}
The .30 Thompson Center (7.62×48 mm), designated 30 THOMPSON CENTER by
SAAMI, 30 TC by the
C.I.P., is a
centerfire rifle
A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with ...
cartridge
Cartridge may refer to:
Objects
* Cartridge (firearms), a type of modern ammunition
* ROM cartridge, a removable component in an electronic device
* Cartridge (respirator), a type of filter used in respirators
Other uses
* Cartridge (surname), a ...
developed for
Thompson Center Arms
Thompson/Center Arms was an American firearms company based in Springfield, Massachusetts. The company was best known for its line of interchangeable-barrel, single-shot pistols and rifles. Thompson/Center also manufactures muzzle-loading rifl ...
by
Hornady
Hornady Manufacturing Company is an American manufacturer of ammunition cartridges, components and handloading equipments, based in Grand Island, Nebraska.
History
The company is currently run by Joyce Hornady's son, Steve Hornady, who took over ...
intended to deliver
.30-06 Springfield
The .30-06 Springfield cartridge (pronounced "thirty- aught-six" ), 7.62×63mm in metric notation, and called the .30 Gov't '06 by Winchester, was introduced to the United States Army in 1906 and later standardized; it remained in military use ...
performance in a
.308 Winchester
The .308 Winchester is a smokeless powder rimless bottlenecked rifle cartridge widely used for hunting, target shooting, police, military, and personal protection applications globally. It is similar but not identical to the 7.62×51mm NATO ...
length round.
It was initially offered in the Icon series of
bolt-action rifles
Bolt-action is a type of manual firearm action that is operated by ''directly'' manipulating the bolt via a bolt handle, which is most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the weapon (as most users are right-handed).
Most bolt-action ...
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. The
6.5mm Creedmoor
The 6.5mm Creedmoor (6.5×48 mm), designated 6.5 Creedmoor by SAAMI, 6.5 Creedmoor by the C.I.P. or 6.5 CM or 6.5 CRDMR for short, is a centerfire rifle cartridge introduced by Hornady in 2007. It was developed by Hornady senior ballistic ...
cartridge was created by
necking down the .30 TC, and has achieved widespread popularity.
It is the first Thompson Center
headstamped cartridge.
Overview
As it has been understood that propellant burns more efficiently in shorter, wider-diameter casings,
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 than the .308 and .30-06.
The .30 TC has speed and energy equal to the .30-06.
All three cartridges weigh approximately 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 fires a 150-grain SST bullet nearly 200 fps faster. The .30 TC also propels the 150-grain SST faster than the 2.494" .30-06.
When loaded with the 165-grain SST bullets, the .30 TC has a 50 fps advantage over the .30-06, which has a velocity of 2,850 fps.
References
30 TC
Products introduced in 2007
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