What uses for the .30 carbine Blackhawk

[9ballbilly]

This gun has interested me on and off for a long time. I'm still on the fence about buying one, mostly because I don't have a clear cut idea of what I'd use it for.

So let me ask those of you who own one, what purpose did you have in mind when you bought it and did it fill that role well?

 

[Sharkbite]

I dont see it doing anything a 357mag BH wont do. Add in a 9mm cylinder and it becomes a fun gun

 

[Ricklin]

If you like noise and a big fireball out the muzzle..........you have found your revolver.

 

[Model12Win]

It's a great squirrel or rabbit gun. Would be excellent for varmint hunting as well, and small predator hunting out to 150 yards.

 

[smee78]

Makes a great plinker with little recoil, it does have alot of noise but little kick. I also agree with varmint hunting as well and small predator hunting out to 150 yards. I have many guns that have no "real" purpose but they are a fun addition to my collection. I cant recall the last time I saw a 30 Carb Blackhawk for sale locally, I love mine.

 

[TMD]

I had one years ago and they were actually pretty popular at one time until all the surplus ammo dried up. Then I started reloading for it and must say it almost became more trouble than it was worth. The .30 carbine case is tapered. Too long and it would bind the cylinder, too short and misfires. Said the heck with it a few years ago and sold it.

 

[walks with gun]

You can use it to wake up the household, neighbors, people on the other side of the earth. It's a fine gun for pests like skunks, beaver, coyotes but a .357 is more practical.

 

[44 AMP]

Data I have says ~1400fps with a .30 caliber 110gr bullet from a 7.5" Blackhawk. (max loads)

Now, what can you do with that???

Quite a bit, but not as much as you can with some other rounds, like the .357Mag.

The .30 Carbine from a handgun is awesomely loud, with a fine bright flash (usually) because its loaded as carbine ammo.

Its a fine companion piece if you have a .30 Carbine. Handloading will allow you to get the most from both of them.

As a primary use round in a handgun, there are more practical choices. As a bit of recreation, its quite fun, and with the right bullet, within usable range is good for a lot of things, including shooting something few other people have, which is a fun thing, too!

 

[kcub]

Mine is more accurate than all my other blackhawks. I would venture a 75 yard shot at a deer with it. I know a guy who killed an eight point buck with one.

 

[Nodak1858]

Iove mine, my boys love it too. I bought one because my dad had an old 3 screw that he had to sell for down payment on a car. He always said how much he missed it. I like to have the less common guns, that's what drew me to getting C&R and getting what I have. The recoil is low, and it shoots flat. I have had zero issues with stuck cases, even when I've loaded it heavy. Reloading for it isn't any worse than any other straight walled pistol rounds. Mainly I use it to poke holes in paper or milk jugs. I picked up a no drill scope mount and topped it with a scope, varmints beware now.
I look at it as it doesn't NEED a use if you want it. Plus it's just a fun pistol to shoot.

 

[kcub]

Ammo is easier to find than 327 or 32-20.

 

[mhblaw]

As I reload for pretty much every revolver caliber from 25 to 45, I got an OM 30 Carbine just because. Actually is a fun shooter and with the right powder does not have much muzzle flash and can be as accurate as any hand held firearm.

 

[TMD]

As I reload for pretty much every revolver caliber from 25 to 45, I got an OM 30 Carbine just because. Actually is a fun shooter and with the right powder does not have much muzzle flash and can be as accurate as any hand held firearm.

Before I sold mine I used between 5.8-6.0 grains of Unique with 110 grain bullets. Made for a super accurate load with very little muzzle blast compared to H110

 

[Sevens]

I have had zero issues with stuck cases, even when I've loaded it heavy. Reloading for it isn't any worse than any other straight walled pistol rounds.

Respectfully, my experience has been no less than 180 degrees from the quoted text and I can't honestly say I've ever heard of anyone who would say that about handloading for a .30 Carbine Blackhawk.

I've had mine since early 2010 if I remember correctly. Stuck cases from factory ammo ended it's first range trip and that's happened more than once. And in my almost 30yrs at the load bench and building ammo for in excess of 250 different firearms, I have NEVER loaded for any gun that was more persnickety and obnoxious at having the perfect case trim length. Just as a poster said above: too long and the cylinder gets dead-locked and too short and they absolutely have no hope of ever firing.

With that said... yes! I still do enjoy this revolver. I certainly don't shoot it a lot, I am away from my log but I wanna say I've sent around 1,600 rds through it. It's quite flat-shooting for a handgun and plinking 100-200 yard steel gongs is really a lot of fun.

Handloading for it? Without a doubt and no contest -- it is absolutely the most labor-intensive handgun I load for, and I do over a dozen different chamberings in handguns.

 

[dahermit]

Handloading for it? Without a doubt and no contest -- it is absolutely the most labor-intensive handgun I load for, and I do over a dozen different chamberings in handguns.

Why, pray tell? I handload for my .30 M1 Carbine and do not see any problems except having to be careful to get the casing aligned (very easy to crush a case), with the sizing die on my Dillon 550b before committing to a full stroke on the handle.

 

[Sevens]

A Blackhawk gives you no clue that your case is a cat whisker too long UNTIL that offending round is twirled around to jam up the cylinder against the revolver's recoil shield. Case length is CRITICAL and these cases stretch in this revolver. In a Blackhawk, you can chamber one of these, advance the cylinder with no problem UNTIL it clicks... at that point you cannot spin backwards -- only advancing further. Only then will the revolver let you know if your brass is a bit too long. If it's a touch more than a smidge, the cylinder will lock up like a bank vault and only pulling the cylinder pin frees the mess.

Having to trim the brass is absolutely enough to make it -the- most labor intensive handgun cartridge I load... and this doesn't even address the extreme effort in the press handle required to fully size the very strong and ver tapered .30 Carbine brass. That effort and case lube -AND- trimming? Slam dunk. Far, far more labor than any handgun chambering that I load, even more than .357-44 B&D which actually ends up somewhat similar in how a revolver handles them.

 

[TMD]

Why, pray tell? I handload for my .30 M1 Carbine and do not see any problems except having to be careful to get the casing aligned (very easy to crush a case), with the sizing die on my Dillon 550b before committing to a full stroke on the handle.

With a M1 the case is grabbed and held by an extractor. As long as its holding the case the firing pin will not have a problem striking the primer. In a Blackhawk its a complete different story. The .30 carbine is a tapered case and the chambers of the Blackhawks cylinder is cut to match. Here in lies the problem. If the brass is a few thousands too short the round will sit too deep in the cylinder and the firing pin will not reach the primer. A few thousands too long which is usually the problem with once fired brass and the cylinder will bind up.

 

[Webleymkv]

I suppose if the person next to you at the range is irritating, a .30 Carbine Blackhawk might be an entertaining way to make them leave

 

[samsmix]

...Good for small game.

Aye, but so is the .38 Special with FMJ & LRN ammo. I've done more damage to a bunny with a .22 hollowpoint.

I would venture a 75 yard shot on a deer.

Maybe so, but a .357 would be as good or better.

.38 & .357 offer a plethora of loadings from bird shot and small game bullets, to cheap plinkers, to serious deer hunting loads, and some great defensive ammo for everything from rattlesnakes to human predators, to black bear.

By comparison, the .30 Carbine offers... a fireball and some muzzle blast, and over priced ammo.

I'll stick with the .357, YMMV.

 

[Sig_Lover]

I originally got mine as a bug our weapon m1 car and black hawk one caliber small and light. Still love it and the.price just keeps going up at the time both were around 125 each. Guess I am dating myself