30 Super Carry

[NHT3]

Shot one today and recoil seems about the same as a 9mm? Now I'm certain it's an answer to an unasked question.

 

[Basher]

Shot one today and recoil seems about the same as a 9mm? Now I'm certain it's an answer to an unasked question.

I don’t know about that, in some ways. I’m more of a Glock guy than a Sig guy (at least with regard to Sig’s striker platforms). If Glock came out with a G48 chambered in .30SC with a factory capacity of 14 rounds rather than ten (I realize they’d have to work on the mag somewhat), I’d seriously consider buying one. I don’t feel undergunned with my G48 in 9mm, but similar performance at a nearly 40% increase in capacity without having to dick with Shield’s finicky mags sounds like a win to me as long as pricing is reasonable.

Speaking of which, @Brian's Surplus can you tell us how much a box of FMJ and HST are here, or is that a no-no?

 

[Brian's Surplus]

Speaking of which, @Brian's Surplus can you tell us how much a box of FMJ and HST are here, or is that a no-no?

CCI Blazer, box of 50, $25.24 plus tax
Federal American Eagle, box of 50, $26.17 plus tax
Federal HST, JHP, box of 20, $28.04 plus tax
Hornady Critical Defense, box of 20, FTX HP, $29.91 plus tax

 

[ECS686]

I don’t know about that, in some ways. I’m more of a Glock guy than a Sig guy (at least with regard to Sig’s striker platforms). If Glock came out with a G48 chambered in .30SC with a factory capacity of 14 rounds rather than ten (I realize they’d have to work on the mag somewhat), I’d seriously consider buying one. I don’t feel undergunned with my G48 in 9mm, but similar performance at a nearly 40% increase in capacity without having to dick with Shield’s finicky mags sounds like a win to me as long as pricing is reasonable.

Speaking of which, @Brian's Surplus can you tell us how much a box of FMJ and HST are here, or is that a no-no?

Generally 30 SC is around what 45 acp costs JHP to JHP and FMJ to FMJ

 

[Basher]

Thanks, gentlemen!

So yeah, more than 9mm by a measurable amount, but not horribly so. We’re on a tight budget for awhile, but once we’re in a better spot, I may have to take another look at it, I really do hope it catches on!

 

[DadSmith]

I like my full size pistols. When they come out with a full size 20+ rd magazine with a 4-5" barrel I'll be interested in them.

 

[ECS686]

I like my full size pistols. When they come out with a full size 20+ rd magazine with a 4-5" barrel I'll be interested in them.

At the rate PCC’s popularity is going it wouldn’t surprise me if Ruger didn’t come out with a Security 30 and a PC30 to match.

Anyone remember when they came out with the Blackhawk in 30 carbine to go with all the M1 Carbines around back in the 70’s and 80’s?

 

[bwframe]

Hey Federal! I MIGHT take a look at this silly new cartridge when you get your primers down to just double their cost a few years back!


.

 

[Brian's Surplus]

At the rate PCC’s popularity is going it wouldn’t surprise me if Ruger didn’t come out with a Security 30 and a PC30 to match.

Anyone remember when they came out with the Blackhawk in 30 carbine to go with all the M1 Carbines around back in the 70’s and 80’s?

I'd like to see an MP5 in 30 SC

 

[cosermann]

30 SC looks like a fine cartridge. However, for me, it doesn’t provide advantages compelling enough to invest in another weapon system, and all the logistics to support it.

It’s that simple.

 

[BigMoose]

 

[kaveman]

The only advantage the new caliber has is increased mag capacity over 9mm in a micro pistol. Don't see any worthwhile advantage in even a full size pistol, let alone in a low capacity carbine the size of a 1970's Buick.

Just ordered my 'backup' Shield 30SC, 16+1, night sights and optics cut, for $388 delivered to my dealer. I don't understand how they can sell them for that. I also found a USED Shield Plus in 9mm for only a hundred dollars more but it comes with six mags total, so it's on the way as well. I'll set them all up alike and use the 9mm for most shooting, especially reloads. I'm far less disturbed when losing 9mm brass in the weeds than I'm gonna be losing that 30SC brass.

I'm selling off my M1.0 Shield 9s for almost as much as the new Shields are costing me and I get better triggers and grip stippling along with night sights and all the other OR Plus features. No brainer there.

 

[bgcatty]

Sorry, but I just can’t get the “point” of this “new” caliber! Especially when manufacturers should be using all their resources to meet demand for such tried and true calibers and let’s not forget primers! LOL!

 

[Squid556]

Little bit of necro post goin on. Don't mind me.

As of Feb 2024 I'm seeing 69 listings on gunbroker for 30 SC handguns

Lipseys wholesale is showing 3 different 30 SC firearms. So no improvement there from the last year

Ammoseek firearms brings up 67 listings

Ammoseek 30 SC ammo brings up hundreds of results.

Looks like they are doing okay with cost and availability of ammo. Its concerning the lack of additional firearms chambered for it. I'm willing to speculate this will be a dud.

If they fit it into more pocket guns like LCP sized maybe it would stand out more, but I'm guessing this high pressure round can't fit into a light pistol class like pocket 380s, despite federal comparing it to 380 in their advertisment. So it really only fits in 9mm sized guns.


So I'm going to do some kel tec thinking here and say the only way 30 SC can stand out against its only competition is if they use its small diameter to an advantage by developing a triple stack magazine that should be nearly the same size as a double stack 9mm and no larger than double stack 45.

Boom 25 rounds in a flush fit magazine on a glock 19 sized firearm.

Ill go take my meds now to calm the internal voices.

 

[kaveman]

I'll definitely have to agree that the caliber is not exactly taking off. It may in fact be dying but that doesn't bother me in the least. I still like it. In fact, I've liked it six times now as S&W has been continually slashing prices on them. The last two I grabbed were at $299 with a $50 rebate bringing them down to $249. Looking at my notes and adding shipping, taxes and my dealer charges, the six guns cost me,......

1st, $514
2nd, $408
3rd, $410
4th, $342
5th, $290
6th, $290

I've since gotten rid of all my older Shields. I had six 9s and a pair of .45s. Only ever shot one of the .45s after sending it out to have the slide milled for a dot. The 9s I never fired. I got $325-350 for each of the 9s and $400 for the unfired .45. Got $750 for the .45 with the Holosun on it. I really needed to put dots on all of them if I wanted to shoot them and the cost of milling didn't make any sense once I started looking into OR models and the newer models have mech better triggers and grip texturing so that kind of made up my mind for me. I never liked the grip on the 1.0 9mms. Liked the .45s though but that grip is almost identical to the Shield Plus grip. So basically I upgraded my old Shields to Shield Pluses in 30SC at no real cost.

Another thing I found,....the frame of the 30SC is identical to that of the 9mm and slides interchange between all the generations of Shields. That means a simple slide/barrel/magazine swap is all it takes to switch over from 30SC to 9mm. Not too worried about the caliber disappearing any time soon but if it does I can make them 9mms easy enough. Did some shopping and ended up with six complete 9mm parts sets from dismantled guns. I think I have from $110-120 each in the conversions and have a ton of spare parts. None of them are optics cut but at least ammo supply is a non-issue.

I'm pretty sure the rebate program has expired but if you can dig up a Shield Plus in 30SC for cheap and throw in a 9mm slide assembly you can have a two caliber gun for the same or less than just a 9mm Shield Plus.

*edit* Yep, just checked. The rebate has expired but I can still pick up the OR 30SC on grabagun for $299 or the iron sighted 9mm for $399. The equivalent 9mm with optics cut and night sights is $449 so yeah, you can still get the dual caliber set cheaper than the 9mm alone. I don't understand why anyone wouldn't.

What I'm hoping for is a S&W Equalizer in 30SC that takes the same Shield Plus magazines. Been asking about it for a yr but haven't heard any word on Smith producing it. Don't know why they wouldn't.

 

[kaveman]

I don't think there's any such thing as a triple-stack mag. I've got several KelTec CP33s/PMR30s and a CMR30 and all are quad stacks(basically two side-by-side double-stacks feeding into one). A side-by-side quad stack of 30SC is gonna be awfully wide, although without the rim of the .22s it would be fairly simple to build.

 

[ECS686]

The round is fine the issue I believe from shooting is the fact the high chamber pressure makes it extremely load. Like magnum loud minus tha blast. So most women will shoot it once and probably say enough.
And most men can handle 9mm so it really doesn’t gain much.

Unless one has other 32 caliber things they reload for. You can run the 30 SC in some 32 revolvers

 

[DadSmith]

I wouldn't mind 30 SC if they had a full size grip with 20+ rd magazine.
However, it has to get down to 9mm cost per rd if it wants to compete with 9mm.
It was IMO dumb to bring this out when there is was an ammo shortage.

Maybe it will be a sleeper like the 10mm. Maybe in 20 years it will come to life.

 

[kaveman]

When I put dots on the first three 30s and the 9mm I took them all to the indoor range to sight in. Firing side by side, one after the other I could tell no difference in the blast. Of course I had my ears on, but still couldn't tell a difference. The difference in recoil was slight but noticeable. The 30SC recoiled 'differently',.......maybe 'quicker'? I want to say snappy but not in a bad way. It came back onto target noticeably quicker. Enough so that I really liked the way they shot.

 

[ECS686]

Dick Fairburn has a pretty decent take on the 30 SC In his latest video