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Best 300 Blackout Ammo for Hog Hunting: Bacon Blasters

Best 300 Blackout Ammo for Hog Hunting

Feral hogs are a massive threat to farms and livestock in the southern United States, so if you’re looking for the best 300 Blackout hog hunting ammo, then you’ve found the right article.

If you simply cannot wait, the best 300 Blackout hog hunting ammo is Barnes VOR-TX 110 grain TAC-TX FB.

But if you’re new to the 300 Blackout and aren’t sure what to look for in a hog hunting round, check out this Buyer’s Guide HERE. Otherwise, scroll down just a little more for the list…

The Best 300 Blackout Hog Hunting Rounds on the Market

  1. Barnes VOR-TX 110 grain TAC-TX FB
  2. Hornady Subsonic 190 grain Sub-X
  3. Winchester Power Point 150 grain JSP
  4. Nosler 110 grain Expansion Tip
  5. Fiocchi Hyperformance 125 grain SST

Barnes VOR-TX 110 grain TAC-TX FB

Specs

Barnes VOR-TX 110 grain TAC-TX FB Ammo
  • Casing: Brass
  • Bullet Type: Tactical Tipped Expansion Flat Base
  • Bullet Weight: 110 grains
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,350 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 1,349 ft-lbs

Pros

  • Excellent weight retention and penetration
  • Near double-diameter expansion
  • Flat trajectory
  • All-copper lead-free design

Cons

  • Sometimes hard to find

Why We Chose It

When I need exceptional ballistic performance and unwavering reliability, Barnes VOR-TX is where I and many other hunters turn. Known for exceptional accuracy and as a pioneer in lead-free hunting rounds, Barnes never ceases to disappoint at the range, the competition line, or in the woods.

The heart of this round is the Barnes TAC-TX FB bullet. Standing for Tactical Tipped Expansion Flat Base, this monolithic copper bullet is equipped with an incredibly wide hollow point for nearly double-diameter expansion.

Each bullet is topped with a polymer tip to protect the hollow point and initiate expansion. Once the TAC-TX encounters soft tissue, it plunges into the hollow point to initiate rapid and massive expansion. The result is more bacon in the freezer and fewer hogs tearing up your property.

To put it plainly, this bullet slaps down any hog that crosses its path. Of course, the Barnes VOR-TX line of ammo is known for exceptional accuracy, so if your trigger control is on point, these rounds will have no problem slicing through the vitals of any hog in your sights.

The only downside to this round is that sometimes they are tricky to find. However, given the proven track record of these rounds to drop hogs in their tracks, it’s well worth the price of admission if you can get your hands on them.

Hornady Subsonic 190 grain Sub-X

Specs

  • Casing: Brass
  • Bullet Type: Sub-X
  • Bullet Weight: 110 grains
  • Muzzle Velocity: 1,050 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 465 ft-lbs

Pros

  • Designed to expand at subsonic velocities
  • Hearing safe when used with a suppressor
  • Excellent for multiple target engagements

Cons

  • Arching trajectory
  • Shorter effective range

Why We Chose It

One of the biggest selling points for the 300 BLK is its ability to fire both supersonic and subsonic ammo reliably. However, the main issue with subsonic hunting ammo is that it typically has subpar expansion.

Hornady came and fixed that for us with the Sub-X bullet.

Developed using the same Flex Tip (FTX) Hornady used in their LeveRevolution line of ammo, the Sub-X bullet is designed for deep penetration and expansion at muzzle velocities below the speed of sound. This makes for a quieter, low recoil round that is hearing-safe when used with a suppressor/silencer.

Utilizing a suppressor allows hunters to engage multiple feral hogs at the same time without alerting the herd to your presence. Many hunters recall that the loudest noise they here when using these hunting rounds is the bolt slamming home on their AR-15 carbine and the bullet impacting the hog. They are THAT quiet with a silencer!

The only downside to Hornady Subsonic is that it has a rather arching trajectory since it’s traveling below the speed of sound. Furthermore, this limits the round’s effective range to about 120 yards.

However, if you want an extremely quiet shooting experience or simply prefer hunting with subsonic ammo, you can’t beat Hornady Subsonic 190 gr Sub-X!

Winchester Power Point 150 grain JSP

Specs

  • Casing: Brass
  • Bullet Type: Jacketed Soft Point
  • Bullet Weight: 150 grains
  • Muzzle Velocity: 1,890 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 1,190 ft-lbs

Pros

  • Classic soft point design for excellent expansion
  • Proven design for deer
  • Affordable

Cons

  • May not penetrate deep enough with poor shot placement

Why We Chose It

Sometimes, you simply can’t beat a classic. The Winchester Power Point is an American whitetail hunting mainstay and has proven its effectiveness in the woods year after year.

The classic jacketed soft point design has offered hunters reliable expansion for generations, and this 300 BLK offering makes an excellent choice for both deer and hog hunting.

The only downside to this ammo is the heavier bullet, as it may not offer enough penetration to reach the vital organs if your shot placement is off. However, this ammo is affordable and extremely flexible since it can be used for both deer and hogs.

Nosler 110 gr Expanding Tip Lead-Free

Specs

Nosler 110 gr Expansion Tip Lead-Free Ammo
  • Casing: Brass
  • Bullet Type: Spitzer E-Tip
  • Bullet Weight: 110 grains
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,300 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 1,292 ft-lbs

Pros

  • Excellent accuracy and terminal ballistics
  • Lead-free design
  • Proven performance in the field, trusted by hunters

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Low availability

Why We Chose It

If you’re looking for top-of-the-line stopping power, expansion, and accuracy, then look no further than Nosler. This company has been putting out exceptional ammo for decades, and their ballistic tip and Accubond bullets are extremely popular for hunters who understand the terms “terminal ballistics”.

The Nosler 110-grain Expanding Tip (or E-Tip for short) is a proven round that never fails to disappoint. Like the Barnes TSX and TTSX, the Nosler E-Tip is a monolithic copper bullet design that offers hunters extremely reliable expansion to ethically harvest game.

This E-Tip bullet is completely lead-free, so it’s great for hunters in states or territories that require it. Furthermore, this ammo is known for its reliability and unsurpassed accuracy for hunters who need it most.

The 110-grain bullet should have no issues in terms of penetration for both hogs and deer, making this Nosler offering an incredibly versatile load for hunters who like to hunt more than one species. There is a 125-grain E-Tip load, but I prefer the lighter option for a flatter trajectory, higher muzzle velocity, and deeper penetration.

The only downside to Nosler ammo is that it is on the high side (over $2/round at the time of writing) and is notoriously difficult to find in stock. However, if you can get your hands on this ammo, I can promise you won’t be disappointed with its performance on hogs.

Fiocchi Hyperformance 125 grain SST

Specs

  • Casing: Brass
  • Bullet Type: Super Shock Tip
  • Bullet Weight: 125 grains
  • Muzzle Velocity: 2,200 fps
  • Muzzle Energy: 1,343 ft-lbs

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Bullet designed for deep penetration and weight retention
  • Accurate and reliable

Cons

  • Concerns over suboptimal expansion at lower velocities

Why We Chose It

Although some shooters worry about European-made ammo, Fiocchi stands out from the rest as one of Europe’s premier ammo manufacturers. Loaded with incredible consistency and known for their reliability, Fiocchi has been the go-to choice of many European hunters for generations.

The Fiocchi Hyperformance 125 grain SST factory load makes an excellent choice for hog hunting as they are loaded with the well-known Hornady Super Shock Tip (SST). This bullet is often loaded into Hornady Custom ammo and is a popular choice for deer hunters every fall.

The SST utilizes a locking ring inside the bullet to help prevent separation of the jacket material and the lead core. This helps increase weight retention and terminal performance.

Some shooters have reported issues with the SST not expanding at lower velocities. However, if you plan to take your shots within 200 yards, you shouldn’t have any problem with putting the bacon in your freezer.

Parting Shots

Now that you’ve made it through our entire top 5 list, you’re more than equipped to load up your favorite 300 BLK hog hammer AR-15 carbine with these hunting rounds and bring home the bacon!

No matter if you love your Barnes TAC-XP or prefer the cost-effectiveness of Fiocchi, all these rounds are more than capable of dropping a hog in its tracks with proper shot placement.

Make sure to check out our full 300 Blackout ammo page to get loaded up for hunting season, or keep scrolling if you’d like to read our buyers guide to 300 Blackout ammo.

Buyer’s Guide: What to Look for in 300 Blackout Hog Hunting Ammo

Rifle

Welcome to our buyers guide for 300 Blackout hog hunting ammo. No matter if you’re sniping hogs in the deserts of Texas or the fields of Georgia, you need to make sure you’ve got the right factory loads in your mags to get the job done.

Pro tip: I highly suggest finding 300 blackout bulk ammo for sale. Ammo is cheaper when buying in bulk and it guarantees you have enough ammo for extended hunting trips.

In this buyer’s guide, we are going to discuss more than just price, what you need to look for in a hunting round and how we came to the selections we made.

Let’s get to it!

Expanding vs FMJ Bullets

When it comes to hunting ammo, generally, you always want to use an expanding bullet to reduce over-penetration.

It’s true that the 300 Blackout is an effective round, and a boat tail full metal jacket (FMJ) bullet is very accurate. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for hunting varmints or medium-sized game.

For hunting, you want expanding bullets to maximize damage, increase blood loss, and limit the pain and suffering of the animal. Most hunting rounds utilize a soft point or hollow point to initiate expansion and increase your chances of damaging the vitals.

FMJ bullets are great for target practice and plinking, but not the best choice for home defense, feral hogs, or deer season.

With so many different hunting ammo variants, you have plenty of options for finding the best hunting rounds for your rifle.

Hunting Bullet Selection

We’ve established that we don’t want to hunt with full metal jacket (FMJ) ammo, but then what types of bullets are appropriate for hunting?

No matter if you’re hunting whitetail deer this October, feral hogs, or even varmints like coyotes or woodchucks, you want to ensure that you have an expanding bullet that is made for the type of animal you’re hunting. Below, we’ll break down the different types of hunting bullets and what they are made to do.

Varmint Hunting Bullets

For varmints, you’re going to want a bullet that offers almost instantaneous fragmentation. This is because varmints are smaller, and you don’t have time for a bullet to expand. These rounds typically sport a polymer tip for increased accuracy and to ensure the round fragments reliably.

Varmint hunting bullets are often designed for long-range shooting, as varmints like prairie dogs and woodchucks are excellent at spotting hunters and keeping their distance. Traditional varmint hunting bullets include the Hornady V-Max bullet, Nosler Varmageddon, and Sierra BlitzKing.

Varmint bullets are not ideal for deer hunting or hog hunting as their rapid expansion does not allow for the deep penetration needed to ethically harvest a large game animal.

Hogs

Jacketed Soft Point Bullets

Traditional big game hunting bullets are jacketed soft points (JSP), which have an exposed lead tip that will expand when it encounters soft tissue. These rounds work very well on medium-sized game like whitetail deer and hogs, as they offer excellent penetration and expansion.

However, JSP hunting bullets typically suffer from a low ballistic coefficient and are often a bit less accurate than modern hunting ammo due to their design. Some traditional JSP hunting ammo would be the Remington Core-Lokt, Federal Power-Shok, and Winchester Power Point.

Modern Hunting Bullets

More modern hunting bullets are designed to offer hunters excellent accuracy and ballistic coefficient while still providing excellent expansion. Typically, these bullets come with a polymer tip to initiate expansion while simultaneously protecting the hollow point and increasing the ballistic coefficient of the bullet.

These bullets are designed with big game hunting in mind, as they offer excellent penetration to punch through thick hide and bone while still providing adequate expansion to damage the vital organs and put down big game ethically.

If you are into handloading and enjoy reloading your own hunting rounds, modern hunting bullets are a great choice to maximize your accuracy and lethality out in the woods. Some examples of modern hunting bullets would be the Hornady SST, Nosler Accubond, and Federal Terminal Ascent.

Lead-Free Hunting Bullets

The most recent advancement in hunting technology is the monolithic copper hunting bullet. These bullets are made from only copper and offer shooters unparalleled concentricity weight retention.

Made from a solid piece of copper alloy, these hollow point bullets are completely lead-free and come with or without a polymer tip based on their design. These rounds are extremely accurate since there is no jacket material to potentially destabilize the bullet in flight while still offering excellent penetration.

However, the only downside to these rounds is their price, as solid copper bullets are typically more expensive than their lead-core cousins. Some examples of lead-free hunting bullets would be the Barnes TSX or TTSX, Nosler Expansion Tip, Winchester Copper Impact, and Federal Trophy Copper.

Bullet Weight

When hunting thick, stocky game animals like feral hogs, you need to ensure that you have enough penetration to reach the vitals. For this reason, lighter bullets like the Barnes 110 grain TAC-TX bullet weight are the ideal choice.

This might sound counterintuitive, as you’d expect that larger bullets would hit harder and, therefore, penetrate deeper. However, heavier bullets don’t have the muzzle velocity needed to punch through a thick hogzilla that is terrorizing a farmer’s field and crops.

Lighter bullets offer hunters a higher muzzle velocity, flatter trajectory, and deeper penetration to ensure that the hog stays down and doesn’t suffer unnecessarily.

Hunting with a Suppressor: Supersonic vs Subsonic Ammo

Hornady Subsonic bullet

One of the biggest benefits of hunting with a 300 Blackout is that it is Hollywood quiet when firing subsonic ammo through a silencer. The 300 Blackout is designed to experience a full powder burn in just 9 inches of barrel length, making it a perfect choice for a short-barreled rifle as well.

Many hunters want to hunt with a suppressor and subsonic ammo, as this makes it easier to engage multiple hogs with a semi-auto rifle.

The issue with most subsonic ammunition is that it lacks the muzzle velocity and muzzle energy for proper expansion of most heavy 30-caliber bullets (which are needed for subsonic flight). This essentially turns the 300 BLK into a slightly hotter 45 ACP round, which isn’t ideal for hunting as it will wound the hog instead of putting it down.

If you plan to hunt with subsonic ammo, cartridge selection is extremely important. The Hornady Subsonic Sub-X bullet is one of the few that is designed for expansion at subsonic velocities.

If you select a different round, you need to ensure that it is designed for expansion at lower velocities to ensure a clean kill. Furthermore, this ammo is designed for close-range shots (under 120 yards) with an arching trajectory, so if you expect long-range shots to present themselves, then you should utilize supersonic ammo instead.

Is the 300 Blackout Good for Hog Hunting?

No matter if you’ve got a tricked-out Sig Sauer MCX, Ruger Mini-14 Tactical, or a classic AR-15 carbine, many shooters wonder if the 300 Blackout is a good choice for hog hunting. There’s no question that the 300 AAC Blackout ammo is a massive improvement over 5.56 NATO as it offers more muzzle energy without sacrificing magazine capacity.

However, the truth is that the 300 Blackout is not the best hog hunting round available in the AR platform. The 6.5 Grendel and 6.8 SPC are arguably better options as they pack more of a punch and have a flatter trajectory than the 300 BLK could ever dream of.

But this does not mean that the 300 Blackout cannot be an effective hog-slaying rifle; you just need to be more picky with your ammo, and the selections in our top 5 list should not have any issue putting Porky in his place.

Back to the Best 300 Blackout Ammo for Hog Hunting

Now that you have a clearer understanding of what to look for in your hunting rounds let’s get back to our top 5 list by clicking HERE!

Chris Dwulet
Written by
Chris Dwulet

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