Lindcott Armory Rifle · SAAMI
.30 Carbine
WWII's lightweight carbine cartridge.
- Caliber
- 0.3079″ · 7.82 mm
- Introduced
- 1941
- Case
- Rimless
- Parent
- .32 Winchester Self-Loading
- Primary use
- Military, Self-Defense
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1941
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Winchester
- Manufacturer
- U.S. Military / Winchester
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Common
- Case capacity
- 14.7 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:20
- Primer
- Small Rifle
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 40,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 300 yd
- Max range
- 500 yd
- Recoil
- 4–6 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
Real trajectory computed from a representative load — Hornady Custom 110 gr, 1,990 fps, BC 0.200 G1 · 100 yd zero.
| Range | Velocity | Energy | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 yd | 1989 | 966 | -1.5″ | — |
| 100 yd | 1776 | 770 | 0.0″ | 0.0 |
| 200 yd | 1570 | 602 | -9.6″ | -4.6 |
| 300 yd | 1368 | 457 | -33.4″ | -10.6 |
| 400 yd | 1172 | 335 | -76.0″ | -18.1 |
Point-mass G7/G1 drag model, standard atmosphere — within ~2% of reference solvers to 1000 yd; real barrels and conditions vary. Open in Ballistic Compare →
Performance
Buy links open .30 Carbine ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
SAAMI · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 7.82 | 0.308 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 8.53 | 0.336 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 9.06 | 0.357 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 9.14 | 0.360 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.27 | 0.050 | ✓ |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 32.77 | 1.290 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 42.67 | 1.680 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .30 Carbine is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 64 active loads across 38 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 68 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady | Custom | 110 | FMJ | 1,990 | 967 | 0.200 G1 |
| Buffalo Bore | JSP 110gr | 110 | JSP | 2,100 | 1,077 | — |
| Underwood Ammo | Xtreme Penetrator | 90 | XP | 2,100 | 881 | — |
| DoubleTap | DT Defense | 100 | JHP | 2,100 | 979 | — |
| Cor-Bon | JHP 100gr | 100 | JHP | 2,100 | 979 | — |
| Wolf | Military Classic | 110 | FMJ | 2,001 | 978 | — |
| Buffalo Bore | JHP | 110 | JHP | 2,000 | 977 | — |
| Buffalo Bore | Hard Cast | 115 | HC-FN | 2,000 | 1,021 | — |
| Buffalo Bore | Heavy | 110 | JHP | 2,000 | 977 | — |
| DoubleTap | JHP | 110 | JHP | 2,000 | 977 | — |
| Remington | Core-Lokt | 110 | SP | 1,990 | 967 | — |
| Remington | UMC | 110 | FMJ | 1,990 | 967 | — |
| TulAmmo | Steel Case FMJ | 110 | FMJ | 1,990 | 967 | — |
| Remington | HTP | 110 | SP | 1,990 | 967 | — |
| Lahti Defense | HP | 110 | HP | 1,990 | 967 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Suitable powders
6 reloading powders listed for .30 Carbine, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in .30 Carbine
12 models in the database chamber .30 Carbine. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Developed for the M1 Carbine in 1941 as a lighter alternative to the M1 Garand for support troops. Produced in enormous quantities during WWII. Remained in service through Vietnam.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .30 Carbine use?
- .30 Carbine typically uses a 1:20 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .30 Carbine?
- .30 Carbine uses a 0.3079″ (7.82 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .30 Carbine still in production?
- .30 Carbine is active; typical availability is common.
- What is .30 Carbine used for?
- .30 Carbine is primarily used for military, self-defense.
- What is .30 Carbine based on?
- .30 Carbine is derived from the .32 Winchester Self-Loading case.
- What are the best powders for .30 Carbine?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .30 Carbine include Universal, Herco, HS-6, Blue Dot, among 6 suitable options.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 64 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →