deer it’s just second nature. Using subs is under rated and the Lehigh,s subs bring it to a new level.
The subs aren’t for the novice hunter or someone half arsed into, I put it in the same league as long range hunting and everything has to be prefect, ammo, temp, angle, wind or your wounding and loosing animals.

Sweet, I only shoot subsonics in my 22s thess day and hate using supers.
I imagine since your so used to the subs and have such a nice short rifle setup, it'd be hard to go back to a "standard" hunting rifle for bush hunting.

Since having a vizsla I’ve got back into bush stalking and a big loud rifle isn’t needed in my situation. Where I hunt there’s lots of goats and the odd pig so I get stuck into them whenever we run into them. It’s nice to shoot the hell out of the pests without disturbing the deer in the area. Before with the other rifles it was shoot the deer first and then shoot the goats on the walk out.

Tikka, -great advice here thx. Are there any suitable subsonic projectiles for a 1 in 10 308? I have some of the 151g Cast projectiles that shoot well but may not be that great for body shots on deer unless you are a good tracker or have a dog.

Lehigh's need a 1:8 to stabilise. The 151 casts are it for a 1:10. You could try the 90gr xtp projectile. It is suppose to give a bit of expansion at sub velocities. Gunworks sell them. Probably won't work any better than the 151 casts though.

Originally Posted by rossm-96

Tikka, -great advice here thx. Are there any suitable subsonic projectiles for a 1 in 10 308? I have some of the 151g Cast projectiles that shoot well but may not be that great for body shots on deer unless you are a good tracker or have a dog.

I never tried subs in a 308 and with a 1:10 twist the 151gr HP casts would be the best. I’ve shot a couple of deer with them double lung shots and work good. The main thing I like about the Lehigh’s 168gr CF over the 151gr cast is the 168gr CF does more internal damage and more forgiving on shot placement if it’s a little off.
I wouldn’t shoot deer father than 80m with the 151gr casts.