Let's Talk About Guns!!!

[Caminofeld]

Alright...so I've been contemplating starting a firearm thread because, aside from being excellent at it's intended use, 3ww.com seems like a good place to chit-chat about one of my other favorite hobbies…

A few things for starters…

-If I owned guns I would be milling out an 80% lower for a 10.5" 300 AAC Blackout pistol…with the tax stamp for a suppressor submitted and in process (takes a few months).

Anybody shoot 300? Good? Bad? Other?

Anybody into 80% lowers and have any advice? Is my drill press, milling bits, and a cross-slide vise the way to go?

Anybody have any cool builds or stuff they want to show off or talk about?

[bkm]

I went through this same thing a few years ago when I was looking into building a .30 cal AR. I have shot a Blackout 300 and it was really cool, but for me and what I would do with it, I came to the conclusion that if I wanted a .30 cal AR, the 7.62x39 was hands down the way to go for me. I don't shoot over 100 yards, and 7.62 ammo was cheaper than 5.56.

I also looked into the 80% lowers when the anti gun rhetoric was hot and heavy. Other than having the satisfaction of doing it yourself and having an untraceable/and untransferable gun, a stripped "blem" lower from PSA was cheaper and easier to find available. If you buy one, get a metal jig and only do a forged lower. Don't waste your time with a plastic lower or plastic jig. Your drill press will work just fine for everything 80% lower. Just buy a decent press vice.

Everything not house related has been put on the back burner for me the past year or so, but I want to look into building a .30 cal, or a supressed SBR 5.56. I'm not a fan of the AR pistols, but really want a short barreled rifle. I just don't want to deal with the stamp bullshite.

[Scootertrash]

Nice thread topic Camino

I generally ignore "boutique calibers". Typically they offer little difference from their more common counterparts, can be more expensive and harder to find.

One other tidbit of information by way of comparison, the 300 BO generates 16.7 per cent more energy at 300 meters than the 7.62×39 or the AK round.

From this article:
http://survivalcache.com/survival-de...-aac-blackout/

Is 16% more energy at 300 meters really going to change the result of the shot?
Things to consider:
If your shot placement is good, 7.62x39 is sufficient to do the job. If you do some digging, I'm sure you can find plenty of individuals that will support this theory.
How many times will you actually be making such shots?
How about using a soft point/hollow point/ballistic tip bullet in 7.62x39 for more devastating wound capabilities?

If I'm going to be in a situation where I think I'll be making lots of longer range shots that need to be lethal, I'll grab something in 30.06 or .308, which can be accurate and lethal at shorter ranges too.

I always tend to think of my firearms and related supplies purchases in a SHTF type scenario: Ammo availability and battlefield pick-up opportunities to match my ammo supply. .223/5.56, 7.62x39, .308/7.62x51, 30.06 are all rifle calibers that would be plentiful and easily obtainable (one way or another ) in a SHTF scenario. 9mm and .45 for pistols

[90nut]

I have no input on the 300 blackout other than my buddy has one for deer hunting and likes it. I find it as an,over complicated way,to use a caliber in the grey area of the laws. Cool piece however

[Caminofeld]

Well I wouldn't be going "boutique" if it weren't for my wanting a suppressed weapon. I'm right there with you about using common calibers for ease of scavenging when SHTF…but I wanted to suppress an FNX-45 pistol and figured I could use the same suppressor on a SBR. I know it would be a little noisier, but beats paying an extra $1000 for another suppressor.

After some research, the .300 seems ideal for a suppressed SBR or AR pistol. There isn't a huge drop in ballistics with a shorter barrel (like the 5.56) and, with the extra powder required to move the heavier bullet, you don't need an adjustable gas block.

I already have my SHTF gear squared away, so this stuff is more for hobby and education.

[Caminofeld]

Just a thought for higher lethality with easy to find/cheap 5.56 at closer range would be to swap in a 1:14 barrel…that was the original M16 barrel in Vietnam and it had devastating effects (like limbs being blown off) but suffered accuracy losses at long-ranges….perfect for a jungle firefight though.

[Thorpe]

If I was a gun guy, and if I owned any of those nasty things, I would be in the middle of a AR pistol build in 300 blk... but thats a lot of "ifs"...

[Caminofeld]

LMK how that hypothetical build is coming along...and post pics of your friends gun if it's similar lol...

[ironchop]

Nice thread topic Camino at shorter ranges too.....

......

I always tend to think of my firearms and related supplies purchases in a SHTF type scenario: Ammo availability and battlefield pick-up opportunities to match my ammo supply. .223/5.56, 7.62x39, .308/7.62x51, 30.06 are all rifle calibers that would be plentiful and easily obtainable (one way or another ) in a SHTF scenario. 9mm and .45 for pistols

I agree with all of what you said but specifically, this is what caused me to downsize significantly and consolidate calibers.

Some other points to ponder...

1) we have a local 1000 yrd rifle range I like but I live in hilly country with alot of woods. I hardly ever encounter line-of-sight at more than 200-300 yards unobstructed and as I'm approaching my late forties, my unaided eye can't see that far away to make an accurate target assessment to confirm what I'm shooting at safely.

2) in a SHTF, no amount of stored ammo is ever enough so I'm pretty picky about how difficult a shot I'm willing to take and how much wasted ammo is acceptable if you miss alot. Long range shooting is alot more complex than most people think and those big shots are riddled with skill, forethought, and calculation. Camino, you've spent alot more time training and preparing than probably most 300 fanboys so I'm sure you know all this. While I'm very confident in my own rifleman skills and training, I'm pretty wary about wasting expensive and possibly limited ammo supplies in the future

80% are very doable with the equipment you listed. BKM is right about finished ones being cheaper. Anderson Rifles has good 80% forgings (keyhole logo) for about $45 which is the cheapest I've seen anywhere.

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[Caminofeld]

All that time and money getting the supplies together to turn my drill press into a makeshift Mill and my friend gets a jig that you can just use a router with and quickly crank out clean 80 percenters all day long. Took quite a bit of cleaning up the rough edges, but I think I'm getting the hang of it now.

I've also decided that my DMR setup will hypothetically(lol) be the PTR 91 MSG. I've heard nothing but good things about their reliability and accuracy... More so than the M1 or the Kel Tec RFB Hunter.