[boilergonzo]

My email inbox is getting hit with emails from S&W touting the new Shield Plus in the 30 Super Carry caliber. Anyone have any insight or experience with this round? I am curious what people think.

13+1 in flush fit magazine, and 16+1 with the extended mag. It is an interesting way to get a bit more capacity in an existing gun frame (adds two rounds to the Shield over the 9mm version). Performance seems to nearly match 9mm (and far exceed .380). I am curious!

Getting a new round that may flame out and be hard to find is a risk, but the concept is intriguing, and I was curious if others have had a chance to try out this new offering. I am also curious if the 365, Hellcat, G43 variants, and others choose to include this caliber or not.

 

[rich52us]

I really think I can do anything I need to do with my P365 or G26. No need for a new boutique caliber for me.

oops, forgot the sig P938.

 

[Three blackbelts]

I'm sticking with my 9mm shield plus.
Easy choice.

 

[tuica]

I like the concept, and practical application, of new calibers. The Free Market will decide. My shooting buddy collects cartridges - and he bought two boxes of them yesterday. Without owning a launching platform. And if Glock produces a pistol in 30 South Carolina - I’m in.

 

[ronin.45]

I think it will fall into the dustbin of history like most new cartridges. It just doesn't offer enough advantage over 9mm to be worth finding and paying for boutique ammo.

 

[That_FNG]

It’s funny how what’s old is now new again. The did this years ago with the 7.65 French long.

 

[hannstv]

I think that a single stack like the S&W Shield EZ is a good platform for this round. It has a mag capacity of 10 rounds and is a fairly small size.

 

[mike from st pe]

Sounds like a 32ACP Magnum?

 

[CajunBass]

I haven't thought about it too much, I'm pretty much a 9mm/380 guy, but I did notice that my regular gun store had a pretty good supply of ammo for them a couple of days ago. The price was about the same as most other ammo's, something else that surprised me. I've never even thought to ask about the guns.

 

[SDGlock23]

It's got a difficult road ahead of it and it probably won't succeed. Ammo is higher than 9mm and it's probably not as effective as 9mm and it's not small enough to fit in 380 sized guns so while the argument of higher capacity is a valid one, price and so few guns made in it (so far) means it probably won't do well.

 

[ShipWreck]

I looked into this gun, as I have two 9mm Shield Plus pistols I love (the 3.1" Perf Center and the 4" Perf Center). Reviews on youtube claim that the trigger on the 30 SC pistols is about a pound or more heavier than the 9mm version. I wonder why that is.... I like the trigger as is. Posts on other forums have some people shooting the gun to the left, because the trigger is a little heavier.

That turned me off on getting one in 30 SC. I'll stick with my two 9mms ones that I love

 

[Maccabeus]

There are several videos out there by the usual YouTubers on the Shield SC.

On the one hand, it doesn't feel like it's getting much traction at this point. And, to me, the idea of picking up another caliber to test and stock isn't that appealing.

On the other hand, is the fact that it is a noticeable capacity jump without losing much (if any?) capability.

Think of all the threads and posts on "we're only poking holes with handguns". 3 extra rounds per mag in a subcompact is substantial. 30% more hole poking opportunities before reload. Many of us spend good money on MagGuts spring kits just to add 1 round to each magazine in our little guns.

Considering I don't prefer to carry a Shield (or it's EZ variation) and I don't have plans to buy a Nightwawk 1911, it just isn't on my radar. (Does anyone else have a .30 SC gun out yet?) Now, if Sig released a P365 in Super Carry, I might start giving it more consideration.

 

[CAcop]

Reminds me of the .327 mag.

It might make more sense as a round for the recoil sensitive. Granny, small women, or even larger people who just don't want to have to worry about recoil at all.

 

[boilergonzo]

I really think I can do anything I need to do with my P365 or G26. No need for a new boutique caliber for me.

oops, forgot the sig P938.

While I also have a 365, 938, and Shield in 9mm, would you want to have a 12-round flush mag in your 365, or 15 rounds in the 12-round mag and a 18 or 19 rounds in a 15 round magazine?

For those that capacity is appealing, this is a possible path.

As another example, what if a G43 went from 6 to 8 rounds? Or a G43X from 10 to 13 rounds in a flush-fit mag? For some, that may hold some attraction.

Given the ballistic performance is fairly similar to 9mm, it seems to me that the only real barrier to incorporation is the new-ness and risk of the new caliber (market resistance and a deeply established 9mm market). Had 30 Super Carry existed alongside the 9mm for 50 years, would people still choose the 9mm (lower capacity for similar performance)? Something to ponder!

I asked the original question because it does seem to lack energy and interest, despite appearing very appealing on paper in terms of performance and added capacity. Reluctance is strong. I admit to being cautious, and may not dive in either!

 

[Maccabeus]

Well, I just wasted an hour+ fast forwarding through numerous videos from a "30 Super Carry ballistics" search.

Several folks have done gel tests comparing 9 & 30SC using HSTs, Remington HTPs, & Gold Dots.

Bullet weights and penetration & expansion results vary, but a high level take away from the videos I watched would be...

Generally speaking:
9mm wins with energy (ft-lbs) & expansion.
.30 SC wins with penetration & capacity.

Depending on what one favors, either could be the better choice.

 

[boilergonzo]

I looked into this gun, as I have two 9mm Shield Plus pistols I love (the 3.1" Perf Center and the 4" Perf Center). Reviews on youtube claim that the trigger on the 30 SC pistols is about a pound or more heavier than the 9mm version. I wonder why that is.... I like the trigger as is. Posts on other forums have some people shooting the gun to the left, because the trigger is a little heavier.

That turned me off on getting one in 30 SC. I'll stick with my two 9mms ones that I love

My understanding from a prior S&W announcement was that the trigger weight was identical. Is this not true? Is this gun-to-gun variation, or a true difference? My suspicion is that the gun's triggers are set up the same at the factory, but I cannot prove that.

 

[mike from st pe]

30 super carry needs an economical practice round. FMJ rounds for the range.

 

[boilergonzo]

There are several videos out there by the usual YouTubers on the Shield SC.

On the one hand, it doesn't feel like it's getting much traction at this point. And, to me, the idea of picking up another caliber to test and stock isn't that appealing.

On the other hand, is the fact that it is a noticeable capacity jump without losing much (if any?) capability.

Think of all the threads and posts on "we're only poking holes with handguns". 3 extra rounds per mag in a subcompact is substantial. 30% more hole poking opportunities before reload. Many of us spend good money on MagGuts spring kits just to add 1 round to each magazine in our little guns.

Considering I don't prefer to carry a Shield (or it's EZ variation) and I don't have plans to buy a Nightwawk 1911, it just isn't on my radar. (Does anyone else have a .30 SC gun out yet?) Now, if Sig released a P365 in Super Carry, I might start giving it more consideration.

That pretty much sums up where my head is right now on this.

But for a gun to offer added capacity AND 347 ft-lbs of force in Federal HST (versus 364 for 9mm and a far smaller 223 for .380), it does have me interested! That is a 2-3 free extra rounds per magazine! It would be interesting to see if a 365 magazine design could feed such a round reliably AND benefit from the slimmer casing body. I don't know.

 

[Deltic]

The 30-super carry would interest me if it was in a very small, lightweight pistol competing with .32acp or .380acp. That would require a strong recoil spring and might not be easy for some people to shoot but it would work for me.

 

[Rocks]

30 Super Carry = no interest to me.