The 300 Blackout is one of the most unique cartridges to come out in the past decade. With a unique cartridge comes a need for a unique scope. Check out what we have found to be the best scopes for the 300 Blackout.
Read more to find out why we found the Primary Arms 1-6×24 to be the best scope for 300 Blackout rifles as well as where the other excellent scope options fall.
The Best Scopes for the 300 Blackout:
- Primary Arms 1-6×24
- Nikon SuperSub 2-7×32
- Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6×24
- Nikon Inline 3-9×42
- Leupold Mark AR 1.5-4×20
Very few other cartridges have generated as much buzz as the 300 Blackout. Primarily developed as a close quarters round to be fired out of an SBR (short barreled rifle) with a suppressor attached, the 300 Blackout has quickly become a 223 replacement for many shooters. Often times many shooters are asking for the 300 Blackout to do much more than it was originally designed for. One of the major components that can help a shooter do that is the scope. Buying the right scope for your 300 Blackout can extend it’s capabilities well beyond it’s original intended range.
What to look for in buying the best scope for the 300 Blackout:
- Durability: Scope durability is the number one thing to look for in a scope for your 300 blackout. Without a durable scope, even that safe queen of a rifle could loose it’s zero just from the bumpy dirt road that leads to the range. Without a reliable scope you will constantly be second guessing that “flyer” when shooting groups. Was that me or did my scope shift? All the scopes in this list have proven to be reliable.
- Close Quarters: The 300 blackout was primarily designed as a short range cartridge. Knowing this, when looking for the best scope for the 300 blackout we need something that can reach out to a couple hundred yards yet not give up a whole lot when up close. For most people that means red dots are off the table. High powered optics would be great at 200-300 yards but would suck for sub 30 yards. 1-X powered optics are that sweet spot which is why most on this list fall under this category.
- Value: Its always a balancing act when recommending optics. It’s easy to just say ‘save your pennies and get a Nightforce’. While most would certainly love to have one, its simply overkill for most shooters. The scopes in this list straddle that fine line of robustness and affordability. All of them would make a fine scope for your 300 blackout.
Primary Arms 1-6×24
The Primary Arms 1-6×24 with hunting reticle is our Editor’s Choice for Best 300 Blackout Scope. What makes the Primary Arms 1-6 stand out from the rest is the fact that its a durable optic with an amazing x6 power optical zoom range at a price point thats impossible to beat. The hunting reticle is a BDC style reticle that matches up very well to the 300 blackout.
If switching between subsonic and supersonic ammunition, the Primary Arms 1-6 BDC reticle has hash lines that match up very well at various distances with supersonic ammo. For subsonic, the hash lines won’t line up on perfect whole numbers like the supersonic ammo will but a simple drop test at your next range session can give you an idea of where they do.
Primary arms has proven to support their products if you do happen to need their support. They have been one of the innovators for affordable optics and the 1-6×24 is no different. This is why the Primary Arms 1-6×24 is what we believe to be the best scope for the 300 blackout.
Nikon SuperSub 2-7×32
The Nikon SuperSub 2-7×32 comes in at under $200 and is one hell of a value at that. While it doesn’t give you a true 1x at the low range like the Primary Arms and Vortex Strike Eagle do it does go down to 2x. Besides the great price that the Nikon SuperSub comes in at, the reticle also a huge plus. The reticle is a hybrid BDC style reticle that plays really with with, you guessed it, supersonic and subsonic ammunition. The reticle allows users to quickly get an idea of where their bullet will be dropping whether they are using sub or supersonic ammunition. As always, you should drop test the actual 300 blackout ammunition you buy and verify with the reticle.
Nikon has many scopes based off the 2-7×32 platform and it has proven to be very reliable with heavy recoiling rifles so with the little 300 blackout we don’t anticipate any issues. If you are looking to mainly hunt with your 300 blackout, we believe the Nikon 2-7×32 SuperSub should be near the top of your list when shopping for the best scope for the 300 blackout.
Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6×24
I absolutely love this scope, and apparently everyone else does too because it is rarely in stock anywhere even though it got released over a year ago. The Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6×24 is Vortex’s answer to the sub $400 1-6x market. Vortex has been at the forefront of offering affordable scope options and giving a knock out no questions asked lifetime warranty on all their products. The Strike Eagle is no different.
Glass quality on the Strike Eagle is right up there with scopes approaching the $500 mark. The illumination is daylight bright and it has a fantastic BDC reticle. Keep in mind the reticle in the Vortex Strike Eagle isn’t necessarily for the 300 blackout but is instead a universal BDC reticle. This means the first hash and second hash may not line up perfectly 100 and 200 yards on the blackout but may instead be 90 yards and 180 yards. This is easily adjusted to after a couple range sessions and is totally worth dealing with as every other feature on this optic is rock solid.
While the Vortex Strike Eagle is going to be the goto budget scope for many 3 gunners, it makes a perfect pair for the shooter that wants a solid optic for either supersonic or subsonic rounds out of their 300 blackout.
Nikon Inline XR BDC 300 3-9×40
The Nikon Inline 3-9×40 scope is primarily going to be for hunters shooting supersonic ammunition out of their 300 blackout rifles. The Nikon Inline is meant to handle extreme recoil so the 300 blackout should be a walk in the park. We suggest avoiding the Inline for subsonic shooting because at 3x the FOV (field of view) is a little tight for close range work.
For the 300 blackout hunter that anticipates shots from 50 yards and beyond, the Nikon Inline will make a fine scope.
Leupold Mark AR 1.5-4×20
The Leupold Mark AR 1.5-4×20 may be last on our list but it is certainly no slouch. The Leupold Mark AR series of scopes has lots of technology derived from their Mark 4 and 6 lines of scopes. That trickle down technology allows a lot of us normal folk to be able to afford a scope we may never be able to otherwise.
What sets the Leupold Mark AR apart from the other guys is the fact that it comes with mil turrets. Most other scopes of this type will either have moa turrets, or covered turrets. Neither of which are bad, but some people prefer to have low profile exposed turrets even on their close quarters optics.
Several years ago this Leupold probably would have won our Editor’s Choice. The problem is at this price point today, a shooter can get himself into a decent 1-6×24 optic for around the same price. However, Leupold does have a great product here that is assembled in the USA and comes with lifetime warranty. If you are looking for the best scope for your 300 blackout the Leupold Mark AR 1.5-4×20 will not hold you or your rifle back.
