.30 TC
The .30 Thompson Center, also known by its abbreviated name, .30 TC is a cartridge developed for Thompson Center Arms by Hornady[1] Intended to deliver .30-06 Springfield performance in a .308 Winchester length round.
.30 Thompson Center | ||||||||||||
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.30 TC (center) compared to .308 Winchester (left) and 6.5mm Creedmoor (right) | ||||||||||||
Place of origin | United States | |||||||||||
Production history | ||||||||||||
Manufacturer | Hornady | |||||||||||
Produced | 2007 | |||||||||||
Specifications | ||||||||||||
Case type | Rimless | |||||||||||
Bullet diameter | 0.308 in (7.8 mm) | |||||||||||
Overall length | 1.920 in (48.8 mm) | |||||||||||
Ballistic performance | ||||||||||||
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It was initially offered in the Icon series of bolt-action rifles in 2007, which were released at the same time.
While it did accomplish its goal, consumer acceptance was low, and the round has remained on the sidelines.[2] The 6.5mm Creedmoor cartridge was created by necking down the .30 TC, and has achieved widespread popularity.[3][4]
It is the first Thompson Center headstamped cartridge.[3]
Overview
As it has been understood that gunpowder burns more efficiently in shorter wide-diameter casings,[5] modern ammunition has changed over time to become shorter and wider than previous cartridges.
The .30 TC (0.308 in (7.8 mm) x 1.920 in (48.8 mm) is a non-magnum that is somewhat shorter and wider appearing compared to the .308 and .30-06.[3] The .30 TC has a performance delivery equivalent to the .30-06.
While in a gun, all three weigh roughly the same but the .30 TC produces less recoil. The case length of the .30 TC is 1.92 inches. Although it is somewhat shorter than the .308, the .30 TC still manages to cast a 150-grain SST bullet downrange that is nearly 200 fps faster. The .30 TC can even outshoot the 150-grain SST faster than the .30-06 case, which is also longer in size compared to the .30 TC (2.494 inches).
The cartridge is approximately an inch shorter if one uses Hornady's Superformance ammo.[6] When loaded with the 165-grain SST bullets, the .30 TC has a fifty fps advantage over the .30-06, which has a velocity of 2,850 fps.
In sum, the .30 TC delivers energy and speed that equals to, or tops the .30-06 as a smaller cartridge.[5]
References
- "30 TC Load Data". Nosler. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- "The problem with the .30TC". thehi Gr ghroad.org. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- "The .30 TC". www.americanhunter.org.
- "First Look: The New .30 TC". Guns and Shooting. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- "BGFTRST: .30 TC Review : Cabela's". www.cabelas.com.
- ".30 T/C". chuckhawks.com.