Author Topic: .30 Carbine (Read 1569 times)

Lawdog · « **on:** February 14, 2004, 12:23:25 PM »

How many of you have one and what do you use it for? What is your favorite load? Lawdog

Mikey · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2004, 04:50:59 AM »

LawDog - got one for my sister - she uses it for an overall door opener and farm/ranch management with ball ammo. Mikey.

Larry Gibson · « **Reply #2 on:** February 17, 2004, 06:21:36 AM »

Lawdog

"How many of you have one and what do you use it for? What is your favorite load?"

Shot an M1 Carbine first in the early '60s as it was a DCM my uncle had, fell in love with it at first shot. Used one in the southeast Asian war games, never had the "stopping" problems associated with it others have reported (mostly BS barracks rumors from Marines;-). Have always had one or more since then (have 3 now). I used it for deer hunting in western Oregon when I first got off active duty in the late '60s. It was leagal for deer then. I was loading with a Lee loader and used the Speer or Sierra 110 gr SPs for the first two of 7 deer i killed with a carbine. I then discovered the 100 gr Hornady HJs over 15.5 gr of H110 (1950 fps) and used it for the last 5 deer. All required only one shot with all but one under 100 yards, the farthest was 160 or so yards or paces (have it written down somewhere).

I have continued to use the Hornady HJs for coyote calling and have found it is a very effective rifle/cartridge up close in sage brush when calling. Hard to beat the little M1 with that load for jumping jackrabbits also. I have also shot thousands upon thousands of cast bullets through M1s. I never had the accuracy with 311410 that some report but 311359, 311441 and 311576 all gave me excellent accuracy. The FP 311441 was the best killer untill I picked up a 313631 mould intended foor the .32 H&R. It casts a 105 gr SWC GC bullet of WWs that I size to .311 and load over H110. Velocity is 1900 fps. I have put a 15 round mag of ammo into 2.5 MOA (with my best M1) on quite a few occasions. It is deadly on rabbits and has accounted for a couple coyotes and a badger I ran into incidental to rabbit shooting. I have not had a failure to kill with it.

I also favor carrying the M1 carbine for defensive purposes when traveling and even as a home defense rifle (prefer the shotgun in urbania). I carry the same load of Hornady HJs for serious social purposes. It is much less obtrusive to most folks than a black rifle and is entirely sufficient to get me out of something I should not have gotten into, the purpose there being to "break contact" not stand and fight.

Larry Gibson

Lawdog · « **Reply #3 on:** February 17, 2004, 01:32:04 PM »

I should have stated the reason why I was asking. I went to an estate sale and bulk bought all the reloading equipment and supplies that the old fellow had. This included 2 RCBS Rockchucker presses, a Mac press for shotgun, all the dies, etc. but included was over 1,000 cases for the M1 Carbine and an RCBS die set that looks unused. I just wonder if it's worth building a rifle. I haven't seen a M1 Carbine for sale for years and only fired one many years ago. Lawdog

Larry Gibson · « **Reply #4 on:** February 18, 2004, 07:46:17 AM »

"Lawdog

"I just wonder if it's worth building a rifle. I haven't seen a M1 Carbine for sale for years and only fired one many years ago. Lawdog

[/quote]

Sounds like you got a pretty good deal there. Whether it's "worth" it or not depends on what "worth" is to you. Seems everybody thinks any military rifle is a "collectors" item these days. The prices of good M1 Carbines (most all military rifles too) reflect that attitude. If you look around you can find a decent complete M1 for a "reasonable" price and then rebuild it. Gunshows are generally not the place to look as most dealers there are looking for the guy who wants the "collector" piece and will pay more $$s than they are worth. Private purchases are usually the best deals.

A word of warning; since you haven't shot one in quite a while, unless you are willing to spend $s, don't shoot one. They are just too much like fun! Don't say I didn't tell you....

Larry Gibson

Kragman71 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 19, 2004, 02:31:10 PM »

Larry,
I still have that batch of your favorite loads,that you recommended for my upcoming Whitetail hunt. What happened is that when I fired 5 rounds after sighting in,at sustained fire,I discovered a broken screw in the scope mount.It stayed in the rack for the Season.
All is right now.I waiting for some decent weather.
Yesterday,I cast a batch of lead bullets,with a length of .660(same as the Rem 110 grainers).They weigh 120 grains,and I will be paper patching them tomorrow.
Maybe I'll be using them next Fall.
Frank

Doc T · « **Reply #6 on:** February 24, 2004, 10:31:06 AM »

It also makes a good pistol round. I just bought a 10" contender barrel that is a joy to shoot. It has mild recoil and shoots flat. I shot a sub 3" group at 100 yards with the factory open sights. Ruger still offers their Blackhawk in 30 carbine. A word of caution though, it is quite noisy. It recoils like target 38s but sounds like a cannon going off. The Contender is my choice. (I also have a military carbine that I like very much.)

gewehrfreund · « **Reply #7 on:** February 25, 2004, 03:36:05 AM »

A Contender carbine barrel is the way I'd go. Great for varminting/plinking/target? and hot laods should not an issue in the Contender. I have a Custom Shop barrel in 32(30)-20 and it also is a great little cartridge in the Contender.

Flash · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2004, 12:28:47 PM »

I had a WWII carbine made by Westinghouse and although it was fun, it hadn't the sights to make it something I'd chose again. I just wanted to shoot and own one so I got one. My real love affair with the 30 carbine comes with my Blackhawk. Yea, the muzzle blast is deafening but is one of the best small handgun rounds I've ever shot.

jgalar · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2004, 12:50:39 PM »

This year auto ordnance is making a new m1 carbine.

http://www.auto-ordnance.com/ao_aom110_f.html