.300 Blackout Accuracy & Velocity Data

Last week, I put several types of .300 AAC Blackout ammo through two short uppers, using 8″ and 10″ Noveske barrels. While I do not have photos due to a hard drive failure, I do have velocity and accuracy data, so I’ll make this short and sweet. If you’re really looking for the short version, the ammo to definitely buy is the UMC 115gr CTFB (closed tip flat base) ammo, with an honorable mention to the Atlanta Arms 125gr Pink Tip ammo for reliability/velocity reasons, if not accuracy.

Uppers, as well as the exorbitantly expensive Remington Premier Match ammo, were provided by Deliberate Dynamics. Two 20 round boxes of Atlanta Arms ammo were provided by the manufacturer, but this was not enough for a comprehensive review involving four upper receivers, so I purchased more with my own funds. All 115gr CTFB ammo was purchased by me.

Both accuracy and velocity data are based on 10 shot groups/strings at 50 yards, using a 3-9x scope from a bench supported by front and rear bags, and the chronograph at 15 feet. I used 2 shots of 115gr CTFB ammo to zero each upper, but point of impact with all ammunition types would have been within the vital zone of a game animal or human out to at least 200 yards.

The velocity and accuracy data for the 10″ 300BLK upper is as follows:

UMC 115 – 2101fps, SD 17, 2.8MOA

Remington Premier Match 125gr – 2103fps, SD 151, 2.9MOA

Atlanta Arms 125gr – 2162fps, SD 20, 3.6MOA

Gunn Ammunition 130gr “SOST” – 1887fps, SD 28, 4.2MOA

And for the 8″300BLK upper:

UMC 115 – 2001fps, SD 24, 1.9 MOA

Remington Premier Match 125gr – 2007fps, SD 26, 2.1 MOA

Atlanta Arms 125gr – 2053fps, SD 17, 2.7 MOA

Gunn Ammunition 130 – 1742fps, SD 21, 4.5 MOA

I cannot account for the differences in accuracy between the 8″ and 10″ uppers; the 10″ was shot first, but both were fired on the same day. A stock GI trigger was used for this test.

While the Atlanta Arms ammo was not as accurate as the Remington/UMC, it deserves consideration for being much more affordable than the Premier Match while still providing acceptable accuracy. It also has features such as an annealed case, cannelured bullet, crimped primer, and lacquer primer sealant that some other ammo does not have. The ballistic tip bullet should provide great terminal performance at close ranges. For hunting purposes, this load looks ideal. Plus, I got a kick out of the anti-tactical pink color.

I cannot find a single reason to recommend the Gunn 130gr ammo. Groups looked promising after 3 or 4 shots, but always ended up opening to near-unacceptable levels. While I would not say that 4-4.5 MOA is completely unacceptable from an SBR which is to be used most often at spitting range while retaining usefulness out to 300 yards, velocity and projectile design is another stoty. This projectile works well from a 7.62x51mm rifle and is designed to perform in that velocity envelope, but at velocities that are only 45% or so higher than 9mm 124gr pistol velocities, I do not think that this would be an effective load at any range.

The real winner was the UMC 115gr CTFB; while it did not provide stellar velocity numbers compared to the heavier Atlanta Arms ammo, it was very, very accurate. It is also less than half the cost of its supposedly more “premier” Remington brother. It is obvious that a lot of thought went into this ammunition. Despite my previous misgivings about 300BLK ammo not being readily available from Remington, this load in particular was worth the wait.