The .30 Super Carry: The Future of Concealed Carry or Just a Flash in the Pan?


When Federal Premium announced the .30 Super Carry in early 2022, the concealed carry world raised an eyebrow. A brand-new handgun caliber designed specifically for personal defense? That’s a bold move in a market where the 9mm has been king for decades. But Federal wasn’t just throwing another round into the mix for the sake of variety—the .30 Super Carry was designed to fill a real gap in the market. More capacity, better penetration, and similar ballistic performance to 9mm, all in a slimmer package. Sounds good on paper, but how does it actually stack up in the real world? Let’s take a deep dive into the .30 Super Carry and see if it has what it takes to carve out a lasting place in the firearms landscape.

Smith & Wesson 30 Super Carry
The .30 Super Carry: What Is It?

The .30 Super Carry is a centerfire pistol cartridge designed to offer the power of a 9mm in a more compact size. Developed by Federal Ammunition, it features a .313-inch projectile, slightly smaller than the 9mm’s .355-inch diameter. The idea is simple: a smaller cartridge means you can fit more rounds into a magazine without sacrificing stopping power.

In terms of ballistics, Federal’s specs show that the .30 Super Carry fires a 100-grain projectile at roughly 1,250 feet per second (fps) with 347 foot-pounds of energy. That’s right in the ballpark of standard pressure 9mm loads, which typically push a 115-grain bullet at similar speeds. And thanks to the narrower profile, handguns chambered in .30 Super Carry can squeeze in an extra two to three rounds compared to their 9mm counterparts. For concealed carriers, that’s a pretty compelling advantage.

Ballistic Performance: Does It Deliver?

Federal designed the .30 Super Carry to outperform .380 ACP while keeping up with 9mm in penetration and energy. Independent testing has shown that the round performs well in FBI protocol gel tests, consistently penetrating beyond the 12-inch minimum recommended for self-defense scenarios.

One key advantage is penetration—because the .30 Super Carry is a smaller-diameter bullet moving at high velocity, it often penetrates deeper than 9mm while still achieving reliable expansion. For those worried about overpenetration, modern hollow-point designs like Federal’s HST mitigate that concern, ensuring the bullet expands effectively while still reaching the vitals.

Recoil is another major factor. The .30 Super Carry produces slightly less felt recoil than a comparable 9mm, making it easier to shoot quickly and accurately. For shooters who struggle with the snappier impulse of 9mm in small carry guns, this could be a welcome alternative.

Capacity: The Real Selling Point

One of the biggest draws of the .30 Super Carry is increased magazine capacity. Because the round is slimmer than 9mm, manufacturers can fit more cartridges into the same space. For example, the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield Plus chambered in .30 Super Carry holds 13+1 rounds, compared to 10+1 in 9mm. The Nighthawk Custom GRP, a high-end 1911-style pistol, jumps to 12+1 rounds compared to 10+1 in 9mm.

Shield 30 Super Carry


For concealed carriers, that’s a notable increase—especially considering that magazine capacity is often the limiting factor when choosing a carry gun. If you can get two or three extra rounds in the same footprint, that’s worth considering.

Adoption and Availability: The Hurdles

Despite its advantages, the .30 Super Carry has some serious obstacles in its path. The biggest challenge? Ammunition availability. While Federal, Speer, and Remington all produce .30 Super Carry ammo, it’s still nowhere near as widespread as 9mm. Walk into any gun store, and you’ll find stacks of 9mm boxes, but .30 Super Carry? Maybe. Maybe not. And when you do find it, it’s often priced higher than comparable 9mm loads.

Another hurdle is firearm selection. Currently, only a handful of manufacturers produce handguns chambered in .30 Super Carry. The most notable are the Smith & Wesson Shield Plus and Equalizer, along with the Nighthawk Custom GRP. While these are solid options, a new caliber really needs widespread manufacturer adoption to take off. Without more pistols hitting the market, the .30 Super Carry risks becoming a niche offering rather than a mainstream choice.

The Verdict: Is It Worth It?

So, should you ditch your 9mm and switch to .30 Super Carry? Well, it depends on what you’re looking for in a carry gun. If capacity is your biggest concern, the extra two or three rounds might be enough to sway you. The lower recoil and solid ballistic performance are also strong selling points. But if you value widespread availability and lower ammo costs, sticking with 9mm is probably the smarter move for now.

The .30 Super Carry has potential, but it needs more widespread adoption to truly compete with 9mm. If major manufacturers like Glock, Sig Sauer, and Springfield start offering pistols in the caliber, it could gain serious traction. Until then, it’s a promising concept that’s waiting for its big break.

For now, the .30 Super Carry remains a great idea with limited real-world impact. But if you’re an early adopter looking for something new in the concealed carry world, it just might be worth a shot.

What’s Next?

Will we see more firearms chambered in .30 Super Carry? Will ammunition prices drop as production ramps up? Or will it go the way of the .45 GAP—an interesting concept that never truly caught on? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure: it’s always exciting to see innovation in the firearms industry. Stay tuned.


By: Kenny

www.mdrfenterprises.com


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