The NSSF SHOT Show is an annual, industry-only trade show that means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For me, it’s not just entirely about the guns, as I am one of the writers who appreciates new ammunition as well. That being said, nothing excites me more than the introduction of a new cartridge, and this year the buzz was around Federal with its new CCW-destined round, the .30 Super Carry. Best of all, I didn’t have to wait to send some downrange as they were gracious enough to bring a pile of it to my favorite pre-SHOT event, Industry Day at the Range.
The .30 Super Carry was born out of the desire for more capacity without having to resort to .380 ACP. By reducing the caliber down to .30 (7.65mm) from 9mm, Federal was able to get an extra two rounds into the guns that are currently being offered to fire it, versus their original 9mm chambering. At the event, I fired some of the 100-grain Federal American Eagle loading of the new cartridge through a Smith & Wesson Shield Plus.
I found the recoil to be on par with mild 9mm Luger—not that much more than the felt recoil of .380 ACP, and altogether fun to shoot. To my surprise, the rounds were also extraordinarily accurate, which was determined by dumping full 15-round magazines onto a 40-yard 66% IPSC target. Furthermore, the gun fit in my hand and an inside coat pocket with an impressive level of comfort.
