5.56 vs. 300 BLK: Which Rifle Cartridge Is Best?

[TEXASforLIFE]

For me it’s Not so much a need but an enjoyment in shooting all 4 of my AR platforms. I’ve yet to get my mind wrapped around all the specs of each round and what they can and cannot do I just enjoy kicking back on any given day and putting rounds down range and holes in paper. My satisfaction comes from getting better every time I shoot. View attachment 2088

I'm working on a no brake 50bmg barrel design that will have hopefully half the recoil of the ones with a brake!

 

[RandomHero]

If I needed or wanted a round that delivered more power than the 5.56, I would choose my AR-10 .308

 

[Keystone19250]

If I needed or wanted a round that delivered more power than the 5.56, I would choose my AR-10 .308

Exactly RandomHero. When I take my Savage AR10 308 to the range I enjoy the kick and love the feeling of again what I can group. This year I’ll be investing in a metal plate target.

 

[TEXASforLIFE]

Exactly RandomHero. When I take my Savage AR10 308 to the range I enjoy the kick and love the feeling of again what I can group. This year I’ll be investing in a metal plate target.

You can heat the plate up with your lead and then have a hot plate too eat on!

 

[ajfkdem1]

I read, somewhere, that between 80 and 90% of AR's are .223/5.56. Which means to me that ammo is both plentiful and "cheaper". So, why mess with success and go with a round that is harder to find and more expensive?

 

[TEXASforLIFE]

There's YouTube video of a couple guys pushing the range on a 300BLK. I think it had a 10.5" barrel.

At 600 yds, he could occasionally hit the target, and he was prone with a rest shooting supersonics.

Yeah, I love 300BLK, but I roll my eyes at anything over 400 yds, realistically. I build my pistols with the assumption that I'll be shooting less than 50 yds in any real world scenario, and 200 yds if the zombies come to my home to collect their free stuff.

If I'm at the range and decide to try some distance shots, I'll be giddy if I could ring steel out to 300 yds with much consistency.

I usually go out too 200 with 8.5" barrel. The bullets ae 110-135gr, so that makes it easier.

 

[KillerFord1977]

Sometimes you need a ball ping hammer

sometimes you need a regular hammer

sometimes you need a 3lb sledge

sometimes you need more .....

Firearm calibers are the same way

 

[SMSgtRod]

Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled 5.56 vs. 300 BLK: Which Do You Need? and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/5-56-vs-300-blk-which-do-you-need/.

Which gun do you need? This gun or that gun? Silly, Silly question.
Article should read like this: 5.56 or 300 Black Out.....Here's why you need both!

 

[Talyn]

I have no need for a 300 Blk.

IMO it's a niche round that works well within its range limitations.

I can do whatever I need within the 300 Blk effective range with a 5.56.

 

[Talyn]

Which gun do you need? This gun or that gun? Silly, Silly question.
Article should read like this: 5.56 or 300 Black Out.....Here's why you need both!

There's a lot of articles that have loaded titles.

 

[SMSgtRod]

I have no need for a 300 Blk.

IMO it's a niche round that works well within its range limitations.

I can do whatever I need within the 300 Blk effective range with a 5.56.

Hey that's fine.... not gonna start one of those what's better wars!!
I'd rather sweep through the house at two in the morning with the 300 BO
loaded with a 240gr nice slow and heavy bullet. It's one of those times I prefer
a RAM to a Ferrari......

 

[BeachBum68]

I’m going to stray off topic a bit and bring up the question of costs involved. Not only are we being priced out of the market by the federal government buying up all the ammo they can (which should be illegal) combine that with supply issues and inflation and you have today’s market. Ammo prices have skyrocketed and availability is reduced.
While I agree .300 black is an amazing cartridge, can you honestly say it’s affordable to maintain two platforms?
I’d love to get both, don’t get me wrong. Hell, let’s add a .308 and a 6.5 into the mix.
But some of us are getting priced out of the market and that’s the real problem here.

 

[TEXASforLIFE]

I’m going to stray off topic a bit and bring up the question of costs involved. Not only are we being priced out of the market by the federal government buying up all the ammo they can (which should be illegal) combine that with supply issues and inflation and you have today’s market. Ammo prices have skyrocketed and availability is reduced.
While I agree .300 black is an amazing cartridge, can you honestly say it’s affordable to maintain two platforms?
I’d love to get both, don’t get me wrong. Hell, let’s add a .308 and a 6.5 into the mix.
But some of us are getting priced out of the market and that’s the real problem here.

While both (300bo & 556) use small rifle primers even reloading can get costly! As costly as I could be it's still cheaper than buying! All 1 has to do is get an upper minus the bcg and call it good.

 

[10mmLife]

I’m going to stray off topic a bit and bring up the question of costs involved. Not only are we being priced out of the market by the federal government buying up all the ammo they can (which should be illegal) combine that with supply issues and inflation and you have today’s market. Ammo prices have skyrocketed and availability is reduced.
While I agree .300 black is an amazing cartridge, can you honestly say it’s affordable to maintain two platforms?
I’d love to get both, don’t get me wrong. Hell, let’s add a .308 and a 6.5 into the mix.
But some of us are getting priced out of the market and that’s the real problem here.

Most .300blk ammo I've seen is close to precovid prices again. I'd say the mark-up percentage on 5.56 is higher than .300blk currently.

 

[wmg1299]

Which gun do you need? This gun or that gun? Silly, Silly question.
Article should read like this: 5.56 or 300 Black Out.....Here's why you need both!

That's usually the message I walk away from these articles with. I don't buy high-end custom guns, but I have gotten spoiled to having so many reasonably priced options from trusted manufacturers on the market (if you don't buy during a scare/pandemic). I've been blessed with enough disposable income that I often wind up with one of each if a comparison article states that both options have their advantages. God Bless the USA.

 

[Jfal]

I have no need for a 300 Blk.

IMO it's a niche round that works well within its range limitations.

I can do whatever I need within the 300 Blk effective range with a 5.56.

I'm stilling waffling between a 300BLK and 9mm PCC suppressed. Leaning toward the 300BLK because I can simply buy an appropriate upper, already have the complete lower on my 556. Short barrel, suppressor, sub-sonic ammo with high grain weight...might be perfect for me for the home defense scenario. My main POU is indoor firing without going deaf. Cannot be done with a .223/5.56 even when suppressed...

In my case, the applications for each are completely different.

That HK Slap video has me thinking I still want an MP5 clone though...

 

[Wannabewoodsman]

I always say effective range is what one has trained for and can perform at reliably. It may be different for everyone.

For the military an "effective range" is that plus being able to kill your enemy at that distance as well. So, reliably kill an enemy from, for example say, 300 yards

 

[Wannabewoodsman]

I've never felt safe with 5.56. always felt it was too anemic at distances especially with our M4

 

[KillerFord1977]

I've never felt safe with 5.56. always felt it was too anemic at distances especially with our M4

The “common man” defending themselves here in America at home is going tofind that a 5.56 is plenty adequate enough as engaging an intruder beyond 300 yards will be the utmost of rare

 

[HansGruber]

If you’re not going to suppress it, .300 doesn’t make sense when compared to 7.62x39…particularly when it comes to price.

And 5.56 is plenty for realistic defensive engagement distances.