Regarding the M1 Carbine. Do you have any idea why the M1 or something like it is not in wide production today? A 5.4 pound rifle seems ideal for home defense and even rifles in pistol calibers tend to weigh more.
@@alexh4436 9mm carbines are just that much more common. 30-carbine just never really took off, likely because it's not optimized for short barrels, I would assume. Today though, you have 30 Super Carry which might be a more modernized version.
RIP Paul and thankfully we have these archived pieces of his diligent presentations Interesting comparison to my 327 federal 5.5" single seven. 104 gr HTP at 1600 and 127 gr Hammer Down at 1440.
@@markh.6687 "And we're gonna put another round through the meat target, because every hole needs a friend. A Remington Green & White box 9x19 115 grain full metal jacket round nose hole to be exact"
Both my grandfathers carried M1s in WW2, one in Europe, the other in the Pacific. Both told of outstanding accuracy, man-stopping ability, and ease of carrying ammo. That weapon system is nearly perfect for its “intended target…” The .357 revolver, likewise, is perfect (or nearly so) for ITS “intended target.” Based on the opinions of Tx Highway Patrolmen I’ve spoken with, only the semi-auto capability of the 357 Sig, is better, again, for THAT “intended target…” My young teen children easily handle the 30 carbine…as it was intended. Undoubtedly, THAT system is nearly perfect for home/self defense in ANY hands. Every weapon system is designed for a purpose. Put the tool into the toolbox for the intended job. I love both of these cartridges, and Paul has produced another great video!
As a home defense gun I agree, the .30 Carbine is superb. It's handy, not much recoil, and it's easy for women and teens to handle (some guys I talk to seem to think that home defense means having armor-piercing .50BMG, and all I can do is roll my eyes. I guess they're "tacti-cool" and I'm just an old Elmer Fudd, but I love my M1!)
As someone from Gen Z I don’t think I’ll ever have think about this caliber question when purchasing a firearm. But I was thankful you made it seeing as everyone says .30 carbine at 100 yards is .357 at the muzzle…..at least from a rifle.
@@cameronnorton5898 I wonder if he's trying to allude to the fact that military surplus firearms were drying up pretty hardcore by the time he was in his twenties... I'm an early Millennial and I can tell you that I get sick and tired of hearing all of the deals people got because they were born before I was... I purposely don't brag to the people younger than me about the stuff that WAS still available when I was in my twenties because I know how it feels. It sucks, especially when you realize cost of living has gone up much higher in the last 20 years than working class income has.. If I was born 20 years earlier, I would have bought so much s***....
@@deejayimm my wife's grandpa told me he saved up to buy an M1 carbine when he was a bag boy at a grocery store. He said it cost him a whopping $25 in the early 1960s.
Genuinely surprised the 357 outperforms 30 Carbine from handguns, on balance. Glad I don't have to go buy a 30 lever gun and revolver and can keep with the 357 pair I've already got! Thanks for the detailed and informative video, as always.
I think people forget the M 1 carbine was only ever supposed to replace the pistol for selected personal. Not a front line weapon , but troops loved the light wieght and how handy it was . If you read Audie Murphys To Hell and Back. He killed one hell of a lot of Germans with one . Thanks
I was standing in front of a buddy's house talking with him and some gang bangers did a drive-by on the crack house next door; I caught one through the left thigh while diving for cover. The police report said they were firing 9mm and .32 ACP. Near as the doctors and cops could guess, based on the entry & exit wounds, the one that tagged me was a .32 ACP.
Love this comparison and analysis. Wish there was still all that cheap .30 Carbine ammo around that helped create this caliber pistol. Paul thanks for the detailed testing and your interpretation of the data.
It seems like only yesterday we could buy ammo cans full of .30 Carbine for not much $$, but boy howdy! Those days have passed. Wish I'd stocked up when it was plentiful!
If you want to shoot that carbine, reload , not a big deal to do, and cuts cost significantly. Win 296 is the powder used by the military. In a pinch, can use Unique and if run low on small rifle primers can get by with small pistol primers.
My older brother had a Ruger Blackhawk in 30 carbine I had a Super Blackhawk 45 Colt . We had a lot of fun for years. Thanks for the memories and great show
Great video Paul. Since you’ve mentioned the round before, mentioned that you dabble in hand loading, and have some fantastic old west videos, could you please do a video on the .45 Colt round. The history and the modern potential. I know it’s expensive ammo and not extremely common but I bet you could tell a story that all of your viewers will love
Look up something called the 454 Casull. Its basically just a 45 Colt operating at 65,000psi instead of 14,000psi... lots of potential there! The streangth of the weapon you're firing it in is what dictates how ot you can go. Modern weapons will often easily take a load significantly hotter than a standard rated round, especially in the case of older lower pressure calibers.
I have the Blackhawk in 45 Colt. It's lots of fun. Easy to hand load, which is a good thing given the cost of factory ammo. 255 gr semi wadcutter at 910 FPS is quite comfortable to shoot and quite accurate. The revolver also has a 45 ACP cylinder. That works fairly well, a couple of the chambers are a little over tight.
@@mikespangler98 I have a Henry lever action in 45 Colt and it too is a ton of fun. But very expensive especially since I have gotten into loading my own ammo yet. And I want to take it hunting but it’s incredibly difficult to find anything other than cowboy action loads. Hardly did any research before buying the gun and now trying to gather as much information as possible
I have always wanted to experiment with the 45 colt from a hand loading perspective. From what I understand 454 casull is the creation of hot 45 colt. Hopefully Paul turns you into his good little cuckold by making the video so we can get his take on it while you watch!
For me, this was one of your best videos. I'd almost swear you were psychic because I was wondering about this recently. I absolutely love the thirty carbine round.
30 Carbine is loaded with a slower powder, so it performs better with the longer barrel. But one other thing to keep in mind is while there are a tiny number of other guns made for .30 Carbine, 99.99% of them are M1 Carbines, and most of those are WWII vets. Even the post war ones, are made with some or all left over parts. So the ammo is getting nerfed to protect collectors items. But also remember, the spec on Carbines called for lower grades of steel than used in the Garand- the cartridge was already underloaded to save cost and weight on the rifles. I love the Carbine, but it's always been hobbled by low performance ammo.
Roll your own! I've got a Lyman manual with load data for 30 Carbine, and it uses carbide pistol dies, doesn't need to be trimmed, neither. Dead easy to make some 30 carbine in an afternoon.
Likewise my .357 lever gun with a 20in barrel will turn most hollow points into grenades. 125 grain silver tips out of my speed six expand beautifully but out of the rifle the blow to pieces. Quite impressive for blowing up 2 liters but less so on a whitetail. Heavier gold dots hold together and the hornady controlled expansion XTPs do ok. For best results from the rifle, I find a healthy dose of Alliant 2400 and 158 grain soft points or Keith style 158s with gas checks are big medicine for corn fed Iowa whitetails.
Hard cast for quartering shots and dangerous game. If you hunt in nasty areas like the Alaskan Pan Handle or Northern BC you might want to seek rifle cartridges or if you insist on .357 and .44 magnum maybe go with hard cast and get real accurate. (Of course you can saddle a few nasty pills for such a rare situation and/or carry a back up gun).
Underwood ammunition loaded with the solid copper Lehigh penetrators, no worries about which gun you put it through. Only issue is many areas have outdated laws for hunting projectiles so check local laws before using them for hunting!
110 gr .357 Mag generally sucks. Nearly always down-loaded to prevent flame cutting, unless you use Double-Tap or Corbon 110 gr. I guarantee Buffalo Bore 125 gr .357 Mag would do about 1,750 FPS in that revolver.
I was thinking the same thing. 7.5" barrel is 1.5 inches past the longest typical double action revolvers in .357mag. The loads that are actually filling the cartridge typically just keep gaining velocity dramatically all the way to 20" carbines. Buffalo Bore has 158gr loads listed as a real-world 18.5" carbine 2,153 fps! That's 1,627 ft-lb energy.
Is the 110 gr. 357 Mag too light of a bullet to absorb the energy of the burning propellant before leaving the muzzle, forcing the excess energy into the forcing cone and out the gap? An NRA/Shooting Sports USA article noted that this often happens with snubbies, but can also happen to larger guns.
@@exothermal.sprocket I use my Dan Wesson .357 with 8" barrel on Whitetails here in Ohio's 'Handgun Season'. Although I DO have 4" and 6" barrels for it (gotta love the interchangeable barrels on the Dan Wesson), Ohio hunting regs require a 6" barrel minimum. I use the 8" because I still use the plain-old iron sights, AND for the extra velocity...
Paul, recommendation: have the meat target past the chronograph, so you can compare both the speeds of the projectile, and the damage done to the target, at 21+ yards (or whatever you set the chrono distance to) using half the ammo (5 shots gives you 10 results). Save your money, to bring us more videos! 🥳
Another great video. This is also a great example of "they're the same on paper" doesn't mean that they are the same in real life. Especially when you factor in variables like the 30 carbine being built specifically to give the best performance out of a rifle and the .357 being built specifically for the shorter barrel of a pistol.
Powder and primer selection makes a very big difference especially in rifles. .30 Carbine uses a slower burning powder that needs barrel length to do its business. I’m fairly certain it could be loaded with shotgun or pistol powder and catch up with the .357 magnum. However that’s not the point of this video.
@@john-paulsilke893 ya if your a hand loader the cartridge choice matters very little since you aren’t stuck with factory options, you can do the same for the 357 if your shooting it through a rifle and slow that powder burn to up its performance.
Glad you made the point about the difference between ammo made for a rifle fired in a pistol. You get a lot less powder burned when a rifle cartridge is fired in a pistol, and the ammo manufacturer will expect the bullet to perform at rifle velocity and design it accordingly. Great video.
Very informative content as always, thanks for taking the time to put this together. I remember years ago reading a comprehensive analysis of various calibers by medical examiners, was quite extensive and and gave the pros and cons of each. The biggest take away I remember about it was .357 magnum was the preferred carry caliber of ME's based on their observations. One quote said it was as close to a one shot stopper as exists.
Paul did a video several years ago comparing .357 and.44 mag carbines. You could take a look and see how the .357 performed. I personally love my .357's and especially in a carbine. My .357 carbine is the gun that everyone ends up with their hands on when I bring it out, it's just plain fun to shoot.
I love the Pacific North West. Again, thank you for providing your demo outside... the crickets were loud, the back ground was peaceful... reminded me of camping/hunting with family when I was a kid.
That meat target assailant dude at 17:00 tried to interrupt the wrong cowboy’s deer hunt, lol. Those 125 gr soft points from a long barreled Blackhawk would have been hell on a whitetail too, I’d bet.
Love the 357, the original Magnum handgun round. Love shooting my 44 Magnums. A Blackhawk 30 carbine would be a very decent performer. Love Paul's videos too. However, whenever he does a comparison featuring the 357 vs anything, he manages to find the most anemic 357 ammunition. I don't think it's on purpose, but still a little frustrating.
@@drsmokeybones Maybe it's because he tries to find the most commonly available 357 magnum ammo. He is a man of the people, not someone who is interested in things like Dragon's Breath and all that claptrap. He just tries to show what's realistic. And I don't think Paul considers the practical difference to be that appreciable. He's had a lot of experience testing these things, and it just seems like any .357 mag ammo is going to be a very good benchmark for a powerful handgun that is widely available. Is the deer going to notice and call you out on it?
@@Chironex_Fleckeri I agree with you, I think Paul does a great job. Of course I have no interest Dragon's Breath, not even suggesting he go buy Buffalo Bore 357's or anything similar. In this case It would have been great if he'd used some plain old Remington green & white box 357 125 grain jsp's. Out of the 7.5" Ruger he was using he'd have gotten about 1,600 fps. That translates to about 700 ft/lbs muzzle energy. The commonly used 357 magnum ammo has been "watered down" over the years. Interestingly, Buffalo Bore does offer some "full power" 30 carbine loads. It would be interesting to test them against Buffalo Bore 357's. That would be a good apples to apples comparison. The Buffalo Bore stuff is very popular with people who handgun hunt deer. I am not inclined to criticize Paul for any of his presentations. They are typically excellent and very informative.
I met a man who had fought in the ARVN for South Vietnam. He has used French bolt action rifles, the Thompson smg and the M1 carbine. Even he says sometimes the M1 would not stop an enemy. I asked if he had shot an enemy and this had happened but he said no, but he had heard stories from others. So even among the ARVN, M1 carbine had a reputation from rumors!
A++. With a internet name like (GSMK357) you have to know I would most likely have an opnion on 357 Mag, ammo performance. This was one of your best demos. Great work.
Just an FYI, Underwood makes a 30 carbine round that is 85gr. Lehigh Xtreme Cavitator and Buffalo Bore makes a 125gr hard cast flat nose round. However, these rounds are rarely in stock.
Also I wonder about firing this ammunition out of the old carbines. Just how hot are these other loadings? BB and underwood have a reputation for loading some hot stuff.
Well, I'll have to look for some Underwood .30 Cal, it would suit my Underwood M1 Carbine just fine! (Actually I probably wouldn't shoot much of it, but I'd sure like to have Underwood ammo for my Underwood carbine!)
Any good rounds for there 30 carbine have been out of stock for two years or discounted other thrn Buffalo bore with most saying its for the pistol and wont fuction in a m1
Hey Paul and crew,excellent video thank you. I think it is fair to compare 30 carbine and it’s most common configuration against the 357 in its most common configuration. That is because it’s what’s most likely a person to have access to. Again excellent video thank you
That's my view on it. The most realistic comparison( what someone is most likely to find and be shooting) is the fair comparison. But I do like seeing how the suped up "hyper ammunition" compares too.
He is comparing cartridges, not firearms. Otherwise he could just choose a 357 mag lever gun to compare to a 30 carbine too. Which, I’m sure, are much more common in the US. Guess which one is more powerful in that configuration as well?
I think Coonan makes one in .30carbine as well if I’m not greatly mistaken. I could be, it’s happened like once before. 😉 it would be interesting to see the difference it makes firing them from a semi auto platform compared to the revolver or rifle for that matter.
@@peternorton5648 As far as I've known and have researched Coonan Inc went out of business in 1998 having only made their 1911 in .357 Magnum. Dan Coonan still supports owners with parts.
Problem is the carbine ammo is loaded with slower burning powder intended for a rifle length barrel and much is wasted in thunder and fireball from the pistol. I think a handloader can optimize powders and get better velocity from the shorter barrel.
30 Carbine handguns basically only exist because surplus ammo was EVERYWHERE and it was all non-corrosively primed smokeless (very low maintenance) at a time that was still a neat feature instead of totally standard.
Yes. Blackhawk is very strong. Buy lots of brass and enough of the correct powders, primers, and projectiles for your loads. Need that carbine functioning safely.
I bought an Automag III chambered in .30 carbine when they were first sold. The first pistol came with a hairline fracture near the ejection port that I only noticed as I was inserting a loaded magazine for the first time. Months later I received my replacement pistol and immediately sold it NIB to someone else for 50% more than I had paid. I could have shot it without affecting the sale price but I just had no faith in their QC or manufacturing processes. I didn’t trust that there wasn’t a problem I couldn’t see that would result in it blowing up in my hand. Nothing to do with the testing here, but I thought it was an interesting memory.
I got some old Federal 110 .357 setting around here somewhere. You can load available 100 grain bullets in the carbine that were made for sub loads or plinkers in .30 cal rifles. One is a LRN half jacketed job that ought to splatter pretty good on impact. JHP 115 gr.bullets for the carbine without alot of exposed lead are about impossible to find. The ammo makers are keeping them for themselves $$$
While I approve of your logic regarding the use of safety glasses, I have today experienced an usual situation that makes me grateful I wore them anyway. I was shooting at paper targets with a 9mm pistol which had a slide riding optic equipped. The screws holding the optic ripped out of the aluminum mounting plate I was using and the optic hit me in the face. All I got was a cut on the cheek smaller than your average shaving nick but had I not been wearing safety glasses I may have lost my depth perception. Admittedly the optic was a Holosun 509T which is heavier than most pistol optics, but I will be making it a point NOT to use similar aluminum mounting plates in the future.
Woah! Yes, you were "lucky," i.e. prepared for whatever, and it happened. I've just mounted a Holosun 407c on my CZ 75B using a dovetail mount. I was going to get one of those aluminum mounts, but they were a lot pricier than a steel mount I found on Ebay. Looks like I "lucked out" too, this could've happened to me! I thought that aluminum didn't seem like it would be hard enough to serve as an optic mount on a pistol slide, but there are sure a lot of 'em out there. The steel mount is rock-solid!
Thank you for the comparison Paul. I have to believe that anyone who doesn't know about the meat target is watching their first Paul Harrell video or lives somewhere that has no telecommunication facilities at all. Great episode.
Proud owner of two .357 mag revolvers (different barrel lengths) and a very nice 24" 357 Mag lever action rifle. I don't see anything 'wrong' with the 30 cal, but I'm under the impression the 357 is a better choice at this point - ammo selection, ammo availability, a slight edge in power and effectiveness.
When it was cheap and available the .30 carbine might have had the edge especially in availability. But definitely now the .38/.357 is the way to go. I absolutely love my .357’s and especially love their ability to be loaded way down for plinking and way up for serious hunting or predator defence in a rifle. It’s not the best choice, but it’s pretty darn good!
Would like to have see the .357 mag stand up to the .30 carbine in Buf. Bore 110gr Jacketed Soft Point @ 2100 fps. and the co. says it is safe for Ruger Blackhawks in good shape. Though it may rattle it loose firing a lot of these. *Might not be worth it just to prove a point!
This can’t be a coincidence, I was just watching your video on .30 carbine for the explicit purpose of seeing how it compares to a .357 magnum and this comes out. Strange how that happens.
Well done Sir! The whole presentation, I was making notes. Your final comments covered my basic questions. While fps, energy and such were relatively similar, it's still a case of apples vs oranges, re: bullet design and construction vs intended firearm. Thanks. Always enlightening and thought provoking.
One needs to remember that the REASON for .30 Carbine chambered handguns was NOT that they are better than any other common revolver cartridge, but because they used what was, at the time, CHEAP military surplus ammo. When the cheap surplus ammo dried up...so did the reason for .30 Carbine chambered handguns. We see somewhat the same thing now with revolvers chambered for "cheap" 9mm ammunition, but as someone old enough to remember, .30 Carbine was much cheaper (relatively speaking) than 9mm is now (even comparing pre-pandemic 9mm prices) In the 50s, 60s and until the early 70s...military surplus .30-06, .30 carbine, .303 British, 8mm Mauser, 7mm Mauser were available in bulk for really low prices. The .357 is, and always has been, a MUCH better handgun cartridge than the .30 carbine. For that matter, it's a better rifle cartridge too. And I say that as a guy who owns, and loves, an M1 carbine.
@@Truckmechanic949 I handload for both. I also cast bullets for the .303. I don't use a lot of .410 shells, but they have always been expensive and worth the effort. I load for 12, 16, 20, 28 and .410 shells but until the pandemic I usually just bought shells in bulk for 12 and 20 gauge.
@@garyK.45ACP I'd love to get into handloading have been looking into it for a few years always been cost, time and space in the way but kinda figured 410 might be easy to start loading without a press would possably make a jig for it out of aluminum if I cant buy one may have to start making ammo though the way its going up here in Canada
@@Truckmechanic949 I do all my shotshell loading on MEC 600 Jr. presses. I use a separate press for each gauge. I made a base for each one that slides into a beveled frame on my bench and a pin drops in to lock it in place. You don't need much space and the bench doesn't have to be very sturdy. Shotshell loading is pretty low stress. For what a MEC 600 jr. costs it's pretty easy to get started. I've been handloading since the 50s when I was helping my dad. I started my own set up in 1973. I currently load for 81 metallic rifle/pistol cartridges and 5 shotshells on 2 presses for metallic cartridges and 5 shotshell presses. Plus I cast bullets for almost all the cartridges I load for. I've never been short of ammo. I do all my work (and storage) along two walls of a 2 car garage, which includes storage for all components except primers and powder which I keep in the house for climate control. I live in Florida, so I have year 'round use of the garage (winter is actually more pleasant here than summer)
I’ve just recently read that a disappointing variation exists in revolver chambers (cylinder charge hole diameters) and over torqued (pressed into frame area) barrels, resulting in overly tight forcing cone area raising pressure and oversized charge holes losing pressure in S&W 686’s and New Colt Pythons.?? Resulting in erratic POI. How many large groups I’ve fired, were caused by this? Manufacturing defects found, proved by soft lead slugging the barrels, cylinders.
@@tomahawk1911 I didn't know that about the pythons, I just remembered Ruger having that issue on some of the Redhawks and Security Six's back in the late 80's early 90's.
I thoroughly appreciate your efforts and like how realistic and thorough you are. I am still curious on how someone could hand load for both cartridges to get maximum performance within safe limits for their firearms.
For those of you that didn't catch the subtle way of saying send Paul more ammo LOL. I would say he's been shooting a lot of 357 lately and it's fun to watch
I have a 1894CB Marlin 357. My handloads use a 125gr Hdy FP and go 2100fps, right at max by the load manual. I have taken a few deer with that gun / load. I do not load my 357mag handguns anywhere near max. It becomes zero fun to shoot. I do not hunt with handguns. The carbine could be an adequate defensive gun, and as a hunting gun, it is marginal in that shots need to be pretty close (maybe 100yds tops). If I had an M1 Carbine, I would not hunt with it, but it could do quite well for a defensive tool. Magazine fed helps it in that scenario vs the lever gun. I plink with my 357 revolvers. I mostly shoot 38spl WC loads for easy, fun shooting. My Marlin 357 has pretty much become a plinker as well. Thanks Paul for a good video. You clearly stressed bullet weight differences between the two cartridges. I can attest to the effectiveness of a 357mag with a 180gr bullet from a lever gun on a 200lb hog at 50yds. DRT and a complete pass through. That load is definitely a close range proposition only.
I've always found the 30 Carbine cartridge interesting as it was the first intermediate caliber used by the US military. The M1 Carbine was designed as a replacement for the Colt M1911 pistol because during world war two it was found that most soldiers couldn't fire a handgun very efficiently in combat. A light short rifle was seen as a better alternative for second line soldiers. People who were military police or tank crews or driving trucks bringing supplies to the frontlines needed to be armed just incase of an enemy attack. The 357 magnum was invented for police departments to defeat bulletproof vests used by criminals during the 1930s gangster era. It was also found that the new 357 magnum was very effective against the all steel cars that gangsters drove back then.
Excellent video, Paul, thank you. I agree with your key conclusion that commercial .30 Carbine projectiles are designed for long-gun barrel lengths and the velocities they generally produce, which explains why they didn’t perform particularly well form a 7.5 inch tube. I’d add one additional point, .357 magnum bullets have a greater diameter than do .30 Carbine projectiles, which (I suggest) adds the the magnums efficacy in practical applications (demonstrated with the meat target).
The 30 carbine Blackhawk is 7.5" barrel standard. 357 gets about 50fps per inch. 357 revolvers have 6" barrels as standard. Add 50-100 fps and call it equal.
@@joshuagibson2520 mine is excellent. Technically I'm the first owner, the gun still had the retail tags on it and in the box, FFL shop had it for 25 years or so the owner never wanted to sell it. But yes, so far no jams and is not picky with ammo.
Thanks Paul. No suprizes here, you have demonstrated what gun writers have been saying for firty years or more but I guess these youg guys needed to see it for themselves. The meat target takes no prisoners! A great and thorough demo, as we have come to expect from you!
It seems if the ammo says "Carbine" in the name, better use it IN A CARBINE. Isn´t there a nice lever-action for .357 magnum? I am certain i remember at least one... Nice video once again, Paul, thanks for the interesting presentation!
Great video! Very informative for someone (like myself) that is a fan of both of these cartridges. Cannot understand how you haven’t hit 1M subscribers.
Great video Paul! I believe you're exactly right. The 30 carbine ammo is more geared to a carbine. The only reason to have one in a pistol is to match your 30 carbine rifle. At some point they may make 30 carbine ammo that is meant for pistols, but I don't think they do now. Very thorough, as always.
I'm at the store and see a Ruger Blackhawk chambered in .357 magnum. Now Paul is doing a video on a Ruger Blackhawk in .357 magnum. is the universe telling me something?
No kidding, I have a .357 blackhawk (only 6.5") I had not shot in about 4 years because I only had about 1/2 box of ammo. I finally gave up on seeing any in store so i ordered some and took it out shooting last week. Old ammo was federal 155 grain and new ammo was remington 125 grain. I shot a piece of lexan about 2 inches thick that I have been shooting with every other caliber I have to see how far it would go in (so far 30-06 is only one to go through, 44 mag was close and so was 7.62x39) but anyway the 125 grain went in a little further and a little more damage than the 155 grain, I wasn't expecting that. Of course Paul had to put up video a few days later with a much better test.
Excellent ideo Paul! Seeing you with a revolver in each hand made me wonder about firing dual revolvers vs dual semi-auto handguns. I'd love to see you address this topic. Firing at targets with a handgun in each hand would be interesting to see, and you could discuss historical significance, practicality, accuracy, what works for you, competitions etc.
It's extremely difficult without hours and hours of practice. I've tried it with two Ruger .22 automatics. . .and my performance was, poor to say the least.
Alternating I can kinda make it work with a light pistol in each hand shooting something like a .38 or 9mm. But honestly I’m way faster and more accurate even shooting one gun in my weak hand, (I’m ambidextrous but prefer my right hand due to ergonomics and simply having more reps). It simply doesn’t work for me realistically.
The less control is not worth it. The only realistic uses I can see of this movie trope would be the ability of suppressing two entryways by yourself in close quarters, otherwise I can see the worth training to better control a handgun single-handed, with either hand, but not both at the same time unless it's just for your entertainment. If you don't like your revolver having just 6 rounds before a reload, get a gun with 12+ capacity. We're no longer in the Wild West, we have better options than carrying two revolvers.
I'm re-watching this, and your comment about .30 Carbine projectile weight got me wondering. So I headed over to Ammoseek and looked. It turns out that Underwood makes .30 carbine ammunition with an 85 grain "Xtreme Cavitator Solid Monolithic" projectile, and Buffalo Bore makes .30 carbine ammunition loaded with a 125 grain Hard Cast, Flat Nose, Gas Checked lead bullet. So, .30 Carbine ammunition with projectiles in weights other than 110 grain do exist, but only from a couple of boutique manufacturers.
Our comparison of. 30 carbine and .357 magnum rifles is in our presentation on the M-1 carbine.
And once again, you have not won a prize. It's a scam.
Also on the comparison of 357 to 44 magnum rifles.
Seems like the 357 magnum doesn't gain much from a longer barrel.
Any links please?
Regarding the M1 Carbine. Do you have any idea why the M1 or something like it is not in wide production today? A 5.4 pound rifle seems ideal for home defense and even rifles in pistol calibers tend to weigh more.
@@alexh4436 9mm carbines are just that much more common. 30-carbine just never really took off, likely because it's not optimized for short barrels, I would assume. Today though, you have 30 Super Carry which might be a more modernized version.
It’s called the Ruger mini 14.
RIP Paul and thankfully we have these archived pieces of his diligent presentations
Interesting comparison to my 327 federal 5.5" single seven. 104 gr HTP at 1600 and 127 gr Hammer Down at 1440.
Paul is like the Bob Ross of firearms. Calm, measured, and his happy accidents are typically bits of the meat target being set free.
"I'm just going to put a few happy holes in this target...right about here."
@@markh.6687 Why? because I want feel like doing it.
"There are no negligent discharges, only happy little accidents."
@@markh.6687 "And we're gonna put another round through the meat target, because every hole needs a friend. A Remington Green & White box 9x19 115 grain full metal jacket round nose hole to be exact"
I never heard of Bob Ross until watching Paul Harrell. Go figure.
Both my grandfathers carried M1s in WW2, one in Europe, the other in the Pacific. Both told of outstanding accuracy, man-stopping ability, and ease of carrying ammo. That weapon system is nearly perfect for its “intended target…”
The .357 revolver, likewise, is perfect (or nearly so) for ITS “intended target.” Based on the opinions of Tx Highway Patrolmen I’ve spoken with, only the semi-auto capability of the 357 Sig, is better, again, for THAT “intended target…”
My young teen children easily handle the 30 carbine…as it was intended. Undoubtedly, THAT system is nearly perfect for home/self defense in ANY hands.
Every weapon system is designed for a purpose. Put the tool into the toolbox for the intended job.
I love both of these cartridges, and Paul has produced another great video!
As a home defense gun I agree, the .30 Carbine is superb. It's handy, not much recoil, and it's easy for women and teens to handle (some guys I talk to seem to think that home defense means having armor-piercing .50BMG, and all I can do is roll my eyes. I guess they're "tacti-cool" and I'm just an old Elmer Fudd, but I love my M1!)
Repeal the N.F.A. then someone could make repro M2 carbines for the civilan market
Yes, I have been looking for a long gun for the misses.
That last bit reminded me of the movie Ronin
@@Master-AGN I am an M1 fan.
Due to lack of availability of .30 carbine ammo.
You might look into an AR in 300 Blackout.
2:10 The chronograph session
11:38 Let's crunch the numbers
13:28 The Meat Target
14:58 Meat Target meat flying off! 😮
Don't you just love it! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
You are a Prince.
0:00 spider for reference
@@maximilianrpm2927 most important part of the video
Thank you. I often wish he'd put the description box to better use.
I haven’t seen a Paul Harrel video in about a year. I forgot how addicting and educational he is. It’s nice to see there’s no dip in quality.
Subscribe and you won’t miss any.
You've been missing out.
What's your onlyfans?
@@HAYAOLEONE pervert simp
@@HAYAOLEONE you beat me to it
As someone from Gen Z I don’t think I’ll ever have think about this caliber question when purchasing a firearm. But I was thankful you made it seeing as everyone says .30 carbine at 100 yards is .357 at the muzzle…..at least from a rifle.
I was born in 2000, and I say you're missing out big time if you don't have a .357 Mag.
Born in 99 here and I love the 30 carbine, I'd love an upper for my ar chambered for it. It is an awesome little round.
The 30 carbine MIGHT have just a bit greater range due to greater bullet drag coefficient.
@@cameronnorton5898 I wonder if he's trying to allude to the fact that military surplus firearms were drying up pretty hardcore by the time he was in his twenties...
I'm an early Millennial and I can tell you that I get sick and tired of hearing all of the deals people got because they were born before I was...
I purposely don't brag to the people younger than me about the stuff that WAS still available when I was in my twenties because I know how it feels. It sucks, especially when you realize cost of living has gone up much higher in the last 20 years than working class income has..
If I was born 20 years earlier, I would have bought so much s***....
@@deejayimm my wife's grandpa told me he saved up to buy an M1 carbine when he was a bag boy at a grocery store. He said it cost him a whopping $25 in the early 1960s.
The Nor'wester had the good sense to wait for Paul to finish up before blowing in properly.
The intro indicated that he was in Mo. this week...
Genuinely surprised the 357 outperforms 30 Carbine from handguns, on balance. Glad I don't have to go buy a 30 lever gun and revolver and can keep with the 357 pair I've already got!
Thanks for the detailed and informative video, as always.
You can't buy a 30 carbine lever gun.
@@morrismonet3554 you can buy the empire state building, doesn't mean you'll get it ;)
Lots of unburned powder. Why it throws impressive fireballs.
@@morrismonet3554 actually Marlin made a model 62, the levermatic, in .30 carbine. I'm not sure how hard they would be to find, but they exist.
They used to sell Ruger or Marlin 30 carbine leverguns. Probably ruger. Maybe it was a Winchester...the one they also made in .308?
I think people forget the M 1 carbine was only ever supposed to replace the pistol for selected personal. Not a front line weapon , but troops loved the light wieght and how handy it was . If you read Audie Murphys To Hell and Back. He killed one hell of a lot of Germans with one . Thanks
I've watched a lot of Paul's videos and one thing I have learned from the 'meat target' is I never want to get shot.
As someone who has been shot... 100% can confirm you're right. It sucks. A lot, lol.
@@Nathan_Talisien how'd you end up getting shot and what was it with? if you dont mind me askin.
I was standing in front of a buddy's house talking with him and some gang bangers did a drive-by on the crack house next door; I caught one through the left thigh while diving for cover. The police report said they were firing 9mm and .32 ACP. Near as the doctors and cops could guess, based on the entry & exit wounds, the one that tagged me was a .32 ACP.
@nathantalisien6611 glad you lived and didn't get tagged anywhere life threatening.
@@Nathan_Talisien Jesus. Fascinating story. What the hell kinda neighbourhood does your buddy live in, though? 😅
I love you Paul Harrell. No homo, BTW. I'm glad we still have some old school real Americans left out there. Thanks for all you do Paul.
Always a pleasure to hear and watch you work
When Chuck Norris goes to sleep at night, he checks under the bed for Paul Harrell.
Love this comparison and analysis. Wish there was still all that cheap .30 Carbine ammo around that helped create this caliber pistol. Paul thanks for the detailed testing and your interpretation of the data.
It seems like only yesterday we could buy ammo cans full of .30 Carbine for not much $$, but boy howdy! Those days have passed. Wish I'd stocked up when it was plentiful!
I'm 27 and I've basically accepted the fact that I'll never be able to own or shoot one of these weapons.
@@deniswauchope3788 And 87 octane was $.35 - $.45 cents a gallon.
If you want to shoot that carbine, reload , not a big deal to do, and cuts cost significantly. Win 296 is the powder used by the military. In a pinch, can use Unique and if run low on small rifle primers can get by with small pistol primers.
@@deniswauchope3788 Already got that covered. I just recently acquired the carbine and am just longing for those surplus days.
Just snagged a Ruger Blackhawk 1969 3 screw in 30 carbine! Cant wait to test it out.
My older brother had a Ruger Blackhawk in 30 carbine I had a Super Blackhawk 45 Colt . We had a lot of fun for years. Thanks for the memories and great show
Underwood loads an 85 grain load and Buffalo bore loads a 125 grain 30 carbine load. Very good video as always!
85-Grain Xtreme Cavitator .30
13:32 - I feel like at this point, when he says "For those who haven't seen it before", he's just being modest.
Great video Paul. Since you’ve mentioned the round before, mentioned that you dabble in hand loading, and have some fantastic old west videos, could you please do a video on the .45 Colt round. The history and the modern potential. I know it’s expensive ammo and not extremely common but I bet you could tell a story that all of your viewers will love
Look up something called the 454 Casull. Its basically just a 45 Colt operating at 65,000psi instead of 14,000psi... lots of potential there! The streangth of the weapon you're firing it in is what dictates how ot you can go. Modern weapons will often easily take a load significantly hotter than a standard rated round, especially in the case of older lower pressure calibers.
I have the Blackhawk in 45 Colt. It's lots of fun. Easy to hand load, which is a good thing given the cost of factory ammo. 255 gr semi wadcutter at 910 FPS is quite comfortable to shoot and quite accurate.
The revolver also has a 45 ACP cylinder. That works fairly well, a couple of the chambers are a little over tight.
@@mikespangler98 I have a Henry lever action in 45 Colt and it too is a ton of fun. But very expensive especially since I have gotten into loading my own ammo yet. And I want to take it hunting but it’s incredibly difficult to find anything other than cowboy action loads. Hardly did any research before buying the gun and now trying to gather as much information as possible
I have always wanted to experiment with the 45 colt from a hand loading perspective. From what I understand 454 casull is the creation of hot 45 colt. Hopefully Paul turns you into his good little cuckold by making the video so we can get his take on it while you watch!
I just found out you could have a handgun in 30 carbine
AMT used to make semi auto pistols in 30 carbine, Automag III I think it was.
My local gun shop had a Ruger in 30 carbine, I should have bought it.
30 carbine Blackhawks are not that rare. Ruger puts some out every few years.
They used to be reasonably common. When 30 carbine ammo was being sold off as surplus, it was apparently cheaper than .22 long Rifle.
Based pfp
For me, this was one of your best videos. I'd almost swear you were psychic because I was wondering about this recently. I absolutely love the thirty carbine round.
Thank you for your service and videos
30 Carbine is loaded with a slower powder, so it performs better with the longer barrel. But one other thing to keep in mind is while there are a tiny number of other guns made for .30 Carbine, 99.99% of them are M1 Carbines, and most of those are WWII vets. Even the post war ones, are made with some or all left over parts. So the ammo is getting nerfed to protect collectors items. But also remember, the spec on Carbines called for lower grades of steel than used in the Garand- the cartridge was already underloaded to save cost and weight on the rifles. I love the Carbine, but it's always been hobbled by low performance ammo.
Roll your own! I've got a Lyman manual with load data for 30 Carbine, and it uses carbide pistol dies, doesn't need to be trimmed, neither. Dead easy to make some 30 carbine in an afternoon.
Love your content, Paul. May you rest in peace!
Likewise my .357 lever gun with a 20in barrel will turn most hollow points into grenades. 125 grain silver tips out of my speed six expand beautifully but out of the rifle the blow to pieces. Quite impressive for blowing up 2 liters but less so on a whitetail. Heavier gold dots hold together and the hornady controlled expansion XTPs do ok. For best results from the rifle, I find a healthy dose of Alliant 2400 and 158 grain soft points or Keith style 158s with gas checks are big medicine for corn fed Iowa whitetails.
Hard cast for quartering shots and dangerous game. If you hunt in nasty areas like the Alaskan Pan Handle or Northern BC you might want to seek rifle cartridges or if you insist on .357 and .44 magnum maybe go with hard cast and get real accurate. (Of course you can saddle a few nasty pills for such a rare situation and/or carry a back up gun).
Underwood ammunition loaded with the solid copper Lehigh penetrators, no worries about which gun you put it through. Only issue is many areas have outdated laws for hunting projectiles so check local laws before using them for hunting!
Paul's voice reminds me of Rod Serling of the Twightlight Zone!!! Serious convincing voice!
110 gr .357 Mag generally sucks. Nearly always down-loaded to prevent flame cutting, unless you use Double-Tap or Corbon 110 gr. I guarantee Buffalo Bore 125 gr .357 Mag would do about 1,750 FPS in that revolver.
love the hardcast Buffalo Bore. Amazing power when you gotta punch something hard
I was thinking the same thing. 7.5" barrel is 1.5 inches past the longest typical double action revolvers in .357mag. The loads that are actually filling the cartridge typically just keep gaining velocity dramatically all the way to 20" carbines. Buffalo Bore has 158gr loads listed as a real-world 18.5" carbine 2,153 fps! That's 1,627 ft-lb energy.
Is the 110 gr. 357 Mag too light of a bullet to absorb the energy of the burning propellant before leaving the muzzle, forcing the excess energy into the forcing cone and out the gap? An NRA/Shooting Sports USA article noted that this often happens with snubbies, but can also happen to larger guns.
@@markh.6687 One might compensate for that with quicker burning powder, but then pressure spikes would have to be carefully dealt with.
@@exothermal.sprocket I use my Dan Wesson .357 with 8" barrel on Whitetails here in Ohio's 'Handgun Season'. Although I DO have 4" and 6" barrels for it (gotta love the interchangeable barrels on the Dan Wesson), Ohio hunting regs require a 6" barrel minimum. I use the 8" because I still use the plain-old iron sights, AND for the extra velocity...
Paul's pretty slick clearing the empty brass out of the cylinder
Paul, recommendation: have the meat target past the chronograph, so you can compare both the speeds of the projectile, and the damage done to the target, at 21+ yards (or whatever you set the chrono distance to) using half the ammo (5 shots gives you 10 results). Save your money, to bring us more videos! 🥳
but then he would waste more meat targets. I think a meat target is still more expensive than a few bullets.
Interesting idea, anyway!
That umc soft point 357 load looks like it would do well on deer from a long barrel revolver.
Another great video.
This is also a great example of "they're the same on paper" doesn't mean that they are the same in real life.
Especially when you factor in variables like the 30 carbine being built specifically to give the best performance out of a rifle and the .357 being built specifically for the shorter barrel of a pistol.
Powder and primer selection makes a very big difference especially in rifles. .30 Carbine uses a slower burning powder that needs barrel length to do its business. I’m fairly certain it could be loaded with shotgun or pistol powder and catch up with the .357 magnum. However that’s not the point of this video.
@@john-paulsilke893 ya if your a hand loader the cartridge choice matters very little since you aren’t stuck with factory options, you can do the same for the 357 if your shooting it through a rifle and slow that powder burn to up its performance.
Great info, so glad being able to watch again. RIP Mr. Harrell
No one does it like Paul… great information and entertaining presentation 😎
Glad you made the point about the difference between ammo made for a rifle fired in a pistol. You get a lot less powder burned when a rifle cartridge is fired in a pistol, and the ammo manufacturer will expect the bullet to perform at rifle velocity and design it accordingly. Great video.
✍️☝️☝️✍️☝️☝️✍️.
Very informative content as always, thanks for taking the time to put this together.
I remember years ago reading a comprehensive analysis of various calibers by medical examiners, was quite extensive and and gave the pros and cons of each. The biggest take away I remember about it was .357 magnum was the preferred carry caliber of ME's based on their observations. One quote said it was as close to a one shot stopper as exists.
I absolutely love both cartridges so this is gonna be a good video
Thank you Paul. You reaffirmed what I always thought about my combo 357 mag rifle and it's companion in pistol. You Sir never disappoint in a video.
357 is the best round
Came for Paul. Got a spider, too. Man! What a deal!
Now, what if we compare a .357 lever action rifle with a 16 or 18 inch barrel vs the .30 carbine in a M1 carbine ?
Paul did a video several years ago comparing .357 and.44 mag carbines. You could take a look and see how the .357 performed. I personally love my .357's and especially in a carbine. My .357 carbine is the gun that everyone ends up with their hands on when I bring it out, it's just plain fun to shoot.
Paul already did, look for his M1 carbine video.
I love the Pacific North West. Again, thank you for providing your demo outside... the crickets were loud, the back ground was peaceful... reminded me of camping/hunting with family when I was a kid.
Always impressive to see how .357 Mag performs
That meat target assailant dude at 17:00 tried to interrupt the wrong cowboy’s deer hunt, lol.
Those 125 gr soft points from a long barreled Blackhawk would have been hell on a whitetail too, I’d bet.
Love the 357, the original Magnum handgun round. Love shooting my 44 Magnums. A Blackhawk 30 carbine would be a very decent performer. Love Paul's videos too. However, whenever he does a comparison featuring the 357 vs anything, he manages to find the most anemic 357 ammunition. I don't think it's on purpose, but still a little frustrating.
@@drsmokeybones Maybe it's because he tries to find the most commonly available 357 magnum ammo. He is a man of the people, not someone who is interested in things like Dragon's Breath and all that claptrap. He just tries to show what's realistic. And I don't think Paul considers the practical difference to be that appreciable. He's had a lot of experience testing these things, and it just seems like any .357 mag ammo is going to be a very good benchmark for a powerful handgun that is widely available. Is the deer going to notice and call you out on it?
@@Chironex_Fleckeri I agree with you, I think Paul does a great job. Of course I have no interest Dragon's Breath, not even suggesting he go buy Buffalo Bore 357's or anything similar. In this case It would have been great if he'd used some plain old Remington green & white box 357 125 grain jsp's. Out of the 7.5" Ruger he was using he'd have gotten about 1,600 fps. That translates to about 700 ft/lbs muzzle energy. The commonly used 357 magnum ammo has been "watered down" over the years. Interestingly, Buffalo Bore does offer some "full power" 30 carbine loads. It would be interesting to test them against Buffalo Bore 357's. That would be a good apples to apples comparison. The Buffalo Bore stuff is very popular with people who handgun hunt deer.
I am not inclined to criticize Paul for any of his presentations. They are typically excellent and very informative.
Both the M1 Carbine and its ammunition are severely underrated in my opinion. I hope they come back in style.
I’m hoping so too, considering the current wave of PCCs we’re seeing around. Ruger would be a great company to lead the way.
Always a great day when Gun Papa Paul comes out with a new video.
Long live Paul!!!
Thank you, you never disappoint.
I met a man who had fought in the ARVN for South Vietnam. He has used French bolt action rifles, the Thompson smg and the M1 carbine. Even he says sometimes the M1 would not stop an enemy. I asked if he had shot an enemy and this had happened but he said no, but he had heard stories from others. So even among the ARVN, M1 carbine had a reputation from rumors!
A++. With a internet name like (GSMK357) you have to know I would most likely have an opnion on 357 Mag, ammo performance. This was one of your best demos. Great work.
Great presentation, Paul. My favorite pair is a lever gun and a wheel gun, both in .357.
Agreed.
Mine also.
Dynamic duo!
My favorite pair, a .44 magnum in a wheel gun and a lever action.
Run some Buffalo Bore 125gr loads in that lever gun. 2300 fps / 1469 ft-lb. Whodathunk you could get that kind of zip from a 125 pill?
Just an FYI, Underwood makes a 30 carbine round that is 85gr. Lehigh Xtreme Cavitator and Buffalo Bore makes a 125gr hard cast flat nose round. However, these rounds are rarely in stock.
Also I wonder about firing this ammunition out of the old carbines. Just how hot are these other loadings? BB and underwood have a reputation for loading some hot stuff.
Well, I'll have to look for some Underwood .30 Cal, it would suit my Underwood M1 Carbine just fine! (Actually I probably wouldn't shoot much of it, but I'd sure like to have Underwood ammo for my Underwood carbine!)
Any good rounds for there 30 carbine have been out of stock for two years or discounted other thrn Buffalo bore with most saying its for the pistol and wont fuction in a m1
Hey Paul and crew,excellent video thank you. I think it is fair to compare 30 carbine and it’s most common configuration against the 357 in its most common configuration. That is because it’s what’s most likely a person to have access to. Again excellent video thank you
That's my view on it. The most realistic comparison( what someone is most likely to find and be shooting) is the fair comparison. But I do like seeing how the suped up "hyper ammunition" compares too.
He is comparing cartridges, not firearms.
Otherwise he could just choose a 357 mag lever gun to compare to a 30 carbine too. Which, I’m sure, are much more common in the US. Guess which one is more powerful in that configuration as well?
I was one of the people asking you to do this test, so thanks for doing this video.
Love this comparison. Now for the Automatic heads we'd need a Coonan .357 and an AMT AutoMag III in .30 carbine.
Ha. I commented the same except a 357 Deagle.
I think Coonan makes one in .30carbine as well if I’m not greatly mistaken. I could be, it’s happened like once before. 😉 it would be interesting to see the difference it makes firing them from a semi auto platform compared to the revolver or rifle for that matter.
@@peternorton5648 As far as I've known and have researched Coonan Inc went out of business in 1998 having only made their 1911 in .357 Magnum. Dan Coonan still supports owners with parts.
Loved the AMT Automag... Looking for a AM III in 9mm Win Mag. Yeah, along with bigfoot and the Leprechaun.
@@arthurchadwell9267 Like the Yeti, it is often about, but rarely seen. ^~^
Thanks, Paul. One reason I load my Ruger New Model Blackhawk 30 carbine with Underwood 85 grain extreme cavitator.
Problem is the carbine ammo is loaded with slower burning powder intended for a rifle length barrel and much is wasted in thunder and fireball from the pistol. I think a handloader can optimize powders and get better velocity from the shorter barrel.
like 13.0 gr of 2400.
30 Carbine handguns basically only exist because surplus ammo was EVERYWHERE and it was all non-corrosively primed smokeless (very low maintenance) at a time that was still a neat feature instead of totally standard.
@@myfavoritemartian1 Sounds about right. I think most people are loading H110 or W296 for carbine and then using the same in pistol.
Yes. Blackhawk is very strong. Buy lots of brass and enough of the correct powders, primers, and projectiles for your loads. Need that carbine functioning safely.
@@kanrakucheese No, some people just like something different. Why else would .45-70 handguns exist? No surplus ammo for them.
I bought an Automag III chambered in .30 carbine when they were first sold. The first pistol came with a hairline fracture near the ejection port that I only noticed as I was inserting a loaded magazine for the first time. Months later I received my replacement pistol and immediately sold it NIB to someone else for 50% more than I had paid. I could have shot it without affecting the sale price but I just had no faith in their QC or manufacturing processes. I didn’t trust that there wasn’t a problem I couldn’t see that would result in it blowing up in my hand. Nothing to do with the testing here, but I thought it was an interesting memory.
I got some old Federal 110 .357 setting around here somewhere. You can load available 100 grain bullets in the carbine that were made for sub loads or plinkers in .30 cal rifles. One is a LRN half jacketed job that ought to splatter pretty good on impact. JHP 115 gr.bullets for the carbine without alot of exposed lead are about impossible to find. The ammo makers are keeping them for themselves $$$
Yes! Thank you! I’m a big fan of the channel and the calibers. Keep up the great work!
I always enjoy your apples to oranges comparisons. even if I know what the outcome will be....good job keep up the edutainment
While I approve of your logic regarding the use of safety glasses, I have today experienced an usual situation that makes me grateful I wore them anyway. I was shooting at paper targets with a 9mm pistol which had a slide riding optic equipped. The screws holding the optic ripped out of the aluminum mounting plate I was using and the optic hit me in the face. All I got was a cut on the cheek smaller than your average shaving nick but had I not been wearing safety glasses I may have lost my depth perception. Admittedly the optic was a Holosun 509T which is heavier than most pistol optics, but I will be making it a point NOT to use similar aluminum mounting plates in the future.
Woah! Yes, you were "lucky," i.e. prepared for whatever, and it happened. I've just mounted a Holosun 407c on my CZ 75B using a dovetail mount. I was going to get one of those aluminum mounts, but they were a lot pricier than a steel mount I found on Ebay. Looks like I "lucked out" too, this could've happened to me! I thought that aluminum didn't seem like it would be hard enough to serve as an optic mount on a pistol slide, but there are sure a lot of 'em out there. The steel mount is rock-solid!
Woah dude, you went above and beyond to make this, thank you bro
Thank you for the comparison Paul. I have to believe that anyone who doesn't know about the meat target is watching their first Paul Harrell video or lives somewhere that has no telecommunication facilities at all. Great episode.
@TiglathPileser3 You are absolutely correct.
That was exceedingly well done! Very interesting comparison!
Proud owner of two .357 mag revolvers (different barrel lengths) and a very nice 24" 357 Mag lever action rifle. I don't see anything 'wrong' with the 30 cal, but I'm under the impression the 357 is a better choice at this point - ammo selection, ammo availability, a slight edge in power and effectiveness.
When it was cheap and available the .30 carbine might have had the edge especially in availability. But definitely now the .38/.357 is the way to go. I absolutely love my .357’s and especially love their ability to be loaded way down for plinking and way up for serious hunting or predator defence in a rifle. It’s not the best choice, but it’s pretty darn good!
Paul! Please share your smoked rib recipe! I know you have to have one with all the test mediums you go through.
Thanks Paul
Would like to have see the .357 mag stand up to the .30 carbine in Buf. Bore 110gr Jacketed Soft Point @ 2100 fps. and the co. says it is safe for Ruger Blackhawks in good shape. Though it may rattle it loose firing a lot of these. *Might not be worth it just to prove a point!
Thank you for this comparison.
This can’t be a coincidence, I was just watching your video on .30 carbine for the explicit purpose of seeing how it compares to a .357 magnum and this comes out. Strange how that happens.
Well done Sir!
The whole presentation, I was making notes. Your final comments covered my basic questions. While fps, energy and such were relatively similar, it's still a case of apples vs oranges, re: bullet design and construction vs intended firearm.
Thanks. Always enlightening and thought provoking.
Thanks for the video.
I've sometimes wondered whether inconsistent results from a revolver could signify a problem with one of the chambers.
Thanks, Mr. Harrell. I didn't know they made handguns in 30 US Carbine, and the comparison to 357 Mag put the 30 in perspective.
One needs to remember that the REASON for .30 Carbine chambered handguns was NOT that they are better than any other common revolver cartridge, but because they used what was, at the time, CHEAP military surplus ammo.
When the cheap surplus ammo dried up...so did the reason for .30 Carbine chambered handguns.
We see somewhat the same thing now with revolvers chambered for "cheap" 9mm ammunition, but as someone old enough to remember, .30 Carbine was much cheaper (relatively speaking) than 9mm is now (even comparing pre-pandemic 9mm prices)
In the 50s, 60s and until the early 70s...military surplus .30-06, .30 carbine, .303 British, 8mm Mauser, 7mm Mauser were available in bulk for really low prices.
The .357 is, and always has been, a MUCH better handgun cartridge than the .30 carbine. For that matter, it's a better rifle cartridge too. And I say that as a guy who owns, and loves, an M1 carbine.
I reckon you're right, I remember those days... sigh.
I miss being able to find 303 and 410
@@Truckmechanic949 I handload for both. I also cast bullets for the .303. I don't use a lot of .410 shells, but they have always been expensive and worth the effort.
I load for 12, 16, 20, 28 and .410 shells but until the pandemic I usually just bought shells in bulk for 12 and 20 gauge.
@@garyK.45ACP I'd love to get into handloading have been looking into it for a few years always been cost, time and space in the way but kinda figured 410 might be easy to start loading without a press would possably make a jig for it out of aluminum if I cant buy one may have to start making ammo though the way its going up here in Canada
@@Truckmechanic949 I do all my shotshell loading on MEC 600 Jr. presses. I use a separate press for each gauge.
I made a base for each one that slides into a beveled frame on my bench and a pin drops in to lock it in place. You don't need much space and the bench doesn't have to be very sturdy. Shotshell loading is pretty low stress. For what a MEC 600 jr. costs it's pretty easy to get started.
I've been handloading since the 50s when I was helping my dad. I started my own set up in 1973.
I currently load for 81 metallic rifle/pistol cartridges and 5 shotshells on 2 presses for metallic cartridges and 5 shotshell presses. Plus I cast bullets for almost all the cartridges I load for. I've never been short of ammo. I do all my work (and storage) along two walls of a 2 car garage, which includes storage for all components except primers and powder which I keep in the house for climate control.
I live in Florida, so I have year 'round use of the garage (winter is actually more pleasant here than summer)
VERY fascinating! Thanks Paul!
I wonder if the excessive variations between rounds is due to differing forcing cone/barrel gap of each chamber.
I’ve just recently read that a disappointing variation exists in revolver chambers (cylinder charge hole diameters) and over torqued (pressed into frame area) barrels, resulting in overly tight forcing cone area raising pressure and oversized charge holes losing pressure in S&W 686’s and New Colt Pythons.?? Resulting in erratic POI. How many large groups I’ve fired, were caused by this? Manufacturing defects found, proved by soft lead slugging the barrels, cylinders.
@@tomahawk1911 I didn't know that about the pythons, I just remembered Ruger having that issue on some of the Redhawks and Security Six's back in the late 80's early 90's.
Very interesting Paul!
Thanks for clearly explaining what is going on in this comparison!
I thoroughly appreciate your efforts and like how realistic and thorough you are. I am still curious on how someone could hand load for both cartridges to get maximum performance within safe limits for their firearms.
Hi Paul. Black mamba from fiocchi is 110gr.
The reloads are worth watching all by themselves.
Always a pleasure to spend time with you Brother.
For those of you that didn't catch the subtle way of saying send Paul more ammo LOL. I would say he's been shooting a lot of 357 lately and it's fun to watch
I have a 1894CB Marlin 357. My handloads use a 125gr Hdy FP and go 2100fps, right at max by the load manual. I have taken a few deer with that gun / load. I do not load my 357mag handguns anywhere near max. It becomes zero fun to shoot. I do not hunt with handguns. The carbine could be an adequate defensive gun, and as a hunting gun, it is marginal in that shots need to be pretty close (maybe 100yds tops). If I had an M1 Carbine, I would not hunt with it, but it could do quite well for a defensive tool. Magazine fed helps it in that scenario vs the lever gun.
I plink with my 357 revolvers. I mostly shoot 38spl WC loads for easy, fun shooting. My Marlin 357 has pretty much become a plinker as well.
Thanks Paul for a good video. You clearly stressed bullet weight differences between the two cartridges. I can attest to the effectiveness of a 357mag with a 180gr bullet from a lever gun on a 200lb hog at 50yds. DRT and a complete pass through. That load is definitely a close range proposition only.
I love your content Paul! Keep it up :)
I've always found the 30 Carbine cartridge interesting as it was the first intermediate caliber used by the US military. The M1 Carbine was designed as a replacement for the Colt M1911 pistol because during world war two it was found that most soldiers couldn't fire a handgun very efficiently in combat. A light short rifle was seen as a better alternative for second line soldiers. People who were military police or tank crews or driving trucks bringing supplies to the frontlines needed to be armed just incase of an enemy attack. The 357 magnum was invented for police departments to defeat bulletproof vests used by criminals during the 1930s gangster era. It was also found that the new 357 magnum was very effective against the all steel cars that gangsters drove back then.
Excellent video, Paul, thank you. I agree with your key conclusion that commercial .30 Carbine projectiles are designed for long-gun barrel lengths and the velocities they generally produce, which explains why they didn’t perform particularly well form a 7.5 inch tube. I’d add one additional point, .357 magnum bullets have a greater diameter than do .30 Carbine projectiles, which (I suggest) adds the the magnums efficacy in practical applications (demonstrated with the meat target).
Love the wildlife interludes in these videos.
Automag made a 30 carbine pistol. Interesting gun. I guess Paul would have had to use it and a 357 Deagle for a fair comparison.
The 30 carbine Blackhawk is 7.5" barrel standard. 357 gets about 50fps per inch. 357 revolvers have 6" barrels as standard. Add 50-100 fps and call it equal.
I have the AMT automag 3 in 30 carb. Absolutely love it
@@jakefromstatefarm1405 does it cycle very reliably? I remember when demolotion ranch had one on. I think it had some issues.
@@joshuagibson2520 mine is excellent. Technically I'm the first owner, the gun still had the retail tags on it and in the box, FFL shop had it for 25 years or so the owner never wanted to sell it. But yes, so far no jams and is not picky with ammo.
@@jakefromstatefarm1405 sounds awesome. Don't let it get away! I think you'd regret that.
Thank you
👍👍 Thanks for watching
Let's talk now 🔝🔝
Paul consistently excellent as usual.
Thanks Paul. No suprizes here, you have demonstrated what gun writers have been saying for firty years or more but I guess these youg guys needed to see it for themselves. The meat target takes no prisoners! A great and thorough demo, as we have come to expect from you!
It seems if the ammo says "Carbine" in the name, better use it IN A CARBINE.
Isn´t there a nice lever-action for .357 magnum? I am certain i remember at least one...
Nice video once again, Paul, thanks for the interesting presentation!
Great video! Very informative for someone (like myself) that is a fan of both of these cartridges. Cannot understand how you haven’t hit 1M subscribers.
Actually Paul. The Mosquito is the OFFICIAL Missouri state animal. The spider came in 2nd Place
I thought it was the tweakersapien
i live in alabama. we had a terrible mosquito problem but the yellowflies ate them
@@RealDeanWinchester That depends on which part of MO you are talking about
@@RealDeanWinchester Methicans live in certain parts of the state
Yeah, those are actually ya'lls state bird, I hear.
Great video Paul! I believe you're exactly right. The 30 carbine ammo is more geared to a carbine. The only reason to have one in a pistol is to match your 30 carbine rifle. At some point they may make 30 carbine ammo that is meant for pistols, but I don't think they do now. Very thorough, as always.
The fact that people like Paul enough to have his channel grow so quickly gives me some hope for this countries future.
2 of my favorite calibers.. Enjoyed the video thank you.
I'm at the store and see a Ruger Blackhawk chambered in .357 magnum. Now Paul is doing a video on a Ruger Blackhawk in .357 magnum. is the universe telling me something?
YES!
GET IT!
No kidding, I have a .357 blackhawk (only 6.5") I had not shot in about 4 years because I only had about 1/2 box of ammo. I finally gave up on seeing any in store so i ordered some and took it out shooting last week. Old ammo was federal 155 grain and new ammo was remington 125 grain. I shot a piece of lexan about 2 inches thick that I have been shooting with every other caliber I have to see how far it would go in (so far 30-06 is only one to go through, 44 mag was close and so was 7.62x39) but anyway the 125 grain went in a little further and a little more damage than the 155 grain, I wasn't expecting that. Of course Paul had to put up video a few days later with a much better test.
Get a redhawk. Double action.
didn't expect the result ...thanks
Excellent ideo Paul!
Seeing you with a revolver in each hand made me wonder about firing dual revolvers vs dual semi-auto handguns. I'd love to see you address this topic.
Firing at targets with a handgun in each hand would be interesting to see, and you could discuss historical significance, practicality, accuracy, what works for you, competitions etc.
It's extremely difficult without hours and hours of practice. I've tried it with two Ruger .22 automatics. . .and my performance was, poor to say the least.
Alternating I can kinda make it work with a light pistol in each hand shooting something like a .38 or 9mm. But honestly I’m way faster and more accurate even shooting one gun in my weak hand, (I’m ambidextrous but prefer my right hand due to ergonomics and simply having more reps). It simply doesn’t work for me realistically.
The less control is not worth it. The only realistic uses I can see of this movie trope would be the ability of suppressing two entryways by yourself in close quarters, otherwise I can see the worth training to better control a handgun single-handed, with either hand, but not both at the same time unless it's just for your entertainment.
If you don't like your revolver having just 6 rounds before a reload, get a gun with 12+ capacity. We're no longer in the Wild West, we have better options than carrying two revolvers.
I'm re-watching this, and your comment about .30 Carbine projectile weight got me wondering. So I headed over to Ammoseek and looked. It turns out that Underwood makes .30 carbine ammunition with an 85 grain "Xtreme Cavitator Solid Monolithic" projectile, and Buffalo Bore makes .30 carbine ammunition loaded with a 125 grain Hard Cast, Flat Nose, Gas Checked lead bullet. So, .30 Carbine ammunition with projectiles in weights other than 110 grain do exist, but only from a couple of boutique manufacturers.