I fully admit to being a 300 AAC Blackout fanboy. Ever since Kevin Brittingham handed me a suppressed 300BLK HK416, I was hooked. A heavy-hitting caliber in the same familiar standard AR-15 platform? Sign me up! So as soon as I got back home, I started trying to build the perfect AR-15 in the wonder caliber. And after much trial and error, I think I’ve got it figured out. Let me take you through my journey, with pictures and build notes from each step of the way . . .
My first foray into the world of 300 Blackout was a 16″ version. I didn’t have an SBR-ed lower receiver handy, so while I was figuring out how to get that done I bought a 16″ 300 BLK upper from AAC and started tinkering.
The first iteration came out as a lightweight, minimalist carbine with very few extras. I didn’t have a silencer yet and didn’t think the subsonic version of the round had much capability beyond 100 yards, so I designed it like your standard “gunfighter” rifle kit — lightweight as possible and with as few attachments as I could get away with. The only “tactical” accessory I added was a TLR-1 flashlight, as I figured it could pull double duty as my home-defense rifle.
- 16″ AAC 300 Blackout Upper
- DPMS lower receiver
- Magpul MOE adjustable stock on the buffer tube
- Primary Arms MD-02 Red Dot (Aimpoint knock-off)
- Magpul MOE rubber grip
- BAD-ASS Safety
- Streamlight TLR-1
The rifle ran fine, but the configuration didn’t make sense given the actual performance profile of the caliber. I was treating it like a handgun round when in reality the gun is comfortable even at medium range (200-300 yards). Also, after the Crimson Trace Midnight 3-Gun, I realized that the TLR-1 just wasn’t putting out enough light for a rifle light and replaced it with a Surefire P2X Fury.
I brought the Blackout rifle out to Texas for my first hunting trip in this configuration, but after seeing the reality of hunting in my future state of residence I wanted to make a few modifications before taking it back out into the field. I needed to get a little more distance out of the gun and thankfully a few quick tweaks turned it into a completely different rifle.
The second year, I was ready. The rifle was perfectly configured for hunting here in Texas and allowed me to take down a beautiful buck within minutes of hunting season opening. But as always, there were issues.
- 16″ AAC 300 BLK Upper
- AAC 762-SDN-6 silencer
- DPMS lower receiver
- Magpul MOE rifle length stock
- Millet DMS rifle scope
- Warne RAMP scope mount
- Magpul MOE rubber grip
- Surefire P2X Fury
- BAD-ASS Safety
- Folding bipod
Like I said, the rifle was perfectly set up for hunting, but that was before the paperwork for my silencer came back. The beauty of the 300 AAC Blackout round is that it’s so perfectly designed to run quiet in a suppressed rifle. So the very next purchase after my 16″ 300 BLK upper was a 762-SDN-6 silencer. The 16″ upper was good enough when I didn’t have a can, but when you add all that weight to the end of the gun it becomes remarkably front-heavy and long. It was no longer acceptable.
Still, while I was waiting for my silencer paperwork to come back, I kept telling myself that the 16″ version was good enough. But having tried it, the truth was that it didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Especially when the ammunition is designed to burn completely in 9″ of barrel, there’s no appreciable benefit to having those 7 extra inches. I needed an SBR.
I wanted to use an ATF Form 1 to make my SBR, meaning that I’d be the manufacturer and therefore would need the name of my trust and my location engraved into the side of the lower. I considered getting the DPMS lower engraved and even filled out a Form 1 to start the paperwork, but then I was given a Franklin Armory rifle to test out and fell in love with their lower-receiver design. I asked really nicely and they custom-machined one for me with my information on the side before sending it to be annodized, meaning that there wouldn’t be any shiny spots or other blemishes in the finished product. I sent off the Form 1 for the lower even before it arrived at my FFL. A few months later I had my stamp in hand.
As soon as the paperwork cleared, I sold the 16″ rifle and bought a 9″ AAC 300 BLK upper. I decided to go with a mixed flat dark earth (FDE)and black color scheme to match the dirt here in Texas. I also upgraded the glass on the rifle from the Millet scope to a Leupold Mark AR Mod 1 1.5-4x.
The Millet scope had served me well, but it didn’t have all the features I wanted. The reticle wasn’t quite as detailed as I’d like and the turrets left something to be desired. It was a great beginner scope, but I needed to move up. Leupold sent me the scope to review and after I was done there was no way it was going back. So I bought it from them and then bought a second one for my competition rifle. If that’s not a glowing recommendation I don’t know what is.
The final change was going back to a telescoping stock from the fixed rifle stock that I was using on the latest iteration of the 16″ gun. With a 16-inch rifle, the extra length didn’t really bother me. But now that I was able to make the rifle much more compact, I wanted every single inch I could scrape off the gun.
- 9″ AAC 300 BLK Upper
- AAC 762-SDN-6 silencer
- Franklin Armory lower receiver
- Magpul MOE telescoping stock
- Leupold Mark AR Mod 1 1.5-4x SPR scope
- Magpul MOE rubber grip
- Surefire P2X Fury
- BAD-ASS Safety
At that point the rifle was good, it still could have been better. And there were three final tweaks to be made to get it to that perfect configuration.
The first tweak was upgrading the flashlight on the rifle. I had been using a P2X Fury, but my guy at Surefire handed me a M600 Scout Light and a KM2 white/IR head for the flashlight that would let me take full advantage of the night vision monoculars that Optics Planet had lent me for a couple months. While the flashlight performed as well as the older version in terms of output, the ability to switch to IR, as well as the included tape switch, made it much more convenient and stealthy, something I really liked.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i90j-HcqfAI
Change number two was an internal adjustment. Now that the gun was much quieter, there was still the minor issue of the buffer spring making an awful racket in the stock. That needed to be eliminated, and thankfully JP Enterprises was on hand with a solution. Their silent captured buffer assembly completely eliminated the noise and made the rifle more enjoyable to shoot.
The final change was more cosmetic than functional. ODIN Works sent over a red XMR magazine release and it just looked badass on my gun. Needless to say, it was a keeper.
- 9″ AAC 300 BLK Upper
- AAC 762-SDN-6 silencer
- Franklin Armory lower receiver
- Magpul MOE telescoping stock
- Leupold Mark AR Mod 1 1.5-4x SPR scope
- Magpul MOE rubber grip
- M600 Scout Light
- KM2 White / IR head
- BAD-ASS Safety
- JP Enterprises Silent Captured Buffer Spring
- ODIN Works XMR magazine release
As far as I was concerned, the high-quality rifle was now perfect. Unfortunately, while the configuration was great, the parts kit didn’t stand up. The silencer was the first to go — the ratchet wore out on the 762-SDN-6, and while AAC happily replaced it (and re-cored my entire can), I didn’t want to have to deal with a “fast-attach” silencer again. The other thing that gave out was the barrel, since apparently stuffing tens of thousands of rounds of both subsonic and supersonic ammo down a metal tube has a tendency to wear it out pretty quickly. I needed a new silencer, and I needed a new upper with hand guard.
The silencer was the easy decision. Having been burned once already by fast-attach silencers, I wanted something direct thread this time. I reviewed the Liberty Mystic-X not too long ago, and it fit the bill exactly. A lightweight silencer that provided good sound suppression and sported interchangeable mounts? Sign me up! I ordered one, and when it arrived, it not only looked great but also made the gun feel a whole lot lighter.
The barrel was a little more challenging. I had gone with an AAC upper receiver last time simply because that was really the only quality thing available. But now the market was awash with .300 BLK uppers of all shapes and sizes, from Mil-Spec to competition quality, with your choice of gas blocks, Keymod and M-Lok attachment systems, and other options. I had my pick of the litter, and the Noveske 10″ .300 BLK upper receiver assembly with Keymod attachments spoke to me. I haven’t owned a Noveske product since I sold my first competition rifle in exchange for flight hours, and the rail on their upper receiver looked much slicker and cleaner than the AAC version. I had been mulling it over for a while, but when one showed up in my local gun store I was finally able to see it and touch it in person — and bought it on the spot.
One last modification was the bolt carrier group (bcg). The Noveske upper came stripped, so no internal parts. I added a BCM Gunfighter charging handle and the Cryptic Coatings bcg I tested a while back, and everything was right with the world once more.
I took the gun out to the range to test it out, side by side with my existing setup. With my previous “final” configuration, the gun was shooting 1.5-inch groups at 50 yards. With the new setup, I was down to 0.5-inch groups at 50 yards. A much needed improvement.
- Noveske 10.5″ GEN III .300 BLK Upper w/Forward Assist
- Liberty Mystic-X Silencer
- Cryptic Coatings Bolt Carrier Group
- Franklin Armory lower receiver
- Hiperfire 24E trigger
- Magpul CTR telescoping stock
- Leupold Mark AR Mod 1 1.5-4x SPR scope
- Magpul MOE rubber grip
- M600 Scout Light
- KM2 White / IR head
- BAD-ASS Safety
- JP Enterprises Silent Captured Buffer Spring
- ODIN Works XMR magazine release
Total cost: ~$4,764.90
That’s where the gun sits today, and I don’t foresee any major changes anytime soon. I actually plan to use this gun a lot less — I’m building the old upper into a new PDW build for farting around purposes. This gun just graduated to “safe queen” status.
More from The Truth About Guns:
5 Reasons You Should Build Your Own AR-15 Rifle
Black Collar Arms Announces Complete Bolt Action Pistol Build Kit
The Four Best AR Pistol Braces
6.8 SPC vs. 300 BLK – Which Way to Go in an AR Platform Rifle?
5.56 NATO vs. 300 Blackout Ballistics
I would just add that you should make sure Liberty gets no advanced warning if their ammo is a problem in a review. That way, no one can question your reviews either. Personally, I don’t care but I can see the conspirists.
Now if you can just get sig to sponser my candidacy for governor of CT with a free 227, I would be happy
That bug bit me hard almost a year ago. I started my build in January. Learned how to make my brass watching your youtube video, so I spent a weekend cutting and forming 500 rounds of brass while waiting for parts. Got lucky ordering projo’s directly from Barnes.
I’m liking that XMR mag release. That’s cool.
I’m super happy with the performance of the round.
Sexy rig. Thanks for sharing.
Mr Nick Leghorn must not be all that experienced or good with a pistol? I carry the CPX-1 exclusively. I’ve qualified with it, shot rapid rife at every stop from 25yds to 5yrds putting rounds right in the center of the chest. It is proof that many times its the shooter and not weapon. SCCY makes an unbeatable weapon in every way. They even make their own mags which plays a critical role in functionality many times. The CPX-1 had some troubles when it first came out as many new weapons. But with the “Lifetime Warranty” you just send it back and they will fix everything “QUICKLY”. Turnaround is fast. They put a whole new top end barrel and all on mine. I’ve shot hundreds of rounds with not one FTE, Stovepipe, nothing. Flawless operation. You call them on the phone, they answer. Spend $800 to $1000 on a Kimber and it starts malfunction and see who pays for it and how much it costs after that cheesy one year warranty. Not saying it ever will, but if it does….
The range according to the specs, … 165 ft. That’s hurty ass beat range. Just sayin’.
http://www.petacatalog.com/pages/air_angels_drone_specs.html
Was there a dog shooting demonstration?
Follow the money.
Thanks, Nick. I’ve got a buddy who’s cloning a Mk18 – I suggested he look at .300AAC instead of 5.56 after reading this.
So you wouldn’t drop someone that’s trying to kill you just because you know them? I would.
Point One:women who willingly date violent, criminal cretins should not be shocked when said violent criminal turns their attention to them.How many times have we observed on Cops a woman, bloody and hurt, beg the LEOs to leave Mr Violent Spouse alone.
Point two: The only practical recourse a woman has against a bigger, stronger attacker is a firearm.Running isn’t an option, and even martial arts isn’t an option.A five foot nothing Karate champ girl might delay the inevitable, but note that men have a habit of pushing themselves well past the limit to impress or outperform a girl at the same task.Julio from the block ain’t gonna let some girl stomp on him-he’d lose his street cred getting beat by a chick.She could make Mr Miyakgi proud, but it don’t mean squat when the assailant is bigger and motivated.
Point three:if a criminal assailant can withstand multiple pistol rounds and still fight whilst dying on his feet, I submit a firearm is the bare minimum a woman today needs for self defense.The next thing after that is precise ,gender specific training.Chris Costas a gun ninja of epic renown, but I doubt he’s ever drawn from concealment in female attire.A woman wouldn’t have much luck teaching us guys about aiming at the toilet ,and so it goes with male instructors teaching women about CCW .
So, I guess nobody ever told these people that correlation doesn’t prove causation?
Henrys may be nice rifles, but the prices are becoming stoopid.
Exactly what authority is that?
My girlfriend was flying last year and she noticed an air marshal on one of her flights. It was a woman, wearing a Hawaiian shirt with a pistol in a small of the back holster that she was having a great deal of trouble concealing during the flight.
Airport security needs to be overhauled. TSA should be abandoned after the repeated, scandalous incidents we have seen since the agency was founded. Air marshals should police both airports and the flights themselves. They should also get some damn cross draw holsters.
So since welfare, minimum wages, affirmative action, a drug war, and government housing also disproportionately affect African Americans, can we then assume that the people who support those policies are rascist?
Yes! Yes, I believe we can.
The North Face Products How do you really know if the item you are bidding on is the real deal? /r
Sounds like a canned response to me, I’m guessing everyone else who sent a letter with a pro-gun slant received this, and everyone who sent a letter with an anti-gun slant received something thanking them for their support. I doubt they’ve even tallied the pro/anti letters to gauge support, because she doesn’t give a damn what the people think.
What kind of end plate/sling attachment is that you have on the very first picture? I need that for a folding stock lower I have built.
Not a good thing , from my perch.
While I like the idea of politicians actually trying to pass good laws, there are serious problems at work here.One, this violates the 10th Amendment by involving Federal power yet again into a place it is not Constitutionally authorized.
Two, Obama would choose impeachment before he’d sign it into law.
Three, realistically, who here thinks such a law would actually be respected in anti gun districts? NJ, NY, MD, CA, HI, IL , and others would just haul you outta the car and go “NYET” once you cite the law.You’d be released, after a weekend in jail and your gun got confiscated.Think about how the New York/New Jerseys Port Authority ignores the FOPA and arrests travellers without local handgun permits.
That’s what wed expect with any national reciprocity setup.
Next, unlike cars there’s no national campaign to ban automobiles.How long would it be before some leftist turd gets to the Oval Office and decides to change the definition of a Federally recognized CCW permit eligable for reciprocity to mean “may issue, subject to review and discretion of local law enforcement, and requiring good and substantial cause for issuance and renewal.” Remember , good cause CCW permits have so far been upheld as legal in appellate court.
Lastly, there are no free lunches in politics.The antis will be sure to try to add a rider to the bill , and if they must they’ll do it in the wee hours like the 1986 Hughes Amendment.Anyone want to go back to a nationwide 10 round magazine limit again? Mark this-there is no way a national reciprocity bill will either pass the legislature or be signed into law under the current White House without a universal background check requirement for all gun purchases.That we can bet our ammo stashes on.
And all of that, so that folks in No-Carry jurisdictions end up arrested anyways.
NYET!
This may seem crazy coming from a woman however being 48 yr’s old and love guns my boyfriend suggested that he and I build me an AR 15 300 AAC Blackout for under a 1,000.00 depending on what I find in my researching this gun. I Got to hold one today the kid was trying to sell me some 300 AAC Blackout ammo that wasn’t the 300 AAC Blackout, I showed him what I have on my key chain is really what I was interested in looking at and he still insisted that it was. Well I let him win that given I’m new to this however before we start to build this wonderful man made rifle I have to know everything about it so that I can respect it more knowing that the man I love knows everything there is about any type of gun he has shot competing, bought and sold guns for over 30 years. However this is knew to me I have shot all of his guns the one I love the most and feels good to me is his AR 15 with no kick back since I’m only 4’11. I have shot his AK-47 it left bruises on me so no way. I’m a little scared think that is normal for anyone going into something so blind I’m the kind of woman that loves research and once I start the research and convinced its the best for me to build then I will build it with him. I just don’t want him to be upset with me if I change my mind. I’m getting more excited yet doing all of the research before the build starts hope to have this gun by my 49th birthday in 2015. Where can I research all of this besides the internet if anyone could help me I would appreciate it. We are going to all of the guns shows in the 4 states that we can so that we can make sure its the best gun for me. Heck it took me 6 years to find the perfect 9 mm SW because of the grip on the pistol my hands are smaller than most women so I tend to be more picky with what I want when making such a purchase as guns it have to fit me perfectly or I won’t even consider buying a gun. I did get to hold an AR 15 300 AAC Blackout at the last gun show it felt so good in my hands the price was 1,800.00 it was the most perfect fit for me however I still have reservations about such a big purchase and wonder if maybe need to go out and shot his a few more times before we even start the build in the fall!!!!!!!!!!!!
Forgot to mention loved the article that you wrote it was an excellent article thank you for taking the time to write it.
Valaria, if it’s a 9 in barrel your looking for, Google redx tactical and look at there site. I just got my 9inch upper from them for 475. Then just a lower for a few hundred and a bolt carrier group. Ares armor has em for 100 bucks. Hope this helps.
Thank you very much guess what I’m looking for is something that isn’t so heavy and that will be legal in the state of Mo. I have found out about the tax stamp recently thought about doing it however the wait time is 9 months for the paper work to finish.
Has anyone chronograph’d the difference between a 9″ barrel and a 16″ barrel in 300 AAC?
So let me ask a question and please bear with my ignorance. I have a 5.56 PSA upper with 16″ CLB and CMMG lower already assembled with quad rails and optics.
It shoots great.
I have a duplicate stripped lower, an AR10 billet, a polish bent 80% and a hungarian ak-47 parts kit on the way.
I definitely want to have a bigger grain round available to me hence the 7.62.
But im kinda torn whether to build out the AR10 or just go the easy route with the 300 blk? The AK variant is great in CQC but I want a rifle good for hunting too.
Btw I also have a remington .270
Should I mill out the .308 AR10 or go for 300 blk (which is for shorter barrels and I live in CA)?
300 BLK really works best in a short barreled rifle, and makes the most sense if you only own an AR-15 and not an AR-10. If you don’t see the expense and the size of a .308 being an issue then go that route instead.
Neither,
Drop the 308 and go a 260Rem in your AR10. Forget the Blackout unless you want to shoot suppressed subsonic at 100M ranges only.
308 is a 20th century caliber. 260Rem, 6.5*47 and 6.5 Creedmore are 21st Century calibres. Most shooters who shoot Sporting Rifle at Raton use the 6.5 round due to the lower recoil and higher BC than 308. You’ll get an extra 200M range using 6.5 before it goes transonic/unstable.
I suggest looking into a Lilja drop-in barrel for your AR10, or asking Mark Hofstedder at Precision Firearms to put together an upper for you (with a Krieger, Shilen or Lilja barrel)
One glaring error I disagree with…The author claims that factory ammo burns all powder by the 9″ of barrel length, suggesting the other 7″ is ‘wasted’. Standard cycling powders used for heavy subsonics such as ADI2207 and 4198 have only burnt 89% of the powder by 9″, and 94% of all powder by 16″ (source, Quickload ballistics program).
More importantly, the muzzle pressure (or sound) doubles from 2750psi for a 16″ barrel to 5170psi for a 9″ barrel. The point being, there is more sound for the suppressor to cope with in a shorter barrel, plus all that unburnt powder flaming and eroding the baffles of your expensive can.
12.5″ and a reflex/over-barrel suppressor would be more of a compromise if length is an issue. All things being equal however anything shorter than 16″ is going to be louder.
Your replies will be appreciated greatly
Thanks for sharing.
My impression of this calibre having owned one since the first hit the shelves is that it is ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’. It has an artificial reputation from clever marketing hype, exaggerated by wanabe’s who shoot paper targets.
I have tried all sorts of projies including dedicated 220gr subsonics from Outlaw State (the Le-High Max Expansions are too light to cycle in a carbine gas length). Factory ammo just uses existing math ammo with the only dedicated slow opener is Barnes TacX.
Supersonic Blackout comes out second best in supersonic hunting to faster .223 ballistic tips. Faster rounds are flatter shooting and so more accurate anyway. Subsonic 220-240gr is still only 2/3 the available peak chamber pressure so subsonic Blackout is an ‘underload’. Essentially you are shooting an accurate Colt.45 handgun round, with less ability to open-up and cause a decent crush-trail in flesh. That said, I will take kinetic shock and a temporary wound cavity over a subsonic crush-trail any day. Animals drop faster with TWC’s.
Then there is the weight of the ammo. Supersonic Blackout is twice as heavy as .223 and subsonic is three times. Try humping 300rds of subsonic (6kg) around in the hot sun.
But…a subsonic Blackout is a great identity prosthetic if you are the type to use guns to ‘complete the incomplete’. And there are plenty of insecure tyes out there who get a short barrel and silencer and think they are Rambo/Delta/007/Super-Special Force.
Me, after three years of testing and hundreds of dollars in handloads I am back to hunting with the good old .223
It has an artificial reputation from clever marketing hype, exaggerated by wanabe’s who shoot paper targets.
Uh huh.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgKjbySsAik&w=560&h=315
Did you use the Tungsten upgrade to the JP enterprises captive buffer spring, or the one they sell as “regular”?
I was always curious as to the supersonic performance of this caliber, say from a 20 or 22″ barrel. I know there are better options available.. However, the fact that many of the same parts from yhe olde AR15 can be recycled with 300blk (Especially magazines) is what appeals to me.
I am using this post as a guideline to make my own and have two question. I too have a trust for my NFA items but have never filled out the Form 1 (Application To Make And Register…) as I have never put anything together.
1 – Would you be willing to send me a copy of your filled out form 1 (using your trust). If so my email is jeffery(dot)swan[AT]gmail(Dot)com Please note the spelling of my first name is atypical (er vs re).
2 – Once your lower is registered as an SBR, can you use any number of uppers that are SBR or longer?
Thanks In Advance!
Great article BTW!!!
Jeff
That’s a lot of waiting time to build another sbr. By the photos it was worth it. Im still waiting for my 300 sbr stamp. I was going to go with the aac 9” upper but after reading this maybe noveske or Daniel defense would be better. I guess ill find out soon! Ohh jeff you can use other sbr uppers once you have the stamp. but remember when you fill out a form 1 you have to say the length of the uppers barrel. So when you travel with it have the right one on your lower receiver.
Wow, just wow. fantastic article and I’m glad Google lists it up top. Helped A TON in my research for 300 AAC parts for my 1st build. Working on my Form 1 this week and I’m glad my family still has the trust… Hopefully in 7 months ill have a whisper quiet 300 like your own!!
Hey Nick, thanks for the great article. Any chance you could revisit it and update the links (a great many are broken or lead to a dead end)? And also include a “long term test” update with performance notes or changes that you may have made since this was published?
Thanks again for a great article!
Did not think Texas allowed hunters to use flashlights on rifles while hunting deer. I have been using a PWS built 300 Blk w a 10.5″ Bbl, a Silencerco Harvester Can and either Freedom Munitions or Silencerco 200 gr sub ammo for Yotes, Cats and Whitetail. Only add ons were a CMC trigger, an Odin ring to keep Sig Brace stationary, and a green designator from Abe Electronics ( Amazon). Red Dot from Primary Arms set at 75 yds laser set at 200. Has been easy set up, all in < 2500 USD. Could of cut another 2 bills had I the patience to work sales.
Changing the barrel length from 9″ to 10″ requires a change to your Form 1 right? Or did you file an addendum for multiple barrel lengths?
Anything new to add Nick?
I’d just like to inquire about the fde paint on the lower? Any idea on who did it? Cerakoted? Duracoat? Rattlecan? Brand?
Cheers
Brandon that is just the color of the Libertas lower from Franklin Armory. Click my name and let me know if I can be of further assistance.
The only Timney I’d have in my “custom” guns is the Calvin Elite. The last regular Timney for a Rem 700 I bought would not go down to 1.5#. Sent it back to Timney and they sent me another one that would not go down to 1.5#. Jewell trigger in most all my custom guns. My gun smith builds a lot of high end target guns with Bix’n Andy triggers. My trigger finger was not sensitive or refined enough evidently to tell the difference. My wallet thanked my trigger finger.
This country has never has a national presidential election. The rules regarding who can vote, when you vote and how you vote vary state by state. Our presidential elections are composed of fifty separate statewide elections that occur roughly simultaneously. It is entirely possible that the NRA made the difference in states Her Heinyness took for granted, resulting in Donald John Trump’s electoral success. I would like to think so. It makes me proud to be a card carrying member of the NRA.
proarcok, pastvid,
slugmom http://www.slugmom.com/