.30 Carbine Blackhawk

[BruceB]

You'd think I'd know better, at my advanced age.

Nope.

Recently I formulated a "need" for a .30 Blackhawk. Why? Who knows? I don't hunt any more, can't walk after varmints.... but I can still SHOOT!

So... a good friend bought a gorgeous New Model .30 from a Gunbroker seller, and then turned around and sold it to me before he'd even seen the gun. He lives a long way from where I hang out.

Another Cast Boolits friend delivered it to me on Thursday.

The revolver is virtually new. It has no turn line on the cylinder, and the blue on the face of the cylinder shows NO sign that it's ever been fired.

Trigger pull is 44 ounces, with no creep, no take-up, and no over-travel.... perfect! In a New Model!?!?!?

A Hornady .30-caliber rifle bullet will not drop through the chamber throats. They require a firm push with a rod. Those bullets measure precisely .3080".

Cartridges loaded with Hornady 90-grain XTP bullets, cataloged at .309", chamber nicely. Those loaded with 311359 Lymans at .311".... do not. Those 311359 loads function perfectly in my GI Carbine, but need some modification for the Ruger.

I installed an RCBS .30 Carbine sizing die in my press, just deep enough to lightly "kiss" cartridges loaded with the .311" bullets. Success. The rounds now chamber nicely in the revolver.

The M1 Carbine is not exactly a bench-rest rifle, so I expect no bad effects from slightly down-sizing the front ends of those rounds. I have a bullet-sizing die MARKED .309" (Heaven knows what size it really produces) so I'll try that the next time I run a batch of .30 M1.

This should be a good-shooting revolver. The cylinder locks up TIGHTLY with no perceptible movement at all, and this is true even if the gun is cocked s-l-o-w-l-y. I'm looking forward to the first range trip.

[williamwaco]

Mine is very accurate but very tight throats.

Have to seat a .311 cast bullet quite deep to get it to chamber.

[osteodoc08]

Double up. Plugs and muffs!

Nice find.

[C. Latch]

My grandpa had one. LOUD.

Fun, though.

[Reg]

Most tend to be very accurate but do wear plugs and muffs, they are kinda noisy.

[BethelHntr]

They are super loud and a blast to shoot.

[Combat Diver]

I had one back in the late 80s. As stated double up on hearing protection and enjoy! (also had a M1 Carbine)


CD

[theperfessor]

Congrats on your acquisition! I've always heard they were noisy. More than a .357 at supersonic velocities? Why? I have never owned, shot, or heard one so I'm totally ignorant and going off what I've read. I have a .357 BH w/6.5" barrel and its pretty noisy with top loads.

[Artful]

It's the frequency of the noise, .30 Carbine cuts like a knife - much more so than 357's boom
- it's a sharper crack - maybe it's the bore size or maybe the pressures.

357 magnum 35,000 PSI vs 30 Carbine's 40,000 psi

[375supermag]

I do not know anything about why the .30Carbine is so loud when fired in a BlackHawk.

All I know, is that I want one. Unfortunately, every time I stumble across one it is either in poor shape or I am financially challenged at that particular moment.

I never seem to see one when I am flush with cash.

Eventually, the cash, the opportunity and a good quality revolver will come together at the same time and then I will have to go buy another set of loading dies and a supply of bullets.

[williamwaco]

The noise is because half the powder is burning outside the barrel.

You are firing a cartridge designed for an 18 inch barrel in a 6 inch barrel.

If you will load it with a faster pistol powder, like Unique, it will tone it down quite a bit.

.
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BUT

It will still be loud.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I load and shoot the 30 Carb in a Ruger and do very well with it. With GI ammo it is very loud. I use the RCBS 30 cal grain bullet with 5.0 grains to 5.5 grains of Unique so the report it essentially a sharp crack. Accuracy is good. Another variation that can be used is the use of 32-20 cases slightly shortened (with the same bullet); advantage is that the round seats on the rim rather than the case mouth. Accuracy is again very good. The original writeup on this was done by Beagle--a well known member on this forum and further info as well as other designs of bullets than can be used, can be found on castpics file. Worth reading up on if you work with this revolver. LLS

[FLHTC]

I used to use 32-20 brass in mine. I am just partial to rimmed handgun cartridges and the 32-20 case works perfectly in the Carbine revolver. I did this until I acquired a Buckeye, then sold the Carbine. The 32-20 brass blows out nicely and although a tiny bit shorter than Carbine brass, it head spaces on the rim to provide positive primer strikes with the shorter case. Accuracy is good and you'll never have to trim your cases. Enjoy. I also use the 311359 in my 32's. It's a great hunting bullet for the 32 H&R, 32-20 and the 327 Federal.

[John Allen]

Bruce, I have wanted one for years too. I have no good reason myself for wanting one.

[pworley1]

The best reason to have one is just because. And plus one on the unique.

[SWANEEDB]

Want to light up the night, shoot it at night, fire belching out the barrel, from both sides of the cylinder, quite a few years ago I did have one, fun gun but must not have been that much fun cause it left me, think I even loaded some 125gr .310 bullets, same as the AK round but don't remember how they worked.

[mac60]

I have the same tight throat issue with mine. As mentioned, with a max load of H110 it is LOUD. I shot mine Saturday. Had a ball shooting a plate rack at 25 yds. Had it loaded with the Lee C309-120-R (sized .309 lubed with TAC1, alum. checks) over 5 gr. Unique in a RP case with a WSR primer.

[historicfirearms]

Great, thanks Bruce, now I want one too. It would make a good pair with my Marlin 94 in 32-20, or the M1 carbine...

[41mag]

To be honest I have never found the noise to be of issue. I find my other revolvers in .357 and up much more of an issue.

Growing up there were many times when my pop would tell me that they had come out with a revolver in .30 Carbine and he wished he had purchased one. When most folks were punching paper with .22's we were popping off rounds through a couple of Carbines. While we did shoot the .22's they were for putting meat on the tables in the forms of rabbits and squirrels so we didn't waste rounds on simply punching paper.

Anywhoo, I had mine out a week or so back to try out some cast loads through it. I have shot a number of different jacketed loads up to and probably over what is recommended in most of today's books. That said I wanted to know right up front if the loads were going to work on the upper end or not. So I loaded up some of the MP 314-640's which with the Lg HP drop around 116grs or so with my alloy. I also loaded up the same number of the Accurate 31-115H over the exact same loads. Those weighed in at about the same from quenched COWW. All were sized to .310" and lubed with Carnuba Red.


I know this isn't much to look at but here is my target from about 15yds standing freehand.


I know it doesn't look like it but the AA-9 and 2400 loads both shot pretty well. I didn't have any leading to speak of from any of the loads and found everything to be pretty fun to be honest.

After gettign back home I shot a note over to Tom at Accurate to see about what it might take to possibly get that 31-115H up to a bit heavier weight and possibly with a GC on the bottom. It only took a short while before he was back with the following added to the catalog,
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_...=31-125F-D.png

While it might not be for everyone I think it wil make a dandy litle critter getter not only in the Blackhawk, but also in my 30-30 AI Contender and possibly even my .308. Even though the lighter one does work fine with it's plain base, I feel like the heavier one with the check will maybe allow the use of some softer alloy than I used on the others and possibly with the bigger cases under them a good bit more velocity as well. Only a few more paydays and I will be placing the order to find out.

[USAFrox]

Man, I really want one of those. I have no good, valid reason other than I WANT one, but man, do I want one.

Great find! Hope you enjoy it!