Blackout Ammunition .300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr Sierra MatchKing, 160 Round Bucket

The 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr Sierra MatchKing bucket is 160 rounds of the most proven match bullet in the cartridge for $289.00, about $1.81 a round. It is the quiet, accurate, high volume load for suppressed carbines: home defense training, precision practice, suppressor work and match days. This page covers what the load does, what it does not do, and how to run it in a gas gun.

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The 220 grain MatchKing in one paragraph

A 220 grain boat tail hollow point loaded in factory new brass to about 1,030 feet per second, with a G1 ballistic coefficient near 0.62. It stays subsonic from every common barrel, groups as well as the rifle allows, and is the round most 300 Blackout owners think of when they say subsonic. The 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr bucket is that load in bulk.

Loaded, gauged and inspected on the same line as the 20 round box, with a match primer and a charge weight held to tight tolerance. Bucket packing strips out the cost of eight retail boxes and passes it to you.

Why the MatchKing is the reference bullet

Sierra’s MatchKing line has held national and world records for decades. The 220 grain .308 version was adopted early by 300 Blackout developers because its length and weight suited the subsonic case capacity perfectly, and it has been the benchmark since. The jacket is thin and uniform, the core is drawn to a tight weight tolerance, and the hollow point is a manufacturing feature rather than an expansion device.

Consistency is what you are buying. Ten rounds from the bucket will weigh, measure and fly the same. That makes the load ideal for the jobs where the ammunition must not be the variable: zeroing, suppressor point of impact testing and diagnosing a rifle. the cartridge’s history shows how central the 220 grain load has been to the cartridge from the start.

Velocity, energy and trajectory

Rounded from the 300 Blackout ballistics chart; run your exact barrel through the ballistics calculator. The practical range of any subsonic is about 150 yards before drop becomes severe. Inside that, the 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr MatchKing is as accurate as anything in the caliber. Our barrel length guide explains how much velocity each inch of barrel adds.

Training for home defense with it

A suppressed 300 Blackout carbine loaded with subsonics is a popular home defense set up because it is hearing safe indoors. The 220 MatchKing is not the defensive round itself, since it does not expand, but it is the ideal training round for that rifle: same weight class, same point of impact and same recoil impulse as the expanding loads, at half the price. Our best 300 Blackout for home defense guide covers which loads to actually keep in the magazine.

Train on the bucket, defend with the 205gr Punisher Series or 196gr fracturing loads, and confirm zero between them. NIOSH puts the threshold for hearing damage from impulse noise at 140 decibels, and a suppressed subsonic carbine is the only rifle configuration that gets close to safe without ear protection.

Not a hunting bullet

Sierra states plainly that MatchKing bullets are not recommended for hunting, and at 1,000 feet per second the point is even sharper. The bullet does not expand at subsonic speed. It punches a caliber sized hole and keeps going. That is fine on paper and steel and wrong on an animal. Use a bullet built to open at subsonic velocity for game.

Making a gas gun cycle subsonics

The fix, in order: fit the suppressor; try a lighter buffer or a lighter buffer spring; fit an adjustable gas block and open it up. Pistol length gas systems on 9 to 10 inch barrels are the most reliable subsonic cyclers. A carbine length system on a 16 inch barrel is the hardest case.

220 MatchKing against 215 Berger and the hunting loads

The 215gr Berger bucket is the alternative at the same price. Shoot a box of each and keep the one your barrel likes. The full 300 Blackout buckets range includes supersonic options like the 147gr FMJ bucket for cheaper unsuppressed practice.

Bucket pricing and storage

At $1.81 a round the bucket is about 20 percent cheaper than the retail box. Store it sealed with a desiccant pack, out of sunlight and away from temperature swings, and it will be reliable for decades. Label the lid with the date. The bulk 300 Blackout guide explains how we keep buckets in stock and how to plan a year’s supply. See subsonic versus supersonic for when to reach for each.

Drills that suit the 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr bucket

One hundred and sixty rounds is enough for a structured session rather than plinking. Start with a ten round zero confirmation at 50 yards with the can fitted. Then run a 40 round accuracy block: eight five round groups from prone, sitting, kneeling and standing, two groups each, all with 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr ammunition so the only variable is you.

Follow with a 60 round drill block. Controlled pairs at 25 yards, transitions between two targets at 50, a reload drill from a magazine loaded with 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr rounds, and a cold bore shot at the start of each string to mimic a real first shot. Suppressed subsonic recoil is light enough that you will see every error on the target instead of hiding it behind muzzle rise.

Keep the last 50 for a second session or a match. Because the 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr bucket shoots to the same point of impact as the retail box, a box kept back in the safe is all you need to confirm zero next month without opening a new bucket.

A note on standards. Every round of 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr MatchKing in the bucket is gauged and inspected before packing, the same as the retail box, and the bucket is sealed at the factory. If you open one and find a round with a visible defect, set it aside and contact us rather than firing it; it is rare, but a match load deserves that discipline. Treated with the same care you would give a box of 220 grain match ammunition, a bucket of 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr rounds will give you 160 shots that all land where the first one did.

Compare the arithmetic with buying by the box. Eight retail boxes of the 220 grain MatchKing come to $295.92 and eight lots of packaging. The 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr bucket is $289.00 with one lid. The saving is modest on a single bucket, but a shooter who trains monthly goes through five or six buckets a year, and the difference pays for a replacement optic mount or a case of supersonic practice ammunition. Buying the 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr load in bulk is simply the cheaper way to shoot the round you were going to shoot anyway.

Shipping, tax and age

Ships to your home address in all 50 states. No tax stamp, no NFA paperwork, no dealer transfer and no tax added at checkout. Orders over $300 ship free. Ammunition is not an NFA item. Under federal law at 18 U.S.C. 922 no federal licence is required to buy it and there is no waiting period. Buyers must be 21 or older for rifle ammunition and an adult must sign at delivery. The bucket weighs about 10 pounds packed and ships by ground carrier under 49 CFR 173.63 limited quantity rules.

Details on the shipping and delivery page and the FAQ. Ammunition cannot be returned once shipped; the returns policy covers damaged deliveries. Every load meets SAAMI standards, and the wider 300 Blackout ammo range is a click away.

For the reference subsonic in bulk, the 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr Sierra MatchKing bucket is the one to order.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr Sierra MatchKing bucket a hunting load?

No. Sierra is explicit that MatchKing bullets are not designed for hunting. This is a match and training load. For game or defense, use the 205gr Punisher Series or 196gr fracturing rounds, which are built to open at subsonic velocity.

How many rounds are in the 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr bucket?

160 rounds loose in a resealable plastic bucket, with no inner boxes. The bucket keeps rounds dry and doubles as a range container.

Will it cycle a gas gun without a suppressor?

Not always. Subsonic loads run at lower pressure and many AR pattern rifles need a suppressor’s back pressure, an adjustable gas block or a lighter buffer to cycle them fully. With a can fitted most rifles run it fine.

What velocity does the 300 Blackout Subsonic 220gr load run?

About 1,030 feet per second from a 16 inch barrel with about 518 foot pounds of energy. Shorter barrels lose a little speed: expect about 960 feet per second from a 9 inch pistol barrel.

Can ammunition ship to a home address in every state?

Ships to your home address in all 50 states. No tax stamp, no NFA paperwork, no dealer transfer and no tax added at checkout. Orders over $300 ship free.

Is there a tax stamp or tax?

No. Tax stamps apply to suppressors and other NFA items, never to ammunition. There is no Form 4, no waiting period and no tax added at checkout.

How does it compare with the 215gr Berger bucket?

Same price, same purpose, same accuracy class. The Sierra is the traditional match bullet with the longer record; the Berger has a hybrid ogive that is more tolerant of seating depth. Try a box of each and keep the one your rifle prefers.

Can I return it?

Ammunition cannot be returned once shipped, for the same safety reasons every ammunition retailer applies. If you are unsure whether your rifle cycles subsonics or whether the 220 grain bullet suits your suppressor, start with the 20 round box of the same load, confirm function and zero, and move to the bucket once you are satisfied. The two shoot to the same point of impact.

You must be 21 or older to purchase rifle ammunition. Always use the correct ammunition in a firearm in good working condition. It is the buyer’s responsibility to know and comply with federal, state and local laws regarding the purchase and possession of ammunition.