Recently, Federal introduced a new self-defense pistol chambering, the 30 Super Carry. Some may wonder why we need another cartridge, especially when we cannot obtain older cartridges in the quantity and price we need. As a partial answer, the 30 Super Carry is intended to up the ante in power, energy, velocity, and penetration over the 380 ACP. On the other hand, it is intended to perform as closely to the 9mm as possible, with lighter recoil and more rounds in the magazine. We wanted to see if the 30 SC is a neat trick that we could recommend to Gun Tests readers, or is the new round just tricky marketing.

Of course, the 380 ACP and 9mm Luger are well established as self-defense rounds. Compared head to head, the 9mm Luger offers considerable improvement in terminal ballistics over the 380 ACP and is our most widely distributed defense caliber. As such, it is the cartridge for the 30 SC to beat based on performance. On the other hand, for some, recoil is a real concern. So is gun handling and racking the slide efficiently, two aspects where the 9mm Kurz, aka the 9mm Short or 380 ACP, excels. So for those shooters, would the 30 Super Carry offer a viable alternative? To get some data on both comparisons, we looked at the 380 ACP, 9mm Luger, and 30 Super Carry in three nearly-identical Smith & Wesson Shield EZ Rack pistols. We say nearly identical because the markings and weights varied only slightly between the handguns. For all practical purposes, the handguns themselves were identical. We fired them head to head at the range, comparing accuracy and recoil control. We also fired the three calibers in ballistic testing. The difference in sights, handling, and the triggers were minimal. The primary differences were in recoil and bullet performance in water jugs to assess effectiveness on physical targets. Here’s what we found:

Gun Tests Grade: A

$431

We paid $431 for the 30 Super Carry pistol. Many paid more than $500 for the first few to hit dealer shelves. This pistol seems identical to the 9mm EZ in every dimension. It also features a dual-toggle safety, as Smith & Wesson calls the ambidextrous safety. The frame treatment is nice, offering a good balance of adhesion and abrasion, the same as the other handguns. The sights are the same as the 9mm and the trigger neatly identical, breaking at a smooth but heavy 5.9 pounds. The difference is in the chambering. The 30 Super Carry allows carrying two more rounds of ammunition than the 9mm. The pistol weighs 21.6 ounces unloaded compared to 20.8 ounces in the 9mm version and 18.5 in the 380 ACP version. This is insignificant when it comes to carrying the pistol. The 30 SC is larger than the 380 pistol but the difference is slight. We cannot imagine this making a difference in carry. The 9mm and 30 SC are identical in outside dimensions. Most of the raters could not detect the difference between 30 SC recoil and 9mm Luger recoil, save when doing a side-by-side test. There is some difference, but an experienced shooter will not notice as much as a novice. The 30 SC is a hot little round and generates 320 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. This far outclasses the 380 ACP. While we prefer the 9mm, by a margin the 30 Super Carry outstrips the 380 and most 32 H&R Magnum loads. Power factor is 120 on average. This means the pistol is easier to fire comfortably than the 9mm. The difference isn’t startling to an experienced shooter, but it exists. Coupled with a small weight gain, the 30 SC seems to be an answer to those who are recoil shy or who simply cannot handle 9mm recoil. We question if the difference will be noticeable to most shooters. One of our graybeard raters drafted his 62-year-old wife into a side test. She has fired two centerfire pistols in the last decade and is loyal to her SIG P250 9mm and Ruger LCP 380. She could not tell the difference between her personal 9mm SIG and the Smith & Wesson 30 SC.

The 30 SC pistol is slightly less accurate than the 9mm version. We understand that smaller bullet holes in a group on paper give the impression of a less cohesive group, however, the total group, measured from the inside of the furthest spaced bullet holes in to the other, was larger than the 9mm. But not by a significant margin. And that is the difference we kept coming back to.

Our Team Said: The 30 SC EZ kicks less than the 9mm, but not that much less. It does hold a couple more cartridges. In terminal ballistics, the 30 SC isn’t an improvement over the 9mm at all, but it is an alternative. Compared to the 380 ACP on the other hand, the 30 Super Carry is much more desirable based on energy and wounding ballistics. We give the 30 SC Shield pistol a solid A on performance. It isn’t our pick of the three, but it is our number-two pick. For some, it will be the ideal compromise caliber.

The question of light recoil was best summed up by a rater. He noted the 9mm version of the EZ pistols tested recoils less than many of the popular 9mm subcompacts due to its greater weight and length. He felt that this pistol is a good choice for the recoil shy over the very small 9mm handguns. The 30 SC, then, is simply icing on the cake and maybe is not needed in this size handgun.

The 30 Super Carry is highly developed and does what it was designed to do. We would feel comfortable with any of the 30 SC loads as far as their performance. But if you’re in the market for a pistol today, we note that 30 SC ammunition was difficult to find in May 2022 and could be for some time. In the end, the practical choice is the Shield EZ 9mm based on its ammo, availability, and performance.

380 ACP/9mm Luger/30 Super Carry Performance Data

Value Guide: 380 ACP Semi-Auto Pistols

Value Guide: 9mm Luger Handgun Rankings