Ahh...a debate on weapons details. I beg to disagree:
The .30 caliber carbine is a carbine, not a rifle.
The .30 caliber carbine is a round in addition to being a weapon.
=========================================================== Anytime a cartridge is adopted for use by the U.S. government, its chances of success among civilian shooters are quite good, regardless of its practical usefulness as a sporting cartridge. Such a cartridge is the .30 Carbine. Its too powerful for small game, not powerful enough for big game, and has never been available in an accurate rifle. And yet, this 1940's vintage military cartridge is still high up on the popularity chart among American shooters.
Introduced in 1940 in the M1 Carbine, this straight walled .30 caliber cartridge was loaded with a 110 grain round nose bullet at a muzzle velocity of 1975 fps. As the U.S. Army saw it, the short, lightweight rifle was far more effective in the hands of the average GI than a pistol and yet much more portable than the longer and heavier M1 Garand rifle.
Whether or not this proves to be true is debatable, but one thing is certain; The thousands of M1 Carbines sold to civilian shooters through the NRA assured this cartridge lasting popularity.
At best, the .30 Carbine is enough cartridge for javalina and varmints at close range. At worst, it is a fun cartridge for venting cans and paper targets. Probably the most accurate firearms ever available in this caliber are the Thompson/Center Contender and the Ruger Blackhawk. H110, W-296, and 2400 are excellent choices for all barrel lengths.
Source: Hodgdon Data Manual, 26th Edition =========================================================== Hmm..... not to nitpick details, but a .30 caliber ROUND can be quite potent indeed, to the point of putting a hole roughly the size of a baseball in the back of your head. Its all about velocity, my son.
The .30 caliber designation is generic. I favor the 7.62mm x 51 version myself and have gone thru as much as 3000 rounds per season. Velocity is only half of the equation...don't neglect bullet weight.
Bottom line is that the .30 caliber carbine is a pistol round designed for a short, light rifle.
Regards
J.R.