Light bullets
Many varmint-oriented loads use light bullets designed for rapid expansion. Their high muzzle velocity should not be confused with the behavior of a heavier match or hunting bullet.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · COMPACT RIFLE CARTRIDGE
.300 AAC Blackout
A compact .30-caliber centerfire with both supersonic and subsonic factory ammunition. Those two load families can have very different bullet weights and trajectories.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 1.780–2.260 in
45.212–57.404 mm - Case length · max
- 1.368 in
34.747 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.309 in
7.849 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.378 in
9.601 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Compact rifle cartridge
- Bullet specification
- 0.3090 in / 7.849 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 15 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 110–220 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.300 AAC Blackout is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 300 BLK. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
.300 Blackout ammunition must never be mixed with .223/5.56 ammunition or equipment. Similar platform appearance is not a cartridge match.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
Advanced Armament Corporation developed the .300 AAC Blackout around a specific compact-rifle requirement: a .30-caliber cartridge compatible with the general size and magazine envelope of the AR-15/M16 family. Its development also emphasized ammunition suitable for both supersonic use and suppressed subsonic applications.
Those two performance roles explain much of the cartridge’s later popularity and the unusually wide spread of bullet weights associated with its name. It became more than a specialized project, appearing in factory sporting rifles and ammunition from multiple manufacturers. Its historical importance lies in treating the cartridge, rifle platform and suppressor-oriented use as one coordinated design problem. The .300 BLK abbreviation is now common, but the Blackout’s identity remains specific; a shared .30-caliber bullet or an externally similar small rifle case does not make it the same design as older .30-caliber cartridges.
Historical sources: Sierra: .300 AAC Blackout cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Longer bullets
Streamlined match bullets can retain velocity differently downrange. Bullet length, construction, rifling twist, and magazine constraints are product-specific; grain weight alone does not describe them.
Specialty construction
Monolithic, bonded, tipped, and subsonic products are distinct load types when offered. A match label describes a target role and does not automatically establish a hunting application.
The expanded factory selection spans 110–220 grains. Exact products and source conditions appear in the table.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
Factory-labeled subsonic additions include Fiocchi, Magtech, Remington, Winchester. The table also distinguishes ordinary factory loads. Published test conditions and product-specific notes accompany each addition; no velocity curve is inferred from one muzzle specification.
From the factory catalog
110 grains
2,070 fps
NTX® (16" Bbl)
135 grains
2,085 fps
FTX® (16" Bbl)
190 grains
1,050 fps
SUB-X™ (16" Bbl)
Compare all 15 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady80862 | 110 gr 7.13 g | NTX® (16" Bbl) | 2,070 fps 631 m/s | 16 in | Hornady · PDF p. 186 ↗ |
| Hornady80873 | 110 gr 7.13 g | V-MAX® (16" Bbl) | 2,375 fps 724 m/s | 16 in | Hornady · PDF p. 186 ↗ |
| Hornady808794 | 110 gr 7.13 g | CX® (16" Bbl) | 2,285 fps 696 m/s | 16 in | Hornady · PDF p. 186 ↗ |
| Federal300BLK120LFA | 120 gr 7.78 g | COPPER HP | 2,100 fps 640 m/s | 16 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| Hornady80881 | 135 gr 8.75 g | FTX® (16" Bbl) | 2,085 fps 636 m/s | 16 in | Hornady · PDF p. 186 ↗ |
| Federal300BLKB | 150 gr 9.72 g | SP | 1,900 fps 579 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| FederalAE300BLK1 | 150 gr 9.72 g | FMJ BT | 1,900 fps 579 m/s | 16 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| FederalF300BMSR2 | 150 gr 9.72 g | FUSION | 1,900 fps 579 m/s | 16 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| Hornady80877 | 190 gr 12.31 g | SUB-X™ (16" Bbl) | 1,050 fps 320 m/s | 16 in | Hornady · PDF p. 186 ↗ |
| Hornady80891 | 208 gr 13.48 g | A-MAX® (16" Bbl) | 1,020 fps 311 m/s | 16 in | Hornady · PDF p. 186 ↗ |
| FederalAE300BLKSUP2 | 220 gr 14.26 g | OTM | 1,000 fps 305 m/s | 16 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| Fiocchi300BKSBS | 220 gr 14.26 g | Nosler Ballistic TipManufacturer product specification; test barrel not stated in this catalog row. | 1,075 fps 327.7 m/s | Not stated | Fiocchi · PDF p. 24 ↗ |
| WinchesterSUP300BLK / SUP300BLK2 | 200 gr 12.96 g | Super Suppressed · open tipWinchester February 4, 2026 product table. Different package variants are retained where published specifications differ; SUP300BLK and SUP300BLK2 share one ballistic record. | 1,060 fps 323.1 m/s | Not stated | Winchester · source ↗ |
| Magtech300BLKSUBA | 200 gr 12.96 g | Subsonic · FMJ | 1,017 fps 310 m/s | 16 in | Magtech · PDF p. 20 ↗ |
| Remington28430 / 24026 | 220 gr 14.26 g | Subsonic · OTFBCatalog ballistic row has no stated barrel length. Do not infer one from another product. | 940 fps 286.5 m/s | Not stated | Remington · PDF p. 36 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.300 AAC Blackout: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source / publisher | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 110 gr Hornady NTX® (16" Bbl) | Hornady | 0: 2,070; 100: 1,790; 200: 1,540; 300: 1,324 |
| 120 gr Federal COPPER HP | Federal | 0: 2,100; 100: 1,799; 200: 1,533; 300: 1,307; 400: 1,136; 500: 1,024 |
| 135 gr Hornady FTX® (16" Bbl) | Hornady | 0: 2,085; 100: 1,811; 200: 1,564; 300: 1,350 |
| 150 gr Federal SP | Federal | 0: 1,900; 100: 1,685; 200: 1,490; 300: 1,320; 400: 1,181; 500: 1,079 |
| 190 gr Hornady SUB-X™ (16" Bbl) | Hornady | 0: 1,050; 100: 998; 200: 955; 300: 918 |
| 208 gr Hornady A-MAX® (16" Bbl) | Hornady | 0: 1,020; 100: 987; 200: 959 |
| 220 gr Federal OTM | Federal | 0: 1,000; 100: 970; 200: 944; 300: 920; 400: 897; 500: 876 |
| 110 gr Hornady V-MAX® (16" Bbl) | Hornady | 0: 2,375; 100: 2,094; 200: 1,834; 300: 1,597 |
| 110 gr Hornady CX® (16" Bbl) | Hornady | 0: 2,285; 100: 2,029; 200: 1,791; 300: 1,575; 400: 1,383; 500: 1,224 |
| 150 gr Federal FMJ BT | Federal | 0: 1,900; 100: 1,724; 200: 1,561; 300: 1,411; 400: 1,282; 500: 1,174 |
| 150 gr Federal FUSION | Federal | 0: 1,900; 100: 1,685; 200: 1,490; 300: 1,320; 400: 1,181; 500: 1,079 |
| 220 gr Fiocchi Nosler Ballistic Tip | Fiocchi | 0: 1,075 |
| 200 gr Winchester Super Suppressed · open tip | Winchester | 0: 1,060 |
| 200 gr Magtech Subsonic · FMJ | Magtech | 0: 1,017 |
| 220 gr Remington Subsonic · OTFB | Remington | 0: 940; 100: 917; 200: 896; 300: 876; 400: 857; 500: 839 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .300 AAC Blackout?
A compact .30-caliber centerfire with both supersonic and subsonic factory ammunition. Those two load families can have very different bullet weights and trajectories.
What diameter does .300 AAC Blackout use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.3090 inches (7.849 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
.300 Blackout ammunition must never be mixed with .223/5.56 ammunition or equipment. Similar platform appearance is not a cartridge match.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
Factory datasets show manufacturer specifications and any published downrange projections. Chronograph and barrel-study datasets identify recorded measurements and the original test source. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values are labeled linear estimates; single source points are not extended into invented curves. Energy is calculated from bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 115 ↗
- Sierra: .300 AAC Blackout cartridge background ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 186 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗
- Additional factory specification / original test ↗
- Additional factory specification / original test ↗
- Additional factory specification / original test ↗
- Additional factory specification / original test ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.