Wheelgun Wednesday: Ruger Blackhawk in .30 Carbine – It's Back!

About a month and a half ago I saw something I didn't think I'd see for a long time. The Ruger Blackhawk in .30 Carbine showed up in distribution. I work in the firearms industry so I get to see that sort of thing, and the second I spotted it I grabbed one. Haven't seen another come through since.

Ruger never officially discontinued this gun. It's been sitting in their catalog this whole time, listed at an MSRP around $669 to $879 depending on where you look. But for years, maybe even a decade or more, I haven't seen a brand new one. Dealers would occasionally list it as available or for backorder but to my knowledge it never shipped.

Did Ruger quietly restart production? Is this a limited batch? Are they testing demand? I have no idea. I've wanted one of these for about 10 years and wasn't going to miss my chance.

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Why the .30 Carbine Blackhawk Exists

The Ruger Blackhawk in .30 Carbine first showed up in 1968. The military had just switched up their cartridge of choice, which meant surplus .30 Carbine ammo was flooding the market. Lots of people were going to have M1 Carbines at home. Ruger figured they might want a revolver that shot the same ammo.

Specifications: Ruger Blackhawk .30 Carbine

The .30 Carbine runs at around 40,000 psi, higher than most revolver cartridges. The 7.5-inch barrel keeps the overall weight reasonable at 46 ounces. The cylinder pin is the longer Super Blackhawk style. Easier to remove than the stubby pins on standard Blackhawks.

• Caliber: .30 Carbine
• Barrel Length: 7.5 inches (only option)
• Overall Length: Around 13.4 inches
• Weight: Roughly 44 ounces
• Cylinder: 6-shot capacity
• Sights: Adjustable rear, ramp front
• Action: Single-action only
• Frame: Steel, blued finish
• Grips: Black checkered plastic with Ruger medallion
• MSRP: $879 (Current Ruger MSRP)

Range Time: Ruger Blackhawk .30 Carbine

I've put about 70 rounds through mine so far. Mix of Federal American Eagle factory loads and my own reloads. The factory stuff is noticeably hotter than what I load. My reloads are running around 1900 fps because I loaded them as fun plinking rounds for my M1 Carbine. The Federal stuff has more snap.

I haven't had any extraction issues. The .30 Carbine is a rimless cartridge, headspaces on the case mouth in the cylinder. Some people have reported sticky extraction with certain loads. I haven't run into that yet. Spent brass falls right out when I open the loading gate.

Why I Wanted This Gun

I've owned an M1 Carbine for years. I always thought it would be cool to have a revolver that shared ammo with it. That's the whole reason. It's not practical. The .30 Carbine is too much for small game and not enough for deer in most places. At least I wouldn't trust my accuracy with this to justify it. Loud, not particularly accurate, ammo costs more than .357 or .44 Magnum. But it's cool. That's reason enough for me.

This gun makes no sense on paper. Shoot it once and you get it. Range toy, conversation piece, chunk of firearms history that refuses to die. Ruger's kept it in the catalog for 50+ years. There's always a few weirdos like me who want one.

Final Thoughts: Ruger Blackhawk .30 Carbine

I'm glad I grabbed this when I saw it. No idea if Ruger is actually making these regularly now or if this was a one-time batch. Maybe they run a small production every few years to keep the catalog listing honest. Maybe they're gauging interest. Maybe somebody at Ruger just likes the .30 Carbine Blackhawk and refuses to let it die.

If you see one of these in stock, grab it. They're not sitting on shelves for long. And if you've been on the fence about this gun for years like I was, stop overthinking it. Blast to shoot, looks great, genuinely unique. The Ruger Blackhawk in .30 Carbine isn't for everyone. But for the people it's for, nothing else quite compares…unless it's an Automag III. Someday on that one.