Home › Browse Calibers › .300 AAC Blackout
Also known as: 300 Blackout, 300 BLK
Common uses: Tactical, Hunting, Self-Defense
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 125gr Remington Premier Match Sierra MatchKing OTM |
| Muzzle velocity | 2215 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 1362 ft-lb |
| Published G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.33 |
| Case length | 34.75 mm |
| Overall length | 57.4 mm |
| SAAMI max pressure | 55000 PSI |
| Common twist rate | 1:8" |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2215 | 1362 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 1973 | 1080 | 0 |
| 200 | 1748 | 848 | -7.5 |
| 300 | 1544 | 661 | -26.4 |
| 400 | 1364 | 516 | -60 |
| 500 | 1214 | 409 | -112.3 |
At 1,000 yards, .300 AAC Blackout (125gr at 2215 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 78.8 MOA / 22.9 MIL, retaining 868 fps (subsonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 1544 | Supersonic | -26.4 | 8.4 | 2.44 |
| 400 | 1364 | Supersonic | -60.0 | 14.3 | 4.17 |
| 500 | 1214 | Transonic | -112.3 | 21.4 | 6.24 |
| 600 | 1100 | Subsonic | -188.3 | 30.0 | 8.72 |
| 700 | 1019 | Subsonic | -293.0 | 40.0 | 11.63 |
| 800 | 959 | Subsonic | -431.1 | 51.5 | 14.97 |
| 900 | 910 | Subsonic | -606.9 | 64.4 | 18.73 |
| 1000 | 868 | Subsonic | -825.1 | 78.8 | 22.92 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
A retained-energy reference only — not a shoot/don't-shoot distance. Real effective range depends on your accuracy, shot placement, bullet construction, and conditions. The ~1,000 ft-lb (deer-sized) and ~1,500 ft-lb (elk-sized) figures are commonly cited rules of thumb, not standards.
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The .300 Blackout is best known for its versatility on the AR-15 platform, particularly its ability to switch between supersonic loads for hunting and defense and heavy subsonic loads that pair with a suppressor for very quiet shooting. It performs well out of short barrels where 5.56mm loses efficiency, making it popular in compact and SBR builds for home defense, hog and deer hunting at moderate range, and tactical use. Its main limitation is trajectory and retained energy at distance; it is a short-to-medium-range cartridge that drops off well before the ranges where cartridges like 5.56 or 6.5mm stay effective. Shooters also have to stay mindful of the dramatic velocity gap between subsonic and supersonic loads, and of the well-documented danger of accidentally chambering .300 BLK in a 5.56 rifle, which SAAMI designates as unsafe and which can destroy the rifle. Within its intended envelope, though, it is a hard-hitting, quiet, and highly adaptable cartridge that requires only a barrel swap on an existing AR.
The .300 AAC Blackout was developed by Advanced Armament Corporation, with development beginning in 2009 and most work done in 2010, under AAC R&D director Robert Silvers and in cooperation with Remington Defense. It was approved by SAAMI on January 17, 2011. It was inspired by J.D. Jones's earlier .300 Whisper wildcat, and although its parent case is the .221 Remington Fireball, cases are commonly formed from 5.56x45mm/.223 brass necked up to accept .30-caliber bullets, allowing it to run in an AR-15 with only a barrel change while using the standard bolt and standard magazines. It was designed to give the AR/M4 platform meaningful .30-caliber performance from short barrels while feeding reliably and functioning well suppressed. In May 2022, U.S. Special Operations Command selected the SIG MCX Rattler in .300 Blackout as a personal defense weapon, and the round has become a mainstream commercial cartridge.
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