The 300 Blackout Pistol: What You Need to Know

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The debate over what constitutes a great home defense gun is never-ending. From pistols and shotguns to AR-15s and PDW-style firearms, there are many options. For me, it's a personal choice—and much of it depends entirely on your environment. This isn’t just a gun to defend your home’s interior, but also as a tool to protect your property. That could mean a sprawling farm, a single-family house in a neighborhood, or a one-bedroom apartment in a populated urban center. Each situation calls for something different. It also comes down to what you’re comfortable with. What do you train with most? Is it an AR-15, a handgun, or a shotgun? Likewise, is your weapon setup suited for your environment? Accessories such as optics, weapon-mounted lights, and slings all serve a purpose. Even the ammunition and magazines you use need to be validated.

As someone living in a single-family home in a modern development surrounded by fields, I am in a unique situation. The house is situated on a 1/3-acre corner lot near the main entrance. Egress is straightforward, with two side entrances also accessible. There are unobstructed views down two streets — one exceeding 1,000 yards and the other about 400 yards. Behind the furthest house, a farm borders the neighborhood on two sides.

As you can see, this setup presents a few interesting challenges. While I have neighbors, my house’s placement isn’t cramped. Overpenetration is always a concern; however, I have a bit more freedom when it comes to choosing cartridges. For me, I need something effective indoors but also able to stop a threat at longer distances (like that zombie invasion we all dream about. We all do, right?). It needs to be lightweight and maneuverable, yet capable. More than that, it needs to be a gun I enjoy shooting—otherwise, I’ll never train with it. 

300 Blackout History

To me, 300 Blackout was an obvious choice. After consulting a ballistic chart, it made my decision became even more definitive. The 300 Blackout offers a wide range of subsonic and supersonic loads, making it ideal for the environment in which I live. However, first, a brief overview of the 300 Blackout is necessary.

The 300 AAC Blackout, often referred to as the 300 Blackout, has an interesting history. Its origins go back to the 1960s, starting with the necking of the .221 Remington Fireball to .30 caliber. The .221 was created to deliver better performance in Remington’s XP-100 bolt-action pistols. Later, the .30/.221 cartridge caught the eye of well-known wildcatter and custom gun manufacturer J.D. Jones of SSK Industries. He trademarked it as the 300 Whisper and developed it to shoot heavy-for-caliber bullets, such as 200 grains, at subsonic speeds, thereby avoiding the crack that occurs when rounds cross the sound barrier.

This cartridge gained popularity, especially in the AR-15 platform. However, since it was trademarked, manufacturers couldn’t officially label a gun as a 300 Whisper unless a licensing agreement was signed. But the cartridge wasn’t SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute) approved. That opened the door for a wider adoption under a different name. 

The following quote is taken from a 2024 Firearms News article by David Fortier on the History of the 300 AAC Blackout Cartridge, who is friends with Robert Silvers, the man behind the 300 AAC Blackout. In 2010, Silvers was the R&D Director of Advanced Armament Corp. (AAC). He had this to say about the creation of 300 Blackout, 

“With Remington already doing the .221 and .17 Fireball, it was a natural to do the .30 caliber. But Remington is a SAAMI company and only makes SAAMI-approved ammunition. So, we had to create the final specifications of the cartridge and seek SAAMI acceptance. The problem with calling it the .300 Fireball was two-fold. One is that the cartridge is low visibility, and Fireball seems like the opposite of that. The other is that there were too many chamber drawings for wildcat versions called .300 Fireball. If we picked that name, we would have to clear compatibility with these existing chambers, and that would limit velocity potential because we would have to pressure-test the ammo in the tightest one. 300 Whisper® is a proprietary name which requires licensing, and SAAMI does not accept trademarked names. Also, I did not want to use it because it implies subsonic is the primary use — and that is not the way I see the cartridge. 300 AAC Blackout was designed to be the most powerful way to shoot .30 caliber from an AR-15 while remaining compatible with normal 30-round magazines…”

There's a lot to unpack, but this laid the groundwork for the standardization of the 300 Blackout and its eventual rise in popularity. Interestingly, I find it notable that Silvers didn’t see subsonic as the cartridge’s main purpose, which is the opposite today. The main reason for choosing this cartridge is for subsonic use. Generally, it can be inferred that the rise in suppressor ownership, along with the spread of short-barreled ARs as pistols with stabilizing braces, has made Silvers’s original intent irrelevant. 

300 Blackout Ammo Options

As I mentioned earlier, the 300 Blackout is an excellent choice because of its wide range of ammunition options. For example, I picked up several subsonic loads from Ammo to Go, including defensive and range options. They were Hornady Black 208-gr A-Max, Hornady Subsonic 190-gr Sub-X, and Fiocchi 220-gr HPBT MatchKing. As you can see, my primary use involves running the gun suppressed. I already have a supersonic option from Hornady on hand, but I was a little light on subs. Pricing varies, but if you look around, you can find subsonic ammo for about $.90 per round, which is certainly better than it used to be.

The variety of 300 Blackout ammo means I have options for range, defensive use, and hunting. That flexibility gives the rifle, or in this case, pistol, the ability to handle multiple tasks. Speaking of which, it’s time to cover the build.

The Commando

For this, I considered several options. Naturally, since it’s me, the project wasn’t going to be plain or generic. I like my firearms to have personal meaning and character. Maybe it’s my love of 80s action movies or my recent read of Jack Carr’s latest novel, Cry Havoc, that inspired this build, but choosing a Retro-style AR was the right move.

In 2020, Palmetto State Armory acquired the Harrington & Richardson brand. A year later, they purchased Nodak Spud. While these choices might seem unusual on their own, together, PSA has established a strong presence in the retro AR scene. Many people may know H&R for their single-shot rifles, shotguns, and top-break revolvers. However, most are unaware that H&R was a principal DoD contractor, building M14s and early M16 and M4 variants. Meanwhile, Nodak Spud was a leading producer of authentic clone parts for collectors and builders throughout the 2000s. As a result, Palmetto State combined H&R's history with Nodak Spud’s experience to offer a full line of retro ARs, which is why I ended up with an H&R Commando in 300 BLK.

The Commando is a short-barreled AR-15 designed for close-quarters combat and intended for use by special operations. But most people recognize it from its starring role in the classic action movie, Heat. The Commando is essentially a Colt 733—an evolution of the Vietnam-era XM177E2. This version from H&R features a 10.5” barrel, an A2 flash hider, and uses the HAR-15 brace, which resembles the classic CAR-15 stock. To me, it was the perfect start to the ultimate truck gun. 

The Build

The following are the components I used to transform the H&R Commando.

• Meprolight M21: A classic rifle build calls for a classic optic, right? Of course, you can search for a real retro optic, but they can be hard to find and you often don't know what you'll get until it arrives. The M21 first appeared in the early 2000s, when carry handles were still popular. While not perfectly clone correct, it still provides the vintage look I wanted. 
• M21 Carry Handle Mount: Unlike mounting an optic on top of the carry handle pushes the optic forward of the carry handle, almost like a cantilever. This keeps the optic’s bore height lower and aligned with the iron sights. The downside is it shifts the firearm’s balance forward, making it a bit front-heavy, especially with a suppressor. 
• ALG ACT Trigger: This is an upgraded version of a mil-spec trigger that has less creep and a smoother overall pull. 
• B5 Weapons System Retro Grip: Also, not period-correct, but it definitely looks good. Also, I find this grip to be quite comfortable. 
• Silencerco ASR Flash Hider: I'm using a Silencerco Omega 36M with a QD mount, so I need a muzzle device compatible with it. Generally, I prefer flash hiders over muzzle brakes on AR-style rifles. 
• SureFire scout light and Turquoise Design Co. 18650 retro light body: The best of both worlds, old and new. This began as a SureFire Scout light. I removed the light head and tail cap and used a Turquoise Design Co. retro light body. This creates the classic SureFire 1-inch body look with all the modern features. 
• IWC N-Slot Light Mount: Since the Commando features a two-piece handguard, so modern mounting systems are not compatible. Luckily, IWC, or Impact Weapons Components, still produces accessories that fit into the holes of the handguard. This light mount is sturdy and perfectly positions the light around the front sight post. 
• Howies Hockey Tape: This is specifically for cable management purposes. I may stick with the SureFire tape switch or relocate the light to the optic sight and use a click cap that’s activated by my support thumb. 

All of this comes together to create a practical and functional home defense gun that has a retro look.

Range Trip and Ammo Testing

The first range trip mainly involved function checking and sighting in. Unsurprisingly, everything performed flawlessly. The optic was straightforward to sight in. However, I’ve grown accustomed to tall, 1.93-inch optic mounts. The absolute cowitness of the M21 forces you to tilt your head down into the brace. For now, it’s manageable, but I might switch to a standard carry handle mount, with the optic on top rather than forward. 

Running the Commando suppressed was the real highlight. With subsonic ammo and the Silencerco Omega 36M in its long configuration, no hearing protection was needed. It was comfortable, with only mild port pop. While I was at the range, I checked the velocity of three subsonic 300 BLK loads with a Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph. The results showed the Hornday Black AMAX 208-grain averaging 1,014 fps, the Hornday SUB-X 190-grain at 1038 fps, and the Fiocchi Subsonic 220-grain came in at 815.5 fps. 

Zooming Out

The 300 Blackout is a versatile cartridge. Its unique history, development, and eventual standardization followed a winding path. But today, it’s a popular and common chambering for the AR-15 platform. As a defensive round for protecting home and hearth, it performs exceptionally well. Attach a suppressor, and you’re ready to go.

This rifle was designed to harness the capabilities of 300 Blackout, blending a vintage aesthetic with modern manufacturing and technological advancements. The retro look may not appeal to everyone, but it definitely stands out in a crowd. If you haven’t already, consider adding a 300 Blackout to your collection

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