Skip to content
Lindcott Armory

Rifle · SAAMI

7-30 Waters

Also known as 7/30 Waters

The 7-30 Waters is a wildcat cartridge developed by Ken Waters in 1984 by necking the .30-30 Winchester case down to 7mm (.284").

Caliber
0.284″ · 7.214 mm
Introduced
1984
Case
Rimmed
Parent
.30-30 Winchester
Primary use
hunting_medium_game, hunting_small_game
Status
Discontinued

Buy this cartridge

Buy at Rivertown

Buying from Rivertown

Partner link
VelocityBeing verified
EnergyBeing verified
Typical grains110 · 120 gr
Identity
Introduced
1984
Type
Rifle
Origin
United States
Inventor
Ken Waters
Manufacturer
Federal, Winchester
Standard
SAAMI
Status
Discontinued
Availability
Rare
Build
Case capacity
45 gr H₂O
Twist (typical)
1:10
Primer
Large Rifle
Case type
Rimmed
Pressure & range
Max pressure
45,000 psi
Eff. range
250 yd
Recoil
12–16 ft·lb

Ballistics

Published velocity/energy data isn't available for 7-30 Waters — an obsolete/collector cartridge. Parent case: .30-30 Winchester.

Performance

Best for Withheld until verified
Best for Withheld until verified
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds

Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.

CIP TDCC · verified
Measuremmin✓
Bullet ⌀ 7.210.284 ✓
Neck ⌀ 7.780.306 ✓
Shoulder ⌀ 10.140.399 ✓
Shoulder angle 17.2°— ✓
Base ⌀ 10.710.422 ✓
Rim ⌀ 12.850.506 ✓
Belt ⌀ n/a
Rim thickness 1.470.058 ~
Neck length 7.800.307 ≈
Case length 51.822.040 ✓
Overall length 64.772.550 ~

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. 7-30 Waters is highlighted below.

Factory loads

Verification

Being verified

Advertised FPS, energy, and BC are withheld until loads clear verification.

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 7-30 Waters

10 models in the database chamber 7-30 Waters. Browse all →

Thompson/Center Contender G2 7-30 Waters 14-inchThompson/Center Contender G2 22 LR 12-inchThompson/Center Contender G2 30-30 Win 12-inchThompson/Center Contender G2 6.8 SPC 14-inchThompson/Center Contender G2 30-30 Win 14-inchThompson/Center Thompson/Center Contender .44 Mag 10-inchThompson/Center Contender Carbine .223 RemThompson/Center Contender G1 30-30 Win 10-inchThompson/Center Contender G1 6.8 SPC 14-inchThompson/Center Contender G1 7-30 Waters 14-inch

Lineage

Immediate parent
.30-30 Winchester
Family TreeOpen 7-30 Waters in the interactive cartridge family tree

Connected reference

FirearmsFirearms in 7-30 Waters

History

Ken Waters was a gun writer and handloader who developed the cartridge for the Thompson/Center Contender platform, which allows pointed bullets since there is no tubular magazine. The Contender pistol in 7-30 Waters became a popular deer hunting handgun in the 1980s and 1990s. SAAMI standardization enabled factory ammunition from Federal and Winchester. Production ceased as the Contenders market declined and the 7mm-08 Remington offered similar performance in more rifles.

FAQs

What twist rate does 7-30 Waters use?
7-30 Waters typically uses a 1:10 twist rate.
What bullet diameter is 7-30 Waters?
7-30 Waters uses a 0.284″ (7.214 mm) diameter bullet.
Is 7-30 Waters still in production?
7-30 Waters is discontinued; typical availability is rare.
What is 7-30 Waters used for?
7-30 Waters is primarily used for hunting_medium_game, hunting_small_game.
What is 7-30 Waters based on?
7-30 Waters is derived from the .30-30 Winchester case.

Sources & provenance

Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 18 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →