Best Zero for .300 Blackout: Supersonic vs Subsonic
Supersonic: zero at 100 yards. Subsonic: zero at 50. Learn the offset if one optic sees both.
Zero the supersonic load at 100 yards and the subsonic load at 50. On an AR with the optic 2.6" over the bore, a 125gr supersonic load at 2,185 fps zeroed at 100 never rises more than 0.2" above the sight line, hits 7" low at 200, and stays inside an 8" vital zone out to 172 yards. A 190gr subsonic load at 1,050 fps zeroed at 50 is dead on at 50, about 6" low at 100, and stays inside that same 8" zone to 90 yards.
If you shoot both loads through one optic, zero the supersonic load at 50 too, so the two share a zero distance. Then learn the offset. On that shared 50-yard zero the subsonic bullet hits about 6" lower than the supersonic one at 100 yards and about 38" lower at 200. Put that offset on a second dope card, or on the second zero of a switchable optic. A compromise zero halfway between the two is wrong for both loads.
Figures on this page: 125gr supersonic .300 Blackout (2,185 fps), 125gr G1 .272 at 2,185 fps, AR-15 / AR-10, standard-height optic, 2.6" over bore, standard conditions. Source: Typical published velocity and G1 BC for a 125gr supersonic factory load from a 16" barrel, verified 2026-09-13.
Side-by-Side Comparison
125gr G1 .272 at 2,185 fps, 2.6" over bore (ar-15 / ar-10, standard-height optic).
| 125gr, 100-yd | 125gr, 50-yd | 190gr, 50-yd | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near zero | 62 yd | 50 yd | 32 yd |
| Far zero | 100 yd | 121 yd | 50 yd |
| Max ordinate | +0.2" | +0.6" | +0.1" |
| Max ordinate distance | 81 yd | 86 yd | 41 yd |
| Hold-dead-on window (8" vital zone, ±4") | 0–172 yd | 0–180 yd | 0–90 yd |
| Sight in at 100 yd | 0.0" (0.0 MOA) | +0.5" (+0.5 MOA) | -5.7" (-5.5 MOA) |
| Drop at 100 yd | 0.0" | +0.5" | -5.7" |
| Drop at 200 yd | -7.1" | -6.2" | -43.8" |
| Energy at 200 yd | 748 ft-lb | 748 ft-lb | 385 ft-lb |
How to read it: filled circles are the near and far zero, where the bullet's path crosses the line of sight;the triangle is the peak (max ordinate). The shaded band is the 8" vital zone, ±4" either side of the line of sight. The dashed line marks the edge of the hold-dead-on window. The chart is zoomed to where the zero matters; the tables below run to 300 yards.
Key terms
- Near zero
- Where the bullet first climbs up through the line of sight. It starts below the sight, because the sight sits above the barrel.
- Far zero
- Where it falls back down through the line of sight. A "200-yard zero" is the far zero; the near zero comes with it.
- Max ordinate
- The highest the bullet gets above the line of sight, between the two crossings. This is what makes a zero shoot high in the middle.
- Point blank range (MPBR)
- The zero that keeps the whole arc inside a vital zone for the longest distance, so you can aim at the centre and hold dead-on.
Supersonic 125gr at a 100-Yard Zero
How it performs
125gr supersonic .300 Blackout (2,185 fps) zeroed at 100 yards with 2.6" of sight height crosses the line of sight at 62 and 100 yards, peaks +0.2" at 81 yards, and stays inside a 8" vital zone (±4") from 0 to 172 yards. At 100 yards it is 0.0". At 200 yards it is -7.1".
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -2.6" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,185 | 1,325 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -1.2" | -4.46 | -1.30 | 2,111 | 1,238 | 0.1 |
| 50 | -0.3" | -0.48 | -0.14 | 2,039 | 1,155 | 0.5 |
| 75 | +0.2" | +0.20 | +0.06 | 1,969 | 1,077 | 1.0 |
| 100 | 0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,900 | 1,003 | 1.8 |
| 125 | -0.8" | -0.58 | -0.17 | 1,833 | 933 | 2.8 |
| 150 | -2.2" | -1.38 | -0.40 | 1,767 | 867 | 4.1 |
| 175 | -4.3" | -2.33 | -0.68 | 1,704 | 806 | 5.7 |
| 200 | -7.1" | -3.40 | -0.99 | 1,642 | 748 | 7.5 |
| 225 | -10.8" | -4.57 | -1.33 | 1,582 | 695 | 9.7 |
| 250 | -15.3" | -5.84 | -1.70 | 1,524 | 645 | 12.2 |
| 275 | -20.8" | -7.20 | -2.10 | 1,468 | 598 | 15.0 |
| 300 | -27.2" | -8.66 | -2.52 | 1,414 | 555 | 18.1 |
125gr G1 .272 at 2,185 fps, 2.6" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. Source: Typical published velocity and G1 BC for a 125gr supersonic factory load from a 16" barrel, verified 2026-09-13.
Who it's for
The rifle that shoots supersonic most of the time. A 100-yard zero on a 2.6" optic puts the 125gr bullet on the line of sight at 62 and 100 yards with a 0.17" peak, 7.1" low at 200 and 27" low at 300, inside an 8" zone from the muzzle to 172 yards. That covers hogs, deer in the timber and every practical Blackout distance, and the 100-yard confirmation is easy on any range.
A 50-yard zero for the same load crosses back at 121 yards and buys 8 more yards of window (180); the 36-yard zero stretches it to 206 yards with a 1.9" peak. Neither is worth changing your zero for unless you also shoot the subsonic load, in which case the shared 50-yard zero below matters.
Supersonic 125gr at a 50-Yard Zero
How it performs
125gr supersonic .300 Blackout (2,185 fps) zeroed at 50 yards with 2.6" of sight height crosses the line of sight at 50 and 121 yards, peaks +0.6" at 86 yards, and stays inside a 8" vital zone (±4") from 0 to 180 yards. At 100 yards it is +0.5". At 200 yards it is -6.2".
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -2.6" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,185 | 1,325 | 0.0 |
| 25 | -1.1" | -4.00 | -1.16 | 2,111 | 1,238 | 0.1 |
| 50 | 0.0" | -0.01 | 0.00 | 2,039 | 1,155 | 0.5 |
| 75 | +0.5" | +0.66 | +0.19 | 1,969 | 1,077 | 1.0 |
| 100 | +0.5" | +0.46 | +0.13 | 1,900 | 1,003 | 1.8 |
| 125 | -0.2" | -0.12 | -0.03 | 1,833 | 933 | 2.8 |
| 150 | -1.4" | -0.92 | -0.27 | 1,767 | 867 | 4.1 |
| 175 | -3.4" | -1.86 | -0.54 | 1,704 | 806 | 5.7 |
| 200 | -6.2" | -2.93 | -0.85 | 1,642 | 748 | 7.5 |
| 225 | -9.7" | -4.11 | -1.19 | 1,582 | 695 | 9.7 |
| 250 | -14.1" | -5.38 | -1.56 | 1,524 | 645 | 12.2 |
| 275 | -19.4" | -6.74 | -1.96 | 1,468 | 598 | 15.0 |
| 300 | -25.8" | -8.20 | -2.39 | 1,414 | 555 | 18.1 |
125gr G1 .272 at 2,185 fps, 2.6" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. Source: Typical published velocity and G1 BC for a 125gr supersonic factory load from a 16" barrel, verified 2026-09-13.
Who it's for
The shooter who runs both loads and wants them to share a zero distance. At 50 yards the supersonic bullet is dead-on, 0.5" high at 100, 6.2" low at 200 and 26" low at 300, and it crosses back through the line of sight at 121 yards. Set the dot for this load at 50 and the subsonic load below prints at a fixed, learnable offset.
Subsonic 190gr at a 50-Yard Zero
How it performs
Hornady Subsonic .300 Blackout 190gr Sub-X zeroed at 50 yards with 2.6" of sight height crosses the line of sight at 32 and 50 yards, peaks +0.1" at 41 yards, and stays inside a 8" vital zone (±4") from 0 to 90 yards. At 100 yards it is -5.7". At 200 yards it is -43.8". This load is subsonic from the muzzle.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -2.6" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,050 | 465 | 0.1 |
| 25 | -0.3" | -1.04 | -0.30 | 1,036 | 453 | 0.2 |
| 50 | 0.0" | +0.01 | 0.00 | 1,022 | 441 | 0.4 |
| 75 | -1.8" | -2.28 | -0.66 | 1,010 | 430 | 0.9 |
| 100 | -5.7" | -5.46 | -1.59 | 998 | 420 | 1.4 |
| 125 | -11.8" | -9.03 | -2.63 | 986 | 410 | 2.2 |
| 150 | -20.2" | -12.83 | -3.73 | 975 | 401 | 3.1 |
| 175 | -30.8" | -16.80 | -4.89 | 965 | 393 | 4.1 |
| 200 | -43.8" | -20.88 | -6.07 | 955 | 385 | 5.3 |
| 225 | -59.1" | -25.07 | -7.29 | 945 | 377 | 6.6 |
| 250 | -76.9" | -29.35 | -8.54 | 936 | 369 | 8.1 |
| 275 | -97.1" | -33.72 | -9.81 | 927 | 362 | 9.7 |
| 300 | -119.9" | -38.16 | -11.10 | 918 | 356 | 11.4 |
190gr G1 .437 at 1,050 fps, 2.6" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Hornady published velocity and G1 ballistic coefficient, verified 2026-09-13.
Who it's for
Suppressed shooting inside 100 yards, which is what the subsonic load is for. Zeroed at 50 with a 2.6" optic the 190gr bullet climbs through the line of sight at 32 yards, peaks a tenth of an inch high at 41, is dead-on at 50 and 5.7" low at 100. The window inside an 8" zone runs to 90 yards. Zero it at 100 instead and it is 3" high at 58 yards, which is more arc than most suppressed shooting wants; zero it at 25 and it is 4.7" low at 100 with a 63-yard far zero.
The subsonic load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to worry about; what there is instead is drop. At 200 yards it is 44" low on the 50-yard zero and it drops 120" by 300. It is a 100-yard cartridge and the zero should be built around that.
Why Sight Height Changes the Answer
The Blackout is almost always shot from an AR, so the 2.6" sight height is the honest one here, but it matters even more for the subsonic load than for the supersonic one. A slow, heavy bullet launched to reach a 2.6" sight line at 50 yards needs a steep angle, and that steep angle is what puts it 3" high at 58 yards on a 100-yard zero. Drop the sight to 1.5" and the 50-yard-zeroed subsonic bullet crosses the line of sight at 19 yards instead of 32, peaks 0.4" instead of 0.1", and is 6.8" low at 100 instead of 5.7".
For the supersonic load the effect is the familiar one: a 1.5" sight makes the 100-yard zero a near-tangent zero and pulls every far zero in. The table shows both loads at both heights. What it demonstrates is that the offset between the two loads also changes with sight height, so a switch-zero setting learned on one rifle does not transfer to another with a different mount.
| Zero | Sight height | Near zero | Far zero | Max ordinate | Inside the 8" zone (±4") to | Drop at 100 | Drop at 200 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125gr, 100 yd | 2.6" — AR-15 / AR-10, standard-height optic | 62 yd | 100 yd | +0.2" at 81 | 172 yd | 0.0" | -7.1" |
| 125gr, 100 yd | 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 36 yd | 100 yd | +0.5" at 69 | 164 yd | +0.0" | -8.2" |
| 125gr, 50 yd | 2.6" — AR-15 / AR-10, standard-height optic | 50 yd | 121 yd | +0.6" at 86 | 180 yd | +0.5" | -6.2" |
| 125gr, 50 yd | 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 50 yd | 74 yd | +0.1" at 62 | 154 yd | -0.6" | -9.4" |
| 190gr, 50 yd | 2.6" — AR-15 / AR-10, standard-height optic | 32 yd | 50 yd | +0.1" at 41 | 90 yd | -5.7" | -43.8" |
| 190gr, 50 yd | 1.5" — Bolt action, standard scope rings | 19 yd | 50 yd | +0.4" at 34 | 85 yd | -6.8" | -47.1" |
How Barrel Length Changes This
The 125gr velocity here is a typical 16" figure; from a 9" pistol-length barrel the same load leaves around 200 fps slower, the 100-yard zero's far window shrinks by 10 to 15 yards and the bullet goes transonic sooner than the 470 yards shown. The subsonic load barely changes with barrel length because it starts below the speed of sound and the powder is chosen to keep it there. Chronograph your supersonic load if the barrel is short and enter the real number below.
Which Zero Is Wrong for You
A single compromise zero between the two loads is wrong for both. A 75-yard zero, say, leaves the supersonic bullet slightly high everywhere useful and the subsonic bullet high at 40 and low at 100, and you still have to remember which load is chambered.
Zeroing the subsonic load at 100 yards is wrong if you shoot it suppressed at close range: the 3" peak at 58 yards is the difference between a headshot on a hog and a miss over the ear. Zeroing the supersonic load at 36 or 50 is wrong if you never shoot subsonic and want a clean dope card; use 100.
Any zero is wrong past 200 yards with the subsonic load and past 300 with the supersonic one. The 190gr bullet is doing about 920 fps at 300 and dropping ten feet; the 125gr bullet is 27" low at 300 and transonic before 500. This is a 300-yard cartridge supersonic and a 100-yard cartridge subsonic, and the zeros above reflect that.
Try It With Your Load
Prefilled with the load above. Change anything and the full calculator solves your trajectory; pick your own sight height from the list.
Loads Used on This Page
- Hornady Frontier .300 Blackout 125gr FMJ Ammo — 125gr, 2175 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.25
- Winchester USA .300 Blackout 125gr Open Tip Range Ammo — 125gr, 2185 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.272
- Hornady Subsonic .300 Blackout 190gr Sub-X Ammo — 190gr, 1050 fps advertised, G1 BC 0.437
Frequently Asked Questions
How far apart do subsonic and supersonic .300 Blackout hit?
On a shared 50-yard zero with a 2.6" optic, the 190gr subsonic load prints about 6" below the 125gr supersonic load at 100 yards and about 38" below it at 200. Both are dead-on at 50.
What is the best zero for subsonic .300 Blackout?
50 yards. Zeroed there on a 2.6" optic a 190gr load at 1,050 fps peaks only 0.1" high, is 5.7" low at 100 and stays inside an 8" zone to 90 yards. A 100-yard zero puts it 3" high at 58 yards.
What is the best zero for supersonic .300 Blackout?
100 yards for a rifle that shoots supersonic only: 0.2" peak, 7.1" low at 200, 27" low at 300, inside 8" to 172 yards. Use 50 if you also shoot subsonic and want both loads to share a zero distance.
Can I use one zero for both loads?
You can share a zero distance, not a point of impact. Zero both at 50 and the subsonic load will hit 6" lower at 100. Switchable optics with two zero settings, or a reticle with a second aiming point, are the practical answers.
Does the 125gr supersonic load go subsonic?
Around 470 yards from a 16" barrel at 2,185 fps; sooner from a shorter barrel. Groups usually open up past the transition, so treat 300 yards as the practical limit.