Fiocchi’s Versatile .300 Blackout Ammunition

One of the most diversely applicable cartridges ever developed, the .300 BLK continues to gain ground 10 years after its introduction

by Dr. Martin D. Topper

The .300 BLK is a 21^st century equivalent of the battle-proven .30 carbine cartridge, offering up to 28-percent more muzzle energy than the .30 carbine with a minor increase in recoil. The Blackout was developed by Advanced Armament Corporation and Remington in 2010 to fulfill a request from the U.S. military for an intermediate carbine cartridge that could produce more downrange effectiveness than the 5.56x45mm NATO round. The primary advantages of the .300 BLK are that it generally delivers deeper penetration and more muzzle energy than the 5.56mm. The parent case of this cartridge is the .221 Remington Fireball necked up to take a .30 caliber bullet. It is similar to the .300 Whisper, but the Blackout is optimized for use in the AR.

Fiocchi has a .300 BLK load for just about every need that civilians, law enforcement, and military personnel may have for a gun with this chamber. Altogether, there are six different .300 BLK loads produced by Fiocchi through the company factory in Ozark, Missouri. Over the last seven decades, Fiocchi has sold ammunition in the United States and has gained a reputation for producing high quality, U.S.-made cartridges at a reasonable price. This mirrors my personal experience.

Fiocchi’s .300 BLK loads can be used for five types of shooting: civilian personal defense, law enforcement and military operations, hunting, competition, and general recreation. A number of these loads can be used for more than one purpose.

Blue Guardian

Fiocchi’s recently-introduced Blue Guardian line of ammunition is primarily designed for defensive purposes and is a good choice for civilians, law enforcement, and some special operations applications. There are two Blue Guardian loads in .300 BLK, both of which have solid copper hollow-point projectiles. Bullets with this type of construction are known for their ability to expand rapidly and offer controlled penetration in soft targets while still maintaining the capacity to penetrate through light to medium barriers. The first load is a supersonic load with a 125-gr. bullet that has a factory specified velocity of 2100 fps. and delivers 1223 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. This is not only a good defense load, but also delivers sufficient energy at 100 yards for hunting whitetail deer and feral hogs.

The second Blue Guardian load has a 200-gr. copper hollow-point that leaves the muzzle at 1020 fps. This load is specifically designed for use in suppressed firearms and would be a good choice for law enforcement and special operations at close range. In addition, it would be very useful for shooting at distances up to 100 yards in areas where permitted nighttime culling operations and predator control are required to protect crops and livestock.

Super Shock Tip

This load contains a 125-gr. Super Shock Tip bullet that leaves the muzzle at 2200 fps. and develops 1343 foot-pounds of muzzle energy, giving it a level of performance that is close to that of the 7.62x39mm cartridge used in the AKM. The SST bullet has a polymer tip that initiates expansion and a jacketed construction that helps control expansion and gives it adequate penetration on game up to the size of whitetail deer. In addition to being a good round for deer, it also can be used for personal defense and law enforcement in urban settings.

Matchking

Fiocchi’s .300 Blackout offerings include a 220-gr. Sierra Matchking bullet that leaves the muzzle at 1020 fps. This is a good load for precision shooting in suppressed firearms. While it is primarily designed as a designated marksman load for law enforcement and military in environments where muzzle signature must be kept to a minimum, it can also be excellent for 100-yard rifle competitions as well as close range hunting of whitetails and feral hogs, where legal.

Range Dynamics and Training Dynamics

Both Fiocchi Range Dynamics and Training Dynamics loads contain 150-gr. FMJ Boattail bullets that leave the muzzle at 1950 fps. These value-priced loads are built to the same quality standards as all other Fiocchi ammunition and offer civilians, law enforcement, and the military dependable and accurate ammunition for training and informal competition ammunition.

Covering All Bases

No matter if you’re a hunter, competitive shooter, law enforcement officer, or member of the military, Fiocchi has high-quality .300 Blackout ammunition that will meet a broad variety of needs without breaking the bank. If you’ve used Fiocchi ammo, you know what I mean. If you haven’t, you just might give it a try.