SSA 300 blackout?

[Gunnerdad80]

Is SSA 300 blackout ammo any good? When I look up SSA it routes me to Nosler.com. A guy locally is offering 520 rounds for $375 and I’m curious if I should jump on it. Only thing is it’s all loose ammo in two bags.

[Ron M.]

SSA (Silver State Armory) was bought up by Nosler. Right now that's probably a fair price. Ammo is running between $0.95 and $2.25 per round on ammoseek.com What bullet and weight? Mixed loads or all the same?


I've used their 6.8SPC ammo, it functions well, but the bullets failed to expand as advertised. The 2 shots on game (1 Axis deer and 1 hog) were pass thoughs. I spent several hours looking for the deer and found her 2 miles from where she was shot. Lung shot that was just a .270 hole. Never found the hog.  Both shots were taken at about 140 yards.

[Gunnerdad80]

SSA (Silver State Armory) was bought up by Nosler. Right now that's probably a fair price. Ammo is running between $0.95 and $2.25 per round on ammoseek.com What bullet and weight? Mixed loads or all the same?


I've used their 6.8SPC ammo, it functions well, but the bullets failed to expand as advertised. The 2 shots on game (1 Axis deer and 1 hog) were pass thoughs. I spent several hours looking for the deer and found her 2 miles from where she was shot. Lung shot that was just a .270 hole. Never found the hog.  Both shots were taken at about 140 yards.

The guy said it’s just two bags, 520 rounds, of loose SSA. No specifics. I feel like $375 is a pretty good deal just weary of loose ammo.

[GMork]

...

[Gunnerdad80]

Oops! 
Maybe a stupid questions from the other side of the pond:
Are your prices so high because of the Covid 19 crisis?

It’s a recipe of rioters, looters, and anarchists (note: I’m not referring to the peaceful protesters) in relation to current events. Sprinkle in a heavy pinch of COVID-19 and we have half-baked madness spurring high gun and ammo prices and shortages.

[Ron M.]

A guy locally is offering 520 rounds for $375

Ammo is running between $0.95 and $2.25 per round on ammoseek.com

Oops! 
Maybe a stupid questions from the other side of the pond:
Are your prices so high because of the Covid 19 crisis?

Just some local examples found very quickly on German egun:
S&B 9mm Luger 124grs. FMJ 50 rounds                       9.50 € = $ 11.20    current exchange rate 1 € = $ 1.18
Magtech 9mm Luger 115grs. FMJ 50 rounds                9.90 € = $ 11.68
S&B 9x19 124gr FMJ singel packs 1000 rounds      195.00 € ~ $ 230
Magtech 9x19 115 gr hollow point 1000 rounds       243.00 € ~ $ 287
Cheapest find on the website of a German arms dealer:
GECO DTX FMJ 115GRS 9MM LUGER 50 rounds              8.50 € = $ 10.20

Let's compare apples to apples not green peas to coconuts.
300BLK is significantly more expensive than 9mm under any circumstances. Generally runs in price about the same as hunting rifle ammo. It's not produced in the same quantities as ammo used by armed forces, like 9mm, 5.56, 7.62x39, or 7.62x51.

[larryflew]

Nice analogy - IMO 9mm to 300 blackout is not even that close

[Gunnerdad80]

With the price of 300 blackout I’m slowly starting to regret my decision to by an AR pistol in that caliber...maybe.

[Ron M.]

With the price of 300 blackout I’m slowly starting to regret my decision to by an AR pistol in that caliber...maybe.

You can always buy a 5.56 upper and keep the 300BLK for special occasions. You could get a 9mm magwell adapter or some Endomags and a 9mm upper too.

[Gunnerdad80]

With the price of 300 blackout I’m slowly starting to regret my decision to by an AR pistol in that caliber...maybe.

You can always buy a 5.56 upper and keep the 300BLK for special birthday occasions. You could get a 9mm magwell adapter or some Endomags and a 9mm upper too.

True. Hey, we go back a long way right? Can I borrow around $1000? 

[Van Cleef]

With the price of 300 blackout I’m slowly starting to regret my decision to by an AR pistol in that caliber...maybe.

I went the AK route years ago because it was cheaper for the guns and the ammo both. At this stage I couldn't afford the rifle I bought at the time it would be so expensive 1500+. Same with what I bought the kid. AR's were substantially higher priced at the time for a quality weapon along with mags and ammo.

[Gunnerdad80]

With the price of 300 blackout I’m slowly starting to regret my decision to by an AR pistol in that caliber...maybe.

I went the AK route years ago because it was cheaper for the guns and the ammo both. At this stage I couldn't afford the rifle I bought at the time it would be so expensive 1500+. Same with what I bought the kid. AR's were substantially higher priced at the time for a quality weapon along with mags and ammo.

An AK is on my list of “eventually” along with a Hi Power. One day hopefully.

[GMork]

...

[Gunnerdad80]

Sorry, the mistake was on my side. I thought, 300 Blackout would be a special brand or kind of 9mm luger ammunition. Now I understand, it's rifle ammunition. So Ron M. is right, indeed I compared green peanuts with coconuts. 
But at least in Germany and I suppose in whole Europe as well that caliber is completely unknown among hunters. How long has it existed?
General remark and question:
I know, that in the USA exist more different calibers for rifle ammunition than in Europe. Isn't such great diversity a problem in that one gets too bogged down in terms of ammunition, especially with hunting ammunition?  I ask that as a trainer in courses for the hunting license in Germany.

Looks like it’s only been around since 2011. I don’t hunt, mine is for another level of home defense and range fun.

[Ron M.]

Sorry, the mistake was on my side. I thought, 300 Blackout would be a special brand or kind of 9mm luger ammunition. Now I understand, it's rifle ammunition. So Ron M. is right, indeed I compared green peanuts with coconuts. 
But at least in Germany and I suppose in whole Europe as well that caliber is completely unknown among hunters. How long has it existed?
General remark and question:
I know, that in the USA exist more different calibers for rifle ammunition than in Europe. Isn't such great diversity a problem in that one gets too bogged down in terms of ammunition, especially with hunting ammunition?  I ask that as a trainer in courses for the hunting license in Germany.

Looks like it’s only been around since 2011. I don’t hunt, mine is for another level of home defense and range fun.

The cartridge started out as a wildcat called the 300 Whisper. I think SSK (J D Jones) had it CIP standardized long before  AAC renamed and got a SAMMI standard as 300 Blackout.

I've used the round in a bolt action rifle for shooting feral hogs and a few deer. Loaded with a 110gr or 125gr bullet you can duplicate 7.62x39 ballistics easily. Where the 300 BLK shines is with heavy bullet subsonic loads with a suppressor. I load a Hornady 190 Sub-X FTX to 1025fps, the bullet expands consistently on hits out to about 60 yards.  That load is used at night, suppressed with a night vision scope for killing feral hogs.