My 300 Blackout: The Journey

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BobinNC
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My 300 Blackout: The Journey

Post by BobinNC »

I was selling a Ruger revolver on a statewide website, and was offered a trade on a NIB 300 Blackout. The prior owned won it in a raffle, and had no use for it. I had a revolver that I had no use for, and a trade was made.

This particular 300 Blackout started life as a Diamondback DB15E300TG. That's to say Diamondback 300 Blackout Elite in Tungsten Gray. Not an top line AR but not a dog either. I shot it a bit, and it functioned 100% being fed all 110 grain handloads.

I started making changes, first with parts I had on hand, and then over time with new parts that I thought would better fit the Rifle to me, rather than fitting me it.

The butt stock was pretty horrible wobbly POS. So I bought a Magpul MOE SL on a local closeout sale ( in Gray oddly enough). The Magpul was much better, and it had a push button QD swivel mount socket that the original lacked.

Which prompted me to buy a BCM Gunfighter Keymod QD mount for the forward rail.

Then I went to my AR parts bin, and produced a Front and Rear Midwest Industries BUIS. Unfortunately the Front was Black and the Rear was FDE. But my fashion sense was never strong, and they worked, so on they went.

I also had a NIB BFG Black Vickers Padded sling, so that went on too.

The Diamondback Muzzle brake was a big ass thing 4 oz and over 2.75" long. I found a newish VG6 Gamma 300 BLK Brake in the parts bin from an aborted 6.5 Grendel project, and at under 2 oz and 1.75" long it just looks and works better.

Next I turned my eyes to the stock grip. The DB came with a Hexmag grip that functioned well, but that's about it. I prefer AR grips that have storage capacity for batteries and the like, so I bought a BCM Gunfighter Grip Mod 3 in Wolf Gray. While I was shopping there I also bought a BCMGUNFIGHTER Vertical Grip Mod 3 in Wolf Gray.

Next came the weapon lights. I shopped figured, pondered, and finally bought a Streamlight Rail Mount 2 Longgun light for just under $100.00. I then bought an Impact Weapons Components Thorntail SBR Offset Adaptive Light Mount. And I mounted the Streamlight RM2 to it, and then mounted it to the Top Pic Rail.

Now I had a problem. The Light was at the desired 1 o'clock position but the light was contacting the front BUIS. Either the light or the BUIS had to be moved back. No good. So I fetched up a short Key Mod pic rail section out of the parts bin, mounted it to the side keymod slot. Now the light was at the 2 o'clock position, had plenty of BUIS clearance. Yea, it works fine.

Next problem was what to do with the tape switch. I didn't like mounting it with zip ties and two sided tape. Seems cheap and flimsy. I knew what I wanted, an Cloud Defense Systems Light Control Systems. But I was no be spending $70. to get one.

So I shopped, looked and waited. As luck would have it I found one, slighty used on Ebay for $45.00 shipped. It was in Olive Drab Green, but fashion patrol be damned, I got it and it works.

Next up was optics. I have a Holosun 503GR that I keep as backup sight for my AR's that I was using on the Diamondback.

Nothing wrong with it for CQB, but I had longer range asperations in mind, so I needed a proper sight. And after much shopping around I bought a Swampfox Arrowhead 1-6x24 Illuminated with the MOA Reticle. With my veterans discount it came to $309.

So far it's been a fine choice. For a mount I went with an old standby a SWFA SSALT Mount. Not the lightest, nor the prettiest, but a $60.00 it works just fine.

I shot the rifle in this configuration for another 500 or so rounds. Then I made the last of the changes. I put the stock charging handle in parts bin and bought a Seekins Precision DNA charging handle. Much better.

Next the stock Mil-Spec trigger was OK when I had red dot on-board, but it was a mother bear with a good scope. So I bought a Rise Armament LE-145 Trigger on sale for $129. This is a crisp single stage trigger with a just under 4.5 lb pull. Perfect for a scoped 300 Blackout. Not to light for fast work under stress and not too heavy for precision. More better than the 7 lb pull beastie it came with.

The last thing I added as a Radian Talon Ambi safety mounted @ the 45 degree short throw position, in Tungsten Grey of course.

That's it for now. I have a new Wilson Combat BCG in Nitride in the parts bin, just in case, but I think I'll run the stock BCG a while longer to see how it holds up.

The particular 300 Blackout rifle has not seen one factory round so far. All have been 110 grain handloads. I do have 800 Factory Supers I'm hording, but they are like gold nuggets right now, and my reloads are much cheaper.

I have well over a 750 Starline 300 Blackout brass to play with, plus about 200 new Hornady 300 BLK cases.

It's been a fun journey.

Bob
ReadyAimDuck
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Re: My 300 Blackout: The Journey

Post by ReadyAimDuck »

Funny you mention it, but I've actually never shot a factory 300 blackout round either. My journey with the caliber started about 6 years ago. I've shot everything from 115gr -190 grain subs to 110-150 grain supers. Never once have I shot factory loaded ammo. I wonder how many others have had the same experience. Its an extremely versatile cartridge for handloaders. And can be loaded relatively cheaply. Factory ammo is relatively expensive, and was hard to find for a while. So, I'm guessing we aren't the only ones.
BJK
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Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2020 8:30 am

Re: My 300 Blackout: The Journey

Post by BJK »

I bought some just to check function. This was during the ammo shortage and all I could find was overpriced S&B @ $1 per round. The supersonic made the gun function the subsonic doesn't. I like my reloads alot more.
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