Question for a future project

ChestnutLouie

Active Member
There may be a 300 blackout in my future. I have seen many videos showing how to make 300 blackout cases from 223/5.56 brass. Is that true? Lee also has a 230 grain bullet that I can cast. Making all aspects of my ammunition seems like an interesting (as Spock would say "Fascinating").

I do not see any (published) loads for cast bullets for 300 blackout where can I find them?

Where can I learn about barrel twist rates for the different projectiles?

Thanks
Francis
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
just get a 1-7 twist barrel and you can shoot anything at any speed.
if you have a bolt gun you can use slightly altered 32-20/30 carbine data, modify jacketed data, or just make it up like the rest of us.

and yeah,, the 300 is just chopped down 223 brass.
if you have a tight throated/chambered rifle like I have you have to carefully monitor your bullet/jacket total thickness.
LC brass cut down works fine with 308 bullets, it won't chamber 310 diameter bullets, and releasing 309's is on the iffy side of things.
in the wifes Ruger I could probably use 8mm bullets, and wrap some tape around the case necks.
it still shoots pretty good though.
 

popper

Well-Known Member
Easy to make them, I get so many range pickup now, haven't chopped many lately. HF chop saw and a holder, trimmer needed. Umc 220 work good, that Lee mould is not good. You can push 150 to 2000 no problem so subs don't make sense unless you get a can. Cheap and fun. Just cleaned 300 or so cases tonite, IIRC, 10$/100. My carbine is 1:10, tight neck si turn them. Pistol is 1:8. 1:10 does fine with everything.
 
Last edited:

Ian

Notorious member
Lee 230 bullets need to be powder coated twice to make .300x .310, basically no good even though I lapped one of mine and it's all I use. Still looking for a better mould but nobody makes one yet that's just right.

Just buy brass, a lifetime supply is cheaper than the time and tools to make it. Many places sell converted military brass (Monmouth, Brownells, Midwayusa etc.) that's ready to load.

Published data is eveywhere, Nosler and AAC have websites with data.

Oh yeah, definitely 7 twist.
 

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
I have pondered a 30 caliber gas gun from time to time. Most of the motivation boils down to just torquing off the hoplophobes that infest this area (both home-grown and imported), and few things do that like an AR or AK platform. That might need to wait until after Jan. 1, given the disposable-income outlays for war toys made recently. SWMBO is like a sleeping dragon--most of the time I can tiptoe past her, but let me awaken her and trip her THRIFT lever.......Katy bar the door.

An AR-10 or M1A in 308 is my target. "Need" has little to do with it. That description fits about 95% of the contents within my safe, though. NOT CHEAP. And not cheap to run, either. Gotta really think this through.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I don't think you can even have any of that until you move to the United States of America. 10 round limits, non-removable magazines, and stooooopid "featureless" stock thingies make it pointless, unless something has changed recently. I don't even know if an M1A can be made legal in the PRK, maybe a transferrable select fire version could be if ya gots 30 Large kicking about.

For me it's a toss-up between the M1A and LR-308. The latter is a handy, somewhat light, accurate, compact, reliable, soul-less killing machine that is easy to customize for any purpose and is engineered from scratch to mount any sort of sighting system you could dream up. But the former just feels GOOD to hold and shoot, and can be a fine shooter with somewhat reduced cast bullet loads...again for when you move east of "Eden". If you need a scope, I have tried all available mounting systems and the only one worth the price of postage is the Canadian CASM mount.
 

Ian

Notorious member
Mine weighs 9lbs 7 oz with an empty magazine and 4-12x50 optic/mount. They don't have to be tanks.
 

Paul Gauthier

Active Member
Like many I have a 300 BO, and I have an opinion about it. A solution in search of a problem. It is more work than I care to do to make brass and buying brass is against my greater sensibilities when I can pick up more brass in many calibers than I will ever use at my club range, but I have yet to find any BO brass there. Maybe it is just me but I think my 7.62X39 is all that is needed in a 30 call in that cartridge size range. Also perhaps I just need enlightenment.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
Paul your probably not missing anything.

the 300 is just in a small trim package with a faster twist rate.
it skips the feeding issues of the X39 in an AR platform, uses magazines that are everywhere etc.
it is a capable efficient little round but has it's limits just like when you compare the X39 against the 30-30. [or the 308 to the 30-06]
as long as your staying in the 130gr and under world, then you can kick the velocity/trajectory can around and debate the nearly close-nuffs out to 150yds or so all day long.
it's when you get up to throwing 170+ grain stuff that the lines really start diverging.
the 300 allows you to slow things down and keep them stabilized because of the fast twist barrels, and it has a tiny boiler room so you can use slow enough powders to keep the platform click clacking along, especially with some back pressure that the silencer provides.
it however won't toss them out at 2300 fps,,, the 30-30 will, the X39 would really be stretching it's limits to even get close.
 

popper

Well-Known Member
My lr308 is DPMS before Bushy got involved. Criterion barrels, fluted 24" bull and HBAR carbine.
300BO - 150gr @ 2100 fps is not a solution looking for a problem! 185 @ 1800 is fine for hunting too. Last wk at the range - lots sighting in for deer season, BO shooters on both sides and LOTs of brass on the ground. Used to be 3006, 270 and x39. Mostly 308, 30/30 and BO now. Does have it's limits but is very capable. Fast twist is not required but common. Several are making slow twist for it. I shoot the 220 subs in 1:10 carbine, works fine. Rem has a hog (& deer) 120 TSX for it now. You do have to watch the 223 stuff, so many over gassed/bad HS guns you see ejector dimples and even bent rims and swipes. New brass is ~30$/100.
 

Ian

Notorious member
I picked up about 500 once-fired IMI .556 thinking I hit the jackpot. Got it home and cleaned up, wouldn't go in a shell holder because every rim was set back where the extractor grabbed it too soon. Garbage unless I want to file every rim.

My LR-308 was built to be light. Polymer lower, MFT buttstock, light Midwest hand guard, light gas block and lightweight SS 18" barrel with titanium muzzle brake. The only weight compromise was the scope mount, I got a quality one-piece with integral rings that weighs six ounces but is forged and locks down tight. Scope only weighs a pound.

I have three 300 BLK ARs and like them all, only shoot subs and only shoot suppressed, delivers .45 ACP muzzle energy at 100 yards and will shoot through a phone pole, 30 rounds on tap, quiet, light, only disadvantage is finding effective projectiles (no expansion) for varmints. Really fun range toy though, and smacks steel hard out to 200 yards.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
I think the TCU just come along a bit too early, kind of the same as the 6X45 did.
both are great little rounds they just didn't get any love, except from a few silhouette-target type guys here and there.
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
If the x39 were straightened a little , like Ackley'd , and just used 6.8 mags it would be a much better cartridge in an AR . Standard twist in the Russo barrels is like 1-9.5 or something like that . I've shot paper patched 200 gr cast spitzers taking a 50 yd "maybe you will , maybe ya won't be able to hit the broad of a gallon antifreeze jug " rifle down to a pretty consistent 100 yd 3×5 shooter at about 1600 fps . I'm pretty sure another 30 gr of bullet would stablize fine in that and be worked down into a sub without a lot of fuss .
 

wquiles

Well-Known Member
About mid-year, I also recently started playing with the 300BLK:
link to my thread

I have been going to the range with my daughter and she likes the 300BLK with subsonics (165gr and 180gr cast). I was at the range just 2 weeks ago fine-tuning the gas-adjustable block, and of course had my suppressor on the pistol - it was quiet enough that I got a couple of folks coming over my shooting table wanting to know more about that "quiet" rifle I was shooting :)