The 300 AAC Blackout and 308 Winchester are both 30-caliber rifle cartridges that shoot a .308” diameter bullet. However, this is where the similarities end as both cartridges have a different intended purpose.
In this caliber comparison article, we are going to take a detailed look at both the 300 AAC Blackout and the 308 Winchester. Unlike previous articles, I won’t “crown a winner” because the difference between 308 vs 300 Blackout is comparing apples to oranges.
Instead, we will take a deeper look into what the intended purpose of each rifle cartridge is and how having versatility within a caliber is a good thing for you and the 2A community in general.
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to rack the charging handle on my AR platform and squeeze the trigger on this comparison between 308 vs 300 Blackout. Let’s close distance and ENGAGE!
308 vs 300 Blackout: A Tale of Two 30’s
As we mentioned earlier, the only similarity between the 308 Winchester and 300 AAC Blackout ammo is that they both shoot the same .308” diameter bullet.
Each rifle cartridge was developed for a specific role and each excels at its intended role.
However, the two rounds could not be more dissimilar, and we will explore the differences below.
300 AAC Blackout: The Dark Ops Wishlist Given Form
The development of 300 AAC Blackout ammo (designated 300 BLK by SAAMI) rifle cartridge began in 2010 when Robert Silvers of the Advanced Armament Corporation (which was later acquired by Remington) was approached by a member of the US Military “dark ops” community.
The unnamed military customer came to him with a problem that Silvers was eager to solve.
With the widespread adoption of the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge (civilian ammo designation: 223 Remington or 223 Rem) for the M4 carbine, US troops were having to use the round for both long range and close quarters combat.
Overall, some special forces units were unhappy with the stopping power that the 5.56 NATO and the 9mm (used in several SMGs) offered during close quarters combat and they wanted something that had more “oomph”. Something along the lines of the 7.62x39mm Soviet round fired through the AK-47.
However, there were some other requirements that this customer required as well:
- The rounds needed to fit into a standard STANAG AR-pattern magazine and maintain a 30-round ammo capacity
- The cartridge face must be the same as 5.56 NATO so a bolt change was not needed
- It had to shoot 30 caliber bullets and mimic the ballistic performance of the 7.62x39mm Soviet round
- The new rifle cartridge needed to be compatible with short barreled rifles (SBR, barrels under 16”) and be completely functional with a suppressor/silencer
- Both supersonic and subsonic varieties of ammo needed to be functional for long range shots as well as close quarters battle, respectively
However, Silvers was not dismayed, and he returned to AAC to begin work on a new cartridge that would meet all these needs. The search for a host cartridge had begun.
Attempts to integrate new calibers into the AR platform were nothing new to the shooting community. The adaptation of the 6.8 Remington Special Purpose Cartridge (SPC) and 6.5 Grendel into the AR platform were mildly successful; however, they fell short of the mark in several key areas.
The 6.8 SPC and the 6.5 Grendel have a larger case head than the 5.56 NATO cartridge, so a new bolt was required for the host carbine.
Secondly, although both cartridges could be loaded into a standard capacity AR-15 magazine, they could not be loaded to 30 rounds because of the increased case size.
Colt Firearms and other manufacturers had been unsuccessful in adapting a 30-caliber cartridge to the M4 carbine. Complicating matters, the M4 cannot be easily modified to simply shoot 7.62×39 Soviet either as the severe case angle causes multiple chambering issues using a standard M4 magazine.
As Silvers continued his hunt to find a proper host cartridge for his new round, he started looking at different wildcat cartridges in the shooting community.
The 300 Whisper was probably the best wildcat cartridge that Silvers encountered, and it eventually became the host for the 300 BLK. That being said, the 300 Whisper could not simply be adapted to be fired from an AR platform because it did not have standardized loadings with SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute).
As AAC/Remington was a SAAMI company, it could not load 300 Whisper ammo. Therefore, Silvers took the concepts from the 300 Whisper and modified them to meet their design specifications.
The new round was called the 300 AAC Blackout (300 BLK) and was approved by SAAMI on January 17, 2011.
300 BLK Ammo Specs
Since its approval by SAAMI in 2011, the 300 BLK has exceeded expectations in almost every category.
With an overall case length of 35mm, the 300 BLK has a case capacity of approximately 19.2 grains. The reduced case length was required to allow it to fit into a standard M4 carbine magazine while being loaded with a longer 30 caliber bullet.
300 BLK ammo can be broken down into two different bullet weights, 220 grain subsonic and 110 to 125 grain supersonic.
Supersonic ammo, typically firing a 125 grain bullet, will have a muzzle velocity of approximately 2250 fps and have a muzzle energy of around 1404 ft-lbs. Industry standards list the effective range of the supersonic 125 grain bullet loadings to be 500 yards.
In contrast, subsonic ammo will fire a 220 grain bullet and have a muzzle velocity of around 1000 fps and a muzzle energy of 488 ft-lbs with an effective range of 200 yards.
These two popular loadings really illustrate the versatility of 300 BLK ammo. With a simple magazine change, a shooter can switch from supersonic ammunition and long-range engagements to subsonic ammunition for short range combat.
Furthermore, the 300 BLK was designed specifically to experience a full powder burn when being fired in a 9” short barreled rifle (SBR), preferably with a suppressor/silencer.
308 Winchester: The Tried-and-True Warhorse
The 308 Winchester (7.62x51mm NATO designation) has been in service with the US Military for over 60 years and is the quintessential hunting round for whitetail deer to black bear.
The development of the 308 Winchester began from the needs of the US Military to advance into a new realm of battle rifles similar to the STG-44 and the AK-47.
In 1952, the U.S. Military started developing a replacement for the long-serving 30-06 Springfield cartridge (military designation: M2 Ball or 7.62x63mm).
Although the 30-06 Springfield had honorably served through both World Wars and Korea, the US Military wanted to develop a new cartridge that was lighter and more suitable for fully automatic rifle fire.
With advancements in rifle powder technology and case design in the 1950s, the new 7.62x51mm NATO rifle round was able to achieve nearly identical ballistic performance as the 30-06 Springfield with a shorter cartridge case length and lower overall weight.
The US Army officially adopted the 7.62x51mm NATO round in 1958 and it has been in service ever since.
Although the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge and its parent rifle, the M14, only saw limited frontline use in Vietnam before being replaced by the 5.56 NATO, the military was quick to adapt it to use in sniper operations and in fully automatic machine gun use.
With a massive effective range out to and beyond 800 yards, it didn’t take long for civilian firearms manufacturers to take notice of the new military round.
Winchester was the first to adapt the new cartridge to its Model 70 bolt action rifle, renaming the cartridge the 308 Winchester.
The 308 Winchester quickly rose to be THE long-range high velocity hunting round that had enough muzzle energy to stop a black bear in its tracks.
Since its acceptance by the hunting and competitive shooting communities, the 308 Winchester has been a staple at deer camps and F Class Shooting Competitions alike.
308 Winchester Ammo Specs
308 Winchester ammo is available in a delirium-inducing amount of bullet weights. From 55 grain all the way up to 220 grain weight bullets, you will never lack variety when it comes to selecting the best 308 round for your purpose.
With a 51 mm overall case length, the 308 Winchester offers a whopping 52 grain case capacity. This translates to a 150 grain bullet loading have a shoulder-bruising 2820 fps muzzle velocity and a muzzle energy of 2648 ft-lbs.
300 Blackout vs 308 Winchester: The Comparison
Although these calibers are two completely different rounds with differing modes of service, I wanted to give you a quick rundown of each rifle cartridge to explain the pros and cons.
Recoil
In this category, there is simply no contest. The 300 BLK wins by an absolute landslide having approximately 4x less recoil when compared to the 308 Winchester.
Now I know what you’re thinking, because I’ve thought it too…“Recoil shouldn’t matter, just tough it out and focus on the shooting fundamentals!”
And I’ll say that on paper, you’re probably right. However, this rarely happens in the field.
Shoulder fatigue is a real problem when firing for long periods or trying to line up follow-up shots. Once this happens, a shooter will start encountering recoil anticipation, trigger jerk and over-correction; causing their down range accuracy to suffer.
When it comes to recoil, the 300 Blackout is clearly the better option.
Ballistics
We’ve produced some absolutely sick ballistics tables for you a little further down in this article, but I wanted to share a few highlights for you here.
When it comes to ballistics coefficient, the 308 Winchester is the clear winner when comparing to the 300 Blackout supersonic ammunition. With an average BC of around 0.45, the 308 Winchester is clearly the winner as 300 BLK ballistic coefficients typically below 0.4.
In terms of bullet drop and velocity (fps), the 308 is clearly the winner here as well. But this shouldn’t surprise you too much as the 308 was specifically designed to be effective at longer-range.
Home Defense
Both the 308 Win and the 300 BLK will serve you well in any self-defense situation. However, there is one critical thing to consider when discussing close range engagements.
And that critical issue is: Overpenetration
The 300 BLK was specifically designed to be shot in a SBR with a suppressor, which makes the 300 Blackout the better choice for indoor, short range engagements.
Furthermore, the 200 to 220 grain subsonic ammo is a partial safeguard against overpenetration as it will begin to lose velocity rapidly when it enters a target.
Compare this with the 308 Winchester freight train that might end up blasting through 2-3 suburban houses (and potential innocent bystanders) before even blinking an eye.
Remember, “Every bullet you fire has a lawyer attached to it” as my first shooting instructor was fond of saying. Therefore, we must carefully consider overpenetration when shooting in close quarters for self-defense.
This makes the 300 BLK the ideal home defense choice with its low recoil (faster follow-up shots), AR platform integration (modularity and light weight), short barrel compatibility, ease of sound suppression, and 30-round magazine capacity.
Suppressor Integration
Again, the 300 BLK is the clear winner here as it was specifically designed to be used with a suppressor.
One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen/heard is a subsonic 300 BLK being fired suppressed. It’s literally “movie gun” quiet.
You know what I’m talking about right?
When James Bond whips out his suppressed AR-15 or KRISS Vector and starts blasting away in full auto and all you hear is the sound of the wind…
Yeah, it doesn’t work like that in real life.
There are two things which make a bullet loud: the explosion of the powder and the “sonic crack” of the bullet breaking the sound barrier.
A silencer can greatly reduce the sound of the powder explosion, but if the bullet is supersonic, there will still be a “crack” of the bullet breaking the sound barrier.
BUT!
If you’re shooting subsonic ammunition, there is no “crack” because your bullet never broke the sound barrier.
With this in mind, you can effectively shoot hearing safe with a 300 BLK, a suppressor, and subsonic rounds.
Long-Range Shooting and Accuracy
Again, there is no comparison in this category as the 308 Winchester clearly dominates.
With its massive case capacity, high velocity, lower bullet drop, higher ballistic coefficient, and massive effective range, the 308 dominates the long-range shooting scene when compared to the 300 BLK.
However, this should not come as a surprise and the 308 Winchester is specifically designed for long-range shooting.
300 Blackout vs 308 for Hunting
I wanted to discuss hunting applications as a separate topic as this is one area where there is some controversy in the shooting community.
Recoil
Yeah, I know we talked about this already, but it bears repeating here as it is a factor to consider.
With 4x less recoil, the 300 AAC Blackout is going to be a lot more forgiving when it comes to making follow-up shots and this can be the difference between ethically harvesting an animal and having a wounded animal escape.
Rifle Availability
In this category, the 308 is the clear winner as it has been around for over 60 years and has seen wide-spread hunting success.
Almost every rifle manufacturer will have an offering in 308 Winchester. In comparison, 300 BLK is a relatively new kid on the playground and there are fewer offerings.
However, many manufacturers are warming up to the 300 Blackout and more rifles are being offered. You can even get a Ruger Mini-14 in 300 BLK now!
Still, there are going to be hundreds of bolt action and semi-automatic options for 308 Winchester hunting rifles, so 308 gets the nod here.
Ammo Varieties
308 Winchester takes this one as well. From the Barnes Varmint Grenade to the Hornady InterLock to a Nosler Partition, there are literally about as many varieties of 308 Winchester ammo as 223 Remington.
As 300 Blackout has only been around for about 10 years, there are fewer varieties of ammo available on the broader market for hunting.
Effective Range
This one can be a little deceptive as it is easy to just say, 308 wins it because it can shoot out past 800 yards. But when you consider that, you need to ask yourself a question:
Can you ethically take an animal at 800 yards?
I’m going to wager that a most responsible hunters will not be comfortable taking a shot at a game animal at that range.
With that in mind, I think it is safe to say that this one is a wash between the two rifle cartridges as most ethical hunting shots will be taken under 400 yards.
Stopping Power
This is a category where the 308 Winchester really shines. With a whopping 2648 ft-lbs of muzzle energy, the 308 Winchester clearly has more stopping power than a 300 BLK.
Does that mean that a 300 Blackout is ineffective as a hunting round? Not at all!
However, I would say that it would not be ethical to hunt anything larger than a whitetail deer with a 300 BLK as penetration and energy drop off significantly out past 400 yards.
A Note on 300 AAC Blackout Subsonic Ammo and Hunting
Reports from the field have shown less than stellar penetration data from the use of subsonic ammunition on medium size game animals, such as feral hogs and whitetail deer.
It is the recommendation of this writer that only supersonic ammo be used for hunting with 300 BLK on medium sized game animals.
Subsonic rounds should be sufficient to take down small varmints such as coyotes, groundhogs, etc.
300 Blackout vs 308: Ballistics
The real proof is in the numbers, right?
Well, our amazing team here at Ammo.com has whipped up some solid ballistics tables for you to compare the 300 Blackout vs 308 Winchester.
300 Blackout Ballistics
Note: This information comes from the manufacturer and is for informational purposes only. The actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from the advertised ballistics. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load.
308 Ballistics
Note: This information comes from the manufacturer and is for informational purposes only. The actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from the advertised ballistics. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load.
Conclusion
In closing, I think that the differences between 300 AAC Blackout and 308 Winchester are pretty clear.
The 308 Winchester is a wildly successful hunting and long-range shooting round that has a 60+ year track record behind it. It was specifically designed to have superior stopping power, high velocity, and a long effective range and it does all these things in spades.
The 300 Blackout round was designed to be fired primarily from AR pattern rifles and excels in short barrels and is easily suppressed. Requiring only a barrel change to convert an AR-15 to 300 Blackout is a huge plus, considering it utilizes the same bolt and magazines, a conversion is rather inexpensive.
Both rifle rounds serve a different purpose when it comes to your shooting needs and so understanding the differences is key before making your purchase.
If you’re looking for a lightweight, short barrel, home defense carbine then the 300 Blackout fits the bill. The ability to reliably use subsonic ammo makes it an ideal self-defense cartridge as it has low recoil and allows for quick follow-up shots.
The 300 Blackout also is extremely versatile as it allows for quick transitions to supersonic ammo to take long-range shots out to 500 yards and can easily take medium to small size game animals.
However, if you’re looking to really “stretch your legs” and shoot longer range, then the 308 Winchester has your back and will give you the range, stopping power, and high velocity that you need to reach out to 800+ yards.
Regardless of your choice, buying in bulk is always smart! Make sure to check out our stock of 300 blackout bulk ammo and bulk 308 ammo.
Are you ready to go out and purchase your 300 Blackout rifle? I know I am! But my 308 bolt action rifle is never going to leave my gun safe either because caliber variety really lets you pick the right tool for the right job. And variety, my friends, is the spice of life (AND shooting!)
300
Backout
was
for
use
with
a
suppressor.
This dude is so far behind the mark it’s just sad. We were talking about this stuff when the 300 bo was introduced. I’ve noticed there has been some resurgence of old material amongst bloggers lately. Maybe they are cashing in on the noobs to the gun thing.
Bingo.
…But (2) Two rotating display cases FULL of Suppressors. Oh Dear!
NOT that i would feel the need to own one of those Evil Minded Killing Devices.
The Boss? Different Story. She would, of course, ONLY purchase from someone who could pass a NICS background Check. (Nearly Insolvent Cash Sale).
She sometimes has me stop and pick up a box of ammo to try-before-buy some weirdo cartridge. 6.5 Creedmoor last. When i saw the Display Cases.
Please. NOT like she hunts varmints. Anymore. And the last groundhog we dined on? OK thanks to her amazing culinary skills, but it was a pain-in-the-Butt to de-gland (unfamiliar, Thanks! algore) females have fewer.
Maybe it’s because my parent
sdog killed it. 2 shakes by the neck and it was all over. In any event, i think our Groundhog eating days are behind us. Hopefully.Buddy of mine was big into reloading, we dabbled w/sub-sonics yrs. ago. RIP.
Thanks big Pharma&Booze.
Shotgun for home defense? The boss would be disconcerted, to say the least. AND, i would be stuck patching the errant holes.
She, on the other hand, is a natural born killer. Keeps a Ruger mark II w/bull barrel and a few mags full of Hollow Points, in some kinda shoulder-rig thingy right in the headboard! And there is a variety of ‘Other’ scattered about. Scared to death of those things, but she insisted i shoot it a few times.
Don’t know that there is such a thing as Point & Play, but that would purty much describe it.
More Scared of Her though. Has led to countless Ass Kissing Sessions on my part over the years to stay in Her good graces.
Nearly certain she’s gonna aim for center mass, or whateva ya call it. Of their Face.
Smart man, happy marriage.
This VD, spring for a new toy just for her.
And lots of ammo, in case she takes you to the range with her.
One has many purposes, is commonly used, ammo is broadly available, and is a proven military and civilian cartridge.
The other has no purpose, ammo when available is shockingly expensive, has cripplingly limited utility, and is used primarily for LARPing.
The appearance here of a second article in so many months featuring this POS cartridge are a very reliable indicator of beginning softness in ammo markets, as demand for otherwise-useless specialty ammo collapses. In 4-6 months will be time to stock up (on useful ammo), right before the Fed changes directions and opens the spigots again. Maybe by then Berger will start releasing 185 juggernauts as components and not only in overpriced loaded ammo.
I hear ya, but to a degree, I find a different experience. I have both. A 300 Blackout, two different barrels for that. I’m waiting on a good price for a lower so that I can build out another for the other barrel. I can get a box of 147 grain for right at $20 a box of 20. I do not have a .308. Instead, I have a 300 Win Mag. Ammo for that thing; a walk-out-the-door price with some mysterious tax or fee or whatever is never a penny under $50 for the same box of 20.
Who comes up with all these pointless off the wall ammo comparisons??
Next up 22LR vs 12 ga. right ?
I would like to see a comparison of the Red Ryder BB gun and the Holland & Holland’s Mighty .700 Nitro Express. Which one functions better for self defense and which one is better for big game hunting in Africa! Of course availability and price per shot should figure in too.
Or maybe the Red Ryder and a .458 SOCOM
The Red Ryder has been known to shoot eyes out!
It may be me, understood; but I think some of the people on here are missing the point of these posts. I like the idea, maybe for my own purposes. I do agree that the apples/oranges aspect is kinda lame. But I don’t think that’s really the purpose of the posts. Think about the bigger picture. Don’t always think of it in the terms given.
Sorry. When I think close range, I think shotgun. It’s like shooting 10 9mm guns at once. Is that deca wielding?
I had a fascination over 300 BLK at one time. I spent a lot of time on the reloading bench with 300 BLK trying to find a good match of bullet and powder for it. I used bullets as light as 100gr all the way up to 220gr. I found the sweet spot for it is a 115-125gr bullet with a powder like H110, Lil Gun or 4227. Loading heavier bullets into that cartridge is a waste of time and supplies in my opinion. I guess if you are going to suppress then a 220gr bullet makes sense, but the range won’t be much.
I guess my conclusion was that to me, 300 BLK was kind of a useless to spend time and money on with all of the other options. It effectively is a heavy varmint round when matched to a good bullet. You could just stick to running heavier bullets in a 223 and save the money. To each their own.
I’m a bit curious. You aren’t the only one on here who sees 300 Blackout as old school, a thing of yesteryear. Where have you gone to then? I’m interested in other caliber mods to my AR without changing my upper but haven’t researched enough. I’d be all for trying out a .458 SOCOM, but it seems I read that something about the barrel doesn’t match up correctly with the upper receiver. Honestly, I don’t know why I’m dumb enough to even discuss this stuff publicly. For one, I’m not surrendering anything, including my gas stove. If I see so much as a government law enforcement type of vehicle parked within my eyesight. I’ll be ready and they won’t have any choice. I’m sure that’ll be my last day topside, but I ain’t going alone. I guess although I don’t have any full auto anything, but rather a few full semi-autos, I shouldn’t fret too much. But the fags over at the ATF want me to worry. It doesn’t work, but I am still aware.
I’ve found it funny; yet I guess I don’t always get the full picture, that the ATF would knock on your door (ie ring the bell) and someone would actually answer. I am not answering the door. You bust in my door, window, or Sawzall a hole in my exterior to gain entrance, you better duck. Maybe they find the Mrs. or the Mr. outdoors hanging laundry or an illegal or maybe the daughter’s latest beau and seek to have a friendly discussion about your assortment of pew pew items. But seeing anyone traipsing through my yard will have my hand on my good buddy that slings things at high speed. The days of being the good guy on that level are over. The police chief here who I wasn’t exactly friends with but friendly suddenly found himself dismissed, for what reasons I don’t know and wouldn’t dare ask him. Most officers I pass on the roads are friendly and wave back if not first. But you never really know who these people are, just like they don’t know me. I went to one council meeting a couple of years ago, to kinda see who is who around here and to see if I’d be interested in running for a seat, myself. I didn’t get a feel in that one session and haven’t returned. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems those meetings are on a low-profile level. I know, they shouldn’t be.
I guess I wouldn’t consider 300 BLK as “old school” it definitely isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The concept of modifying the 223 case to accommodate a 30 caliber bullet is cool, but not without its downsides. If you truly want to run a 30 caliber bullet in the AR platform you need to go to an AR-10 and run a .308. Not all hope is lost though as the AR-15 has a lot of options. I always found the 6.5 Grendel to be a great round for the AR-15 platform. The ammo isn’t much more expensive than 223 and you can even find the steel cased stuff for it. Another option for more power is a 7.62×39, again cheap ammo too. 6.8 SPC is another option, but expensive. Even the 300 Ham’r by Wilson Combat I have heard is good…but again, expensive and hard to find.
As for the ATF…I find staying under their radar is best. I treat them like the IRS. You can get away with some things as long as they don’t know. If you happen to have a pistol AR and they rule that the braces are not acceptable…well then that means you have an SBR. You can either register the SBR, or keep it under the radar. After all, millions of pistol ARs will become illegal overnight.
I’m going to skip over all of your mentions of various calibers and instead head to your last paragraph and suggest ‘you’re over target’ and that’s kinda where I choose to ignore unelected bureaucrats. I anticipate coming back to discuss these caliber alternatives.
I’m back; still not a lot of research, but I’m certain I don’t want to switch to the larger AR-10. I want to stay with the smaller platform.
I think possibly the 6.5 Grendel might be a good fit. But for now, I’m reasonably invested in 300 BLK so I’ll stick with that for a while. I reload at times and have a good portion of the setup committed to that caliber.
The 300Blk is ideal for a reloader. It can be a light bullet at high velocity or tuned down for a heavy bullet going sub-sonic. I built a AR pistol version then played with it and showed it to my brother-in-law who really liked it. His favorite load is a 165gr coated bullet that he shoots at 1050fps. He did spend the $$ to put a can on it.
To me a better question is .308 or 30-06.
Love the new stuff, however 7.62 x 39 on strippers and a relic SKS is my in town piece.
Nobody touched on the main point for the 300BO. From 0-200 yds, the 300 with 100 to 135gr, super sonic, non fmj ammo, is a super defense round out of an itty bitty, light weight, easy to hide/carry/shoot, effective blaster. With a mere A2 flash suppressor, it has a barely visible, dull,orange/red flash out of an 8″ barrel. It’s way better than 5.56 on bad guys and critters out to 200 yards. At 400 yds it’s nothing to write home about, but still good enough.
My 66 year old wifey can handle the 300 like a 5.56. Can’t handle a 308 without unacceptable punishment and pain.