.30 Carbine Case & Ammunition Gauge - For Checking Your Reloads & Ammo

jski · February 25, 2018, 04:08 AM

Found this on another forum. Thought you guys might be interested:

.30 Carbine Case & Ammunition Gauge - For Checking Your Reloads & Ammo

{Copyrighted content removed. Please see the board policy on posting copyrighted material. Besides, the link tells the tale.}

jski · February 25, 2018, 04:12 AM

Sounds ideal for my Blackhawk.

USSR · February 25, 2018, 06:45 PM

Thanks jski, just ordered it. Guys have been asking L.E. Wilson for decades to make their case gauge in .30 Carbine, but they refused. Oh well, their loss.

Don

Sevens · February 25, 2018, 08:13 PM

If you load for a .30 Carbine Blackhawk, you need a case gauge. What's really cool is that every .30 Carbine Blackhawk comes with a SIX-case checkin' case gauge!

I use my cylinder.

jski · February 26, 2018, 01:57 AM

Sevens,

Sounds pithy but the case head and the rear face of the cylinder are never flush. So you're left speculating about the gap between the two. Is it too large, too small, or just right?

Sevens · February 26, 2018, 10:50 AM

No, I understand what you're saying but when I use my cylinder as a gauge, I know it isn't perfect -- I'm looking for "good enough for my Blackhawk" and with a lot of experience in loading for this particularly testy revolver, this works for me.

A case gauge would be better, I'll agree. But I've gotten this far using my cylinder.

T. O'Heir · February 26, 2018, 01:51 PM

"...I use my cylinder..." Best gauge there is.
Been loading .30 Carbine for 40 years or so with no gauges other than a vernier calipre. No fuss. No bother. Most of these gauges do nothing but separate you from your money.
And .30 Carbine handgun data is the same as long gun data.

Sevens · February 26, 2018, 02:08 PM

If you actually own and shoot and handload to successfully feed a .30 Carbine chambered Ruger Blackhawk revolver, you already know and understand that .30 Carbine ammo for US GI M1 Carbine rifles and clones and the Blackhawk revolver are simply -NOT- "the same." If you go in to the operation with that (nonsensical) idea and lack of a plan you will learn or you will fail. And in some cases, you'll spread (more) unhelpful opinions in a forum where most folks helps and assist while others simply make noise.

jski · February 27, 2018, 02:52 AM

Sevens,

I agree completely. Often, for a particular powder, there's no data available for a pistol .30 Carbine cartridge, e.g., True Blue (one of my favorites). So my habit is to look at the recommendations for that powder for a .357 Mag. Then I back off by a small percentage, usually ~10%.

But with the tank that Blackhawks are, especially the .30 Carbine Blackhawk, there's lots of wiggle room. I'll also play a lot with bullet weights, going as high as 150 gr. (didn't work out too well).

For my M1 Carbines, I usually go with ~15 gr. of H110 and a 115 gr. Linotype bullet. I've actually found the 115 gr. Linotype bullets to be the most accurate in all 3 of my M1 Carbines.

USSR · February 27, 2018, 07:02 AM

I've got a custom Lee mould that was a group buy years ago on castboolits.com. Cast of linotype, they weigh about 105 grains. I use 2400 and 4227 for loads in my M1 Carbine.

Don

February 25, 2018, 04:08 AM	#1
jski Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2016 Posts: 374	.30 Carbine Case & Ammunition Gauge - For Checking Your Reloads & Ammo Found this on another forum. Thought you guys might be interested: .30 Carbine Case & Ammunition Gauge - For Checking Your Reloads & Ammo {Copyrighted content removed. Please see the board policy on posting copyrighted material. Besides, the link tells the tale.}

February 25, 2018, 06:45 PM	#3
USSR Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2017 Location: Finger Lakes Region of NY Posts: 1,442	Thanks jski, just ordered it. Guys have been asking L.E. Wilson for decades to make their case gauge in .30 Carbine, but they refused. Oh well, their loss. Don __________________ NRA Life Member NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor

February 25, 2018, 08:13 PM	#4
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	If you load for a .30 Carbine Blackhawk, you need a case gauge. What's really cool is that every .30 Carbine Blackhawk comes with a SIX-case checkin' case gauge! I use my cylinder. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

February 26, 2018, 10:50 AM	#6
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	No, I understand what you're saying but when I use my cylinder as a gauge, I know it isn't perfect -- I'm looking for "good enough for my Blackhawk" and with a lot of experience in loading for this particularly testy revolver, this works for me. A case gauge would be better, I'll agree. But I've gotten this far using my cylinder. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

February 26, 2018, 01:51 PM	#7
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	"...I use my cylinder..." Best gauge there is. Been loading .30 Carbine for 40 years or so with no gauges other than a vernier calipre. No fuss. No bother. Most of these gauges do nothing but separate you from your money. And .30 Carbine handgun data is the same as long gun data. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

February 25, 2018, 04:12 AM	#2
jski Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2016 Posts: 374	Sounds ideal for my Blackhawk.

February 26, 2018, 01:57 AM	#5
jski Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2016 Posts: 374	Sevens, Sounds pithy but the case head and the rear face of the cylinder are never flush. So you're left speculating about the gap between the two. Is it too large, too small, or just right?

February 26, 2018, 02:08 PM	#8
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	If you actually own and shoot and handload to successfully feed a .30 Carbine chambered Ruger Blackhawk revolver, you already know and understand that .30 Carbine ammo for US GI M1 Carbine rifles and clones and the Blackhawk revolver are simply -NOT- "the same." If you go in to the operation with that (nonsensical) idea and lack of a plan you will learn or you will fail. And in some cases, you'll spread (more) unhelpful opinions in a forum where most folks helps and assist while others simply make noise. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

February 27, 2018, 02:52 AM	#9
jski Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2016 Posts: 374	Sevens, I agree completely. Often, for a particular powder, there's no data available for a pistol .30 Carbine cartridge, e.g., True Blue (one of my favorites). So my habit is to look at the recommendations for that powder for a .357 Mag. Then I back off by a small percentage, usually ~10%. But with the tank that Blackhawks are, especially the .30 Carbine Blackhawk, there's lots of wiggle room. I'll also play a lot with bullet weights, going as high as 150 gr. (didn't work out too well). For my M1 Carbines, I usually go with ~15 gr. of H110 and a 115 gr. Linotype bullet. I've actually found the 115 gr. Linotype bullets to be the most accurate in all 3 of my M1 Carbines.

February 27, 2018, 07:02 AM	#10
USSR Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 2017 Location: Finger Lakes Region of NY Posts: 1,442	I've got a custom Lee mould that was a group buy years ago on castboolits.com. Cast of linotype, they weigh about 105 grains. I use 2400 and 4227 for loads in my M1 Carbine. Don __________________ NRA Life Member NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor