Introduced in 1940 in the M1 Carbine, this straight walled .30 caliber cartridge was loaded with a 110 grain round nose bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1975 fps. As the U.S. Army saw it, the short, lightweight rifle was far more effective in the hands of the average GI than a pistol and yet much more portable than the longer and heavier M1 Garand rifle.

At best, the .30 Carbine is enough cartridge for javalina and varmints at close range. At worst, it is a fun cartridge for venting cans and paper targets. Probably the most accurate firearms ever available in this caliber are the Thompson/Center Contender and the Ruger Blackhawk. H110, W-296, and 2400 are excellent choices for all barrel lengths. 

This text is based on information from “Cartridges of the World”, Hodgdon reloading manual, the cartridge designer and/or own resources.