If it's going to be an SBR and suppressed should it be a 300 BLK or a 458 SOCOM?

[Hop]

If you could go either way, what would you do?

I have an SBR'd Noveske lower that has been wearing a DD MK18 5.56mm upper. It works great. It's friggin loud. I want to get a multi-use suppressor but should I go .308 or should I go .50???

Here are my choices -
1. I have a new in the box Noveske 8.5" 300 BLK barrel, NSR handguard & ~300 rounds of ammo. I've never assembled it because of this crazy ammo shortage. 300 BLK is still near impossible to find & I don't reload yet. I'm also a little on the fence about building yet ANOTHER caliber. A 308 can would work great on both uppers.

2. I also have a complete 16" RRA .458 SOCOM + a few hundred rounds of ammo. I LOVE shooting this thing. Ammo availability is about the same as 300 BLK but costs 2x $. I could easily shorten this barrel & use it on the Noveske SBR & add a Bowers .50 suppressor. Throwing massive 500+ grain subsonic bullets down range sounds really fun! A 50 Bowers would probably not be very effective on the DD MK18.

*note* I already have a suppressed 9mm sub gun so I'm looking for more distance & down range power.

 

[338sniper]

Whichever route you go I would be interested in buying the other upper and ammo from you if you are up for selling it?

 

[stephen87]

I would go 300BLK. I hear it is a LOT of fun.

 

[dubsac]

id start reloading first lol, though 300 black subsonic suppressed make me giggle

 

[Hop]

If I have to be the first INGO person to have both a supressed 300 AND a 458 then so be it.

 

[gunselman]

If i was in your shoes i would build the 300 BLK. From my recollection all of the RRA 458 SOCOM upper are mid-length gas systems. I would imagine you would have some trouble with the mid-length system and a shorter than 16" barrel. I have a 10.5" 458 SOCOM barrel that i am building into a SBR currently. It has a pistol length gas system. Most of the 458 barrels are carbine length systems for 16" or longer. I think that RRA is the only company that makes a 458 barrel in mid-length gas system. If you were to shorten the barrel you would only be able to shorten it to 11.75" at the shortest. The end of the gas block area on a mid-length is @ 10.69" so add another inch or so for threads on the muzzle device and that gets you to ~11.75". I imagine you would have to open up the gas port a lot to make it cycle.

 

[in812]

skip the 300 blk go for the 458 I spent a lot of time and money trying to get a 11" bbl 300 blk real quiet factory rem otm ammo custom loads 6-7 different powders bullets you name it only to find out I needed to go to 16" to get it done and still not impressed with the subsonic 300 blk loads IMO WAY OVER RATED in subsonic !
458 is a proven caliber that will get the job done !

 

[338sniper]

If I have to be the first INGO person to have both a supressed 300 AND a 458 then so be it.

You wouldn't be

 

[snorko]

If I have to be the first INGO person to have both a supressed 300 AND a 458 then so be it.

Repped for the right attitude

You wouldn't be

Pretty exclusive club anyway, I would think.

 

[Hop]

Energy from a subsonic 220 gr 300 BLK is about 540 ft/lbs. Energy from a subsonic 500 gr .458 SOCOM is over 1000 ft/lbs. The SOCOM obviously wins that race. Corey needs to host another Hush Indiana shoot at a rifle range so I can demo & hear both side by side.

 

[gunselman]

The general rule is that smaller diameter bullets are easier to suppress than larger bullets. The 300 BLK will be cheaper to suppress as well. If you already have a suppressor for 9mm you can should subsonic 300 BLK through it. Subsonic only.