ruger .30 carbine revolver
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revolvergeek
New member
I have not owned one but i have shot one before. Recoil is not a problem, but the blast is pretty intense if you shoot mil surplus ball.
Lots of potential for the handloader. Several of the reloading manuals list "blackhawk Only" loads which will do quite well compared to the .357 magnum with light bullets. Also lots of potential for loading up .22 sub-caliber sabot rounds!
I would probably buy one if i found one around here cheap, but the last one that i say went for almost $350 with a cheap tasco scope on top.
Lots of potential for the handloader. Several of the reloading manuals list "blackhawk Only" loads which will do quite well compared to the .357 magnum with light bullets. Also lots of potential for loading up .22 sub-caliber sabot rounds!
I would probably buy one if i found one around here cheap, but the last one that i say went for almost $350 with a cheap tasco scope on top.
Jbar4Ranch
New member
Had one a few years back, loaded it with a 130 grain cast RN (Lyman 311410) and 12.0 grains of 2400 for 1400+ fps over the old PACT. 12.0/2400 is a compressed maximum load, work up to it from about 10.5 as a starting load. Recoil isn't bad, but muzzle blast is fierce for some reason, especially with factory ball ammo. Quite accurate as I remember and should make for a good deer getter if you're into handgun hunting. Use something other than factory ball or FMJ RN bullets though.
L
Lmccrock
Guest
I have both a Blackhawk and AMT Automag III in .30 carbine. If you shoot at an indoor range, you WILL attract attention. Nothing wrong with that.
That Blackhawk is the gun that got me into reloading. I made reduced loads that were less noisy to shoot in the handgun and still functioned in the M1 carbine, although now I just shoot factory loads.
Lee
That Blackhawk is the gun that got me into reloading. I made reduced loads that were less noisy to shoot in the handgun and still functioned in the M1 carbine, although now I just shoot factory loads.
Lee
Yeah, I have one...
I'll have to agree with the others that the muzzle blast is a bit fierce for the felt recoil. Well, when you consider that most .30Carbine ammo is loaded with slow burning powders for use in the 18" barrel of the Carbine, it makes sense that you will get a large flash and blast when shot out of a handgun. When I shoot mine at an indoor range, it attracts quite a bit of attention because of the muzzle flash/blast.
In all actuality, shooting one feels like a .38Spl +p. OK, here's my reasoning for that. The Carbine round was meant to get about 1900fps out of the Carbine length barrel. I'm shooing the same round out of a 7-1/2" barrel. Not only that, but I have the barrel/cylinder gap to deal with too. While I haven't chrono'ed the ammo out of the Blackhawk, I'd be surprised if I'm seeing 1450 to 1500fps max. OK now. A 110gr bullet at 1450fps has a 'power factor' of about 160. A 9mm at full NATO strength puts out a 124gr bullet at 1200fps for a power factor of 149. The .38+p is about the same with a 125gr bullet at 1200. A .357Mag will generate a factor of 237 (158gr at 1500fps -- Max load in a 8" barrel)
The only problem with the .30 Blackhawk is the ammo is more expensive than most .38 or .357 ammo, and is tougher to reload. Still, it is a fun gun to have in your battery.
I'll have to agree with the others that the muzzle blast is a bit fierce for the felt recoil. Well, when you consider that most .30Carbine ammo is loaded with slow burning powders for use in the 18" barrel of the Carbine, it makes sense that you will get a large flash and blast when shot out of a handgun. When I shoot mine at an indoor range, it attracts quite a bit of attention because of the muzzle flash/blast.
In all actuality, shooting one feels like a .38Spl +p. OK, here's my reasoning for that. The Carbine round was meant to get about 1900fps out of the Carbine length barrel. I'm shooing the same round out of a 7-1/2" barrel. Not only that, but I have the barrel/cylinder gap to deal with too. While I haven't chrono'ed the ammo out of the Blackhawk, I'd be surprised if I'm seeing 1450 to 1500fps max. OK now. A 110gr bullet at 1450fps has a 'power factor' of about 160. A 9mm at full NATO strength puts out a 124gr bullet at 1200fps for a power factor of 149. The .38+p is about the same with a 125gr bullet at 1200. A .357Mag will generate a factor of 237 (158gr at 1500fps -- Max load in a 8" barrel)
The only problem with the .30 Blackhawk is the ammo is more expensive than most .38 or .357 ammo, and is tougher to reload. Still, it is a fun gun to have in your battery.
I bought one of these a couple days ago. It was used, appeared used, and I paid $249. I found that I was getting light firing pin strikes. S&B would have several misfires per cylinder and PMC would have maybe one misfire in every two cylinder fulls. I was unable to get the duds to fire even after several attempts. So.... I sent the gun back to Ruger to have them look at it. Of course when all is said and done I will probably have more money into this one than if I had just bought one new; but, you never know with the Ruger service department, they may throw me a bone. I know they have treated me very well over the years. This revolver has always attracted me, but I have no idea why. The caliber doesn't seem to be anything spectacular. I can push the same weight bullets faster out of my .357 Blackhawk. But I have always wanted one, and now I have it. Of course I will buy a Belt Mountain base pin. Probably get a steel ejector rod housing. Then there is the issue of grips. My other Blackhawks have Hogues on them. These look good, but they are rather small. I would like to get something that looks good and is a little larger, any suggestions would be appreciated.
I was reading some stuff by Paco Kelly on the .30 Carbine in the Ruger. He mentioned that there have been special runs of these guns that came with three cylinders. .32-20, .32 H&R Mag, and .30 Carbine. That would certainly be very nice to own. He lists some load data that is interesting, but most of his loads use heavy bullets. I am more interested in light bullets/high velocity. The Hornady 92 grain XTP looks interesting. Any loading data/experience would also be appreciated.
I was reading some stuff by Paco Kelly on the .30 Carbine in the Ruger. He mentioned that there have been special runs of these guns that came with three cylinders. .32-20, .32 H&R Mag, and .30 Carbine. That would certainly be very nice to own. He lists some load data that is interesting, but most of his loads use heavy bullets. I am more interested in light bullets/high velocity. The Hornady 92 grain XTP looks interesting. Any loading data/experience would also be appreciated.
I've had one for MANY years. In fact, it was my first revolver, and my second handgun. Got it as a companion to a Marlin 62 Levermatic in the same caliber. I used it in IHMSA revolver with 125 gr. cast bullets and a max load of H110 (can't remember the specifics - too long ago) and it took down about 1/2 of the 200 yrd. rams (which weigh 55#!) I hit. Most of my non-IHMSA reloading was with the Speer 100gr. Plinker and 110 gr. HP's. but I do recall that it did like a load with the Sierra 110 gr. HP Varminter. That one wouldn't feed through the detachable mag on the Marlin, but it sure was accurate!
Now I shoot mostly factory 'cause I don't have time to reload for all of my guns
! But some day I plan on working up a light load that has less blast and noise to help introduce new shooters to SA six-guns. Even with factory the recoil is easily handled by new shooters. Would be a fun gun to tag along with on a coyote hunt I'd think!
Doug444
Now I shoot mostly factory 'cause I don't have time to reload for all of my guns
! But some day I plan on working up a light load that has less blast and noise to help introduce new shooters to SA six-guns. Even with factory the recoil is easily handled by new shooters. Would be a fun gun to tag along with on a coyote hunt I'd think!Doug444
Radicalcleric
New member
Had an old three-screw years ago. Was very disappointed in performance of cartridge from 7.5" barrel. Military 110 grain ball clocked 1400 FPS, which is same velocity I get from handloaded 110 grain .38 Specials from a 4" barrel. Nice gun, but inderpowered.
SaxonPig ; I agree with you about the velocity as I said in my post. I really don't see the attraction, but I have always wanted one. The ballistics have kept me from buying one before now. This one came along, the price was right so I decided to try it. Of course as I also said in my post, I bought someone elses problem, so it probably wasn't such a bargin after all. I am not hung up on the velocity thing. I have plenty of other handguns if that is what I want. I can push a 110 grain bullet out of my .357 at 2000 fps, but this .30 carbine version is a novelty.
I called Sierra today and got some loading suggestions. They suggested the 110 grain varmiteer loaded to an OAL of 1.690" over IMR 4227 powder if I was going to use it varmint hunting. They said this bullet would expand at .30 carbine handgun velocities. I asked them about the 85 grain round nosed softpoint (#8005) for a high velocity load. They said that it has been used successfully in the .30 carbine handgun, but I wouldn't get any expansion. He said that they used the same jacket material as the other .30 bullets, so it resulted in a really heavy jacket for a handgun bullet. I was interested in this bullet because I have about 800 of them that I bought for loading 7.62x25. Anybody got any pet loads ?
I called Sierra today and got some loading suggestions. They suggested the 110 grain varmiteer loaded to an OAL of 1.690" over IMR 4227 powder if I was going to use it varmint hunting. They said this bullet would expand at .30 carbine handgun velocities. I asked them about the 85 grain round nosed softpoint (#8005) for a high velocity load. They said that it has been used successfully in the .30 carbine handgun, but I wouldn't get any expansion. He said that they used the same jacket material as the other .30 bullets, so it resulted in a really heavy jacket for a handgun bullet. I was interested in this bullet because I have about 800 of them that I bought for loading 7.62x25. Anybody got any pet loads ?
Revised energy figures
After Saxon's post with a chronographed velocity, I see that I was fairly close in my estimation for the .30 carbine/ 7.5" velocity. Close, but a little high. Upon refiguring, I see that the Carbine/Ruger energy is even closer to .38 Spl+P and 9mm than I had initally thought (.30 Carbine Ruger now Power factor of 154). Not bad for a guess though, eh?
Ahhh, the old calibrated felt recoil device (my wrist) is feeling pretty good about himself.
After Saxon's post with a chronographed velocity, I see that I was fairly close in my estimation for the .30 carbine/ 7.5" velocity. Close, but a little high. Upon refiguring, I see that the Carbine/Ruger energy is even closer to .38 Spl+P and 9mm than I had initally thought (.30 Carbine Ruger now Power factor of 154). Not bad for a guess though, eh?
Ahhh, the old calibrated felt recoil device (my wrist) is feeling pretty good about himself.
Here is some load data I got off Paco Kelly's section of Sixgunner.com. Hopefully Paco will forgive me for reprinting it here. I haven't tried any of these loads, so you be your own judge. These numbers look a little better than those posted eariler for GI Ball ammo.
"With 13 AA9 under the 100 grain Plinker I get 1865 fps out of the 7 and 1/2 inch Ruger. That's 745 ft.lbs of muzzle energy, and this bullet expands well even way past the 125 yard range...out to two hundred it acts like a small game bullet. The pressure generated by this load is near 40,000 psi. Not a lot of pressure for the Ruger. In my guns(!) I have pushed this bullet close to 2000 fps from the Ruger. With 13.5 grains of A2400(Herc) under the 311440/150 grain cast bullet, 1500 plus fps is easy...that's in the 40,000 cup area of pressure and 750 ft.lbs of muzzle energy. And again in my guns I have pushed this bullet to 1700 fps and 960 ft.lbs of muzzle energy...with a down range zero at 100 yards and a drop of 5 inches at 1 50 yards, and 10 inches down at two hundred yards....and a retained energy at 200 yards of over 400 ft.lbs...that's a heavy loaded 38 special at the muzzle. My heavy loads are surely in the 50,000 psi plus area..but as I said in my Rugers...l think like a Freedom Arms 454. The 30 Carbine round is a mega magnum for small to small-medium game."
"With 13 AA9 under the 100 grain Plinker I get 1865 fps out of the 7 and 1/2 inch Ruger. That's 745 ft.lbs of muzzle energy, and this bullet expands well even way past the 125 yard range...out to two hundred it acts like a small game bullet. The pressure generated by this load is near 40,000 psi. Not a lot of pressure for the Ruger. In my guns(!) I have pushed this bullet close to 2000 fps from the Ruger. With 13.5 grains of A2400(Herc) under the 311440/150 grain cast bullet, 1500 plus fps is easy...that's in the 40,000 cup area of pressure and 750 ft.lbs of muzzle energy. And again in my guns I have pushed this bullet to 1700 fps and 960 ft.lbs of muzzle energy...with a down range zero at 100 yards and a drop of 5 inches at 1 50 yards, and 10 inches down at two hundred yards....and a retained energy at 200 yards of over 400 ft.lbs...that's a heavy loaded 38 special at the muzzle. My heavy loads are surely in the 50,000 psi plus area..but as I said in my Rugers...l think like a Freedom Arms 454. The 30 Carbine round is a mega magnum for small to small-medium game."