I have done a good amount of reading here and elsewhere on the 300 BLK (which I have never shot) and am trying to determine whether it might fill a niche in my toolbox.
Although 300 BLK subsonic does not appeal to me due to the pistol-like terminal ballistics and I have confidence in the ability of quality 5.56 rounds to incapacitate a threat at close range, I have been wondering whether the decreased noise and blast out of a 300BLK SBR might be beneficial enough to warrant picking it up.
Although I have never shot indoors, I have several friends who did so repeatedly in cement houses overseas with 14.5" 5.56 guns with flash hiders. They tell me that although it was loud, they never suffered temporary hearing loss after the shootings. If their hearing was permanently affected it is not to a degree that they can notice. I know that it would be very loud, but given their experience I would feel comfortable firing a few rounds of 5.56 out of a 14.5" or 16" barrel indoors once in my life if God forbid the need presented itself.
SBR’s have the advantage of being more compact and handy indoors, but they are also in a different league in terms of noise and blast. My head throbs after shooting 5.56 out of a 10.5" barrel if I don’t double up on hearing protection. To me, a 10.5" barrel seems to be an order of magnitude louder than a 14.5" gun in 5.56. Since I still consider the 14.5" barrel to be a manageable length indoors, I do not feel that the benefit of going shorter outweighs the cost in 5.56. While my friends’ experience indicates that shooting a 14.5" 5.56 with a flash hider indoors will not destroy your hearing, I do not know whether the same can be said for a 10.5" barrel. Adding a suppressor decreases noise and blast but brings you right back to 16" in length.
I know that opinions differ on this subject, and I am not trying to start an argument over a 16" barrel vs. a SBR with a suppressor or auditory exclusion.
I have heard that a 10.5" gun in 300BLK shooting supersonic ammo unsuppressed is comparable in noise and blast to a 16" 5.56, and hence might deliver the maneuverability of an unsuppressed SBR in tight spaces while being less abusive on the ears. In the experience of people using 300BLK, do you find this to be true? Is anyone out there using an unsuppressed 300BLK SBR for these reasons?
Unsuppressed 300blk will sound like unsuppressed 5.56 when shit indoors…LOUD. But seriously does it really matter??? I ask that because the odds of you needing to fire a few rounds in self defense while in your home are incredibly low and should the need arise the biggest concern should be staying alive rather than wondering how loud it will be.
To me the blast is similar. LOUD. You need ear pro, but like the above posters said you really aren’t going to notice if your ass or your families life is in danger. Now with a suppresor, I don’t use ear pro its so nice.
Not scientific in any way, but in my experience the 8" 300BLK is more concussive than my 10.5" 5.56. So much so that even shooting the 8" outside, next to something (like a vehicle), I can “feel” it in my teeth more than the 10.5".
I don’t have a can for the 300BLK yet but I do have one for the 10.5" and it is unbelievable how much different it is with the can on it. I know that goes without saying, but it’s the main reason I’m saving up for a 7.62 can.
Also, if your going to sbr the 300blk go as short as possible as that is where the blk shines over 5.56. You can run an 8" 300blk and not worry about stability or reliability. Then even with a suppressor your still at sbr lengths.