What to hunt with a .30 Carbine?

Thanks to some VERY good luck, I stumbled into this piece for the half tank of gas it took to go pick it up. That's the kind of deal you just don't say no to. She's no beauty queen. But, she is one dang nice unconverted, three screw shooter in .30 Carbine. The rest of my Ruger single actions are all in .44mag (I have a real .44mag problem. I am a .44mag junkie). The buddy I got it from has a range on his place, and with a few ranging shots, we were all hitting a ten inch gong freehand, at 75 yards with pretty good regularity. This one is definitely a keeper. My question is what do I hunt with it. I like to think that all of my guns have a purpose. Most of them are for hunting, some are for banging steel, and a very few are for punching paper. This one screams to go kill something with it, but what. My hunting property is in northeast Texas. I'm sure I could shoot pigs with it. But, is the .30 Carbine round enough to stop a pig? I've shot a few with my Universal carbine and, even with proper shot placement, it take a few rounds to stop a pig. I thought about squirrel. But it might be overkill for that. I have never really though the .30 Carbine was enough for Whitetail. Please let me know the flaws in my thinking, as I am sure there are some. Tell me what you like to hunt with your .30's.

Thanks!!
Matt

Hi I think you have answered your own questions if the rifle will not do it clean the revolver will be worse the only thing I hunted with one was ground hogs mine had a scope and worked fine

Gramps

I would think it would make a great small game / varmint gun. In fact I was trying to find one when I lucked into a 32 H&R SS. According to several articles you can load it mild to wild.

If you are going to load for it, be advised that .30 Carbine brass really stretches. You will need to measure case length after each firing and probably trim as well. I learned the hard way and locked my Blackhawk up. Ended that range session. It isn't as critical in my M1 Carbine. Going into combat with a M1 Carbine would make me feel under gunned.

I never hunted with the Universal carbine I owned, but I sure have read a lot about the .30 Carbine round over the years. It seems to me that it is suitable for anything bigger than a rabbit, and smaller than a deer. Coyotes, feral dogs, groundhogs, nuisance beavers, big raccoons. Too much muzzle blast to be used for in-home protection. It would certainly discourage rioters and looters.

My uncle was in Korea
and got rid of his after his first fire fight
Did not stop chicoms.he picked up a m1
garand. He said 30 carbine did not stop well

Great score on a 3-screw!
I own a few of these guns, as well as several others similar to it. (32 cals.) I have found it to be a fun gun for small to medium game, WITH the proper bullet.

Thanks for the feedback, guys!!
I have found some hollowpoint loads and some interesting load data. As per your suggestions, I think I'll use it to whack coyotes and to keep coons off the feeder in the off season.

Biggest problem is working up a load with a decent hunting bullet. Will be a "trial and error" exercise. With the right load you should be able to take hogs and deer at reasonable distances....No more that 50 to 75 yards max for a sure kill.

Whatever you can hunt while wearing BOTH earplugs and earmuffs. :shock:

Seriously, the .30USC cartridge has often been compared to the .357 magnum (though usually comparing the M1 to a .357 handgun).

My old family dentist got his deer every year with an M1 carbine.

It used to be legal to hunt deer in Missouri with the carbine. Maybe it still is. I have some factory Frontier Cartridges loaded with 110 grain soft point "Hornady Supper-Shock Bullets". I also have a box of Federal Classic loaded with "110 Gr. Hi-Shok Soft Pt. Round Nose" bullets. This ammo was fairly common 40 - 50 years ago. I haven't looked for any for a while.

IMHO, the .30 Blackhawk is Ruger's flat shooting varmit revolver. Here's some cast bullet dope from Glen Fryxell:

http://www.lasc.us/FryxellVarmintRevolver.htm

Shortly after the .30 Carbine Ruger Blackhawk was introduced, I had some correspondence with a gent from Montana who proclaimed his Ruger ideal for pronghorns.

Bob Wright

I use shortened, to 30 carbine length, 32-20 brass in mine and cast bullets and it shoots very well. You might be able to load a 135 ish gr. SWC for use against pigs. Would be great for jackrabbits and coyotes too.

Rockrat said:

I use shortened, to 30 carbine length, 32-20 brass in mine and cast bullets and it shoots very well. You might be able to load a 135 ish gr. SWC for use against pigs. Would be great for jackrabbits and coyotes too.

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I use 32-20 brass also, but have not yet needed to shorten any. works just fine in my NM Blackhawk.

Small 4 legged varmits would be good to shoot with it.

I've always wanted a .30 Carbine Blackhawk; picked this one up a few weeks ago. Note the S.N. Yeah, I know, the grips aren't correct. Have only shot a few factory loads in it so far. I've got to get dies and such to load for it. Interested in the idea of using .32-20 brass to get away from the headspacing on the case mouth thing with the rimless .30 Carbine cases. Would love to hear from any others who've used this successfully. PM me.
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I use 32-20 brass regularly with my NEW Model Blackhawk, with no problems at all. BUT,, I have read several time that this will not work on an OLD Model Blackhawk. This I do not know 1st hast as I don't have an OM. The loads I use are a mixture of 30 carb and 32-20 loads. I got enuff hearing problems without all that noise with full power rifle loads in the pistol. I have also noticed my cylinders need to be reamed out for cast bullets, might wanna check that out too.

6GUNSONLY said:

Interested in the idea of using .32-20 brass to get away from the headspacing on the case mouth thing with the rimless .30 Carbine cases.

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Are you going to have the cylinder cut or rechambered or modified in some way to do this? Because rimmed cases won't go in that gun as-is.

Or maybe someone makes a true .32-20 cylinder for it, if that's what you want.

Old Model cyl. will have to have some machine work to use 32-20 brass. It's hard to find a used NMBH cyl. and 30 carbine cyl's. are also hard to come by. Sometimes the custom guys will have one but good luck. With that ser. # I'd look for a NM30Carb. to use both in. This is one fun and accurate gun. Starline 32-20 brass comes trimed for shooting in a 30 carb. cyl. Use .308 bullets.
Good luck. Eric