What is the best way to acquire an upper? I read somewhere that a regular 5.56/.223 upper can be converted with a simple barrel change. Is that true? If so, would just a decent upper from PSA be a suitable candidate?

To be clear, I am wanting to add another upper to my collection, not convert one of the existing.

[This message has been edited by Agsmnn (edited 3/15/2014 4:36p).]

Simply just a barrel swap. PSA uppers are good to go. KAK Industries has 8" and 16" 300blk barrels in stock. They are green mountain blanks that KAK machines themselves.

I guess it would depend on what you are looking at doing with the rifle. do you want a dedicated 300, and a dedicated 5.56? yes, the 300 runs on the same platform as a 5.56, meaning all the components are the same except for the barrel. you could have 1 lower, and 2 dedicated uppers, or you can switch the barrel out. hope this helps.

I wanting a dedicated 300 blk upper that will have a suppressor on. Just curious what barrel length I need and what the best option is. Buying a 300 blk upper or a blemished PSA 5.56 and converting? What is cheapest and best option.

Someone please tack this, with lots of exclamation points, flair, bedazzles, or whatever it takes. No offense to the OP, but way too many of this exact question have been popping up recently:

An AR-15 upper receiver is an upper

Is an upper

Is an upper

Is an upper

Is an upper.

The receiver is exactly the same, if it will fit on an AR-15 lower.

Differences lie in the cartridge. The bolt carrier will be the same between cartridges, but the bolt and barrel may need to be dedicated to the round you are shooting:

.300 BK - 5.56 bolt (yeah! you can use a standard .223/5.56 BC), .300 barrel

6.5 Grendel - 6.5 bolt, 6.5 barrel

6.8 SPC - 6.8 bolt, 6.8 barrel

etc.

etc.

Changing the barrel takes some know how and special tools. If you want a .300 BK upper for your 5.56 lower, your best bet is to buy a dedicated .300 BK upper. Don't try to just change the barrel. Sell the existing upper (if you don't like to shoot somewhat cheap .223/5.56 rounds)and buy a .300 BK upper.

That's what I was contemplating with Log. Didn't know what the best route was. I have a couple different uppers already and a couple lowers that I switch out from time to time.
I was merely asking what the best option is? To buy a 300 blk upper or buy one and convert it? If you say to buy is the best and easiest route then that sounds good to me. I just read and saw a video about going that route and didn't know if it was worth it. Wasn't going to have one upper and 2 barrels if that was what you were thinking.
Didn't mean to be confusing in the earlier post.

[This message has been edited by Agsmnn (edited 3/15/2014 4:34p).]

Not sure what you mean by "converting" an upper. If you buy a stripped upper there's no converting needed, just need to assemble it with all the parts and appropriate barrel. Unless you mean buying a fully assembled 5.56 upper and then swapping the barrel in which case you would have a leftover barrel.

If you're asking wether to custom build your own 300 upper or buy an off the shelf one, just run the numbers and see if you save any money or want the experience

A little off topic here, but I've bern thinking 300 Blackout, but the ammo is so dang hard to find and it's really expensive when you do. I understand the benefits of the .300 subsonic, in a suppressed SBR, but aside from that, what about 7.63x39? That ammo is about as cheap as it gets, and it's plentiful. You're just really limited in sub's, and most suppressors need a longer barrel for the commie round.

That's what I really want it for. I want a sub-sonic round that I can eventually slap a night scope and suppressor.

quote:

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That's what I really want it for. I want a sub-sonic round that I can eventually slap a night scope and suppressor.

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Do you have an ammo supply or load, or just working toward a goal? This was a plan for me, but finding ammo looks to be an issue.

I built myself a 300 AAC upper. I really like it so far but I don't bother to try and find ammo for it. Components are plentiful and inexpensive so I load for it.

Edit for spelling

[This message has been edited by normaleagle05 (edited 3/16/2014 9:44a).]

Dubi
It is a goal of mine to have all this. What other calibers can be fired with sub-sonic ammo?

Normalagle,
What was your cost in building one? Also what are your initial cost in getting setup to reload the 300 blk since I am assuming you are using .223 brass for your reloads and altering them?
Reloading is getting closer for since I have a 6.8 and .260. Ammo is high for both so I will hopefully start reloading in the next year as we get a new shop and house built.

I've got about 500 in the upper and that may not include some small parts. I didn't realize it was that much until I added it up just now. I over paid on the barrel (~200) and the BCG (~160) during the craze but was just glad to be able to buy them. I've had the tools to assemble all that for a long time now.

quote:

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What other calibers can be fired with sub-sonic ammo?

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Pistol rounds, if you want to go that route, and I've read that some folks cook up their own 7.62x39's but I think that's worse than going .300 because you have to debug your own upper and mags, then source components and develop a load, and I doubt there'd be cost benefits over .300 this that way.

My FIL gave me some of the major gear to start reloading; press, scale, powder measure, and a few small items. After that I spent maybe 150 over two years putting together the rest of what I "needed". Really could have done with less to start. If I was going to start fresh with no equipment in hand I'd buy one of the starter kits from rcbs, Hornady, etc.

Brass. I'm loading a combo of factory 300 brass and reman LC 5.56 brass. I bought 80 or 100 rounds of new Remington 300 AAC and reman stuff (Right to Bear and Cooper) during the craziness and I've been reloading that brass. I was fortunate to be working at Ammo To Go at the time and had the access to buy it 1) at all 2) at reasonable prices. I have a bunch of 5.56/223 to form and trim but I'll have to buy some gear for it.

Edit bc auto correct is kicking my butt.

[This message has been edited by normaleagle05 (edited 3/16/2014 10:55a).]

quote:

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I wanting a dedicated 300 blk upper that will have a suppressor on. Just curious what barrel length I need and what the best option is. Buying a 300 blk upper or a blemished PSA 5.56 and converting? What is cheapest and best option.

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I'm going with an 8 in but have a ways to go. Bought a Noveske stripped gen 2 lower yesterday.

Can a person just buy a 300 blackout upper from say silencer shop and put it on an ar 15?

Yes

[This message has been edited by 04txag007 (edited 3/16/2014 1:42p).]

I have a Palmetto State 300BLK complete rifle that I build for about $500. PSA lower, collapsible stock, Blackhawk parts kit and found a 16" complete upper half on clearance from AlphaOne for $359. IMO, if you're going to build the upper yourself, do it from parts rather than doing a barrel swap on a .223 upper because essentially you'll be paying for a barrel that will just get thrown in a closet.
Probably like you, I bought the 300BLK for the sole purpose of putting a can on it and having a rifle that would cycle subloads.

As for ammo, it's pretty scarce. I think there's only one store in BCS right now that has any. I would also say that if you're going to get into 300BLK, you had better have a reloading setup to keep yourself in the ammo... at least until the caliber gains enough popularity that it becomes mainstream.

My economical 300BLK build made from "Black Friday" (pun intended) sales parts and stuff I had in my parts bucket.

Have been sharing a charging handle and bolt with a 5.56 pistol I already have. Use OD Green rail covers and OD green painted PMags so I don't mistake rounds/uppers.