Rifle · SAAMI (not in current Z299)
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
- Introduced
- 1984
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Ken Waters
- Manufacturer
- Federal, Winchester
- Standard
- SAAMI (not in current Z299)
- Status
- Discontinued
- Availability
- Rare
- Case capacity
- 44 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:10
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Max pressure
- 49,313 psi, CIP transducer
- Eff. range
- 250 yd
- Max range
- 4700 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
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| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 7.21 | 0.284 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 7.83 | 0.308 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 10.14 | 0.399 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 17.2° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 10.71 | 0.422 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 12.85 | 0.506 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.60 | 0.063 | ~ |
| Neck length | 7.80 | 0.307 | ≈ |
| Case length | 51.82 | 2.040 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 64.77 | 2.550 | ~ |
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
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
Lineage
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
- Standard SAAMI — ANSI/SAAMI Z299 — Cartridge & Chamber Drawings archived
- Standard C.I.P. — C.I.P. TDCC — Tables of Dimensions of Cartridges and Chambers
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 17 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →
