.30 Carbine Blackhawk Anecdote

[jski]

I own several ilk of wheelguns: S&W, Ruger, Colt, Freedom Arms, etc. Several years ago I happened upon a .30 Carbine Blackhawk, new, at a trusted gun shop.

Having always had an interest in things historical, I bought it. The "War Baby" cartridge ... which, for all intents and purposes, it a .30 Magnum. I took it home and began searching thru the web for related stories.

I always seemed to encounter some comment about how loud it was. So I bought reloading supplies for the .30 carbine and went to work:

1. Starline brass,
2. Hodgdon H110 (14.5 gr),
3. CCI small rifle mag primers, and
4. 110 gr Barry's plated bullets.

But this pup is NOT as loud as my SP101 Ruger. And I use the same amount of powder. Of course, the Blackhawk has a 7 1/2" barrel and the SP101 a 5" barrel.

BTW, NEVER ONCE have I had the slightest problem extracting the Starline brass. Also used Winchester factory loads, same result ... no problems.

Currently, I'd say my 2 favorite wheelguns at the range are my S&W .45 Colt Mountain Gun and my Blackhawk .30 Carbine. And yes, the .30 Carbine Blackhawk is extremely accurate, as well as VERY fun the shoot.

 

[rcmodel]

WHAT????
WHAT DID YOU SAY??

Try shooting some old GI surplus ammo in it and see how it goes.

The one I had would make your ears flap in the breeze from the concussion.
With earmuffs on!

rc

 

[Drail]

Indeed. I used to load for a friend who had one and every time he would touch off a round EVERBODY on the line would stop and look to see just what happened. (and then ask if they could shoot it) With Mil spec GI ammo it was just obnoxious.

 

[jski]

Quick hint guys, factory ammo in intended for use in the M1 Carbine. That's why the wheelgun gods invented reloading.

Think of it as a .30 Magnum pistol cartridge and your life with the .30 Carbine Blackhawk will be sweet.

 

[Manny]

I don't think I've ever actually laid eyes on a .30 Carbine Blackhawk, but I always was intrigued by the idea of that gun.

 

[41 Mag]

I have been around a 30 Carbine for nearly my whole life with my pop having them, and even shot my first deer with one at the ripe ol age of 6.

We used plenty of surplus ammo when I was growing up and my pop always talked about how he should have bought one of the Ruger revolvers when they came out. Well about 2yrs after he passed, I ran across one and picked it up.

I had read time and time again about how loud they were and such, so when I touched off the first round in it, using some of the old surplus stuff I did have both plugs and muffs on. Then I removed the muffs, and then the ear plugs, once. To be honest having shot full tilt 357's up through 44's at the time, the experience was pretty much a letdown with regard to the outrageous blast everyone always referred to. It was on par with some decent 357 loads, but not really in the same league as a top end 125gr 357 load. IMO

Our loads were listed on a sheet of paper which was delivered with the rifles I presume and had 14grs of 2400 and one other one, but I can't locate that paper at this moment. The Army Ammunition Data Sheet (TM 43-0001-27) list the original load as 13grs of WC-820, which is similar to H110/296, and can still be had once in a while in surplus form from demilled ammo.

In my own Ruger I have loaded quite a few different powders, with the majority being used with 2400, 296, and AA-9, all of which do a fine job with the 110gr ball or the SJHP that Speer makes or did make as I haven't seen them in a while on the shelves. I have also recently started shooting cast in mine as well using the Accurate 30-115H mold to pour up some nice WFN type bullets for it. I also had them draw up a 125gr version of the same only with a GC for use in the rifle, but I haven't had a chance to purchase one just yet. I fully feel however after powder coating the plain base one that there might not be a need for the GC in the rifle. but I have tried the ones I have in them yet. Maybe soon through.

 

[jski]

Trying using Berry's plated bullets: https://www.berrysmfg.com/item/bp-30-carb-308-110gr-rn

 

[Drail]

Try using some H 110 or Blue Dot max loads. Great balls of fire.......

 

[mhblaw]

Rim Rock bullets makes a 125 gr. SWC sized .312 and I size it down to .309 for my 30 Blackhawk. Shoots good. I have found that slower powders, H-110 etc. work better than the more common revolver powders like Unique etc.

 

[subdude]

Good info, thanks all! As luck would have it, I just acquired a 30 carbine Blackhawk on Tuesday.

Since I already load 30 carbine for the M1, guess I'll have to work up some handgun loads!

 

[kBob]

A friend that shoots all sorts of autos has a .30 Carbine BH. He kept it as other guns came and went.

The Isreali Police played with the idea of a S&W style DA revolver in .30 carbine. Made me wonder if an N frame might be made to hold eight and full moon clips.

One incarnation of the Automag roman numeral something was available in .30 Carbine. There was also another older design for it whose name escapes me but will no doubt be posted in the next two posts.

I have never seen a definitive number on the Marlin Levermatic rifles actually made in the offered .30 Carbine, but that would be neat to have.

Did TC ever offer a contender barrel in .30 Carbine?

-kBob

 

[Sunray]

Old GI surplus ammo isn't much different than commercial factory. When the BH first came out there wasn't any hand guns data. Current handgun load data is pretty much the same as Carbine loads too.
"...Contender barrel in .30 Carbine..." Yes. Hordes of stuff has been chambered in .30 Carbine. AutoMag III.

 

[grter]

It is my understanding from my limited amount of reading that at the time these firearms were made there was a large amount of surplus .30 carbine ammunition available at fairly low prices.

 

[rcmodel]

There was a good supply of GI .30 Carbine ammo back then.

There isn't now.

But Ruger still makes it, so there must still be an attraction other then surplus ammo.

http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawkBlued/specSheets/0505.html

rc

 

[41 Mag]

Well I think my pop would have had a ball had he ever gotten one. I wasn't sure I woud like it but I have had a good time with it since I did. My daughter toted it around to finish off feral hogs when we were working on the population a LOT. I toted it around for a little bit and shot a couple but I really didn't like the single gate loading, especially when things were going fast.

Now my oldest grandson has an affliction for it since it fits his hand so well. He calls it the "Cowboy Gun".

Here it is with a couple of those Accurate 30-115H's mentioned above, as well as a couple of MP 311-640's which run around 120grs lubed and ready to roll with my alloy.

 

[b0ned0me]

There was also another older design for it whose name escapes me but will no doubt be posted in the next two posts.

The infamous Kimball?

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2012/06/28/kimball-30-caliber-carbine-auto-pistol/

It is straight blowback, but upon firing the case expended into a ring machined into the chamber. The slide was force to swaged the case back to shape in order to extract it. In theory the swaging took long enough for pressure inside the chamber to drop to safe levels.

 

[bikerdoc]

I will buy the next BH I find as I stupidly traded mine. I like the round and have a deep connection to the M1 carbine. We gave a bunch to the ARVN. I got hold of one in 68. As a medic I was carrying a lot of stuff the carbine was comfortable to carry.
The Captain of A co gave me permission to carry it. Got plenty of mags and ammo from the little people.
In the field it was a great performing round. Never took a shot more than 100 yds- just the way the jungle was - but it was accurate with good 30 cal knock down power.
Some company could fill a niche with a big 30 cal revolver.
I would carry it. About the only thing that could get me to give up my 1911's

 

[StrawHat]

Quick hint guys, factory ammo in intended for use in the M1 Carbine. That's why the wheelgun gods invented reloading.

Think of it as a .30 Magnum pistol cartridge and your life with the .30 Carbine Blackhawk will be sweet.

Seriously?

Ruger voids the warranty if you use reloads so I am pretty confident they intended the use of factory and GI surplus in that revolver.

Kevin

 

[Gordon]

I grew up on an Inland M1 Carb in the late 50s and have had a Ruger 3 screw since 67. The Ruger still is in decent condition and never modified to "be safe with 6 " so it has a great trigger. The guns are loud, not as loud a a 6" barrel .22 Jet, but they are loud and shrill. Haven't shot the Blackhawk in a few years now but the bullets I have for it were all Speer Plinkers loaded with 2400 a little below full throttle.

 

[StrawHat]

...The Isreali Police played with the idea of a S&W style DA revolver in .30 carbine. Made me wonder if an N frame might be made to hold eight and full moon clips ... -kBob...

S&W did make several prototypes for the US Military to test, both fixed and adjustable sighted revolvers that used moon clips to hold the cartridges.

Wish I had one!

Kevin

 

[natman]

I own several ilk of wheelguns: S&W, Ruger, Colt, Freedom Arms, etc. Several years ago I happened upon a .30 Carbine Blackhawk, new, at a trusted gun shop.

Having always had an interest in things historical, I bought it. The "War Baby" cartridge ... which, for all intents and purposes, it a .30 Magnum. I took it home and began searching thru the web for related stories.

I always seemed to encounter some comment about how loud it was. So I bought reloading supplies for the .30 carbine and went to work:

1. Starline brass,
2. Hodgdon H110 (14.5 gr),
3. CCI small rifle mag primers, and
4. 110 gr Barry's plated bullets.

But this pup is NOT as loud as my SP101 Ruger. And I use the same amount of powder.

FACTORY M1 Carbine ammo is loaded for optimal performance in a carbine barrel. That's why it's so loud when fired from a shorter pistol barrel. Try some carbine ammo in your Blackhawk and you'll soon understand where the 30 Carbine Blackhawk's reputation for being loud came from. Be sure you're wearing plugs AND muffs when you do.

I don't doubt that it's possible to fabricate a handload that isn't as loud, but that's not exactly the point.

 

[Drail]

I remember handloading the .30 Carb. for my buddy and I hated it. The case is a long slim taper and if you didn't keep them lubed sufficiently they could wedge into the size die so tightly you thought you'd never get it back out.

 

[jski]

1st, let me restate what I stated above, the .30 carbine Blackhawk, even with factory loads is not as loud as my Ruger GP-100 with .357 loads ... Period.

2nd, the case length of the .30 carbine is the exact same as the .357 mag, 41 mag, 44 mag, and the .45 Colt. So calling it "long" is nonsense. Again, the .30 carbine is NOTHING but a .308 mag pistol cartridge ... Period.

3rd, 41 MAG, where did you get those gas checked cast bullets for the .30 carbine? I like the look of those puppies!

 

[rcmodel]

I hate to disagree, but.

The length may be the same, but the chamber pressure isn't,

Your typical Magnum handgun rounds run 35,000 PSI.

The .30 Carbine runs 40,000.

So, it isn't so much a Magnum boom, but a sharp Crack, and concussion that I find so painful.

I find the same painful Crack & concussion shooting heavy loaded 32-20 WCF in a revolver.

I find the .357 less sharp, and the .44 even less so.

Same with .22 LR compared to .22 WRM in a handgun.

About the same pressure.
But the sharp Crack of the .22 WRM out of a revolver makes my ears flap & hurt!

I think it's the small bore causing it mostly.

And if your .357 Ruger is as loud as a .30 Carbine Blackhawk??

You might want to have your barrel/ cylinder gap checked!

rc

 

[jski]

Let me get this straight: the 36,000 psi out of a 41 or 44 mag is a nice pleasant "boom" BUT the 40,000 psi out of the .30 carbine BH is an "ear flapping crack"? INCREDIBLE!

You do realize that the .327 Federal Magnum cartridge run at ~45,000 psi. Handloads go above that!