Having a hard time finding plinking ammo

[VENT625]

I jumped in with both feet but if the component/ammunition situation doesn't change drastically for the better by spring I will be selling off all my Blackout stuff to invest in a cartridge that is not hampered by a low expansion velocity window and limited component availability.

Im not sure where you live making components hard to find. I got into reloading after Sandy Hook, and I have been able to find every component needed and then some. You have to be patient and look around. If your looking for pre-December 2012 prices, those days are gone. I spent some time looking, I now have 20+ pounds of powder, for 300 Blk and 223. I have roughly 11,000 primers on stock. I have over 3,000 loaded 300 blk and about 5,000 .223 ready to be cut. I have around 3,000 projectiles for the Blackout and .223. Dont tell me it cant be found. I bought a Hornady single stage press and everything I need to reload last spring. I am now self reliant on my ammo needs. I will say this.....I DID NOT PAY INFLATED PRICES FOR ANY OF IT. Be patient, look around. Midway has blemished projectiles and brass on sale occasionally. Theres a gentleman on here selling a handy jig that cuts 223 into 300 blk. The saw is roughly 25 bucks from Harbor Freight. If youre dedicated to this round, it can be fun. If you want things handed to you for little or nothing, go to healthcare.gov.

Good for you, now stand up take a bow, then pat yourself on the back, now here's your gold star. Did you even read my post. I already make my own 300 Blk brass. I have never fired 300 Blk factory ammunition. I am not having any issues finding components for 5.56, 308 etc. or for that matter primers and brass for 300BLK. 5.56 and 308 ammunition and components are plentiful and reasonably priced. I just picked up another 120 rounds of brass cased 5.56 today for $42. H110 for the Blackout has been hard to find but I have enough. However this thread, which you apparently are not reading closely is about the lack of reasonably priced 300 Blackout practice ammunition. This shortage is mostly due to the fact that there are only two bullets currently being produced by major ammunition manufacturers that are truly suitable for the 300 Blackout. Unfortunately both of those bullets are very expensive and produced in limited quantities. One being an premium all copper copper hunting bullet while the other is a match bullet. My preferred bullet is the Hornady 130 spire point. That became my prefered because the 30811 barnes Blacktip was unavailable. Now Hornady is not producing the 130 SP right now. I believe they stopped the 110 Vmax as well. Let see what else has been stopped. The 125 grain pink tip, the 115 UMC. I guess I can load 308 bullets that won't expand at 300 Blackout velocities but what's the point

I did read your post....in fact I quoted you whining about the component/ammunition availability. Just sell all your stuff now, more stuff for the rest of us. Merry Xmas.

[300Blk]

What is going on now with 300 Blackout availability was going on well before Sandy Hook.

It is true that demand exceeded supply before the panic, and then it got ridiculously worse.

I think manufacturers made a large initial commitment then dropped the ball.

It is "the panic" as we were just discussing. If demand for cars got that high, auto makers would stop switching paint colors and just make them all black with one set of options. Gun and ammo makers are minimizing tool changeovers - for example, Colt focused on the LE6920 for a while - except not Remington as all 300 BLK is being made except for the UMC 115 but that is due to a production issue.

Remember the Pink Tip that is no longer produced.

I remember because I am the one who got it made. It was always a single-order run. When it sold out, I made no effort to re-order it because the bullet maker quoted a ridiculous lead time, and I contacted other bullet makers and they were too busy to do anything custom, and I was not happy with a non-custom bullet. It just so happens that was a mistake, and I should have re-ordered it - as that lead time does not look all that ridiculous compared to lead times now. Are you saying that the fact that I did not re-order it means that I am not committed to 300 BLK?

The OP asked where the 300 Blackout plinking ammo was. I feel real comfortable in saying it doesn't exist because that is the current state of affairs in regards to this cartridge. Imagine if Smith and Wesson introduced the 40 S&W cartridge but ammunition producers only made Ranger SXT, Speer Gold Dot, and Federal Premium Personal defense in very limited quantities, No inexpensive FMJ practice ammunition and made little to no bullet and brass components available to reloaders. The 40 S&W would have followed the 40AE into the dustbin or cartridge history. That is exactly what has been done with the 300 Blackout.

I agree that if lots of 300 BLK cheap practice ammo were available it would be a huge boon to the cartridge. I say that at every chance to get as much made as possible. What would seem like a large amount of 300 BLK is made every month, but it turns out, it is not enough given the demand.

Remington is retooling the UMC for an improved design because they are very motivated to not ship defects, and two people (as far as I know) complained about seeing bent-tips. I take some blame for that as I forwarded all internet quality complaints to them and each one launched an investigation. It is too time-costly to have to search every tip for bends so they wanted a design that was not prone to that before they felt comfortable letting the machines rip with massive quantities. We will get past this.

[mj36639]

This is one of the few bullets designed for the 300 BLK.

Um, no. All of those bullets were designed for 300 BLK.

First you said that only two bullets were designed for 300 BLK. I named 10. Then you went on to say why they are no good or why supply exceeds demand or why they cost too much. Which is it - there are only two, or the 10 that were made are not working out?

How could the 220 grain Sierra Match King have been designed for the 300 Blackout. It's design pre-dates the Blackout by many years. It was designed as a 1000 yard match bullet for 30 caliber magnum rifles not a 100 yard subsonic carbine bullet. It works in that role but offers no expansion or fragmentation. It acts like an FMJ but at match ammo price, hardly ideal

The Barnes 130 Grain bullet also pre-dates the Blackout by several years. It may have been recently marketed as the 300 Blackout "Hog Hammer" but we all know that best case scenario with a 16 inch barrel that bullet is going to drop below it's minimum expansion velocity threshold of 1900-2000 FPS before it makes it 100 yards. Just because it's sitting in a 300 Blackout case doesn't mean it's a purpose built 300 Blackout bullet. If that is the case then any 308 bullet would qualify as "designed for the 300 Blackout".

You named 10 bullets. I documented that the majority of bullets on that list are not available for sale anywhere and the rest are expensive premium bullets. Shooters and re-loaders have a wide variety of commercial manufactured non-surplus ammunition and components available for the 7.62x39 and the 30 Caliber carbine. That variety is what is missing for the 300 Blk.

[300Blk]

How could the 220 grain Sierra Match King have been designed for the 300 Blackout. It's design pre-dates the Blackout by many years. It was designed as a 1000 yard match bullet for 30 caliber magnum rifles not a 100 yard subsonic carbine bullet. It works in that role but offers no expansion or fragmentation. It acts like an FMJ but at match ammo price, hardly ideal

The UMC 220 does not use a Sierra 220. It has a 300 BLK optimum projectile with just the right shape for feeding, and a flat base to keep it shorter for more stability than if it were a boat tail.

The Barnes 130 Grain bullet also pre-dates the Blackout by several years. It may have been recently marketed as the 300 Blackout "Hog Hammer" but we all know that best case scenario with a 16 inch barrel that bullet is going to drop below it's minimum expansion velocity threshold of 1900-2000 FPS before it makes it 100 yards. Just because it's sitting in a 300 Blackout case doesn't mean it's a purpose built 300 Blackout bullet. If that is the case then any 308 bullet would qualify as "designed for the 300 Blackout".

The Hog Hammer does not use the existing Barnes 130 TSX. It uses a custom projectile with a shape specific to 300 BLK for optimum feeding, and was softened to lower the expansion window.

You named 10 bullets. I documented that the majority of bullets on that list are not available for sale anywhere and the rest are expensive premium bullets. Shooters and re-loaders have a wide variety of commercial manufactured non-surplus ammunition and components available for the 7.62x39 and the 30 Caliber carbine. That variety is what is missing for the 300 Blk.

You said there were only two bullets that were designed for 300 BLK. I gave a list of 10 that were designed for 300 BLK. Now that you were proven wrong, you are changing the argument to "Well, they are not available to reloaders (10% of the shooting public) or at mil surplus pricing."

Remington developed 19 SKUs for 300 BLK - which is extraordinary for a new cartridge launch. True they are not all available or useful to you, but it demonstrates a big commitment.

123 grain
155 grain
SAAMI proof rounds
SAAMI dummy rounds
SAAMI reference
AccuTip
220 subsonic
UMC 220
125 Match
Barnes 110
Barnes RRLP
Barnes 120 coming out
130 Hog Hammer
115 UMC
Working on new UMC
Military 125
Military 220

And a few more.

[talonxracer]

unless Remington makes good on their promise of plentiful and cheap plinking ammo and soon, the 300blk will start floundering. I know several people who have already decided to drop the round from their stable because of the failure of Remington to make good on their ammo promises and many more looking in that direction.

Heck Remington can not even step up and provide reloaders with ANY brass, real chumps!

But then again Americans should be accustomed to being lied to by the suits at this point.

[300Blk]

unless Remington makes good on their promise of plentiful and cheap plinking ammo and soon, the 300blk will start floundering. I know several people who have already decided to drop the round from their stable because of the failure of Remington to make good on their ammo promises and many more looking in that direction.

Cheap and plentiful ammo is a goal of mine. The panic will have to end at some point - my best guess is in the summer. Remington has made two UMC loads to help with that. They never advertised them, let alone made any promises such as despite the panic they will be able to meet demand and keep dealers from raising prices. Before the panic they were $10.83 per box which meant that loads from other companies made from reformed brass would have to be in the $8-$9 range to compete.

Heck Remington can not even step up and provide reloaders with ANY brass, real chumps!

Remington is making and selling component brass, but it is being bought up by companies who are making ammo with it.

But then again Americans should be accustomed to being lied to by the suits at this point.

There was no lie.

[RMcDonald]

I was buying Remington 115gr UMC ammo every couple of weeks last year up until December, I was also buying PNW arms 147gr and 155gr BTHP, the ammo was there, it was cheap enough and there was a good amount of it. Of course from December 2012-October 2013, there was no 5.56/.223, .22LR, 9mm, .45 ammo to be found, and if you did find it prices were ridiculous. I don't blame Remington for the panic or lack of ammunition, I think it's foolish to blame them, especially with such high demand for .223 and 9mm, I've also seen Remington Primed 300 blackout brass availible on midwayusa twice this year, I've not seen .22LR on there once.

[mj36639]

You said there were only two bullets that were designed for 300 BLK. I gave a list of 10 that were designed for 300 BLK. Now that you were proven wrong, you are changing the argument to "Well, they are not available to reloaders (10% of the shooting public) or at mil surplus pricing."

Remington developed 19 SKUs for 300 BLK - which is extraordinary for a new cartridge launch. True they are not all available or useful to you, but it demonstrates a big commitment.

Well it is good to see an actual purpose built 220 grain for the Blackout. The Hoghammer may be a different purpose built bullet but I am not convinced. As you can see in this thread it really does not expand well at 300 Blk velocities: viewtopic.php?f=145&t=86236

However lets remember the OP started this thread asking about inexpensive plinking/practice ammunition. That is what was missing two years ago and that is what is still missing now. Where is the Wolf, Winchester, Federal American Eagle, Blazer, etc FMJ? For that matter where is the Remington? Im going to quote R. Silvers, the developer of the cartridge from December 4th 2011:

http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php ... -questions

All of the signs are right for 300 BLK to be the 40 S&W of the AR world, compared to 5.56mm being like 9mm. We know that DPMS, Bushmaster, Remington, Savage, Kel-Tec, and Sig are on the verge of releasing weapons. S&W already has. The cheap ammo is the missing key. The UMC will go a long way to being close to $10 a box, but it still has premium features like the NATO-like hardness brass case, water proof primer, and long high-BC OTM bullet. There is a whole 'nother level of market that will want even cheaper ammo with even fewer features - such as a steel case and a non OTM cheaper FMJ bullet.



Two years later I say it's 50/50 40 S&W or 40 AE. If something doesn't change soon it will be the latter.

[300Blk]

You can tell that the Hog Hammer is a custom bullet for 300 BLK because the bullet didn't exist before this load, is not available in any other cartridge, and is the ideal large-radius optimum shape for the most reliable feeding.

Yes, the cheap ammo is the missing key. I push hard to increase capacity every chance I get, but it is extremely difficult when the ammo plant is already running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and all capacity is sold out.

As for 40 AE - that cartridge may have done better had 40 S&W never came out. 40 S&W caught on for three reasons - one is that it was a good idea and fit a need. Two was that it was not super hard to rechamber 9mm pistols for it. Three was that the FBI adopted it.

Now look at 300 BLK - it is a good idea and fits a need. It is easy to make 5.56mm guns use it. All we need now is for part of the government to adopt it - then maybe Winchester and Federal will also start making ammo, especially if the ammo market looks saturated in 2014 and they have to find something to make that is growing. There is a lot of government interest but the "sequester" resulted in a purchasing freeze.

[golfindia]

Good thing is, thanks to the blackout fad, .270 projectiles (and 6.8 brass) are now more plentiful than they have been in 3 yrs.

The shortage of 30cal heavy bullets has been intersting to me. I would not have guessed that many people had 30cal suppressors.....

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