Massive 300blk penetration disappointments.

[Recoil737]

I also shot at a steel target that was just under 3/4 inch with .223, 50BMG, 300BLK. I used 75gr match .223, 110gr Black Tip 300BLK and 225gr subsonic 300BLK all of them didn't penetrate.

I then tried M855 in .223, 147gr tracer in 300BLK and 50BMG (multiple types of ammo it didn't matter) all easily penetrated. It was to my surprise that the 147gr tracer penetrated until I held it to a magnet and saw it was steel jacketed. The small dots across the top are the m855, the grouping in the upper left is the 50BMG and all the holes in the center bottom are 147gr 300BLK.

It seems the 300BLK has no problem penetrating steel it just needs the right bullet to do it.

[JacksonBrowne]

Zpat - I was wrong and you are correct. Your pulled bullet scenario seems to be a no-go.

ATF has specifically exempted the following rounds:

5.56 SS109 and M855 NATO rounds, with a steel penetrator tip.
.30-06 M2 AP ammo.

Lovely that it is interpreted to retroactively prohibit the manufacture of almost any rifle round, even though it is ostensibly to keep AP pistol ammo out of the hands of criminals.

(ii) a full jacketed projectile larger than .22 caliber designed and intended for use in a handgun and whose jacket has a weight of more than 25 percent of the total weight of the projectile.
. . .
bullets that fall into the AP definition under (B)(ii), because their jackets comprise more than 25% of their weight must be intended for use in a handgun, not just be able to be used in a handgun.

I suppose one could make a solid copper or steel round with a small inner cavity filled with lead - As long as you stated this "lead core, high BC performance bullet" was intended only for rifles.

[yondering]

It seems the 300BLK has no problem penetrating steel it just needs the right bullet to do it.

No surprise there. I would think it obvious that the 300 Blackout and 7.62x39 would perform the same, re. penetration, using the same bullets. Thanks for posting your results to help people understand this.

Penetration of steel is all about velocity, bullet diameter, and bullet hardness/construction. .223 can penetrate steel with a much softer and more fragile bullet, because of it's high velocity, compared to the 7.62x39 or 300.

[zpat]

Zpat - I was wrong and you are correct. Your pulled bullet scenario seems to be a no-go.

ATF has specifically exempted the following rounds:

5.56 SS109 and M855 NATO rounds, with a steel penetrator tip.
.30-06 M2 AP ammo.

Lovely that it is interpreted to retroactively prohibit the manufacture of almost any rifle round, even though it is ostensibly to keep AP pistol ammo out of the hands of criminals.

(ii) a full jacketed projectile larger than .22 caliber designed and intended for use in a handgun and whose jacket has a weight of more than 25 percent of the total weight of the projectile.
. . .
bullets that fall into the AP definition under (B)(ii), because their jackets comprise more than 25% of their weight must be intended for use in a handgun, not just be able to be used in a handgun.

I suppose one could make a solid copper or steel round with a small inner cavity filled with lead - As long as you stated this "lead core, high BC performance bullet" was intended only for rifles.

Yeah, the AP laws are really ridiculous in my opinion, and the ATF over extends the intent and meaning of the law by treating everything as pistol. These laws have been particularily strange for the 5.7mm crowd, with 190, EA's original T6 and new T6, etc.

[zpat]

I also shot at a steel target that was just under 3/4 inch with .223, 50BMG, 300BLK. I used 75gr match .223, 110gr Black Tip 300BLK and 225gr subsonic 300BLK all of them didn't penetrate.

I then tried M855 in .223, 147gr tracer in 300BLK and 50BMG (multiple types of ammo it didn't matter) all easily penetrated. It was to my surprise that the 147gr tracer penetrated until I held it to a magnet and saw it was steel jacketed. The small dots across the top are the m855, the grouping in the upper left is the 50BMG and all the holes in the center bottom are 147gr 300BLK.

It seems the 300BLK has no problem penetrating steel it just needs the right bullet to do it.

Thank you very much for posting this. Can you share with me more details about the 147gr tracer, mfg, etc., I'd love to get my hands on some.

[AR-300]

The AP potential of the 300blk has yet to be determined. There will have to be projectiles with true AP properties designed to determine that potential. Steel core would be a good place to start.

Tungsten or D.U would be better

[Recoil737]

I also shot at a steel target that was just under 3/4 inch with .223, 50BMG, 300BLK. I used 75gr match .223, 110gr Black Tip 300BLK and 225gr subsonic 300BLK all of them didn't penetrate.

I then tried M855 in .223, 147gr tracer in 300BLK and 50BMG (multiple types of ammo it didn't matter) all easily penetrated. It was to my surprise that the 147gr tracer penetrated until I held it to a magnet and saw it was steel jacketed. The small dots across the top are the m855, the grouping in the upper left is the 50BMG and all the holes in the center bottom are 147gr 300BLK.

It seems the 300BLK has no problem penetrating steel it just needs the right bullet to do it.

Thank you very much for posting this. Can you share with me more details about the 147gr tracer, mfg, etc., I'd love to get my hands on some.

I couldn't tell you exactly where I picked up those tracers as I have bought from just about every place that sells surplus ammo. Most likely it was http://www.polygunbag.com/bullets.html. It could have been http://www.hi-techammo.com/. I am not exactly sure what tracer I bought as I didn't give it much thought other than it was cheap and what I was going to use for plinking. I also don't know if all .308 tracers have the steel in them as I don't separate my plinking ammo from different suppliers. Maybe someone with more knowledge on the tracer can chime in if they all have some sort of steel casing. All they have to do is put a magnet to it to see if it sticks. So far all mine do and if that is the case just find the cheapest tracer and go for it. BTW only about 1/4 of what I bought traced.

[Recoil737]

Here is what it looks like when the tracers from the 300BLK hit the target. They sail right through and hardly even move it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnhl27dO ... e=youtu.be

[Leo77]

With All Do Respect!
I know there are individuals in the Gov/SOF/Etc. that are interested in a 300Blk round that will penetrate a Minimum of .25” steel.
Just as 5.56/6.8/7.62 are capable of!

[300Blk]

Then maybe they should tell us because I have not seen it in any requirements document. Maybe the Barnes will already to that.