Thread: 300BLK on AR Platform for Bush Hunting

I've been wanting a AR for a long long time (pretty much forever) but have never been able too justify it given I already have a .223 which is very accurate and goes everywhere with me. There's no point in owning 2 .223's and selling it isn't an option.

I see NZAR15 (Digit) have a nice wee AR platform in 300BLK. I don't know much about the calibre other than is probably slightly better ballistically than the 7.62x39 (arguable?) and factory ammo can be bought subsonic or supersonic.

Anyone using a 300BLK AR as a bush gun? Pro's vs. con's? I imagine it would be a pretty lethal calibre within 150m on deer, goats, pigs in the bush/fringe country etc? What about wallabies hares and rabbits? How accurate is this calibre for a 150-250m varmint shot?

At the moment I don't have a rifle in between my 223 and 280 for bush type hunting, as I have sold one 308 and given the other to my sister. And another rifle we are looking at buying Dad has already claimed as his own even though its left hand...so I won't get to use it either!

Interested to hear some input guys.

Thanks in advance. Josh.

Hi Josh,
There's some really good stuff on you-tube showing a 300 blk AR fired and suppressed with heavy caliber pills hand loaded to be subsonic. Looks certainly the business as they say for shorter ranges you could hear the rounds smacking the dirt in the berm and that clack of the action and that was it. They had I think a .223 version and just swapped out the barrel in the upper and that was it... I think it was the Daniel Defence upper version they were playing with.

They were pitching it as the "best of both worlds" ie. hitting power of 7.62x39 with less recoil and being able to stay on target watching the fall of shot that the faster, smaller .223 round wouldn't be as capable of and rely upon the frangible nature of the bullets to take the animal down and less wind effect. I'd be interested to look at the ballistic comparisons actually as to effective ranges in practical terms.

I understand getting the brass and factory rounds can be a issue so would pay to look into that I guess as well as the uppers can be quite pricy from what i understand from my LGS.

look at these two... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ALp8-d3dQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_D9neCL2c8

Hope that helps and I'll be interested in your feedback as I've got a plan for one of these in the background...a long long way in the back ground.

Thanks mate

I'm in the process of building one out of sheer boredom really. It will basically be like a x39 except a little friendlier to hand load. 125gr Speer TNT will probably be my projectile of choice. Varmint projectiles do well on deer at AAC velocities. Mate has shot a couple reds with 110gr V max.

ar15s arnt exactly the best bush rifles around
they are pokey and tall from the bottom of the pistol grip to the top of the scope which is a pain when you are climbing thru thick stuff
everything about them ballistically would be fine for bush shooting and very similar to 30-30 or 7.62x39 which are low recoil and fine at dropping animals
I want one too by the way,

Originally Posted by Beavis

I'm in the process of building one out of sheer boredom really. It will basically be like a x39 except a little friendlier to hand load. 125gr Speer TNT will probably be my projectile of choice. Varmint projectiles do well on deer at AAC velocities. Mate has shot a couple reds with 110gr V max.

How was his shot placement, and results (other than obviously dead)? I've been watching a lot of stuff on youtube from the US and there seems to be quite a few animals dead on their feet but running to cover. This suggests to me that that it isn't as forgiving as say a standard NZ hunting calibre like 308/7mm08/270 etc. I would most likely be neck shooting everything within 100m, but if that option is out, is it capable of a killing shot thru the shoulder on a red?

it is a smaller caliber so behind the shoulder and neck is preferable

I have a 6.8SPC that im using as a bush gun. I had the barrel profile taken down and a carbon handguard fitted, its just over 6lbs with scope.

Running 110vmax at the moment which kills ok on deer. Thinking about 85ttsx so im a bit more comfortable planting a shot in the centre of a big shoulder.

I like it

Originally Posted by Bill999

it is a smaller caliber so behind the shoulder and neck is preferable

Yep I realise that. I shoot 90% of my deer with the .223 at the moment.

Ok then, so what will a 300blk do in a hunting situation that a .223 doesn't though? Anything better?

Originally Posted by PerazziSC3

I have a 6.8SPC that im using as a bush gun. I had the barrel profile taken down and a carbon handguard fitted, its just over 6lbs with scope.

Running 110vmax at the moment which kills ok on deer. Thinking about 85ttsx so im a bit more comfortable planting a shot in the centre of a big shoulder.

I like it

So it's a slightly bigger projectile, but still designed for longer range accuracy like the .223? Its more of a speciality calibre in the AR though isn't it?

Would the 300blk not be more appealing as a AR owner because all that's needed to go from 223 to 300blk is a barrel swap? Whereas the 6.8 would require different bolts and mags?

I like the idea of subsonic 300blk for goat and wallaby culling, which isn't possible with 223/6.8.

Originally Posted by JoshC

I've been wanting a AR for a long long time (pretty much forever) but have never been able too justify it given I already have a .223 which is very accurate and goes everywhere with me. There's no point in owning 2 .223's and selling it isn't an option.

Bollocks, who are you trying to convince?
Wouldn't mind a splat gun myself

@Spanners was bringing in brass at one stage.
I know getting the right recipe for subsonic with a suppressor has been an issue despite the Youtube vids making it look so easy hickok45 - YouTube

Originally Posted by sako75

Bollocks, who are you trying to convince?
Wouldn't mind a splat gun myself

@Spanners was bringing in brass at one stage.
I know getting the right recipe for subsonic with a suppressor has been an issue despite the Youtube vids making it look so easy hickok45 - YouTube

Lol. A man can never have enough toys right?

With regards to the v max my other mate used the same rifle and shot a red hind quartering away and it penetrated all the way into the chest taking out a lung I think he said

Originally Posted by JoshC

So it's a slightly bigger projectile, but still designed for longer range accuracy like the .223? Its more of a speciality calibre in the AR though isn't it?

Would the 300blk not be more appealing as a AR owner because all that's needed to go from 223 to 300blk is a barrel swap? Whereas the 6.8 would require different bolts and mags?

I like the idea of subsonic 300blk for goat and wallaby culling, which isn't possible with 223/6.8.

Yep with the 6.8 you need a different bolt and mags. I just have a 223 upper as well with a dedicated bolt, to be honest most people that I have seen with multiple uppers have a different bolt carrier for each one, it kust makes switching them out even more easy.

I can push a 110vmax to about 2650 in a 16" barrel while the black out pushes them at 2250ish I believe.

Sub sonic is a bit of novelty from my experience, I have killed a number of goats with subs in the 308 and its pretty average in terms of killing ability.

Originally Posted by PerazziSC3

I have a 6.8SPC that im using as a bush gun. I had the barrel profile taken down and a carbon handguard fitted, its just over 6lbs with scope.

Thats impressive, often when people talk about a 'lightweight' AR it turns out its still 8lbs!