Channel fans and family, this one is a look back to SHOT Show 2022 (filmed at the show in January 2022, and the video went up in December 2022). Back then the big new handgun cartridge everybody was talking about was 30 Super Carry. I got to shoot it out at the range, compare it back to back with 9mm, and then sit down with Ken from Remington Ammunition to ask the obvious questions: what is it, why does it exist, and is it coming for your 9mm?
Quick note: this is a SHOT Show range first look and interview, not a full SlavGuns range test and evaluation. We talked a little about where ammo cost might land, but that was 2022 talk, so I’m leaving numbers out here.
TL;DR
- What it is: a new handgun cartridge built from the ground up for everyday carry pistols.
- The pitch: it carries like a .380 but gives you 9mm-type ballistic performance.
- Capacity: in the Smith & Wesson Shield EZ or Shield Plus it gives you two extra rounds compared to 9mm.
- Performance claims from the show: about 1,250 fps out of the barrel, roughly 15.5 inches of penetration in gel, with good expansion and weight retention.
- Ammo at launch: six offerings across Remington, Federal, Speer and Blazer, with Ken expecting product to hit shelves around March 2022.
- Not a 9mm killer: in Ken’s words, nothing will ever replace 9mm. 30 Super Carry is aimed at the person who would otherwise reach for a .380.
First shots: 30 Super Carry vs 9mm
We started on the range shooting 30 Super Carry and then went straight to 9mm, both out of the Smith & Wesson Shield EZ platform. I’m pretty familiar with that pistol, since we’ve done a bit of work with Smith & Wesson, and I’ve shot it in .380 as well (we covered the original M&P 380 Shield EZ way back in 2019). So I had a good baseline.
My honest first impression: going from one to the other, they almost felt the same. That was a short range session, not a full evaluation, but it lines up with what the cartridge is supposed to do.
What 30 Super Carry is supposed to do
Ken laid out the problem it’s trying to solve. People want smaller carry guns, so they gravitate toward .380, but they want the power of 9mm, so they end up stepping up to something bigger. 30 Super Carry was designed to sit right in the middle: carry like a .380, perform like a 9mm.
From the show:
- The load we shot was coming out of the barrel at around 1,250 fps.
- It penetrates about 15.5 inches into gel, with great expansion and bullet weight retention.
- In a pistol like the Shield EZ or Shield Plus, you get two extra rounds. More capacity, 9mm-class performance, and a gun small enough to carry comfortably every day.
For what it’s worth, Federal’s current pages for its Personal Defense HST 30 Super Carry and American Eagle 30 Super Carry list a 100 grain bullet at 1,250 fps, so that number held up after launch.
Why a smaller bullet and a longer case?
This was my nerd question. Compared to .380, 30 Super Carry uses a smaller diameter bullet but a longer case. So why not just split the difference and keep a .355 caliber bullet? Ken said the goal was to get that extra oomph to match the 9mm ballistically, and that takes the extra powder pushing a smaller projectile. They tried a bunch of different solutions in the lab with the R&D engineers, and this is the one that did what they wanted.
He also said the idea came from carriers themselves, through the feedback they collect from customer service. Between the penetration numbers and the recoil, it really does come across as a purpose-built round, not just “here’s something new, go try it.”
Ammo at launch and SAAMI
When I asked if this was just an announcement with ammo maybe showing up by the end of the year, Ken said no: around March you’d start to see a big flow to the shelves. The launch lineup he listed was six offerings:
- Remington UMC (range)
- Remington High Terminal Performance (defense)
- Federal HST (defense)
- Federal American Eagle (range)
- Speer Gold Dot (defense)
- Blazer, which is what we shot at the range
So there was variety right away, whether you’re going to the range or actually carrying it. Ken also said that week it was being presented to SAAMI, since SAAMI usually holds its annual meeting at the same time as SHOT Show. My point there was simple: if it becomes a SAAMI spec, other manufacturers can jump on board, and more competition is what helps gun owners on ammo cost. He agreed, and expected new platforms and other manufacturers to follow.
Is it replacing 9mm?
I asked straight up whether this is meant to replace 9mm or more to displace some .380. His answer: nothing will ever replace 9mm. It’s world renowned and used by military and law enforcement everywhere, and it’s not going anywhere. 30 Super Carry is for the everyday civilian carrier who wants more capacity in a smaller, comfortable platform. That’s the sweet spot.
Our take
I liked that 30 Super Carry was a purpose-built answer to a real carry problem instead of a gimmick. More rounds in the same small gun with performance close to 9mm is a legit pitch, and in my short range time it felt pretty much like shooting 9mm out of the same pistol. As I said in the video: they built the solution, and it’s up to gun owners to decide whether it becomes a commercial success. Keep in mind this was a SHOT Show first look, not a full range evaluation. If you’re more of a .380 person, check out our Ruger Security-380 article, and for more Federal ammo coverage read Federal’s 22 Creedmoor Fusion and American Eagle loads and our take on the Federal ammo subscription.
Where to find it
- Federal Personal Defense HST 30 Super Carry
- Federal American Eagle 30 Super Carry
- Remington High Terminal Performance 30 Super Carry
- Remington UMC 30 Super Carry
- Everything else I run: SlavGuns Amazon storefront
- Precision rifle upgrades: Anarchy Outdoors
- Support the channel: join the Squat Squad on YouTube
Did you ever pick up a 30 Super Carry pistol, or are you sticking with 9mm and .380? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading, and keep on squatting!
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