Ruger BH 30 Carbine

[timspawn]

I have a chance to pick up a BH in 30 Carbine. I am wondering how heavy of a boolit can I load in it as far as OAL goes? It will only be used for punching paper and an armadillo or coon. I'd like to load the heaviest boolit I can and velocities will be kept on the low end.

[MtGun44]

With factory ammo, this is the loadest pistol every made, I think.

The issue with boolit wt will be ultimately limited by twist. I expect that
the twist is slow, since the only intended to stabilize 110 gr bullets. Find
out what the twist is, and you can ESTIMATE. Ultimately, you must try
it to be sure. My bet is that 150 gr+ will not stabilize, but this is just
a guess.

Bill

[timspawn]

With factory ammo, this is the loadest pistol every made, I think.

The issue with boolit wt will be ultimately limited by twist. I expect that
the twist is slow, since the only intended to stabilize 110 gr bullets. Find
out what the twist is, and you can ESTIMATE. Ultimately, you must try
it to be sure. My bet is that 150 gr+ will not stabilize, but this is just
a guess.

Bill

That's what I figured. I will check the twist when and if I get the gun.

[rexherring]

My old three screw BH was LOUD!!!!! The heaviest I shot was a 120 cast with gas check, 11 grs of AA#9 and did about 1600 fps. Very accurate and could hit 1 gallon jugs at 100 yds with lots of practice and a rest.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Using GI brass, a 120 grain RCBS GC RN and 14 grains of 4227 one can just about duplicate GI ball ammo and with good accuracy. The muzzle blast will just about knock the ears off of a stone horse. A slight taper crimp is advised as is keeping the brass trimmed uniformly to proper length. An alternate arrangement is the use of slightly shortened 32-20 cases with the same bullet. See article by Beagle in articles under cast pics. LLS

[.5mv^2]

I have shot a lot of 93 grain berry 32 bullets in my Bh 30carbine. They fly great and hold up at 1600 fps.

[tacklebury]

I load for 30 carbine and the Hornady 1/2 jacket and a book load of H110 has kept both my M1 Carbine happy. I also tested them in my buddy's 30 carbine blackhawk and had a 3" group at 40 yards offhand. Was very pleased. I'd not be afraid to use them with varmints or deer.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6RGZ_zgj-0w/TsRAb21TsRI/AAAAAAAAADY/Gw-mx45fpCY/s800/30Carbine_Hornady_100gr_SJ.jpg

[Nobade]

You are limited to about 125gr. max, due to the 1:20" twist.

When I had one of those revolvers I ended up shooting it most with #3118 sized to .309", over book loads designed for the 32-20. Mostly Unique powder. It's far more polite to shoot that way than if you use slow ball powder and load it like a 30 carbine round. Still kills things like jack rabbits just fine, and doesn't blast your ears so bad.

[timspawn]

I'm not looking to duplicate the factory load. I'm just looking to launch some cast boolits nice and slow. Unique will be my go to powder.

[Wally]

I use 4.5 of Bullseye with a Lyman 311008 or 311410 (115 RNF/130RN) to get 1,150/1,070 FPS MV respectively. Very accurate. This year I tried a 2X pistol scope, using a rest, I was popping small steel plates with both loads out to 100 yards. I use Std small pistol primers in mine. I like to do a "shootout" with both loads to see which is best. So far, surprisingly, the 311008 has "won".

Sometime ago I has access to a dry sandy field that was disced. I set up a 16 ounce can at 250 yards and with iron sights and a rest I easily walked my shots so that I could hit it. I was suprised that the 311410 shot so "flat" at that range...my .357/41/44 Magnums sure didn't! The "secret" was that I could see the strikes and correct my hold. It was a wonderful experience.

[timspawn]

I use 4.5 of Bullseye with a Lyman 311008 or 311410 (115 RNF/130RN) to get 1,150/1,070 FPS MV respectively. Very accurate. This year I tried a 2X pistol scope, using a rest, I was popping small steel plates with both loads out to 100 yards. I use Std small pistol primers in mine. I like to do a "shootout" with both loads to see which is best. So far, surprisingly, the 311008 has "won".

Sometime ago I has access to a dry sandy field that was disced. I set up a 16 ounce can at 250 yards and with iron sights and a rest I easily walked my shots so that I could hit it. I was suprised that the 311410 shot so "flat" at that range...my .357/41/44 Magnums sure didn't! The "secret" was that I could see the strikes and correct my hold. It was a wonderful experience.

This is what I would use the gun for. Just playing around busting cow pies and rocks. For some reason I am drawn to a 30 caliber handgun.

[Wally]

This is what I would use the gun for. Just playing around busting cow pies and rocks. For some reason I am drawn to a 30 caliber handgun.

I do like this caliber but I dare say that IMHO a .38 Spl with a SWC/WC bullet on the P+ side is better. Let me explain....I shoot under field conditions at such objects especially steel cans. The .30 Cal drills holes through them and often you don't even realize that you hit them. The .38 Spl makes 'em "rock"... I find that in a years shooting I'll shoot 1,500 .38 Spls and less than half of that in my .30 M-1 BHK...all because of how my targets react to the bullet impacts of these two calibers.

[fcvan]

The 30 carbine BlackHawk is the most obnoxious gun I've ever shot. Dad bought one in 1976 which was marked 'made in the 200th year of liberty' or something like that. Back then dad bought a bunch of jacketed plinker bullets and a boolit mold that he never actually used to cast. When we went out shooting that was the gun I used the most.

Recently, dad sent that gun home with me to play with. I cast up some Lee C309-120 gas check boolits and some of the SAECO boolits from his mold. I tried some light loads with unique and it still barked. Barked loudly. My brother and I decided to just load for his 30 M1 Carbine. This cartridge is the most sensitive to case stretch and requires regular trimming for case length. The gun is still a hoot to shoot but dang is it loud! Frank

[timspawn]

It will be Monday before I know if he is going to sell it to me. If I get it I will keep my loads below the obnoxious level.

[David2011]

Sweet! I've never fired one without hearing protection so didn't realize they were that loud. It is a fun gun to shoot.

David

[timspawn]

Well the guy showed up this morning and I bought two of them. Now I guess I have one for each hand. Now to buy some projectiles....

[legend]

i too use the lee 120 grain @ 311, however i gave up on the 30 carbine cases and just use 32-20 cases, they work just fine.

[timspawn]

i too use the lee 120 grain @ 311, however i gave up on the 30 carbine cases and just use 32-20 cases, they work just fine.

What has to be done to the 32-20 cases to get them to work?

[Poygan]

Nothing special as I recall. I resize using the carbine die and then reload as usual. Its the rim that makes it work so nice, although I did have some problems with Remington brass as they tended to bind at the base. Just not as fussy as the carbine brass with cast in terms of cylinder binding.

[Nobade]

I wish I had known that when I had one of those revolvers! That carbine brass is a PITA. As I recall I had to trim it way shorter than standard to get it to chamber.

[contender1]

It's funny to see this post. I just added my 4th OM 30 Carbine Blackhawk to my stable yesterday. Fun guns, loud but accurate when fed properly.

So,, did you buy NM's or OM's?

[runfiverun]

scroll down this page to the castpics section.
you should be able to find an article on the 30 carbine revolver there.
it has the info to use 32-20 brass in them.
i use the rcbs 98gr rnfp boolit in mine sized to 312 over 3.5 grs of 700-x mainly because i have a little over a lb of it and use it for nothing else.

[timspawn]

It's funny to see this post. I just added my 4th OM 30 Carbine Blackhawk to my stable yesterday. Fun guns, loud but accurate when fed properly.

So,, did you buy NM's or OM's?

Both NM's. Serial numbers are 47 digits apart.

[timspawn]

scroll down this page to the castpics section.
you should be able to find an article on the 30 carbine revolver there.
it has the info to use 32-20 brass in them.
i use the rcbs 98gr rnfp boolit in mine sized to 312 over 3.5 grs of 700-x mainly because i have a little over a lb of it and use it for nothing else.

Will do. Thanks.