With so many .300 Blackout compatible barrels on the market, choosing the right .300 AAC Blackout barrel may be a bit of a challenge. Buying a compatible barrel is critical when building your AR-15, especially if you don’t have the aid of a pre-made upper receiver.

The .300 AAC Blackout serves different functions as well depending on when it’s fired at supersonic or subsonic speeds. In selecting a barrel, the ammunition you want to shoot regularly will have a significant impact on your decision-making process.

Luckily, we have compiled the best .300 Blackout barrels you can find in the market. We did the research for you. All you need to do is choose and click on the one that best suits your firearm.

Top Pick	Faxon Firearms .300 Blackout Gunner Profile	Unique gunner profile design Improved accuracy from 5R rifling system Designed to withstand sustained fire Will most likely require additional fitting to your AR-15	$157 Shop NowClick to read my review
	PSA 10.5-Inch CHF 300 AAC Blackout 1:8 Pistol Gas Barrel	Made of durable hammer-forged steel Coated with Mil-spec grade phosphate for corrosion and oxidation resistance Stabilized firing of the 300 Blackout May require ATF approval	$190 Shop NowClick to read my review
	Wilson Combat Match Grade Barrel .300 AAC Blackout	Made from durable, corrosion-resistant 416R Stainless steel Extremely accurate barrel Very lightweight Not budget-friendly	$230 Shop NowClick to read my review
	Ballistic Advantage Modern Series 10	Budget-friendly price tag Durable, corrosion-resistant construction for a fraction of the price Sports M4 feedramps for reliable feeding Sports pistol-length gas systems regardless of barrel length	$153 Shop NowClick to read my review

The .300 AAC Blackout Round

Before we discuss.300 barrels, let’s take a look at why you should choose the.300 Blackout.

The.300 Blackout has been one of the most popular AR calibers since its debut in 2011. Originally designed as a close-combat round for special operations forces, the.300 AAC Blackout cartridge is becoming more popular among civilians.

The.300 AAC Blackout has higher ballistic performance and stopping power than the more common 5.56 in subsonic AR configurations. If you have a 5.56-caliber rifle, you can use the.300 AAC Blackout cartridge since the case dimensions are almost identical.

Advantages of the .300 AAC Blackout

When it comes to penetration, the.300 AAC Blackout has a considerable edge. Even in close quarters combat situations, the Blackout will always leave a larger wound than the 5.56mm bullet. This is because the Blackout is somewhat heavier (CQB). 

Additionally, a bullet shot from a 9″ barrel may fully burn the powder. Whereas, the.223 and 5.56 require at least 16-18″ barrels if not more to do so. As a result, rifles with shorter barrels may still utilize the .300 AAC Blackout’s long-range and high-power characteristics. In addition, this also makes it a great CQB round choice.

The Blackout can fire both subsonic and supersonic shots without modifications to the cartridge. If you use a subsonic .300BLK with a suppressor, the rifle’s recoils is reduced to pretty much nothing while making almost zero noise. This is why most SWAT and Spec-ops units in the US have started using this caliber in their loadouts. It’s also become a popular civilian option since all you need to do is to switch out a barrel in order to configure your rifle for the .300 AAC Blackout. 

Do you reload your own cartridge? As long as you have .300 BLK dies on hand, reloading this cartridge is just as simple as reloading anything else. The preparation of .300 BLK brass is identical to that of.223 and 5.56 ammunition. The fact that reloading the .300 uses less powder than .223 means you’re actually saving money on powder.

Also, for those times when your brass supply is running low, you could actually use 5.56 casings and cut them down to the necessary size for .300 BLK as a kind of last-ditch effort.

How Long Should My Barrel Last?

Once you fire a round through your new barrel, it starts to erode the barrel from the inside. It will continue to do so until the entire barrel is wrung out. A wrung our barrel won’t be able to stabilize bullets anymore. Hence, it will translate to keyholing on your target as well as terrible accuracy and performance. 

On normal barrels, you should begin to expect a slide in barrel performance after 2,000 – 5,000 rounds when using high-powered cartridges like the .300 AAC Blackout. If you use heavier barrels, you can expect them to last a little longer since they’re able to dissipate heat better than normal rifle barrels. You can also use high-speed stainless steel barrels if you want to get the most lifespan out of your barrel.

A chrome or nitrided inner barrel will also net you around 10,000-20,000 rounds before needing replacement. This is why nitride barrels are usually the military’s barrel of choice for their weapons. However, the best way to prolong the lifespan of any barrel is by simply conducting proper maintenance. this involves cleaning out the brass, lead spall, and any corrosive fouling after using your rifle. 

So, if you want a barrel that will last a long time, search for stainless, nitrided, or chrome-lined options. If you decide to go with a lower-cost barrel, be sure to replace it after 5K rounds if you want to keep your accuracy. Keep your barrel clean and well-protected to ensure that you get the most out of your investment.

Buyer’s Guide for the Best .300 Blackout Barrels

Barrel Length

There are currently two configurations for the .300 AAC Blackout barrel on the market: carbine rifles that are always at least 16″ long, and pistol-length barrels, normally around 6″-12″ depending on the build you design. 

Since most factory ammunition for the .300 AAC Blackout is able to efficiently burn powder at 9″-10″, there’s no reason to have a barrel longer than 10.5″. It’s true that longer barrels increase muzzle velocity and improve accuracy to some degree. But it’s not necessarily enough to justify the added length. Longer barrels will also add more weight to your firearm. This can be beneficial in reducing recoil. However, any additional weight on your rifle can speed up shooting fatigue or just make it difficult to move around.

The only other reason to get a longer barrel for your .300 AAC Blackout AR would be to avoid paperwork from the ATF. Since US Federal Law requires that the minimum barrel length for a firearm is 16″, all pistol-length barrels automatically require you to get permission from the ATF, which will put even greater restrictions on your rifle.

Now, this is cool if you’re just looking to collect a pistol length .300 AAC Blackout rifle. But if you’re looking to legally carry and shoot one on the range often, it’s best to opt into a Carbine-length barrel configuration instead.

Another neat alternative is converting your rifle to an AR pistol. For example, your .300 BLK AR-15 will only need approval from the ATF if you decide to run a short-barreled rifle configuration on it. However, if you remove the stock on your AR-15 and run a 9″ .300 barrel on it, it’s considered an AR-15 Pistol. Again you’d want to look into Federal Law and State Law to see if this will work for you since it differs from place to place.

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Barrel Weight

Barrel weight is often one of the more overlooked factors when choosing a rifle barrel. A heavy barrel will be difficult to maneuver, especially in close quarters. Also, it can easily fatigue you. However, the heavier weight will give you a more stable rifle. It can also help you handle recoil better, and dissipate heat faster. Plus, it lasts longer than a lighter barrel.

Building Material

When looking for .300 Blackout barrels, try to find ones that are built out of any of these four types of steel: 4140 hardened steel, 4150 steel, 416 Stainless Steel and 416R Stainless steel.

The 4140/4150 steel types are chromium-molybdenum-vanadium alloys that have amazing strength and durability compared to their weight, making them great options for barrel constructions. If you’re looking for a tougher barrel, 4150 steel is harder than 414. Consequently, it’s the barrel of choice for most law enforcement and military personnel in the US.

When it comes to stainless steel options, the 416 and 416R are great options. They are ideal if you live in more humid types of weather like Florida. 416/R stainless steel offers great resistance against rust and corrosion and is harder than both 4140 and 4150 steel. The only difference between the 416 and the 416R is their temperature resistance with the 416R doing a lot better in snow and below-freezing temperatures than the 416. 

Contour

The shape and profile of the barrel have a significant impact on both performance and weight. The increased size of heavy contour barrels provides quicker heat dispersion and dissipation. It also improves accuracy and reduces barrel see-sawing.

Without going into too much detail, there are three barrel contour profiles you need to be aware of when shopping around for an AR-15 rifle. They are the following:

Twist

Twist is measured by how many inches it takes the bullet to complete one full revolution as it leaves the barrel. For example, a 1:10 twist indicates that it takes a bullet 10 inches to spin entirely at that pace. A lower number indicates a tighter twist, while a larger number indicates a looser or longer twist.

If you’re planning to mostly load 180-230 grain cartridges then a 1:8 twist rate will work well for your build. However, if you intend to use high-powered rounds above 230 grains or longer bullets, then I suggest getting a 1:7 twist rate barrel instead. 1:7 twist ratio barrels will work better at stabilizing these heavier rounds for better accuracy at longer ranges. Both these twist ratios are fairly common for .300 AAC Blackout barrels. 

If you don’t intend on shooting these heavy grain rounds (80-130 grain), then you should go for a 1:10 or 1:12 twist ratio instead. Both these barrel types will typically come cheaper than the 1:7 and 1L8 variations. However, they won’t work too well should you decide to use a heavier bullet.

Rifling

Rifling kinds may be found in. 300 BLK barrels are often cut rifled, button rifled, or 5R rifled. Without going into too much detail about the differences of the three, just be aware that you’re most likely going to encounter button rifled barrels for the .300 AAC Blackout. That’s thanks to the fact that button rifles are easier, quicker, and far less expensive to produce. Hence, making button rifled barrels extremely affordable compared to other options.

Cut rifling and 5R are more time consuming and although more accurate. It’s highly unlikely you find barrels like this being sold unless they’re some kind of premium barrel. 

Best .300 Blackout Barrels for 2022

Faxon Firearms .300 Blackout Gunner Profile

The Faxon Firearms .300 Blackout Gunner Profile barrel possesses a unique profile which according to Faxon is designed to provide the right combination between heat dissipation and weight. The Gunner Profile pertains to the barrel’s contour, which has a pencil profile before the gas block in order to keep the weight down and preserve the ease of handling.

To keep the barrel durable and to help increase its longevity, extra material is added behind the gas block to help it endure the intense heat. As a result, the Faxon barrel should be able to withstand prolonged firing and dissipate heat better than other conventional barrels.

The Faxon Firearms AR-15 Barrels .300 Blackout Gunner Profile comes in three distinct barrel lengths, two pistol barrels at 7.5″ and 10.5″ and a legal carbine 16″ barrel. The QPQ nitride finish with an additional NP3 coating makes this barrel nearly impervious to surface wear, rust, and corrosion.

Faxon also added 5/8-24″ threads to the muzzle allowing you to add any standard muzzle attachment to your build. It also comes with a 5R rifling configuration for a premium touch and even better accuracy.

PSA 10.5″ CHF 300 AAC Blackout 1:8 Pistol Gas Barrel

The PSA 10.5″ CHF 300 AAC Blackout 1:8 Pistol Gas Barrel is a great option if you’re searching for a pistol-length barrel for your .300 Blackout AR-15 build. Similar to Military issues rifles, this PSA barrel is forged from chrome-moly-vanadium steel and has a chrome lining on the interior of the barrel to help it last longer.

Its twist rate of 1:8 is ideal for stabilizing the .300 Blackout round especially in short pistol barrel configurations. Additionally, the barrel is coated with a mil-spec grade phosphate to enhance its durability and increase resistance to corrosion and oxidation.

Just remember that since this is a pistol barrel, you will need ATF approval if you intend to use this with an AR rifle stock, otherwise, it will be illegal in the United States.

If you want a legal version with this rifle configuration to your firearm, use an AR brace instead of a stock, to convert your unit into an AR pistol, This way, it should be legal under US Federal law and ATF guidelines. Again, it’s your responsibility to check with your state and federal guidelines regarding shortened barrel rifle configurations.

Wilson Combat Match Grade Barrel .300 AAC Blackout

The Match Grade Barrel .300 AAC Blackout from Wilson Combat features a durable corrosion resistant 416R stainless steel, with a distinctive bead-blasted finish and an engraved Wilson Combat Logo right below the muzzle.

What’s great about this barrel is it comes in a standard legal sized 16″ barrel length with a twist rate of 1:7, perfect for shooting supersonic and subsonic factory .300 AAC Blackout rounds up to 250 grains without losing out on performance even at longer ranges.

The Wilson Combat Match Grade Barrel is one of the most accurate barrels on the market, thanks to its 6-grooved precision button rifling, high-quality muzzle crown, and strict manufacturing tolerances. This makes it a great and reliable barrel for taking out hunting on the field, and can even be used in competition shooting.

Ballistic Advantage Modern Series 10″ .300 AR Rifle Barrel

If you’re looking for an affordable barrel that doesn’t skip out on quality, then definitely consider getting a barrel from Ballistic Advantage’s Modern Series .300 AR Rifle Barrel. The Ballistic Advantage Modern Series .300 AR Rifle Barrels are made from 4150 Chrome-Vanadium Steel alloy with a Black QPQ outer finish for superb durability and excellent surface wear and corrosion resistance on a price tag that just can’t be beaten.

This Barrel also sports M4 style feed ramps that ensure reliable feeding and a pistol gas system that gives the reliability you need in shooting for longer periods of time and still works well enough for the .300 BLK round without adding too much dwell time.

Our Pick

The Faxon Firearms AR-15 Barrel .300 Blackout Gunner Profile is an excellent option for those looking for an inexpensive barrel that doesn’t sacrifice performance. The gunner profile design helps the barrel to handle sustained firing better than many other .300 Blackout barrels on the market, and the QPQ nitride coated finish and NP3 coating makes it as rust and corrosion resistant as you could ask for.

Final Consideration

Be extremely careful when buying pistol-length .300 BLK barrels or barrels less than 16″ long. Under US Federal Law, it’s illegal to own a firearm with a rifle configuration that possesses a barrel under 16″ without proper approval from the ATF.

To err on the side of caution, it’s best to purchase a carbine length barrel or a barrel that’s at least 16″ long. If you do insist on using pistol length barrels, consider removing your AR stock and converting your firearm into an AR Pistol.

Wrapping Up

A new .300 Blackout barrel is one of the best ways to improve the performance of your rifle or to simply convert an upper to run the .300 Blackout Cartridge. Even though there are many things to consider when purchasing a .300 Blackout Barrel, it’s always best to go with your gut and choose one that will work for what your vision and use is for the rifle build.

Any one of the best .300 Blackout barrels that we’ve covered here today will make a solid upgrade whether you’re building a .300 compatible rifle from scratch or simply replacing an old worn out .300 barrel. If you do end up going a different route, you can always follow our buyer’s guide section that we went over earlier to help you find a good .300 Blackout barrel as well.

Again, and we can’t emphasize this enough, check with your local state and federal laws, especially when purchasing pistol-length barrels. Since AR configurations, especially the AR-15’s are highly regulated by some states like California, you might have to reconsider your rifle build in order to comply with these different laws. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and purchase a Carbine length barrel instead.

Related Reads:

• Best .300 Blackout Magazines
• The Best AR-15 Barrels: 2022 Complete Buyer’s Guide
• Best .300 Blackout Muzzle Brakes