The most common supersonic 300 BLK loads use 110- or 125-gr. The “standard” 5.56 NATO projectile weighs somewhere between 55 and 77 grains. One notable difference between 5.56 and 300 BLK is bullet weight. The SAINT Victor Pistol 300 BLK model has a nine-inch barrel while the SAINT Edge Pistol 5.56 NATO sports a 10.3-inch barrel. I’ve chronographed common loads from both Springfield Armory SAINT pistols, so we can show examples of muzzle and downrange energy performance using real-life numbers.ĭo note that both of the test firearms are pistols, so the shorter barrels yield lower velocities than what you’ll see on the ammo box. In loaded cartridges, much of the projectile is hidden inside the case. Unlike “different” AR cartridge offerings like 6.8 SPC, capacity of magazines is also identical. There are no modifications required to make a STANAG (NATO Draft Standardization Agreement) magazine work with 300 BLK cartridges. For the same reason, the magazines are interchangeable too. Since the cartridge base is identical, the bolt and bolt carrier are unchanged. Once you remove the barrel nut, it just pops out for an easy swap. That’s a simple operation on an AR rifle or pistol. In fact, all you have to do is change the barrel. Since the cartridges are so similar, not much surgery is required to convert a standard AR-15 firearm chambered in 5.56mm to 300 BLK. While the shape varies, the overall lengths are compatible, too. The case dimensions are identical as is the diameter of the case body. The ramifications of that are important as we’ll see in a hot second. 223 Remington peers, the overall cartridge length is still compatible with standard magazines. Even though the bullets are longer and heavier than their. The brass case itself is chopped, reshaped, and expanded at the mouth to accommodate a.
The 300 BLK actually is a cut-down version of the.
Even if you swapped the magazines for something more banana-shaped to accommodate the sloped Commie Cartridges, there’s still the problem of the AR’s vertical magazine well. More importantly, those heavily tapered rounds don’t feed from standard AR magazines. The first goal seems easy, right? Why not just make an AR-15 upper chambered and barreled for the ubiquitous 7.62x39mm?įor starters, that would be copying from our enemies and that strategy is kind of lame. Sorry, an error occurred and we could not sign you up. Oh, and while you’re at it, make sure that standard AR magazine capacity is preserved. Oh, and as an extra requirement, how about achieving the first two with the AR-15 platform we already have. 300 AAC Blackout, the goals of the cartridge were simple: achieve similar ballistics to the 7.62x39mm (AK) platform, develop an offering that delivers more “stopping power” when launched from a short-barrel rifle or pistol, and improve performance over 9mm offerings in the subsonic velocity band. For a “real life” comparative illustration, we’ll consider two very similar AR pistols that vary primarily by caliber: the Springfield Armory SAINT Edge Pistol (5.56mm) and the SAINT Victor Pistol chambered in 300 BLK. Let’s take a closer look at the 5.56mm NATO vs. The SAINT pistol is a very capable firearm, but do you want it in 5.56 or 300 BLK? Is a Bugatti Veyron better than a Jeep Wrangler? Not if your purpose is to drive up a mountain on a pack mule trail. These disagreements are often battled in general terms of what’s “best” with no defining parameters for how “best” is determined. While I can speak to the case for the vehicle brand wars, the calibers disagreements often persist because there’s usually a nugget of truth in the arguments for either side. 300 Blackout (BLK)? The debates never end. Ford or Chevy? 9mm vs.45 ACP? 5.56mm NATO vs.