The .30 Herrett is a wildcat rifle cartridge developed in the 1970s by Steve Herrett and gunsmith Ken Waters. The .30 Herrett is based on a shortened and necked-down .30-30 Winchester case. This design was intended to optimize the performance in the shorter barrels of handgun platforms like the Thompson/Center Contender, offering improved efficiency and higher velocity compared to similar cartridges.
Use cases for the .30 Herrett primarily include hunting and target shooting. It offers an excellent balance of power and low recoil, making it suitable for medium-sized game such as deer. Its efficient case design provides good ballistic performance out of short-barreled firearms, which makes it particularly favorable for handgun hunters who require precision and effectiveness at moderate ranges.
General knowledge about the .30 Herrett includes its typically robust performance, providing velocities in the range of 2,000 to 2,200 feet per second with a 150-grain bullet. Reloading is common among users of this cartridge due to its wildcat status, meaning factory ammunition is generally not available. Reloading also allows users to fine-tune the cartridge's performance for their specific needs.