Started my boy off last year with 300 BO shooting 125 grain ballistic tips. He shot a javalina at about 80 yards good shot pass through clean kill. I’m about out of the BT’s and have a run of 125 SST’s loaded up. The BT’s and SST’s both clock in about 2150 fps. Going to go for the first deer this year, want to hear what other bullets folks have had good luck with. I have read about the Barnes tac-tx and looked at Sierra 135 grain hp and 125 pro hunters.

Seems I have read many like the SST’s as well.

I have been using the 300 blk out for MANY years for hunting. I have used an AR for night thermal hunting, and several bolt rifles over the years. Just Saturday morning I killed 4 pigs on the run from 150-200+ yards with my truck AR pistol ( Link HERE). I was shooting the 125 grain Sierra Tipped Matchkings.

I have used 5 main bullets for the blk out over the years. 125 grain SST, 125 grain BT, 125 grain Sierra SP, 125 grain Speer TNT, 125 grain Sierra Tipped MK.

I used the 125 SST for most of my hunting with a 16" suppressed bolt gun. All 5 of the bullets have performed similarly with perfect results. I have seen perfect mushroom shaped expansion with deep penetration. I generally get an exit on a deer. On a pig, depending on size and shot placement, I may or may not get an exit. On Saturday, most of the shots exited and had about nickel size exits holes. IMO, the 300 blk out with the 125 grain weight bullet is about as ideal as you can get for a hunting bullet.

I shot the 150 grain BT and 150 SST also. They penetrated all the way, but I was getting .308" holes as an exit. I was running them about 1950 fps, and I think it is too slow for any expansion. The 110 V-max have done ok, also. But I had such good results with the 125's, I saw no reason change.

For self defense, I would recommend the 110 V-max or the 78 grain Lehigh CQB (which is what I use). That 78 grain Lehigh bullet is insane!

I have several calibers. The only ammo I don't buy from a retailer is one of the five mentioned above: the 125 gr. SST 300BO. It's usually in stock. I've bought it three times over the last five or so years. I always shoot 2-3 on paper when I get a new order and it's been on the money every time. Thanks for the reminder, I'm out and need to place an order.

I've also hunt with SST's in my whitetail set up, a .308. These are 165 gr. It's been 100%, DRT shots for me on good sized deer and probably 95% DRT shots on hogs, the other 5% were dead within a few yards. It's a great hunting bullet and does what it was designed to do, shed some weight pretty quickly, make a good wound channel and put game on the ground. The largest animal I ever killed was with a SST bullet, 6.5 Creedmoor, 125 gr. as I recall. DRT, dropped like a sack of feed.

My favorite in the 300BO for deer is the 150gn Gold Dot made for the 300BO. I found I got the most accuracy and velocity with SBR-SOCOM powder. Still looking to recover my first projectile from that combination. I get about quarter size exit holes on deer.
My second favorite is a 125gn in any of a variety of brands launched by a load of W296/H110 powder.
My next favorite load is the Barnes 110 TAC/TX sent down the tube by a load of W296/H110 powder.

Good luck this fall with your combination!

What kind of velocity are you getting with the 150 gold dots?

If I was going to deer hunt with the 300bo...I'd get some Controlled Chaos from Wilson, they had the 110's on sale a few weeks ago and I almost loaded up but controlled myself.

For a cheaper option his 130 hot core is pretty impressive in the 300 Hamr, I cannot imagine it wouldn't work in the bo.

Good luck passing the tradition.

Thanks Judd and all who responded. He is excited but really wants to get a pig. Have him put in for several youth draw hunts and going to see what we can make happen.

The blackout is still new to me. Never had to worry about having enough velocity for expansion. Even the reduced loads I have made in years past were still 2550-2700 +|- fps. Have to see if I can find any stuff to shoot the SST’s into to gauge performance/penetration. Behind the shoulder I’m sure they do fine, a little nervous about in the shoulder.

Shoot the hogs down and back from the ear at an angle. They'll drop. I did kill a doe with the SST, .300 BO. A shoulder shot, dropped as well.

While he has done pretty well shooting, shot placement is a concern. I will definitely be trying to keep ranges close if I can. I would be stepping him up to a different caliber but the rifles just do not fit him. I almost bought an adjustable chassis for one of my bolt guns. Can’t wait till he gets a little bigger.

Well I’ve heard many say they work great. Loaded the SST’s a while back shot some this morning and the boy shot some too. Only shooting at 60 yards but yielded a ragged hole for me and a very much deer killing group but slightly larger for the boy. Shot 5 rounds into dry beach dune sand in a thin plastic pot at 60 yards. MV over the 5 shots was 2204 FPS. They all penetrated about 6 inches. Heaviest was 55.7 lightest 39.2 with an avg of 51.25. I know my test medium is t perfect but it doesn’t inspire much confidence for me either. Im hoping to pick up of the Barnes 110 tactx and give them a whirl.

Well dang I had a handful of 125 nbt’s left. Same brass primer powder and charge etc and make within the same range MV. Same distance same target and sand about an hour after. The nbt’s penetrated a little deeper 8-10 inches and retained between 76-92 grains with an average of 83.2. Still going to look for some of the Barnes, but feel a lot better about the nbt’s.

This is a 125 gr SST fired from a 300blk at 2200 fps. Smashed the shoulder blade of a good size boar and lodged in the fat layer on the far side. The jacket did separate, but was found right next to the core. I think the SST is perfect for the 300BLK. I've also used it on many other pigs and deer. Most were DRT. I've also loaded the pro hunter but only shot steel and paper with it. My research told me that it needs more velocity to open up.

Well I do like to see that performance but not gonna lie I want two holes. I’m not in a watch them for 100 yards till they fall area. Brush is thick and bites back. If they go more than ten yards your probably crawling in some spots.

That particular pig went straight down. I've shot dozens of pigs and a few deer with that setup. That's the only bullet that I've recovered. All of the rest were pass-throughs.

Straight down is great, hope that’s the way it goes.

The gold dot BO version is classified as a SD bullet. Many use it, probably good for deer heart shot but not shoulder. Some claim use on hogs. I did find running them real fast accuracy decreases - soft shell and fast twist. Didn't chrony but maybe 1800 fps., 1:8 twist. Haven't used in the 1:10. Still looking for more 125 SSTs.
This guy is coming out with a BO article sometime soon.
https://bulletology.com/

Read good things about the gold dots also, couldn’t seem to find them in stock. With the BT’s performing as well as they did I feel confident in them. I have a box of the Barnes in my cart online just not sure if I want to go with them or not. Found a partial loaded box of the nbt’s in a rifle case from last year so have plenty to hunt with for the year and can practice more with the SST’s.

Man your crazy not to go with the 110 Barnes Tac Tx. Over about 19.ish grains of H110 will give 1/2”MOA accuracy at 100yds with my ruger ranch. And has taken literal 100s of deer, dozens of pigs and countless turkeys. No lead in the meat, great reliable expansion, and deep penetration for what it is. I would say the only downside is the cost. It wins in all other categories. One January it took 20+ does on MLD from 50-180yds. Great blood trails or DRT, almost always a pass through.

I have had 100% success using the Barnes Tac-Tx as a 100 yard whitetail round out of a Ruger 16”. I’ve never had a reason to experiment with anything else. The accuracy has been excellent as well.

For non hunting uses I have a suppressed Honeybadger SBR 7” laying around loaded with Lehigh subsonic 194 gr Max Expansion. Those will do some damage. I wish Lehigh still sold loaded ammo.

I have had really good results with the 125 SST also on deer and hogs

I have I think 14 of the nbt’s loaded and about 80 SST’s. I felt confident with the nbt performance will focus on hunting with them practicing with SST’s and will move to Barnes when nbt’s are gone. By next year my son will be able to handle a full size rifle and likely use my 7mm08. But the 5 year old will be moving into the BO for a starter. After that I don’t know, it may become the only gun I ever sell.

Clayton, I can load these for you, no problem. That's a good bullet for a subsonic round!

I've been using a 300BLK for approaching ten years now on feral hogs. I've progressed through a few bullets but settled on the Hornady 110 grain SP. When I couldn't get it I've used the 110 grain VMAX but really didn't see any notable difference. On hogs over about 175-180 Lbs shoulder shots typically don't exit, but I've frequently found the bullet just under the skin on the opposite side.

der Teufel - thanks, got a lot of 110 vmax loaded for use in the IR carbine for hogs/coyotes. Shot half a box of BO GDs, kinda disappointed in them and they are not cheap. Still have another unopened box. They appear to be moly or mica lubed (?) unusual finish.
OK, funny story. This spring 9PM sitting sidesaddle on the ATV about 60yds from feeder with BO AR pistol (110 vmax). Just put the IR on it. Watched 5 hogs walk from everywhere to the feeder. Sighted in on the biggest & fired. It looked up, then kept feeding. 5 more shots, they just looked in my direction, then slowly walked off into the tree line. Must have selected a reticle that wasn't zero'd. Darn. Didn't even record a vid of the event. If they could talk, 'dumbest' hunter around.