My Inland has a Big Brother (sort of).

[imarangemaster]

It is no secret that I am a M1 Carbine fan, going back to my be a kid in the 19502, hearing my dad talking about carrying one on Iwo Jima, and subsequently carrying one my self as a law enforcement patrol carbine. This fondness for M1 Carbines evolved into a fondness for Mini-14 (which are essentially a 5.56 M1 Carbine on steroids).

Well, enter the 300 Blackout, a 5.56 case, shortened and neck out for a spire point 110/125 grain bullet at 2400/2200 fps... (500 fps more than the 30 Carbine). The 125 grain bullet 300 BLK is a ballistic twin to the 8mm Kurz (7.92x33) used in the STG44 Sturm Gewehr. Sometimes new is really another look at something old...



I have alway maintained that the Mini-14 was a natural development of the M1 Carbine idea, but now Mini-14s available in 300 BLK, and a step beyond that. I picked up a 2020 production Mini-14, Blue steel and wood stock, in 300 BLK. It uses the same 5.56 magazines as the 5.56 Mini.

My Carbine:



My Carbine with a Viagra stiffy! IN it poly stock, it was 6.5 lbs, but it is about 6.75 lbs in the wood set.

[jimb16]

My .300 BLK is on an AR platform. I positively love that round. 1 hole 5 shot groups at 50 yards with anything I care to put thru it.

[browningautorifle]

That would be a decent slugger to play with. I always liked the idea of that cartridge in a mini or 7.62x39... Just a bit more bullet.

[imarangemaster]

I have had an AR in 300 BLK for awhile and LOVE the round also. Ruger makes it in Tactical model with flash hider, but those are a no-no in Commiefornia. I found this one with a standard barrel, and grabbed it. Davidsons had Ruger do a special run with standard barrels in 2020. This came with a poly stock, but I had a Ruger factory 580 series OEM wood stock and ASI wood hand guard that it now wears. This definitely meets Col. Jeff Coopers "Thumper" rifle definition perfectly.

I have Barnes VOR-TX 110 grain poly tipped copper hollow tips at almost 2400 fps. About 1350 ft lbs. ME. nI also have some 125 grain Hornady 125 grain OTMs loaded with WW296 that clock out at 2200 fps and similar ME. Super popular round with pig hunters in Southern California.

[browningautorifle]

AR in 300 BLK

I built one of those for a returning vet some decade plus back and he had the opportunity to use it on black bear in his yard TWICE! Both times did the job marvelously, one at the foot of his porch stairs went straight down without twitching and the second was about 60 yds off at his yards edge. He used about three quick shots to do it in. No problem there either. I think he was using 208 gr factory(?)PSP.

[BVZ24]

I've always enjoyed my Ruger in 7.62x39. I have taken a good number of deer with it at jumped up during a drive, bedded right in front of you range. Never hunted with or even owned an M1 carbine, but the claimed 30-30 equivalent of the 30 cal Mini is good enough for most ranges in my woods. 300 blk is a bit overrated in my opinion, but the mini 14 is none the less a natural evolution of the M1 carbine.

[browningautorifle]

300 blk is a bit overrated in my opinion,

It's greatest application was military as it could be run in AR platforms and suppressed easily.

[imarangemaster]

The 300 shines in sub-sonics, if supressed. otherwise it performs like a 45 ACP with better bullet. When using the factory loaded super-sonics (110, 115,120, and 125s) it is just below 7.62x39 in performance. 125s are about 2200 fps as opposed to 7.62x39's 2350ish fps. With the right powder, though (LIl'Gun), reloading you can duplicate the 7.62x39 performance with the 125s, getting 2400 fps. From what I have read, though, optimum accuracy is below 2300 fps.

The 300 BLK's main advantage is using 5.56 magazines in ARs and Minis. High capacity 7.62x39 mags in AR15s suck, and in Minis are limited to factory 20s for reliability. Non-factory Mini-30 mags as lousy, for the most part. It is a good pig or deer thumper out to 150 (maybe 200 with right bullet and good shot placement), or a marvelous home defense carbine.

[jimb16]

I've shot everything from 110 gr soft point up to 230 gr cast in mine and it doesn't care what I feed it. Obviously the point of impact changes, but group size remains small. BTW I poly coat all of the cast bullets that I shoot in mine. I don't have to be concerned with bullet lube gumming up the insides that way.

[imarangemaster]

A bunch of "Thump"