Opinion of .30 Carbine for deer hunting

Two stories involving the carbine.. from some fellows I used to work with...

One guy had been a SeaBee (CB) in the Pacific. Some island with a name he couldn't remember...clearing for an airstrip. Japanese sniper in a palm tree. Potting shots at the guys and the dozer. They shoot back with carbines. Sniper scurries to the other side of the tree. This goes on for a while. The sniper hadn't hit anyone, yet, but he was getting close...

Along comes a lanky marine with a thick southern accent, a cheek full of chew, and a BAR..."Y'all got a problem?"

BAR gunner dumps "half a clip" into the top of the tree. Rifle falls to the ground, and sniper falls to the end of his rope. Problem.. solved.

the other story comes from a friend who was a telephone lineman, in Korea. He said he liked the carbine, but he never had to shoot anyone with it. He hated the winter, (not just for the cold), but because they took away his carbine in winter and made him carry an M1 Garand, which he said weighed at least twice as much...

I have seen a lot of people here on the web in recent years saying how the .357 is either marginal or not enough for deer. I never found that to be the case, myself. If you are one of those who thinks the .357 isn't enough, then the .30 carbine is out.

Personally, I think that if you could humanely do it with a .357 pistol, you could do it with an M1 carbine, if it was necessary. I wouldn't choose the carbine for deer as a first choice though.
 
Just a suggestion. If intending to hunt with a 30 carbine and its shooter doesn't have confidence in his or perhaps the rifles ability. Best not to take one afield under those circumstances.

I remember a time in the past when my father at the age of 82 was still hunting deer here in Northern MN. He loved his little paratroopers 30 carbine because of its lightness in carrying and its handy dandy folding wire stock. {although he did have a 300 Savage at home also.} At that time we two were involved with many of the farming neighbors and our friends in making Post & Drives. For many years our family's did that type of hunting together. Dear old dad by that age was too old to walk the woods anymore because of his bad knee's. And was always given a stand/post not far from the parked vehicles whenever possible. {which no doubt pleased him.} My Father was one of those fellows no matter where you put him He'd see deer. They'd just go to him like being magnetized. {Fishing with him was the same way.}

On one occasion I was deliberately Posted in a tree stand not far down the line from Pop's (maybe 75 yards away) My keeping an eye on him standing on the ground and watching my own area was the plan. I seen a (driven) fawn break thru the brush edge and it was defiantly high-balling across an open hay field right towards that old gent. All of a sudden He opened fired on that little deer when it was near too running him over. 18 rds he touched off in that 30-Carbine while that deer danced around 50 feet or so directly in front of him. In the wide open too. With the last round fired and his noting that Carbines action was locked open. Not having a spare clip. That flustered old fellow lowered his rifle looked at that little Brown fellow and shook his fist at it. While the deer stood there and simply looked at back at him also. I was laughing so hard I actually teared up and darn near fell backwards out of my stand. [I ended up shooting the deer for him but didn't tell anyone I did]_ {well you know all that shooting is gone'a garner attention from everyone evolved.}_ When we skinned it later that same evening. I counted 9 holes in that little feller. {in all the wrong places it shouldn't be shot.} Near everyone in the party stood and watched its skinning in my fathers garage that evening. (11 guys and a couple wives I counted too) As it was and entertaining moment with an unbelievable amount of teasing directed towards my dad who's newly labeled name {typically for that one season only} was "Deer PoP'er Patty." Somehow in good humor and behavior he managed to endure that evening in the hunting shack afterwards and all those other evenings that followed till the end of that years deer season.

The following year the Friday night before season starting. We all together enjoying the evening after a (fresh pot roast of camp meat) B/S'ing and having a few beers & Jameson bumps in our parties hunting shack. One of the party members. (boss guy) walked up and gave his best friend a wrapped present. The room went totally quiet at that moment. With enthusiasm my Father opened his well wrapped in Christmas paper present. A brand new 30 rd G.I. banana clip was discovered. My fathers 2-word Irish tempered comment couldn't be controlled at that moment and filled the room. I don't dare post it here other than its last word >~~~~Y'all!!
Just another one of those unforgotten humorous moment I've managed not to forget so far. And one I thought I would share.
 
I think of it like this. You pay for a hunting license and gas to go. Sure, any caliber could hypothetically kill a deer. But why would you chance it. You can buy a single shot handi rifle or a rossi in a more suitable deer caliber.
 
Since the carbine and .357 are of near equal velocity with the same 110gr bullet weight, one would have to conclude that .357 with a 110gr bullet would be a better choice than a 158gr based on an energy chart. All velocity and energy discussion aside, the .357 will probably make at least a .45" hole and wound channel with the proper ammo/bullet selection you can buy at any gun store.

What hunting ammo is available for a .30 carbine that will make a hole and wound channel larger than .30"? I can handload some old Hornady Short jackets, or Speer Plinkers, but I don't think they are made any more, and I think they would come apart on impact. Does any company make quality hunting ammo for .30 carbine?
 
Corbon .30 carbine 100 grain DPX !
Click to expand...

Must be a popular little bugger. On backorder at Midway.

Gonna have to get a box and see how they cycle and perform. If they perform reliably I'll have to load up my M1 HD rifle. Has to be better then FMJ as far as SD is concerned.
 
I'd be interested in finding out what those Cor-bons actually do. Please let us know when you try some.

I have pushed .357 125gr JHP at 2200fps in a Marlin carbine. That is just something you cannot do in an M1 carbine.

Unfortunately, the regular 125gr .357 JHP is not well suited to this high speed. Expansion is ...energetic, and penetration is correspondingly reduced.

The 158gr JSP is a better choice, and handles the carbine velocity much better. And no .30cal carbine load can quite match the 158gr .357 performance on game.

Bullet weight, speed, and size, the .357 out performs the .30 carbine in every useful way I can see.
 
I'm wondering if the Cor-bon Hunter DPX .30 carbine 100 grain ammunition is still available ? I read it used a Barnes X 100 grain hollow point ( all copper) but I don't see that bullet listed on the latest Barnes bullet chart ! :confused: Anyway , I know someone that has used Remington 110 grain soft points for hunting purposes....success rate is unknown to me ! I'm not a fan of the .30 carbine but the Cor-bon load sounded interesting ! :)
 
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