The .30 Carbine (aka .30 M-1 Carbine) was developed by Winchester in the 1930s and was officially adopted by the U.S. Ordinance Department in 1941 and was almost immediately pressed into action with U.S.’s involvement in World War II that officially began in December 1941.

Although the .30 Carbine was designed for light carbines, it was a natural for revolvers and single-shot pistols in which it produced magnum type velocities. Gunsmiths at the time began converting Colt Single Action Army revolvers and others to this caliber. In 1968, Bill Ruger began Chambering the Blackhawk revolver for .30 Carbine, and Thompson/Center also offered its Contender single-shot pistol. Surplus ammunition was readily available at bargain prices, but that supply has long since dried up. Today handloaders can assemble loads at a fraction of the cost of new commercially produced ammunition.

Most dies sets are made of steel., which requires applying case lube to the full-length size. It is recommended to obtain carbide dies from RCBS or Lee Precision that eliminate the need for case lube, with the Lee die removing the bulge that often appears just forward of the case head when cases have been fired in M1 Carbines.