“New” .30 Carbine Cowboy Companion

[Glenn R. McMannly]

I’ve a bad habit of imbibing in intoxicating liquors and peruising the auction sites. I placed a very lowball bid for this like new in the box 1986 Ruger New Model Blackhawk chambered in the .30 carbine round and much to my surprise won the auction:

This is from a shop I’ve bought from before and they’re great folks. Do I have a real need for this gun? Not really, but have always been intrigued by them for sure.

I do own an Underwood 1943 M1 carbine and years ago laid into 4,320 rounds (four 1,080 round crates) of Korean surplus .30 carbine ammo, most of which I still own. I bought this back when it was very cheap and it’s shot fantastic through the carbine.

I now have a companion sidearm that chambers the same rounds as the clever little carbine.

-Glenn

 

[dave1918a2]

Don't forget the ear plugs and muffs when You light that thing off!

 

[robertrwalsh]

Also you will have to trim for length probably every time you shoot it. It is still a great cartridge.

 

[DWalt]

I used a .30 Carbine BH in CAS competition for five years, loaded like a .32-20. I used 115 grain cast .312 bullets sized down to .309 over 3.7 grains of Bullseye (or any similar fast powder). I stilll got case stretching in the BH even with those light loads, had to trim about every third firing. Shooting GI carbine ammo in it was too much for me to take, very seldom used it, nearly always used only the lighter lead bullet loads.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I used a .30 Carbine BH in CAS competition for five years,

DWalt, just for fun, can you explain that? Enquiring minds want to know....

 

[DWalt]

CAS = cowboy action shooting.

 

[cherrypointmarine]

I was at the Melbourne , Fl , gun show today and saw an AMT chambered in 30 cal carbine . I wouldn't think the recoil would be too bad , but I was told it shoots flames out quite a ways .

 

[pasound]

Nice combo. I agree that the 30 carbine is a handgun handful. A friend at work has one, fired one cylinder on a range visit with him, gave it back and swore "never again". And I own 44 and 45 SA's.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

CAS = cowboy action shooting.

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

 

[Venom6]

Yer gonna love that new pistol. I had a three-screw many years ago. Not much recoil, and 110 gr. jacketed bullets chronoed over 1400 fps IIRC. Flat trajectory. Great fun for called coyotes. But the blast was stunning; similar to the .22 Jet. When I realized I could get similar velocities but more versatility with the .357 I sold the Carbine Blackhawk.

 

[Alpo]

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

I wasn't wondering about the velocity. I was wondering about the caliber. Now I know 32 H&R uses a 311 bullet, and that ain't all that different from a 309 bullet. But my single sixes said 32 on them, and his Blackhawk says 30. And the minimum legal caliber is 32.

 

[zeke]

Roars a lot, recoil not bad and can be very accurate. When you need to trim brass, don't trim it to shortest length till you know if it is too short for primer to fire. Mine has that problem with the firing pin not extending out as far as my other Blackhawks.

 

[Bald1]

Congrats on a cool gun. I’ve always been intrigued by handguns in .30 carbine and .22 hornet

 

[jimmyj]

Yer gonna love that new pistol. I had a three-screw many years ago. Not much recoil, and 110 gr. jacketed bullets chronoed over 1400 fps IIRC. Flat trajectory. Great fun for called coyotes. But the blast was stunning; similar to the .22 Jet. When I realized I could get similar velocities but more versatility with the .357 I sold the Carbine Blackhawk.

BLAST ? try firing a S&W Model 53 .22 Jet inside a 1953 Chevolet with all the windows rolled up except the right front vent window open just enough so the muzzle sticks out.

 

[Sevens]

My .30 Carbine Blackhawk was made quite a few years after yours… mid-2000’s. I have found that full-spec ammo does NOT like to eject. I hope that yours doesn’t do the same thing or you will get unhappy quickly with the volume of ammo you have.

Hell for stout and literally 100 yards capable accuracy but with GI spec ammo it’s beyond difficult.

Fun fact that is maybe not well known:

the .30 Carbine Blackhawk made it’s debut some three years before they ever chambered a revolver in .45 Colt!

 

[robvious]

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

 

[Golddollar]

BLAST ? try firing a S&W Model 53 .22 Jet inside a 1953 Chevolet with all the windows rolled up except the right front vent window open just enough so the muzzle sticks out.

And how did that situation come about?

 

[StrawHat]

Nice revolver! I am wanting an N frame so chambered.

Kevin

 

[31FordA]

Nice revolver! I am wanting an N frame so chambered.

Kevin

S&W made a few .30 Carbine N frames during the war. Apparently the robust muzzle blast was found to be too much to deal with. The Army wanted them to supply to our valiant Nationalist Chinese allies. I got to see one at the SWCA display at the NRA convention a while back.

A friend has a .30 Carbine Blackhawk, it’s a blast, literally to shoot. No problem hitting steel plates with it at 100 yards.

 

[Catwrangler]

And how did that situation come about?

I TOO WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THAT TALE. SUSPECT JIMMY WILL TAKE THE FIFTH.