Is 300 Blackout the Perfect Option for Close Quarters Combat IE Home Defense?

by James L

Editors Note: Please welcome Benjamin from Primary Arms to the site. Primary Arms is a great source for firearms parts and optics. Their ACSS reticles are top of the line, and I urge you to check them out!

Occasionally, a product, or cartridge, or concept comes along that is so uniquely suited to solve a problem, it makes you wonder why it took this long to get to market. Such is the case with the .300 BLK – it is perhaps the most focused and realistic solution for Close Quarters Combat that has ever been devised.

With not much more than a barrel change, or a drop-in upper receiver conversion you can be shooting .300 BLK in short order. That opening statement is likely to cause a bit of controversy. This author, among many others in this market, however, are quite content with making sweeping statements like that about purpose-driven cartridges, like the .300 BLK in relation to home defense, or law enforcement close-quarters combat and the like.

The combination of sound suppression capability, the moderate velocity and energy which simultaneously provides enough stopping power to aid in confidence for the user. While not providing the same over-penetration or second hit concerns that come with more powerful or speedier cartridges, and the overall ballistics, make it and ideal consideration for home defense. This is among a peer group that when explored on a point-by-point basis, simply cannot compete.

If you have entertained the idea of a .300 BLK in the past, are considering it now, or looking for a quite versatile round that you won’t be disappointed in having invested in the hardware to shoot it. This article will lay out the groundwork for an argument that the .300 BLK is perhaps the best CQB cartridge platform on the AR-15, or on any other battle carbine, period.

Of course, there will be some readers who swear by the 9mm or the 10mm or even the 5.56, among other choices – some might even choose rounds like the 6.8 SPC, or even the .50 Beowulf – this author believes there is a simple argument that pushes the .300 BLK even beyond other proven rounds in the space. That argument shouldn’t take more than a few basic plot points to get across. If the sound suppression variable was out of the equation would the .300 BLK still be a contender for CQB?

Importantly, the sound suppression variable when making the argument for the .300 BLK as a premium, or even the premium CQB cartridge platform, cannot be overlooked. Adding stealth and user operability improvements in such a static way, allows what many would consider a great, versatile cartridge to become a market leader.

There is an argument to be made however, given that many readers and shooters across the United States will not have access to sound suppression devices, that the .300 BLK is still a premium contender in the CQB Market.

If you look at all the variables and all the attributes of the cartridge, while sound suppression capabilities are important, they may not be as “real world” a variable for every shooter. Regardless of whether the shooter is using a suppressor or silencer, the .300 BLK still stands alone, a head above the pack when it comes to finding capability in a short-distance, high-threat situation.

Has Law Enforcement adopted the .300 BLK sufficiently?

Interestingly, while there has been some uptake in the law enforcement and military communities within Special Forces groups or specific law enforcement channels for the .300 BLK, it hasn’t been as widely accepted as some other cartridge platforms. We could speculate for hours as to why that is but suffice it to say – law enforcement and military adoption does not equal a 1:1 correlation with effectiveness or suitability for a specific task.There are so many variables that come into play when considering the military or law enforcement procurement process, and choice of sampling for widespread use. One heavy factor is always going to be absolute stopping power.

Part of that can be seen in the way the .45 ACP, the 9mm, the 40 Smith & Wesson, and the 10mm have at one time or another gone back and forth between different operational groups as the caliber of choice for a sidearm.

While the 10mm may not have had great adoption because of user concerns with the high recoil, its usage proves that the stopping power concept has come into play for federal organizations and law enforcement in the past on a regular basis.

Furthermore, you see a continual back and forth between which cartridge is appropriate based on stopping power needs, combined with overpenetration needs, and the interest of public safety as well as officer or unit user capabilities.

In the case of the .300 BLK, it’s easy to choose a more mainstream or task-driven cartridge, because of the higher stopping power or the larger intermediate-range use cases which will present to users. Such is the reason cartridges like the 6.8 SPC have seen such great adoption. Because of the versatility and stability in flight over longer distances, it allows for a ”1 gun” approach, instead of a single purpose solution.

That shouldn’t discount the .300 BLK in either of the two categories it would compete with the 6.8 SPC in. An important note about the .300 BLK is the ability to switch a cartridge up on-the-fly and go from subsonic to supersonic quickly and still have relatively comparable ballistics to something like the 6.8 SPC, with some slight deviations to the downside. Given that, and the lack of abundance of use of silencers or other suppression technologies in the mainstream law enforcement channels, it’s easy to see why one would be adopted over the other.

The point? Law Enforcement and Military adoption does not equal the best or the most specific use case for shooters who would use the same firearms or cartridges in different scenarios. It’s also important to note this is not an attempt to claw back any credibility from the 6.8 SPC, nor should it be misconstrued as “sticking up for” or unfairly inflating the credibility of the .300 BLK. When looked at objectively and given the capabilities and its wide range of scenarios, the .300 BLK stands alone.

Similarly, when given a specific use case, in this case: variability of mission objective, the 6.8 SPC is likely to beat out the .300 BLK because of its intermediate use accuracy and considerations. Outside of CQB, what is the .300 BLK capable of? The idea that because the .300 BLK is so good as a subsonic load, that it may not be as good as a supersonic load is unfounded. Outside of the CQB and home defense world, the .300 BLK has quite a resume.

It’s an excellent short-range stalking platform for moderate sized game animals like certain deer species. If you look closer at the supersonic loads for the 300 BLK, you see you can probably get into the range of elk sized game animals at intermediate ranges, up to and including probably 375 + yards.

While it may not be the ideal round to take certain game animals, it is an option that has credibility. It also happens to be, thanks to the ease of reloading and of finding components for reloading, a popular round to shoot at the range or for tinkering with to further expand its growing resume of capabilities as a cartridge. The subsonic rounds have a simple but predictable ballistic trajectory which, while not as satisfying as some of the competitor rounds, does allow the user to custom-tailor loads to their specific needs.

In a sense the .300 BLK is both a jack-of-all-trades in that it can function across a wide range of needs; but it is also a specialty superstar, in that the customizability and the ability to tailor specific loads to your needs is comprehensive.

Real-world scenarios where the .300 BLK shines

Clearly, any condition where stealth is a primary objective and one has to access a sound suppression device, a .300 BLK is going to be a contender. Perhaps no other rifle cartridge on the market has the capabilities in sound suppression that the 300 BLK does. Furthermore, it does offer high-level capabilities when it comes to on-the-fly decision-making, provided that the loadouts for cartridges are available to the user, and it also allows a decent range of terminal lethality at carbine ranges which are consistent with proven models for likely shots to be taken.

This includes shots from 25 yards out to about 200 yards consistently. In all reality, it’s unlikely that any shooter reading this article will ever make a self-defense shot at a range further than, say 100 yards. This is outside the range of “typical” self-defense arguments.

There is sufficient terminal ballistic advantage in a subsonic 300 BLK cartridge loaded to standard specifications to combat a threat in the ranges of “point blank” to 100 yards. This is particularly true if one understands the ballistic arc and trajectory, and other basic ballistics of the .300 BLK.

Can the .300 Blackout be your go to choice for home defense?

The answer to whether the 300 BLK can be your go-to choice for home defense, is an emphatic yes. Whether or not it’s your specific best choice will depend on a few factors.

Sound Suppression

Where the .300 BLK is going to make the most sense, is where a user does have the availability to use sound suppression devices, and where a carbine makes the most sense. This is generally in a confined space where threats may come without much warning. This also makes the case for increasing your stealth, and your ability to move easily throughout the space.

Second hit concerns, or friendly fire concerns

Another quite important aspect of the .300 BLK is its ability to mitigate at some level, the second hit capability where friendly fire concerns might exist. That is to say: where drywall or traditional residential home frame structures exist, popular cartridges like the .223 Remington or the 5.56 x 45, or the 6.8 SPC, or the .308 Winchester, may all produce sufficiently high velocities and inertia to cause legitimate concerns with a pass-through projectile. This could be true of the initial defensive target, or a misplaced shot which passes through one or more sets of wall board.

Where the .300 BLK makes the case, is that the subdued subsonic velocity, paired with the higher projectile weight, with the ability for the ballistics to benefit from these characteristics, means that there is a higher likelihood that a misplaced shot will not penetrate more than a couple standard wall structures, or be able to be terminally efficient after a first target hit, on a defensive target.

While this is not necessarily true across the board, the likelihood of seeing a second hit from a .300 BLK, versus other popular rounds in the home defense or CQB Spectrum, even including 9mm and 45ACP, is less likely than those mainstream rounds to cause a friendly fire concern.

Sufficient Ballistic Value

While the specific argument for CQB, regarding the .300 Blackout is generally reserved to speculation around the capabilities of the subsonic loads, the supersonic load’s ballistics are quite comparable to the 7.62 x 39, another potent and proven cartridge, even on the CQB scene. The subsonic cartridge loadouts for the .300 Blackout are still ballistically sufficient to stop a threat or multiple threats in a CQB scenario. Generally, you’re going to be achieving results that are comparable to about 450 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle, or greater, and 1,000 feet per second velocity at the muzzle. These are generally on the low end of the spectrum for the .300 Blackout.

These numbers compare quite nicely with most mainstream loads for the 10mm – a round that many home defense purists see as the pinnacle of a sidearm’s ballistic capabilities. Of course, in full
transparency, a carbine is not generally considered a sidearm. However, when compared to what is considered the pinnacle of Home Defense pistol calibers you see a decent crossover between the .300 Blackout, the 10 mm and even the .357 Magnum from a terminal ballistics perspective.

For example, a .357 Magnum cartridge loaded with a 180-grain jacketed hollow-point will generally get you about the same ballistics as a minimally charged subsonic .300 Blackout. There are very few individuals who would argue that 357 Magnum ballistics are insufficient for close-quarters combat. Again, if you need higher velocity, 175 + yard range and the ability to keep the accuracy high at moderate ranges, you can easily swap out the load to include a supersonic round.

The platform of the rifle/carbine

Having the ability to shoot from a rifle or carbine is significantly more accurate and more difficult to wrestle away from a user. It not only provides superior accuracy, but the ability to tactically control a situation in most scenarios, when compared to a sidearm. The fact that the standard AR-15, with a simple barrel change, or upper receiver swap out can utilize the .300 Blackout makes it a game changer. Same mags, same bolt, same carrier, same general gas system settings, and you’re in business.

The only difference is the availability to specific barrel lengths, in this case, the .300 Blackout shines because it can be shot out of a shorter barrel and therefore offers an overall length benefit to those shooting in close-quarters combat. There are robust market considerations surrounding the .300 Blackout, and the parts, availability, and customizability of the platform are not in question.

The platform of the cartridge

The ability to go from subsonic to supersonic in a simple magazine swap, makes the .300 Blackout quite a versatile round. The ability further, to customize loads, specifically to the needs that you have, whether that be in the subsonic or the supersonic realm, makes this cartridge a dynamo. You can dial up or dial down with market available mainstream component parts for any .300 BLK cartridge you wish to load out.

Being able to put 225 grains into a necked-up cartridge that comes from a popular mainstream caliber offers a lot of options. One can also shoot significantly smaller grain weights and can selectively dial up or down powder and primers, within reason. In a world of fantastic semi-auto pistols built on the AR platform what’s the use case for the .300 BLK?

If given the choice between a shoulderable firearm and a sidearm, very few would choose a side arm, especially when your life is at stake. From a defensive shooting and CQB perspective having a carbine or rifle that you’re familiar with – and who isn’t familiar with the AR-15 at this point – means you are competently engaging a threat on your terms, where it’s more difficult for them to have a tactical advantage.

What’s the saying? “Don’t bring a pistol to a rifle fight”?

While there are wonderful cases to be made for a bevy of hardcore pistol cartridges, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to eschew, what many believe to be the optimum CQB round, to perpetuate the myth that pistol ballistics are somehow ideal for indoor self-defense purposes.

Any special forces operator, or hardcore law enforcement professional would almost universally choose a carbine or rifle platform over a pistol platform any day. This is not only because of the ballistics, but also because of the ability to be mobile, while still having access to higher firepower, as well as a more difficult to lose firearm, and one which allows the user to ensure almost universally better accuracy and control.

It goes without saying, if you can shoot a carbine as a defensive weapon in a CQB situation, the most viable option will be a round that offers sufficient ballistic capabilities while still offering better-than- average controllability, accuracy and has the potential to mitigate second-hit disasters.

Why would you consider anything else when you have an option this good?

The real argument from this author’s perspective, is given even the most precursory glance at why a .300 Blackout makes sense for close-quarters combat, why would you choose anything else when you have something this great? It should go without saying that we only explored three or four aspects of the benefits of the .300 Blackout in a close-quarters combat situation. There are at least a dozen other reasons why one might consider the 300 Blackout even in a field, filled with highly capable rounds built specifically for defensive purposes and skewed towards law enforcement or military use purposes.

The bottom line is this: with or without sound suppression, the .300 Blackout cartridge makes a lot of sense as a contender in a CQB situation. Going one step further: if you prioritize stealth, and user comforts, with sound suppression there is no other option.

What is your experience with the 300 BLK round? Let us know in the comments below.