Max effective range:

[300Blk]

What is max effective range of 300 AAC BLACKOUT? The military tends to select max effective range based on hit probability. Hit probability is a function of system accuracy and hard to read variables such as drop at distance and wind drift. Assuming 10 MPH crosswind and 16 inch barrel for 300 AAC BLACKOUT:

If the max effective range of the 338 Lapua Magnum 27 inch barrel, 300 grain at 2710 fps is the often cited 1500 meters - that has 1186 inches drop and 175 inches drift:
300 AAC BLACKOUT 125 grain at 2250 fps has:
1186 inches drop at 1072 meters.
175 inches drift at 939 meters.
So 1006 meters by 338 LM standards.

Subsonic:
The Sierra 240 at 1000 fps would have 1186 inches of drop at 706 meters.
The Sierra 240 at 1000 fps would have 175 inches of drift at 1468 meters.

If the max effective range of the 300 Win Magnum 26 inch barrel, 190 grain at 3025 fps is the often cited 1200 meters, that has 663 inches of drop and 147 inches drift:
300 AAC BLACKOUT 125 grain at 2250 fps has:
663 inches drop at 866 meters.
147 inches drift at 861 meters.
So 864 meters by 300 WM standards.

Subsonic:
The Sierra 240 at 1000 fps would have 663 inches of drop at 535 meters.
The Sierra 240 at 1000 fps would have 147 inches of drift at 1322 meters.

If the max effective range of the M24 with M118LR at 2650 fps is the often cited 800 meters, that has 310 inches of drop and 74 inches drift:
300 AAC BLACKOUT 125 grain at 2250 fps has:
310 inches drop at 654 meters.
74 inches drift at 626 meters.
So 640 meters by M24 standards.

Subsonic:
The Sierra 240 at 1000 fps would have 310 inches of drop at 372 meters.
The Sierra 240 at 1000 fps would have 74 inches of drift at 935 meters.

If the max effective range of the M4 with M855 at 2900 fps is 500 meters, that has 93 inches of drop and 34 inches drift:
300 AAC BLACKOUT 125 grain at 2250 fps has:
93 inches drop at 404 meters
24 inches drift at 441 meters
So 423 meters by M4 standards.

Subsonic:
The Sierra 240 at 1000 fps would have 93 inches of drop at 207 meters.
The Sierra 240 at 1000 fps would have 34 inches of drift at 625 meters.

Averaging the worst column of each of these metrics, 300 AAC BLACKOUT 125 grain has a 708 meter effective range. However, it is only supersonic to 600-640 meters. So I will claim 600.
For subsonic, it would be 455 meters for a 240 Sierra or 230 Berger.

[BriggsRi]

Interesting data / facts!

[curious sam]

Well done.

Care to do the math out of a 9" bbl with a N6 attached?

I suspect that is what many/most of us will actually have.

[300Blk]

I don't know the velocity from a 9 inch yet, and it is kinda pointless anyway as it is so much of a judgement call so you can't take it literally as a hard cutoff. When people say a 338 LM is good to 1500 meters, it is assumed a 26-27 inch barrel. Some people are shooting with 20 inch barrels, but no one seems to come up with a spec for that. 16 inches is the standard length for 300 AAC BLACKOUT. It is in the SAAMI spec that way.

[curious sam]

Roger roger.

[da bugman]

Mr Silvers

You should take me up on my steak offer. 5 outings one shot on each target at 300 and 400 yards. Reuse the target for all 5 shots. Space outings out a week apart, skip a day if wind comes up over 20 mph. Post weekly photo with conditions noted on target. Target to be a 50 yard large bore pistol.

If Keep all 5 in the 9 ring at 300 and all 5 in the 8 ring at 400.
I will send you a check for 30 bucks to buy the steak and a beer.

I know you could do this on the right day with enough ammo to sight in with, but the trick to it is "will the round buck the wind enough and be consitant enough to to dial in conditons and have it hit"


I can do this with my 308 or 260 easy enough,but I think that the acc will be running out of steam at 400 and will require more luck than skill. Use a bolt gun and any optics you want. If you can shoot a 308 for comparsion that would be real cool.

I love my acc, I would do some work at 300 or 400 on paper just to know what it would do , but would not shoot at 4 legged game past 200 or so. 2 legged vermin with a towel wraped around their head sure as far as I can hit them.


JD

[BLACK XS]

Great data! Very nice to know how the 300BLK compares against some of the other rounds

Thanks for posting this

[Twinsen]

I thought they based the effective range of 5.56 at different barrel lengths by using velocity, not hit probability. Am I mistaken? I have no first hand information.

[Tom12.7]

I know it's been told to me more than a few times that M4s really are 200 meter and closer guns. Something like, you can make hits farther out, but the terminal effects aren't as good.
Tom

[JasonAAC]

I thought they based the effective range of 5.56 at different barrel lengths by using velocity, not hit probability. Am I mistaken? I have no first hand information.

Officially it's hit probability, not velocity or even terminal effects. Isn't it currently 500m point target and 800m area target? Fragmentation with MIL ammo is way back at like 150m...