The 5.56mm NATO round has been the gold standard AR-15 cartridge for well over 60 years. It has been the ammo issued to our frontline soldiers for over a generation and has seen combat on 5 continents in the hands of the U.S. Military and our NATO allies. However, some shooters wanted more out of their AR platform, they wanted the ability to shoot a 30-caliber bullet without switching over to the AR-10 and 308 Winchester. Enter the 300 AAC Blackout, the successful marriage of 7.62x39mm terminal ballistics with the modularity of the AR platform. It is a potent combination that many shooters have declared superior to the 5.56mm NATO round. But which round is better? Does the ballistic performance of the 300 BLK warrant widespread adoption of the cartridge by the military, law enforcement, and civilians? Or does the stalwart performance of the 5.56 continue to dominate with its long-range prowess, muzzle velocity, and stopping power? The 300 BLK offers shooters the ability to quickly switch between supersonic and subsonic rounds with a simple mag change. Furthermore, the 300 Blackout maintains the full 30-round magazine capacity of standard AR-15 mags. Subsonic 300 AAC Blackout ammo is hearing safe when combined with the use of a suppressor, making it an excellent choice for home defense or self-defense. However, the 300 BLK is not without faults as it does not have the effective range of the 5.56 and also has a more arching trajectory. The 5.56 NATO is an incredibly low-recoil round that is flat shooting and wicked fast. It uses hydrostatic shock to cause damage by firing light projectiles extremely fast. But many people have been critical of the 5.56x45 stopping power, citing battlefield reports of enemy combatants taking multiple shots before going down. #556 #300BLK #300Blackout