“New” .30 Carbine Cowboy Companion

[DWalt]

DWalt, I'm a lifetime member of SASS. I'm not asking what CAS means - I want to know how you were permitted to shoot that caliber. Did you get the muzzle velocity so low that it qualified?

Thanks.

***Nubbins Colt***
SASS Life #7802

When I was shooting in the late 1990s-early 2000s there was no question that it was legal. I even checked with SASS, and they said "Yup." Whether it currently is or is not I have no idea. The MV of my load was below 1000. As I remember, somewhere in the 900s.

 

[6string]

I've a bad habit of imbibing in intoxicating liquors and peruising the auction sites.:

-Glenn

We should have a separate thread:

"Don't Drink and Bid!"

I'd love to see some the great outcomes!

Or, just go with it!

 

[dsf]

I have a liking for the 30 Carbine cartridge too - an OM Blackhawk and a 1943 made Inland. Marlin Model 62 Levermatic.







I had MGM make an 18" barrel for my Contender and it's an accurate little gun.

I think I bought the other guns as an excuse to add the carbine to my reloading endeavors, with no chasing brass. And slightly lower pressure from the BH cuts down on the need to pound out the empties.

 

[Alpo]

When I was shooting in the late 1990s-early 2000s there was no question that it was legal. I even checked with SASS, and they said "Yup." Whether it currently is or is not I have no idea. The MV of my load was below 1000. As I remember, somewhere in the 900s.

SASS legend has it that the first pistol shot sent downrange in the first SASS match was by Flint Westwood, I'm pretty sure he was number 84, firing a 30 carbine Blackhawk.

 

[smoothshooter]

That thing will have a muzzle blast that will be hard to believe.
Don't fire even one shot without really, really good hearing protection. Even while hunting.

 

[SuperMan]

Have got two...a 60s vintage OM and a pre-warning mid-70s NM...both shoot excellent with factory and hand loads...

Having fired a well over a thousand rounds out of a 6" Jet the muzzleblast of the .30 Carbine is tame...want muzzleblast try a 4" 500...that will light up your life...

Bob

 

[Sevens]

I've been on gun forums almost 25 years. There exists no single ".30 Carbine in a Ruger Blackhawk"conversation that is not at least 20% populated with "the blast and noise is ridiculous" commentary. This subject discussed without the noise and blast opinions has not once yet ever happened.

I don't typically see .22 Jet commentary mixed in with it, so that's an interesting angle. I see that the two are SAAMI set for the same max pressure. I can imagine there is a difference in the experience when one of them launches a bullet of more than half the weight and out of a smaller hole.

A much, much closer experience folks might want to know about is that the .327 Federal Magnum is a bullet of nearly the same size and weight and a very similar powder charge but a pressure max that is a bit more than 10% higher.

So if you don't know anyone with a .30 Carbine Blackhawk and it's 7-1/2" barrel and you are most folks and surely don't know anyone that shoots the .22 Jet… you might get some idea of the racket by getting near anyone with a .327 Federal Magnum.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I have long been a fan of the old model .30 carbine revolver. This one came to me unfired in the box. Next to the Super Blackhawk, these show real quality in manufacture. By the way, the cartridges shown here once belonged to my childhood next-door neighbor who brought them back from WWII, where he was a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge. The cartridges are dated 1943, with the headstamp LC43.

John

 

[jimmyj]

.30 Carbine Blackhawk

And how did that situation come about?

A cold winter day. S&W Model 53 6" NIB with all accessories. I had three chambers loaded with .22 Jet ammo and three chambers loaded with .22LR (chamber inserts). I observed a target and wanted to test the trigger pull. Thinking that there was a .22LR under the firing chamber, I opened the vent window just enough for the muzzle to stick though. I fired and though the car had blown up as the chamber under the firing pin was a .22 Jet. I looked over at my hunting buddy and observed His mouth moving but no sound. Finally when My ears opened , he was saying "Please don't do that again". This was many years ago, yet he is still my buddy.

 

[GeoJelly]

Interesting post – I still have one of these NIB probably mid-80s production. It's still stored at my brother's house as I have been going to and from overseas in ensuing years. Seems like the cylinders on these can be rechambered to 32-20? That way there at least be a chance of finding some mild-ish shootin ammo. I'll have to look up spare cylinders – usually quite a few cylinders on EB.

Edited to add: I stand corrected. Hondo over on Ruger Forum says that my New Model cylinder should chamber and fire .32-20 with no problem. Apparently Ruger shortened the cylinder on the New Model versions of the .30 Carb revolvers …

 

[Bald1]

I wanna know what the low ball offer was ???????? I think most of us , after partaking in some libations probably over ball . Cuz you know libations.

 

[lawandorder]

Another vote for you to invest in high quality hearing protection.


Jimmy you better explain to the young folks on here just what a vent window is.

 

[jimmyj]

.30 Carbine Blackhawk

Another vote for you to invest in high quality hearing protection.


Jimmy you better explain to the young folks on here just what a vent window is.

"Back In The Day" vehicles had front door windows that went up and down. Forward of the front door window was a small triangle window that turned out and end horizontal. The purpose was the door window could be closed and the vent window could be opened enough to let in air to keep the windshield from fogging up.

 

[Muley Gil]

A cold winter day. S&W Model 53 6" NIB with all accessories. I had three chambers loaded with .22 Jet ammo and three chambers loaded with .22LR (chamber inserts). I observed a target and wanted to test the trigger pull. Thinking that there was a .22LR under the firing chamber, I opened the vent window just enough for the muzzle to stick though. I fired and though the car had blown up as the chamber under the firing pin was a .22 Jet. I looked over at my hunting buddy and observed His mouth moving but no sound. Finally when My ears opened , he was saying "Please don't do that again". This was many years ago, yet he is still my buddy.

That reminds me of the time a friend and I were wading down a creek in East Alabama. A snake went swimming by and I shot at it, with a 5" S&W .32-20. I missed. My friend swears to this day that the snake was swimming between his legs went I shot at it.

That snake was at least 6 feet away from my buddy and yes, we are still friends.

 

[Alpo]

A cold winter day. S&W Model 53 6" NIB with all accessories. I had three chambers loaded with .22 Jet ammo and three chambers loaded with .22LR (chamber inserts). I observed a target and wanted to test the trigger pull. Thinking that there was a .22LR under the firing chamber, I opened the vent window just enough for the muzzle to stick though. I fired and though the car had blown up as the chamber under the firing pin was a .22 Jet. I looked over at my hunting buddy and observed His mouth moving but no sound. Finally when My ears opened , he was saying "Please don't do that again". This was many years ago, yet he is still my buddy.

I did a similar, though nowhere near as bad, thing one day.



I have a 317. I used to keep it loaded with four super colibri and then four mini mags. In the backyard I could shoot squirrels out of the pecan trees, and the occasional snake, without disturbing the neighbors.



I had no air conditioning in that house, and I would leave the back door open so the dog could go out and in as she needed. The house was old, and the bathroom was an addition. It was right by the back door.



I go in the bathroom one day and I hear something hiss. Looking behind the toilet I see a large possum. I leave the bathroom and go fetch the 317. Go back in the bathroom and lean around the toilet and shoot the possum.



That first one up was not a colibri. Oops. That mini mag did a fine job of killing the possum, but it sure was loud in that little bathroom.

 

[DWalt]

Interesting post – I still have one of these NIB probably mid-80s production. It's still stored at my brother's house as I have been going to and from overseas in ensuing years. Seems like the cylinders on these can be rechambered to 32-20? That way there at least be a chance of finding some mild-ish shootin ammo. I'll have to look up spare cylinders – usually quite a few cylinders on EB.

Edited to add: I stand corrected. Hondo over on Ruger Forum says that my New Model cylinder should chamber and fire .32-20 with no problem. Apparently Ruger shortened the cylinder on the New Model versions of the .30 Carb revolvers …

If you reload, it is easy to make up any .32-20 equivalent load using the .30 Carbine case. I briefly considered re-cutting my Ruger's .30 Carbine chambers to .32-20 but decided there was no purpose to be served in doing that.

 

[CH4]

nicely done.. a highball and a liwball don't often work out that well... bring ear protection.. it's NEEDED

Apparently it did in this case
Ditto on the ear pro.

 

[Grayfox]

I had a .30 carbine Ruger for a while. I love the little M1 Carbine and thought it was a great idea. Wrong!
It shot quite well, but I just about had to hammer the spent casings out. And it's LOUD! Wear ear plugs and muffs with this thing.
Sold it and never looked back.

 

[DWalt]

I never had case sticking problems with light loads. Maybe I did with GI loads, but I do not remember as I fired only a small number of GI loads in the Ruger before I stopped using them. I once loaded some .30/.22 Accelerator bullets and fired them in the Ruger, do not remember how that turned out.

 

[Sid V.]

Had one , shot military ammo and had trouble with locked up cylinders.Also very load,must wear hearing protection.Factory left the cylinder bores rough to help with the case stretch,they where aware or the problem.