BLACKHAWK .30 CARBINE

[buffalocannon]

I have a chance to buy a Ruger New Model Blackhawk in .30 Carbine. What is your take on this revolver?

 

[TDF]

Wear ear muffs!
Otherwise lotsa fun.

TDF

 

[mhblaw]

I have an OM 30 Carbine. As said, lots of noise. If you reload for it, stick with slower powders as seems to lessen cases sticking in the chambers.

 

[veeman]

Depends on what you want out of it. For casual plinking, go with fast powders. For hunting, I'd go with a bit slower powders. Bullets selection I find to be now a wide range. 115 grn cast is about as heavy as you can go before they start to tumble, for me anyway. As mentioned before, ear protection is a must, muzzle blast is great with those slow powders.

 

[Smee781]

I love mine so much I had it cut to 5 1/2 and man what a fire ball with surplus ammo! Double up on your hearing protection though, that soft shooter is loud. It is a keeper though.

 

[contender]

Welcome to the Forum!
I have a few of the 30 Carbine Blackhawks. Nice guns. And as mentioned, they do make some noise with surplus ammo, and most reloads. But they are good shooters!

 

[pawncop]

Great revolver, really loud, sharp recoil. I love mine.

 

[nhdon]

I HAVE A 4 DIGIT OM IST YEAR 30 CARBINE SENT IN THAT YEAR FOR STICKING CASES I DONT HAVE ANY OF THE LOAD DATA HERE IN FL BUT AT THAT TIME WAS USING 2400 BULLETS WERE 125 SP & 130 HPBT .STOPPED THE CASE PROBLEM WITH CHAMBER & ROUND CLEANING. ALSO SHOT GI STUFF. RUGER SAID AT TIME ONLY FACTORY AMMO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE USED , I HAVE USED ALL THE GI I HAD SO IVE GONE TO LIL GUN AND 110 PLATED AFTER 40 SOME YEARS SHE STILL GOING STRONG . I HAVE EVEN SHOT SHOT SHELLS OUT OF IT. DON K

 

[456ght]

I have a 4 digit OM. It's a good shooter; but loud. Sometimes cases stick. I like the BH a lot, but am not a big fan of 30 carbine. Ammo selection is limited. It is an OK personal defense round against humans, but not wild animals in the field. It also is not a good hunting caliber. For hunting or personal defense in the field, I perfer my BH in 44 mag

 

[DPris]

It's kinda a special-interest gun.

Other calibers work better in general for either hunting, defense, or plinking, but it can be fun if you like it.

I had one in 1980.
Fireballs in broad daylight.
Some of the handloads I took from the Speer manual at the time caused cases to stick so tight I had to knock the ejector rod against the edge of the wooden bench I was shooting off at the range.

I got mine intending it to be a companion piece to a carbine, but neither of the two commercial carbines I bought impressed me, so I gave up on them and the Blackhawk.
Denis

 

[trapperon]

If you love the Blackhawk platform you must have one at least once in your life. If nothing else, I would give it a "10" for the fun factor! Like others have mentioned--huge fireball, loud obnoxious cracking report and sporadic case sticking. but a genuine blast to shoot--especially with surplus military ball ammo. The other unique thing about that 30 Blackhawk is the sweet looking barrel taper.

You will either love it or hate it--but you gotta try it!! (I'm keeping mine!)

Ron

 

[22/45 Fan]

The fireballs, super loud report and sticking cases are what you have to put up with if you use commercial ammo. If you reload, you can make everything from .32 Short equivalent to full power carbine loads.

 

[veeman]

I took mine out today, was shooting both 32-20 and 30 carbine brass. 115 gr. cast fn bullets with trail boss made for very pleasant shooting.

 

[Northwet Chooter]

I enjoy my 1971 vintage 30carbine blackhawk and am happy to read I'm not the only one who has issues with the cases sticking. It seems to be ammo dependent though. Fun to shoot and pretty darn accurate. I don't find it as loud as most people say but it definitely has a crack to it. Flame thrower at night too. Give it a whirl, you never know unless you try.

 

[TPAshooter7.62]

I took mine out today, was shooting both 32-20 and 30 carbine brass. 115 gr. cast fn bullets with trail boss made for very pleasant shooting.

Wait a minute: 32-20? Custom made cylinder? I'm impressed! TPA

 

[mcb66]

I like mine. 1968 model. Certain loads cause the cases to stick more than others. Very accurate, I have killed two coyotes at 125 yards with it. The concussion from the blast when firing is unlike anything else I shot.