Just acquired a Blackhawk, 3screw, unmodified, unfired, .30 Carbine. What are some pet loads? Lead bullet loads? Thinking a case full of Trail Boss and a 110gr powder coated bullet would be a fun rabbit, squirrel, plinker load.
I load 10.5 grains of 2400 with a 150 gas checked cast bullet that's more accurate than I am! Fun to shoot with surplus ammo also! Very loud with a very impressive muzzle blast!
I had one, dated from 1967. I sold it after having it for many years. I didn't shoot it too often. The casings always stuck to the cylinders. A smith told me to try different loads and still had trouble with it. After a while I just didn't have a good time with it and sold it. Its potential power is just under a .357 I think any .357 or .45 is better.
I agree. The .357 or .45C will a better job. Ss will the .41 or .44. I have all 4. My main interest in the .30 is for a light, easy shooting, lead bullet load. A 85 gr bullet at 750 fps would be a fun rabbit/ varmint load and to teach the grandkids. Full power loads will be only used as coyote or hog medicine.
Try using trail boss as a plinking load. You just fill the case to the base of a seated bullet. It's an interesting powder and the recipe is always the same. You can reduce the loads further, but the basic recipe is always accurate for me.
Many moons ago I bought a Ruger Blackhawk in .30 Carbine caliber. I had a ton of .30 Carbine ammunition and wanted something other than a rifle to shoot it up with. I had one issue with the cylinder, but Ruger fixed it very quickly. When they reamed the cylinder throats they do three cylinders at a time and then rotate and do the other three. Well, somebody must have went to lunch before he/she did the other three because that cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case in the cylinder and every other throat was tight and would shave bullet jacket material off the bullets in those three throats. Then, those three chambers would not allow new rounds to go fully into the cylinder due to half-circle rings of bullet jacket material build up at the end of the chamber. Once they reamed the throats properly, that Ruger was one of the best I've ever owned. While sitting on our deck having a cold one, I had that revolver on the table next to me. A rooster pheasant popped his head up above the weeds out back around 30 yards off. I got really lucky and shot his head right off. Had to laugh over that one. I had a cast bullet mould for .32-20 bullets that every one told me could not be sized down to .308 diameter from "as cast size". Well, not one to listen, I tried it anyway, and those .309 diameter bullets were some of the best and most accurate bullets I ever shot out of that revolver.
I use .32-20 bullets in .762 x 39. I have an old Russian single shot that does well with the 115 gr sized at .312. I use the same bullet in .32 mag and .327 mag. If you size them properly, there is no reason to get hung up on the default label on the mold.
