I'm not a fan boy. I actually run from fads and the latest trends. There are parts of modern Americana that I intentionally avoid simply because they are mainstream. I avoid hype and prefer instead to come to decisions on my own, weighing the experiences and opinions of others as influential to mine, but not dictatorial. However, there are times when the personal decisions I reach after careful consideration, intersect with trends and conventional wisdom. That doesn't mean I'm following the trend, it simply means the decision I made was a decision many others made, but I could have arrived there for different reasons. As one example, I made the decision to purchase a solar panel system for my house. All the advertisements told me this was the "smart" decision to make to offset my carbon footprint etc. I don't care about all that, I made the decision for financial and lifestyle reasons; to save money over time, and to ensure I have power when the local distribution system fails. Yes, my house is powered by solar, but for none of the reasons many others are making that same decision for.
In a similar way, I intentionally avoided owning the most popular pistol brand of modern times, simply because everyone said I should buy one. I'm looking at you, Glock. While I am the type of person who makes decisions for himself based on careful research and gathering of facts, and those facts supported the reason for Glock's popularity, it was the fanboys like a friend who told me "there's no reason to buy anything but a Glock," that made me not want to be "one of them." So, I told myself, I would never own a Glock so I wouldn't be confused as one of those people who simply follows the trend. I didn't want people I respected to confuse me with fanboys like my "Glocks-only" friend. Fast forward and now I do own a Glock, but I made that purchase for my own reasons, to fit my personal needs and to satisfy my curiosity, rather than based on widespread hype. In fact, one of the reasons I made that purchase, was because I live in California, and my preferred choices are no longer available. So, now I'm one of the millions of people who have made that same decision, but it wasn't for the hype factor. In fact, my Glock spends most of it's days in it's safe.
Enter the .300 AAC or .300 Blackout. Along comes this cartridge and the blogs and YouTube channels ignited with two camps; one declaring this the next-best thing in the evolution of the black rifle, while the other side was busy calling this new cartridge the latest "fad" that has no practical use and will soon die out. That later story resonated with the non-conformist side of me, and I didn't take notice. At the same time, there have been a growing number of blogs and YouTube channels among some of the most respected names in the firearms community, who are genuinely excited about the .300 AAC, and promptly demonstrate the factual merits of the cartridge and related platforms with videos, gel tests, ammo reviews, hunting stories etc. Naturally, those voices captured my interest, but the growing popularity and some of the outlandish claims by YouTubers about the 300 Blackout, also set off the "fan boy" alarms in my head.
I've been long debating my next rifle purchase, and I'm in the market for a larger caliber rifle round that can help me bridge the gap between target shooting and home defense, into the world of hunting. I'm an AR guy through and through, but I'm intrigued by the 7.62x39 AK-47 round. I'm not a hunter, but would like to get into that at some point. The AR10 platform is very interesting to me, but also very expensive, time is short in CA, and buying yet another platform like an AR 10 means also stocking up on more expensive ammo, magazines, and the related accessories that go with that. So what does a guy like me do? I research.
Again, I hate fads...but those I truly respect as authorities in this industry, like Hickok45, IV8888, Military Arms Channel (MAC), and others, are showing the real and practical value of this new design. That includes effective velocity and penetration for personal defense, the economy of a common platform and interchangeable parts with ARs (except the barrel), and the effectiveness at both hog and deer hunting. Others, including Nutnfancy, are publishing videos basically berating the .300 Blackout, saying it falls within a niche category that doesn't really compare with it's two closest relatives; the 5.56 and the .308. In his recent commentary on the round, Nutn basically categorized adopters of the 300 AAC as ignorant, gaming junkies who don't understand or operate in reality. Well, I don't want to be one of them. Nutn further explained that he couldn't effectively reach out at long distances in the field (with wind), as he could easily do with the .308 round, thus questioning, "why bother?" In fact just this morning I read an article on a mainstream gun site (and one I generally respect) that outright stated the 300 Blackout is already a failure and doomed to disappear soon. They claimed it isn't good enough for personal defense or hunting because it's too slow, and it's too expensive for plinking, so it's basically of no use. Ironically, the blog stated the .300 Blackout or .300 AAC isn't effective in the personal defense mission, because it's ballistics are more like a "pistol caliber." Clearly, the author of that article doesn't know what they are talking about. My initial response to that read was, "really, and how many case studies do we have to base that opinion from? How many times was a home intruder shot with a .300 AAC bullet, and walked away to live another day? Why has the AK-47 platform which has basically the same ballistics as the 300 Blackout been the mainstay for half of the globe for so long? How many deer hunts has this author been on where the deer simply shook off that .300 AAC shot to it's neck? How is a velocity of nearly 2000 feet per second by a .30 caliber bullet any less effective than a .45 ACP which travels at subsonic speeds?" You see my challenge? There's spectrum is covered from legitimate interest, to skepticism, to outlandish claims. What's a gun buyer to do? Well...consider my personal requirements.
Rather than jump into the battle about why this or why not that, I'm simply going to share what makes sense for me personally. My story, and why I'm interested in, and actively building my .300 AAC platform.
Here's where it started for me. I'm not a hunter...yet. I'm gearing up for that, but haven't arrived just yet. Even when I get there, I don't anticipate hunting so often that I'll need to maintain a highly-tuned and dedicated hunting rifle with all the accessories that go with that. Those of you who have purchased firearms know what I mean. I could go buy a Ruger American in .308 for under $400. In addition to the rifle, I'll need safe space, slings, cases, optics, cleaning materials, magazines etc. Maybe that's the right decision for many people. I want to make my purchasing decisions with the future in mind, and I inform my mindset from actual fact, so I've chatted with people who have actually done what I hope to do. So, what are my actual needs for entering the hunting world? I've learned from actual hunters, that they most often take their game (birds, deer, elk, hogs) from within 100 yards. In fact one hunter recently told me that he recently took a deer at about 10 yards, and has never taken a shot in his life beyond 100 yards (in the field). Another hunter told me he took a deer recently at about 200 yards with a .30-06, but hesitated to take the shot because of the distance; he too prefers closer to 100 yards. I've also spent a lot of time in the wilderness where game are found, and the forests are dense with the exception of the occasional open prairie or valley, re-affirming the concept of moderate ranges for practical hunting. If you talk to hunters, they'll probably direct you to the .30-06 as an all-around round, although they will admit that the .308 is probably more than sufficient for most scenarios. In fact for north America hunting, the .308 will fit your needs almost all of the time (according to national hunting organizations and published guidelines for large game hunting). So, I learned that a 30 caliber round is sufficient, and I should plan to shoot around the 100 yard mark. That's what I "need." What about, what I have, and who I am?
So far, my collection consists of pistol caliber, shotgun, and small caliber rifle loads. That includes .44 magnum which can be a viable hunting round within the 100 yard mark (possibly further). Don't believe me? Read up on why the .44 magnum cartridge exists. I could use that .44 mag rifle for deer hunting, but I'd like to keep that rifle setup for target shooting and fun, and "hunting" rounds for the .44 mag come in at about $1.00 a piece. My current collection also means I'm already experienced in the lesser recoil world (aside from the 00 and slug shotgun experiences). If I need to send something huge downrange, I'll launch a 1 oz. slug, but each of those shots comes with a shock to my system. It's not exactly fun to become proficient with deer slugs. I'm also an AR owner. I love that platform for all the reasons you probably do as well, and I have more invested in that platform than any other. It's America's Rifle isn't it? I also live in Southern California where the biggest game I'm most likely to encounter would be deer, and potentially predators like mountain lions and black bears. I'm also cost conscious and can't buy a rifle for every possible scenario. The collector side of me does want to maintain a few firearm technologies just for the sake of having them, but I also need to limit my purchases.
Did I mention I also live in California? The political dictators of this state are arguably the most anti-second amendment that exist in the world. As of 2016, I'm looking at a looming set of anti-gun laws that are about to take effect, and if the political trend of this state continues, it's bound to get worse. The anti-gun laws here mean my platform and technology options are limited, and as of 2019, I may not be able to purchase ammunition any longer. That means every purchase matters, a lot, and every firearm comes in at or above suggested retail price. I have to consider the fact that it's difficult to purchase firearms, ammunition, and accessories, and it's become more and more difficult every year. Over the next year or so, I'll be reloading, possibly 100% of my ammunition. That means I'll need to consolidate materials and calibers as much as possible.
All that combined means the .308 bullet and a platform for it are on my list. That .308 round is a good all-around load. Don't believe me? Then why "scout rifle" concept? Anyway, what I don't need is a rifle that can reach out to 600 yards (or really even beyond 200 yards) with the same accuracy and energy as a traditional bolt action rifle chambered in .308. So again, something that mixes well with my experiences and resources, gets me access to the hunting world, but doesn't launch me into a more difficult circumstance given CA laws.
Enter the .300 AAC or .300 Blackout. Can I hunt with it? May say yes, but consider, if hunting with a .44 magnum is considered effective within 100 yards, and those bullet velocities are under 2000 FPS, then a .300 Blackout with the right bullet design within 100 yards at velocities close to or exceeding 2000 FPS should be more than sufficient. Is it economical? You bet. I can re-use one of my existing AR platforms with a quick upper swap, or a quick barrel replacement, so I can convert one of my existing rifles into an intermediate range hunting rifle. I don't need another platform. I can have a .300 upper at the ready for those rare hunting trips I do plan to take, or I can leave that .300 upper on for plinking and target shooting at my range. At around $0.50 per round for the 300 AAC via Freedom Munitions, I can have fun and not go broke. Sure, a Ruger American in .308 is under $500, but add a legitimate optic for that, and you are closer to $800, plus magazines, plus the reloading or ammo supplies that come with a unique platform and cartridge. With the .300 AAC, I can re-use an existing AR, or buy another AR that I can also re-use with the 5.56 if I want to. .300 AAC cartridges also fit into my existing AR mags, so no need to stock up on new magazines, and when I do buy a new mag, I can use it for either caliber for my ARs. Even better, since I'm planning to shoot within 100 yards, I don't need a magnified optic, but even if I choose to, a $200 Vortex beats the cost of a new rifle any day. Then there's the ammunition components. 5.56 and .300 AAC share the same primers, powder, and case...only difference is the bullet and the shape of the case. That creates flexibility again in my supplies and extends the potential uses of my investments. The only new component I need to buy is the .308 bullet. That's much cheaper than brass. What about personal/home defense? Are you kidding? If someone is comfortable going to war with an AK-47, or a Beretta 92 FS in 9mm, or a MP-5, then I'm comfortable defending my life and liberty with a .300 AAC. The ballistics have proven that viability. If the law enforcement community is comfortable with an M&P or Glock in 9mm or .40, aka pistol calibers, then I'm ok going bigger and faster with a .300 AAC. Will it penetrate type 4 body armor? No, but neither can the 5.56.
So, why a .300 AAC / Blackout for me? It just makes perfect sense financially and practically. For those who say you can't hunt with .300 AAC because of distance, I ask why pistol cartridge lever action rifles or revolvers for that matter have been used for so long with such success, and I ask why in the world the .44 magnum cartridge was created in the first place. I also ask, what on average is the distance of your shot in the field? For those who claim the .300 AAC isn't good enough for personal defense, I ask, then why do law enforcement officers carry pistols? Would you be willing to stand in front of a .44 magnum or even a .357 magnum round fired within 15 yards with follow-up shots coming more rapidly than you can crank out with your bolt action .30-06? I doubt it.
Let's be real. The .300 AAC is a great invention. It provides an economical and effective bridge between personal defense, sport shooting, and hunting, all on America's favorite platform and using most of that platform's same components. The one legitimate argument I have heard against the .300 Blackout is the availability and price of ammunition. I'll give you that. It's more expensive to shoot than 5.56 and harder to find sometimes than .22 LR. Let's hope that changes soon.
