Old 30 Carbine Rounds

[preacherJohn]

I was cleaning out my reloading facilities today when I ran across these old 30 cal Carbine rounds. I plum forgot I had them. I originally found these after my mother passed away around 2008 and I was cleaning out her garage. They belonged to my father who was a Korean War Veteran. I'm not sure but I think back then they used to let the GI's buy their rifles after they served their term in the
service. Dad was Army. I remember him having a 30 carbine and letting me shoot it when I was a kid. Whatever happened to the rifle I don't know; he probably traded it off for something. Anyway, I don't have a 30 carbine and was wondering if these old rounds have any worth? I have 5 bags of 50 here and 1 bag of 46 for a total of 296 rounds. The head stamps look like F-C and some have the numbers 43, and some are stamped 44. Any info would be appreciated.

 

[dredd]

I know this is of no help, but....
You now have a legitimate reason to get you a 30 Carbine.
They are a great addition to anyone's toy chest.

 

[preacherJohn]

You now have a legitimate reason to get you a 30 Carbine.

That entered my mind a few years ago after I found these. I was looking at a revolver in that caliber.

 

[dredd]

Ruger can scratch that itch as well.

I want one to go with my Carbine.

 

[Mn Fats]

That entered my mind a few years ago after I found these. I was looking at a revolver in that caliber.

The Ruger Blackhawk. I had one at one point. Oddly loud but a sweet shooter. If I'm not mistaken, they're still chambering them in .30 carbine.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

That entered my mind a few years ago after I found these. I was looking at a revolver in that caliber.

Feed me Seymour........

Seriously, bro, they are sooooo much fun to shoot. Everybody should have one at some point!

As far as value on those rounds......wartime carbine rounds still packed in wax paper with strippers (for the magazines) aren't too rare. They are neat conversation bits, but IMO, not worth a whole lot.

 

[ReloaderFred]

The ammunition in question is Federal Cartridge, and was originally loaded in 1942 and 1943. I can't tell from the photographs if they've been reloaded or not, but in either case the ammunition would still be shootable, if original. The .30 Carbine was never loaded with corrosive priming, either.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[FROGO207]

If they are original then they are worth at least what new production FMJ ammo costs at least. Reloads are basically components only and scrap the propellant. I own two of those 30 Carbine Blackhawks and you can't go wrong getting one of those either IMHO.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

They look like reloads to me for a couple reasons. All that ammo gives you a perfect reason to get yourself a GI carbine. I love mine, and it is the perfect home defense rifle when loaded w/ ammo like Hornady Critical Defense.

 

[Slamfire]

I would not trust firing WW2 ammunition in my Carbine. These things are going for over $1000. You don't know if the gunpowder has broken down. Could do something like this:



Pull some bullets and see if there is any internal corrosion.





If not, pull all the bullets, dump the powder, reload the cases with new powder and the old bullets.

 

[hdwhit]

The headstamp looks to me like "PC". This would accord with 30 Carbine produced by the Kings Mills, Ohio, ordnance plant, operated by Peters Cartridge Company (a brand owned by Remington) in 1943 and 1944.

In all likelihood, these are not original GI rounds, but have been reloaded, perhaps many times. I would pull the bullet on a few and assess the condition of the components.

If I encountered these rounds at a gun show, I would assume they were reloaded and not knowing the reloader, his mindset, his care or his skill level, would consider the risk of actually firing them to be too great and not buy them at any price. But, if you have reason to trust who had them before you, then as others have said, they are a perfect excuse to buy a Carbine.

 

[preacherJohn]

Dad never did reload. I found these in an old rusty 30 caliber metal ammo box. Some were tarnished; I cleaned them up in a dry tumbler. If they were reloaded, it would have been since I was I was a kid and I'm 61. One of the casing had a crack in it at the neck. I did pull that bullet, but I didn't see anything out of the norm. That's been awhile ago, I still have the bullet; no telling what happened to that old casing. It'd be hard to reload these things if I did pull the bullets, I don't have the dies for 30 caliber. I'm not going to just buy some and not shoot any. Now, if someone wanted to loan me some....?? LOL