Boolits in .30 Carbine for deer???

[kens]

I have read that .30 carbine is light for deer, however there is a lot of folks on this forum that attest that a cast boolit @ 1600/1800 fps is reliable on deer.
My question is this: can you load a 150gr boolit into .30 carbine and launch it at 1600/1800 fps and be reliable on deer hunting?
I know that the original .30 carb load was a FMJ 110gr.
My question here is about a heavier cast boolit at a lesser speed.
Is my idea too far fetched to be considered?

[richhodg66]

I don't think you could get that velocity from a bullet that heavy and it may not even stabilize (not sure what the rate of twist in the carbine is) and I'm sure you'd have problems getting it to feed.

My wife's grandpa used to hunt deer with an M1 Carbine. He carried one in WWII and liked it, I used to have to shut up when he'd mention it. It really isn't powerful enough in my opinion, however, he killed a huge buck that was the 13th biggest on record that year with it (1986). I still have the rack. He spent a lot of time in the woods in a state with a very long deer season.

The power level of the .30 carbine is very marginal at best and the rifles aren't accurate enough to ensure the shot placement it would take to reliably take one cleanly, I'd advise against it. I like the M1 Carbine and have one. I think it to be a better combat wweapon than its reputation would indicate, but I don't think it's a deer rifle.

[waksupi]

After using one for some years for various tasks, I consider them good for pack rat size varmints, and marginal for porcupines.

[Digital Dan]

Liberals are afraid if them.

[TCFAN]

Many years ago before I new any better I used a M1 carbine loaded with a Lyman 311227 cast out of linotype that weighed about 80 grs to kill my largest whitetail buck that I have ever taken.It was a close shot running about 25 yards or less through the neck. Dead right there.......That does not make it a deer cartridge in my opinion...................Terry

[jaysouth]

Back in the day when carbines sold for $17.50 and there was an abundance of GI ball ammo, lots of hunters used them for deer. There was no middle ground on the opinion of their suitablilty for hunting deer. Half believed it should be illegal to use them for deer, half thought that the carbine was a fantastic woods rifle for deer.

I think that it all depended on how good a woodsman you were and how accurately you could shoot one. Shot placement being king then as well as now.

Personally, I think a 30-30 does a much better job.

[Pinsnscrews]

There are a couple of threads already here on Castboolits discussing just this scenario. The best answer i caught was someone who actually worked up 150gr loads for their Rugar revolver and they difficulty they had gettng 1200fps. Granted, that is a beefy revolver and they had pressure signs that made them uncomfortable. The 1500-1800 you are looking at might not be all that possible with the 150gr loading.

[rondog]

Heavy cast boolits in .30 Carbine for deer? Don't know 'bout dat. Sounds iffy. There's soft nosed jacketeds, and hollowpoints available.

Do a search for Cor-Bon DPX ammo for .30 Carbine, it's loaded with Barnes 100gr. all copper hollowpoints, made for deer and self defense. I shot one into water jugs recently and it mushroomed flawlessly. I'll try to fetch a photo, on my phone at the moment.

<edit> OK, here ya go. Now, I've never seen this ammo in person, but I bought the bullets themselves directly from Barnes. They're not a catalog item, made only for Cor-Bon, but Barnes said they try to do "overruns" so they can sell some to the public because of high demand. They're not cheap either. But they do work. The DPX box says "2025 fps".

Barnes part #30800. $30.97 for 50, $41.32 total with shipping. 800-574-9200.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/rinselman/guns/ammo%20and%20reloading/Cor-BonDPX30carbine.png

I shot this one into water jugs a couple weeks ago. Loaded over 15.5 gr of H110, I believe, but it might also have been 14.6 of IMR4227. Not sure, it was only 5 test rounds.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/rinselman/guns/ammo%20and%20reloading/DSC_0009_1.jpg

[SSGOldfart]

Heavy cast boolits in .30 Carbine for deer? Don't know 'bout dat. Sounds iffy. There's soft nosed jacketeds, and hollowpoints available.

Do a search for Cor-Bon DPX ammo for .30 Carbine, it's loaded with Barnes 100gr. all copper hollowpoints, made for deer and self defense. I shot one into water jugs recently and it mushroomed flawlessly. I'll try to fetch a photo, on my phone at the moment.

<edit> OK, here ya go. Now, I've never seen this ammo in person, but I bought the bullets themselves directly from Barnes. They're not a catalog item, made only for Cor-Bon, but Barnes said they try to do "overruns" so they can sell some to the public because of high demand. They're not cheap either. But they do work. The DPX box says "2025 fps".

Barnes part #30800. $30.97 for 50, $41.32 total with shipping. 800-574-9200.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/rinselman/guns/ammo%20and%20reloading/Cor-BonDPX30carbine.png

I shot this one into water jugs a couple weeks ago. Loaded over 15.5 gr of H110, I believe, but it might also have been 14.6 of IMR4227. Not sure, it was only 5 test rounds.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/rinselman/guns/ammo%20and%20reloading/DSC_0009_1.jpg
Good bullet but they aren't cheap. I guess if that's all you have to deer hunt with and you know how to place your shoot then go for it,Like others have said your going to have trouble getting that kind of speed out of a M1carbine.with a 150 gr bullet

[Hickok]

Having owned one and sold it years ago, I would say don't use it for deer. For a CLOSE range defensive weapon, (Used in lieu of handgun, I think it is a good firearm, the way the military intended) but for deer it is just not enough.

With the one I owned, I could hit groundhogs farther away than I could kill them. It just didn't have enough "oomph."

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Used the carbine to dispatch a yote once. At 15 yards with the standard 115 gr round nose at whatever velocity it took to cycle the Inland 1944 model. Through the shoulders was OK to anchor the beast but there was no quick fast termination. He was flip flopping all over. Numerous rounds later finally got one through the neck spine area. Lungs heart area was zipped badly. Never used a carbine again to pop things bigger than "wabbits".
A flat nosed 125 grainer would probably work well on groundhogs / raccoons but my Inland will not feed them. Deer in east ILLinois are big. "40" something is what I hunt with.
Mike in Peru

[w5pv]

My dad used one for years and killed his limit on deer with it until he got where he couldn't walk and hunt.He used a soft nose 110 grain bullet. He also used the fmj to squirrel hunt with it would just punch a hole through.He sold the gun to a friend of mine that used it to hog hunt with,he is like me though you shoot a hog in the bud of the ear he will go down whether its a .22 or a canon.

[leadman]

Accuracy with good loads and a scope on the M-1 are not an issue. I was able to get 1" groups at 100 yards using the Sierra 110gr HP and a 4X scope on one of my M-1s. I would not use that bullet for deer at that range though. I followed the procedure to obtain accuracy with the M-1 that is posted on the CMP website.
If I hunted in Michigan in certain areas for deer it would do the job. Out here in AZ in most areas it would not. About 50 yards would be a good range and would hope for closer.

[JSnover]

I fired a few M1 carbines and didn't care much for the trigger or the sights. It can be made to work as a medium game rifle but I wouldn't buy one specifically for that purpose. Like the other guys said, great for defense, not great for deer.

[kens]

I hunt in the woods, and a 50yard shot is typical. The majority of my deer kills could have been done by a bow hunter, that is, 30yards or about.
the other day I was scouting/hiking with a mauser 98 in .308W. I was thinking and wondering if that much heft was really needed.
The 30 carbine is so light to carry, and most shots are <50yards, I was wondering if it would be sensible to carry the carbine instead.

[Larry Gibson]

I've killed 9 deer (mostly black tails and a couple mule deer) along with a lot of coyotes. I've also used the M1 Carbine (mine was actually a M2 but I kept it on slow fire) effectively in the SE Asian war games on two legged varmints. When used with it's parameter and when the bullet is put in the right place it works fine.

To answer the OP's questions: no a 150 gr bullet will not stabilized in the M1 Carbines slow twist barrel. 125 gr is about the heaviest that will. I shot 3 of the deer with cast bullets. I used the GC'd 311316 which is the GC'd version of the 311118/31108 for use in the 32-20. The 311316 has the large meplat and I HP'd them with the 1/8" Forster tool (It's the bullet that got me started on HPing with the Forster tool). I was casting them with the older COWWs with some Pb added. I was pushing them at 1900 fps (chronographed) with H110. While a 5 shot mag was required for hunting with a semi auto I could (because my eyes were good back then in the late '60s) put a 15 round mag into 2 - 3" at 100 yards. I still have that mould.

The other deer were shot with 110 gr SPs HP'd with the Forster tool or the Hornady 100 gr HJ. I think the farthest was about 125 yards away but most were actually under 100 yards. All were 1 shot kills and none went more than 25 - 30 yards after being shot. I would definitely hunt deer, especially if they ran 150 lbs or less on the hoof, under close range (100 yards +/-) conditions w/o any qualms. I would use the 311316 HP'd or a quality jacketed SP/HP bullet of 100 - 110 gr. Photo shows the accuracy of Remington factory 110 SPs. The 90 gr Hornady XTP load is a definite "yes" for PD and Coyote's!

Larry Gibson

154371154372

[JSnover]

Thanks Larry. Now I'm curious, what's the condition and configuration of your carbine? All original or has it been tuned or upgraded in any way? If it shoots that well "as-issued," I'll have to adjust my opinion of it.

[JeffinNZ]

I suspect a lot of deer have been taken with the .32-20 and the .30 Carbine is just a rimmed version so in the hands of a competent shot with the right bullet......

[Larry Gibson]

Back in the day when I shot those deer my M1 carbine was original configuration but was bedded tight. There was a lot of "customizing" going on back in the '60s and early '60s. As I mentioned I could see the sights quite well then. I still have that M1 I used back then in original condition.

These days I use a scope or dot sight. The Rem 110 was shot with a Bushnell trophy dot sight on my "shooter" M1. Subsequently I put a 2X Burris LER scope on it. The XTP group was shot with the Burris scope a few months back.

Larry Gibson

154381154382

[kens]

Well, if the twist is too slow for a any heavier boolit, then what about the Lee soup can? there is a flat nose version of the soup can, I have the mold.
Might the soup can work?

[rondog]

Try it and see. Might have feeding issues though.

[bruce drake]

30 carbine is the rimless version... Jeff... ;) Every cartridge has its own limitations. going after a Mid-Western buck versus a Carolina or Virginia deer is very different between the two on the needs to drop it humanely.

[Digital Dan]

"Standard" SP/HP will work in my AO.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/muddler/pig%20pen/DSCN1956_zpsc82cdd08.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/muddler/media/pig%20pen/DSCN1956_zpsc82cdd08.jpg.html)

[kens]

30 carbine is the rimless version... Jeff... ;) Every cartridge has its own limitations. going after a Mid-Western buck versus a Carolina or Virginia deer is very different between the two on the needs to drop it humanely.
Well, I didnt mention that. Around here a big buck is 145lbs on the hoof. Your averadge doe is 110lbs and she is 2 year old.
And dont forget the pigs, we got lots and lots of pigs. Eat more pork!!!!!

[dale2242]

Many deer have been killed with a 22lr as well as the 30 Carbine.
That doesn`t make them good deer calibers.
Both are great for plinking and small game.
I have shot many thousands of rounds of cast boolit loads through mine and love to shoot it.
When I go deer hunting, I pick up my 25-06.
BTW, most shots here are 50yds. or less......dale

[kens]

What???? 25-06 @ less than 50 yards???
Awwwwww c'mon
Let's compare apples to apples

[Bad Water Bill]

More than any thing else shot placement is the key.

The Savage #99 take down in 22 High Power NOW residing in my gun room will not tell me how many deer it sent to their maker.

All I can say is that it kept the OLD logger in meat year round for many many years before he sold the rifle to me.

[dale2242]

I said MOST shots were at less than 50 yds.
Some are as far as 200+.
A bit far for a 30 carbine.
Making quick, humane kills is what this is all about....dale