Bolt gun suppressor host: 300blk vs 308

Gear Head

Gear Head

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My omega should be approved any day now and I build a 300blk SBR to play with but want to do a bolt gun for giggly quiet subs. Now the answer to this question may seem obvious but I came across a post on Facebook saying a 300 blk bolt is pointless because with a 308 you can load down for quiet subs and can load hot for superior supers compared to the 300 blk and I realized he seemed to be right. I don't hunt and only have 500 yds to shoot. If you were in my shoes, which way would you go?
 
I have 300blk and no 308, but that’s just because I tripped on one. The right answer in my mind is 308 unless you are building an AR.
 
I have a long range 223 Wylde ar build as well as a 6.5 creedmoor bolt gun.

The other big difference between 308 subs and 300blk subs is powder options due to case capacity. Seems like trail boss is the powder for 308 subs and 1680 is the 300blk sub powder from what I've read.
 
If you reload, they're both gonna work. But, subsonic .308 rounds are harder to find than subsonic .300 BLK.
If you're only shooting subs. the 300 will probably be cheaper.
Of course, if you ever get the desire, the 308 can reach out a might farther.
Yeah, I'm really no help here...
 
I do reload and they use the same bullets so cost is really a moot point.

Whichever way I go it's going to be a shorty, like 16". For 300blk I'm looking at the Ruger ranch, 308 I have no idea.
 
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The way I see it is, if you don't already have a 308 then this is a good reason to get one. Whereas, if you DO have a 308 and you reload you already have what you need to load subs. So, in conclusion, go with the 308.
 
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I was thinkin that 300bo usually has 7 twist rifling and 308 usually has 10-12 twist rifling. Heavy pills are the norm for subsonic.......not that its a big deal but you might be limited to 180 grain pills with the 308.
 
A subsonic .308 and a subsonic .300 are going to be the same thing at the same speed with the same bullet......

I prefer putting a can on a short barrel and that's where the .300blk shines
 
BowWow said:
I was thinkin that 300bo usually has 7 twist rifling and 308 usually has 10-12 twist rifling. Heavy pills are the norm for subsonic.......not that its a big deal but you might be limited to 180 grain pills with the 308.
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Forgot about twists.. I was planning to load lighter subs for cheap plinkers. Talked to a guy on FB running 150gr seconds in a 300blk ar and was getting them for like 12 cents shipped so that would be fantastic.
 
Is it hard to load 308 subsonic and maintain accuracy because of the extra case volume? So much space that the powder could be toward the back of one round, and the front of the next due to recoil or whatever?

I have a 308 bolt, but if I was starting over and doing a short(er) range rifle mostly for subs, I would research the twist rate issue and focus on that, especially if it's not going to pull double duty as a 1000 yard or hunting rifle. I only hand load for the 308, so ammo costs/availability aren't really my concern especially with the lower volume of 308 I go through and you can make your own 300BLK brass out of 556.

Hmm... a 308 can pull double/triple duty as a long range/hunter/can host, the 300BLK is more of the can host. If you don't want the possibility of the other functions, I vote 300. It was designed for subsonic so it's gotta be better than a rehash setup from 1952....?

Wow, I'm also no help here.

No wait, they make a Ruger Ranch in 300 that uses AR mags. I like that for some unknown reason. Maybe it's the $80 I had to pay back in the day for those AICS mags for my 308 chassis.
 
Jayne said:
Is it hard to load 308 subsonic and maintain accuracy because of the extra case volume? So much space that the powder could be toward the back of one round, and the front of the next due to recoil or whatever?

I have a 308 bolt, but if I was starting over and doing a short(er) range rifle mostly for subs, I would research the twist rate issue and focus on that, especially if it's not going to pull double duty as a 1000 yard or hunting rifle. I only hand load for the 308, so ammo costs/availability aren't really my concern especially with the lower volume of 308 I go through and you can make your own 300BLK brass out of 556.

Hmm... a 308 can pull double/triple duty as a long range/hunter/can host, the 300BLK is more of the can host. If you don't want the possibility of the other functions, I vote 300. It was designed for subsonic so it's gotta be better than a rehash setup from 1952....?

Wow, I'm also no help here.

No wait, they make a Ruger Ranch in 300 that uses AR mags. I like that for some unknown reason. Maybe it's the $80 I had to pay back in the day for those AICS mags for my 308 chassis.
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That's the point of using trail boss for 308 subs. It's a very large powder so it takes up a lot of room in the case. I have also seen people use other powders and some kind of cotton stuffed down the neck to keep the charge against the primer.

I think I'm leaning towards the 300 blk right now just for simplicity. I have a bergara hmr in 6.5 creedmoor for any super long range shooting and I think a super 300blk should reach to the 500yds I regularly shoot if I really want to. Twist rate of he 300blk will allow a wider range of bullets as well.

Just thinking out loud here.
 
Gear Head said:
That's the point of using trail boss for 308 subs. It's a very large powder so it takes up a lot of room in the case. I have also seen people use other powders and some kind of cotton stuffed down the neck to keep the charge against the primer.

I think I'm leaning towards the 300 blk right now just for simplicity. I have a bergara hmr in 6.5 creedmoor for any super long range shooting and I think a super 300blk should reach to the 500yds I regularly shoot if I really want to. Twist rate of he 300blk will allow a wider range of bullets as well.

Just thinking out loud here.
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If your looking to 500, just stick with the 65 for that, and get the 300blk for quiet fun.
 
The .300BO does a good running big heavy bullet at subsonic velocities because it was actually part of AAC’s design thoughts. Running the .308Win at subsonic velocities was not part of the original design thoughts and doing so takes n some issues like case volume along with a possible primer change or flash hole enlargement (some have had better results with magnum primers).

If you are really going to run subsonic most of the time I like the Ruger Ranch in .300BO. You have a nice compact light rifle that with handling that isn’t thrown off to much by adding a can. I got to play with a Ruger Ranch in .300BO and topped it with an Optimus. It was shits and giggles fun to shot with 220gr junk on paper but when we went to 208gr AMAX handloads and to ferals it took care of business at 100 yards easy ... 125 yards okay ... 150 yards pushing it but we were doing pig patrol so we went for it.
 
NCFubar said:
The .300BO does a good running big heavy bullet at subsonic velocities because it was actually part of AAC’s design thoughts. Running the .308Win at subsonic velocities was not part of the original design thoughts and doing so takes n some issues like case volume along with a possible primer change or flash hole enlargement (some have had better results with magnum primers).

If you are really going to run subsonic most of the time I like the Ruger Ranch in .300BO. You have a nice compact light rifle that with handling that isn’t thrown off to much by adding a can. I got to play with a Ruger Ranch in .300BO and topped it with an Optimus. It was shits and giggles fun to shot with 220gr junk on paper but when we went to 208gr AMAX handloads and to ferals it took care of business at 100 yards easy ... 125 yards okay ... 150 yards pushing it but we were doing pig patrol so we went for it.
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What scope are you running on it? I’m needing one for my 700 300blk
 
MadMardigan said:
What scope are you running on it? I’m needing one for my 700 300blk
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The owner had 2 he wanted to try ... a Burris 2-7 and a Vortex 3-9. Both worked okay but for the distances and hogicide purpose I topped with a Primary Arms 1-6 from my stash. We were mainly 100 yards or less and I never went above 3 maybe 4X. He wound up tiny little Vortex 1-4 w/ illuminated reticle. The subsonic .300BO and that pig purposed rifle didn’t need anything higher because of shorter distances, picking up the target quickly and being that many shots would be offhand doesn’t “show” lack of a stable hold on the target like higher mag settings.
 
Gear Head said:
Forgot about twists.. I was planning to load lighter subs for cheap plinkers. Talked to a guy on FB running 150gr seconds in a 300blk ar and was getting them for like 12 cents shipped so that would be fantastic.
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That’s exactly what I do. 147gr fmj’s for 10-12c over 15g Lil Gun in my 8.5” AR pistol.
 
NCFubar said:
The owner had 2 he wanted to try ... a Burris 2-7 and a Vortex 3-9. Both worked okay but for the distances and hogicide purpose I topped with a Primary Arms 1-6 from my stash. We were mainly 100 yards or less and I never went above 3 maybe 4X. He wound up tiny little Vortex 1-4 w/ illuminated reticle. The subsonic .300BO and that pig purposed rifle didn’t need anything higher because of shorter distances, picking up the target quickly and being that many shots would be offhand doesn’t “show” lack of a stable hold on the target like higher mag settings.
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I’m looking mainly at the PA 1-6X 300blk
 
Once the BO is removed from the box fed magazine platform it pales in comparison to even a 38 spec-.357 mag cartridge. We have reems of data here to prove this. When looked at from strictly a ballistic data end, it MUST be married to the magazine fed platform. We ran .357s, obviously larger bore ,in bullet weights from 100 to 200 grains, as fast and as slow as any BO. BOs are fun, we have several, but they are not even close to what you can do with a .308. Slow or fast. Buy what you want, it's your money, you earned it. Just remember when the BO is removed from the AR platform, it is considerably less impressive. A bolt gun in BO would be a fine toy, just not to be compared to a .308 for versatility.
 
Gear Head said:
What speed does that put you at? I also have an 8.3" ar that I'm gonna load for
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I don't have a chrono yet but it should be right about 1750-1800fps. I do know that I was shooting clover leaf groups at 25yd with a red dot and was pinging my 10" steel plate at 200yd with relative ease with a red dot, so I'm set on this load. Correction, mine is an 8" BA barrel.
 
Jerzsubbie said:
I don't have a chrono yet but it should be right about 1750-1800fps. I do know that I was shooting clover leaf groups at 25yd with a red dot and was pinging my 10" steel plate at 200yd with relative ease with a red dot, so I'm set on this load. Correction, mine is an 8" BA barrel.
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Gotcha, I was thinking that would be well above super. I plan to load 147-150's as subs with 1680.
 
Gear Head said:
Gotcha, I was thinking that would be well above super. I plan to load 147-150's as subs with 1680.
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Gotcha, sorry I missed that. From what I read, 150gr subs are a little tricky, but I didn’t do much research on it. I figured I’ll grab some 200gr+ blems to load up subs. The 10-12c 147’s make for some very reasonably priced plinking ammo.
 
BowWow said:
With 308, what bullet choices do you have?
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A lot.

I load and shoot Subsonic .308 for my bolt gun

I can shoot 150gr through 208gr (highest I’ve gone) but you’ve got to make sure they stabilize.

I use Trail Boss exclusively but you can use Clays and Titewad.


My opinion is that if you’re going for a bolt gun, get the .308
 
What twist rate are you guys using for subs in a .308? I've had several 10-twist custom bolt actions in .308 but never got around to shooting any subs through them. Factory loaded ammo was tough to find. Subs didn't seem like an easy option for loading for them when I was researching. Case capacity of the larger brass was always a complaint as far as consistency.

My .300BLK is an 8-twist and about all I shoot through it is factory loaded subs. :) Easy-peasy!

CHRIS

EDIT:
My .300 rifle.
vWQi9MP.jpg
 
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BatteryOaksBilly said:
Once the BO is removed from the box fed magazine platform it pales in comparison to even a 38 spec-.357 mag cartridge. We have reems of data here to prove this. When looked at from strictly a ballistic data end, it MUST be married to the magazine fed platform. We ran .357s, obviously larger bore ,in bullet weights from 100 to 200 grains, as fast and as slow as any BO. BOs are fun, we have several, but they are not even close to what you can do with a .308. Slow or fast. Buy what you want, it's your money, you earned it. Just remember when the BO is removed from the AR platform, it is considerably less impressive. A bolt gun in BO would be a fine toy, just not to be compared to a .308 for versatility.
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I came to realize.
 
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