Soooo... I have been looking at buying a new rifle in the next year (not in a serious way - I don't make it up for big game rifle hunting for the foreseeable future) and I landed on the Savage Axis II in .300 BLK
It seems to fit some of my parameters as a rifle for mid-range, medium size game.
However, the barrel is threaded for a muzzle brake so I have a couple questions:

1. I had a BAR in 7mm Rem Mag with the BOSS system - it was so (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) loud that I traded it in for a new BLR in .270 win. I couldn't even shoot the thing without full on earmuffs and developed a heck of a flinch as a result. Is this the case with ALL muzzle brakes?
2. If I do want to buy a muzzle brake, how do I know it is appropriately sized outside of the thread (5/8x24). In other words I assume there would be an optimal size to maintain the balance of the rifle, operate correctly, etc.

I know enough about guns to understand whether a caliber is sufficient for intended target, what the terminal performance is, will it make a good brush gun or would it be used to ventilate an antelope at 300 yards, mount an appropriate optic etc... but muzzle brakes I just have never learned about generally because they fall on the "tactical" side of the equation and I just haven't ever swam in that pool. Any opinions would be appreciated

Also note - just because I can't afford to run tactical weapons in addition to my hunting hobby I am fully on board with others enjoying them and absolutely would build out an AR if it was legally feasible for me (no Fudd here)

The 300 BLK does not have enough recoil to warrant a muzzle brake. It is one of the weakest center fire cartridges in use today and yes it would still be very loud if ya put a brake on it but it really does not have the horsepower to need one. Put a thread protector on that thing and call it good. unless you want to screw a can on it and shoot sub sonic heavy pills, the thread on there is not needed.

Thanks Scuba - easy peasy, the rifle comes with a thread protector installed.

Just to clarify on the "loud" - my experience was that the muzzle brake made the rifle SIGNIFICANTLY louder than without.
I traded in an A-bolt stainless stalker in 7mm rem mag for that gun and I've regretted it since.

scuba knows his stuff !!! Listen to him ....

^^^ breaks are noise makers. That black out is threaded with suppressor owners in mind.

The round can get the job done but it's not my favorite. If I were going with a bolt gun I would choose a nuch better round.

The Savage Axis II is a good rifle for the money. I have never shot a .300 BLK, though but I do like the .308, 243, and 7mm-08 for most big game.
Let us know how it shoots.

Chris

What are you planning on shooting with said rifle?

Deer, black bear... but most likely lots of paper LOL

if your not trying to fit mag length like in an AR or run sub sonics through a suppressor even though I have one a 300 would not be my choice for anything

because it is relatively low velocity they have basically had to make special bullets for it


a conventional .308 bullet for a 308 or 30-06 didn't expand at the slower speeds of the 300 blk

and the Varmint type bullets expand too much too fast to get good penetration so

300blk specific bullets had to be developed you see them in Winchester 300blk deer season xp and some other rounds they tend to be more expensive and less available than if you just ran power points or corlock out of a 308
I just paid 35 for a box of deer season XP 300blk a month or too ago I saw a better price at 29 dollars last week
but at the same time I could bought all the 308 power points I wanted at 23 dollars a box

the recoil is really minimal in 300blk and why my dad shoots it , he also shoots it form an AR further reducing recoil he has neck fusions and shoulder has been rebuilt twice , back is a mess with fusions and walks on an artificial hip.

if your limit is 5 rounds , your going bolt gun , and you will never have a can and your not ultra recoil sensitive. I would go 308 I am partial to the Mossberg Patriot Predator in 308 , I do run a braek on mine and it is cool to be able to watch the bullet impact through the scope because it recoils almost flat.
I run an AR stoner 30 cal break 5/8-24 not expensive but works well.

yes I reload and reload for 300blk but finding those specialty bullets for 300blk isn't so easy

I would not want to shoot black bear with a 300blk just no thanks maybe if you were shooting them like it was an archery hunt , so I place 300blk above a bow and arrow but if you plan on shooting bear go 180gr 308 and I think you will be much happier

since you can still get 308 for buck a round for paper shooting even though it is bigger it is so much more plentiful that it makes sense

also even though it will shoot accurate groups with super sonics at 200 yards 300blk is a more like a sub 150 yard round at best really should keep your shots on deer inside 125 , not a power house and it needs all the power it has none to spare and good shot placement with the right bullet

if we weren't running them as AR-pistols in a pistol and shotgun only zone I wouldn't have one.

Interesting...I think I'll go back to the drawing board LOL

sorry it is a nyce or neesh or how ever you spell it meaning for an ultra specific set of criteria or very limited intended use

300 blackout is a cut down necked up 223 case , that is actually how I make them.

it was intended to give greater terminal performance to the AR-15 in suppressed use the case is shortened so it can run long 247gr bullets and still fit in a Nato standard magazine aka AR-15 mag

before rounds like 350 legend , 300 hammer , 450 bushmaster and such were developed the 300blk was an easy way to make an AR in something bigger and heavier than an 223 the barrel is the only difference in parts from a 223/5.56 AR

sportsmen and other shooters figured out it could be useful in some situations like very low recoil AR rifles shooting 110-130gr bullets to get near 30-30 terminal ballistics at 100 yards it starts slower than a 30-30 but doesn't loose energy a quick because it runs pointed bullets not round ones

as long as we are talking about it 350 legend , 450 bushmaster , 50 Beowulf , and some others were designed to fit strait wall cartridge rules. this was some states in the US decided that rather than shotgun only limited power and range rifles could be used for deer hunting. another Neesh thing only intended to fir stupid laws. they initially intended strait wall pistol cartridges like 44mag and 357 mag but the way they wrote the laws it set a how much can we stuff in this size package for performance the answer was a fair bit more than a 357mag

if you want stuff like deer and bear dead 308win is the place to go , it is readily available solid performer to 225 yards , capable of much further if you know your d.o.p.e .
7mm-08 is also good but less available

if we didn't have people who wanted to shoot loooong distance , or wanted MOOOOORE power in everything or were trying to comply with some silly state law we wouldn't have 2/3 of the calibers we have.

by the way the savage hog hunter in 308 with a threaded muzzle and a brake would be a very nice setup I looked at it seriously before I bought my Patriot predator in 308win cost availability and the 5th round in the Mag sent me the way of Mossberg.
there is a competition I shot that you need to be able to get to 10 rounds in 2 mags or it wouldn't have mattered about the 4 vs 5 round mags

[s][/s]The 300 Blk is a far cry from a 7mm Rem Mag. If you needed the 7 mag and are looking for a replacement, The 300BK may not answer the call.

Alot of experienced guys have chimed in, and now my turn. I do bear and deer removal in orchards and farm ground, either by myself or with youngsters/ladies with proper tags. 300 BO is my weapon of choice, with that said I run both bolt guns and AR's depending on the situation. Most of the removal we do is close to town/houses we do not want pass throughs going much past the intended target. Bears are all shot base of the ear upper neck area with a 130 grain Speer HP most bullets are recovered from the off side except in smaller bears. Even with a pass though bullets rarely go more than 20-30 yards. Most bears are shot at less than 100 yards. Deer with a black out are mostly neck shot looking at us just under the chin out to 100 yards with the same 130 speer. If needed deer out to 150-175 yards chest shots will lead to less than 50 yards of tracking. Keep in mind these are large mule deer does and bucks, I have taken a few in the 200–240-yard range in the open where I could watch the fall and the farthest after the it run was barely 100 yards. FWIW I have some TTSX 130 grain loaded with hopes of a cow elk harvest this winter and have no qualms about a shot out to 150 yards. These are strictly my observations and can't speak for any one else. The 300 BO is a very enjoyable and versatile round as long as you understand it's limitations. This round with a suppressor is as fun as it gets.

A little off topic however. FX Impact M3

My new gun is a .30 cal compressed air / suppressed rifle. With loading components getting more difficult to find and all the extra fees to get them to you, that is my way to go. It is lethal and quiet with good accuracy. You get many........ shots from one tank.

Greencounty I/my boys have had good results with 110gr v max on deer in an 8.5" black out. They expand more like a soft point than blow up like a varmint bullet at lower velocity of the black out and short barrel.

I cannot run a suppressor because of nonsense laws here. My thought process was as follows...in the bush, no shots farther than 100 yds and most inside 50.
Nice light gun, accurate with manageable recoil.
The ammo looks to run around $30/box which is right in line with other centerfire ammo here and seems reasonably well available.
But I can be convinced not to spend the money LOL and they aren't in stock anywhere that I can find anyhow.