A few weeks ago I made my way to the desert to perform some ballistics gel testing. For those unaware, .30 Super Carry is something that I’m a big fan of. In an attempt to garner 30SC more support, and to further educate myself, I decided to conduct another round of gel testing. This time we’re up against a new barrier material to see how that changes things. How does .30 Super Carry fare in this latest test? Let’s find out!
This is my third iteration of gel testing for 30SC. My initial test was conducted in late 2023 using my personal S&W Shield Plus. Most results were not stellar, but there were still some options that were good enough for me to carry this caliber. You can read more on that testing >>HERE<<.
In early August of 2024 I performed another round of testing. This time the test gun was the Avidity Arms PD10 in both 4-inch and 5-inch barrels. These gave me much better results, being closer to what the round was originally designed for. That test data can be found >>HERE<<.
In this testing I am once again using two 10% gelatin “FBI” blocks from Clear Ballistics. This time around I am using a “Heavy Clothing Barrier”, a first for my testing. Specifically, I am using the heavy clothing barrier kit, available through Clear Ballistics. This consists of the following:
These materials are stacked atop each other, then fixed to the front of the gel block with tape. Each load is fired five times into gel for consistency. Finally, a Competition Electronics ProChrono LTD chronograph is used to measure velocity for each round fired.
As with the previous event, our test gun is the Avidity Arms PD10. Both 4-inch, and 5-inch barrels are used here. This testing was performed on 16 August 2024, from 0600-0900 hours. During this time temperatures ranged from 76-89 degrees Fahrenheit. Testing occurred in Cold Creek, Nevada.
As always, before beginning testing I use a control measure to validate my ballistic gel. This is a S&W 351C paired with Hornady Critical Defense. This is a 1.88-inch barrel, chambered for .22WMR, firing a 45 grain FTX bullet. The same barrier material, chronograph, and other parameters remain the same with the control and throughout the rest of testing.
As a reminder, here are the loads being tested. For additional consistency, this test was performed using ammunition from the same box as my previous Four Layer Denim testing. That eliminates any variables you could encounter by changing lots, storage conditions, etc.
Up to this point, I had never seen a direct comparison of 4LD and Heavy Clothing test results using the same gun and ammunition combination. As such, I was very interested to see how things played out. In general, results were fairly comparable between the two barrier types. That said, a few rounds did see notable differences, most shockingly was Speer Gold Dot. In previous testing Gold Dot would zip straight through blocks with no expansion. This time around, it admirably in both barrel lengths. More experimentation will be required to see why there is such a stark difference here compared to previous tests.
The big stand-out to me here is Hornady Critical Defense. While not as well loved in 9×19 as Speer Gold Dot, or Federal HST, it’s really showing its worth in .30 Super Carry. It gives incredibly consistent results across multiple barrier materials, barrel lengths, and more. Every round fired looks like an advertisement in a magazine, which is always a pleasure to see. It’s what I put in my carry gun, and with each test it further validates that choice.
Once again, .30 Super Carry shows that it can hang with the big boys of service calibers. Providing comparable results to 9×19 with improved capacity is a big win in my book. Read the full results of this test event >>HERE<<. Now, if we could just get more support in terms of manufacturers and purchasers…
Once again, I remind readers that clear gel is not a 1:1 comparison for organic calibrated gelatin. It is also not a 1:1 comparison for how projectiles perform in living tissue. This medium is being used to provide a consistent test procedure for data gathering purposes. I recommend you take my test results and compare them to those of others for a more comprehensive view.
If you’re still on the fence about giving .30 Super Carry a chance, hopefully this helps push you towards support. It’s a great cartridge that really deserves more attention. Giving us improved capacity, similar shooting characteristics to 9×19, and solid ballistic performance, it’s a winner in my book.
Keep your eyes peeled for Heavy Clothing testing with the S&W Shield Plus later this year. If there’s enough interest, I may also test 30SC out of a carbine length barrel, or consider other metrics to evaluate it with. If there’s anything you’d like to see in the future, let us know! I’m always open to suggestions. Don’t worry, there’s more than just .30 Super Carry testing in the pipeline as well.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading! Writing isn’t my full-time profession, and nearly everything I do comes out of my own pocket. Between ammunition, tuition, range fees and more, expenses add up fast. If you like what I have to offer, consider making a donation to my Patreon.
Every bit helps bring more work like this to you, and contributes to shortened timelines or more in-depth work on my part. You’ll also have more direct access to me, offering suggestions for future projects, looking behind the scenes, and getting early access to some content. You can find my Patreon >>HERE<<
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