Pistol Caliber Carbines
BY Herschel Smith
11 years, 8 months ago
Rifle Shooter has a piece up comparing and contrasting pistol caliber carbines.
James Tarr compares the Colt AR6951, Rock River Arms LAR-9, Lone Wolf Distributors G-9 and JR Carbine. He finds pros and cons with each, but to me Colt is dead until they move to a free state. The JR Carbine had forend components come loose under recoil. Of course, this is fatal in my opinion.
I would select the RRA carbine for lack of any other test, but that’s probably because I have a RRA 5.56 mm rifle and like it. I have two carbines (5.56 mm AR-15 and M1 Carbine), but no pistol caliber carbine. I have shot a Colt fully automatic carbine.
At the present I’m not convinced enough in the utility of a pistol caliber carbine to spend a great deal of money on one. I can see the utility of a SBR in pistol caliber in the AR platform so that one could attach a tactical light and reflex sight for close quarters home defense, but this can also be accomplished with hand guns. My have polymer frame semi-automatics and perhaps the best CQB weapon ever invented by mankind, a S&W .357 magnum revolver.
Why do I need a pistol caliber carbine? Perhaps for my wife to shoot to avoid any recoil? What would other aspects of utility be for the pistol caliber carbine? Readers can weigh in on this question.
UPDATE: I should have added that I do not and will not have a SBR because I will never register a firearm with the ATF.
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On April 3, 2013 at 10:53 am, Chuck said:
Same reason why I don’t have an SBR, although I have thought about doing an AR pistol just for giggles. I do, however, have a Sub2000 with the Glock 17 grip. Since I have plenty of G17 magazines and a few 33 rounders as well, this worked out well for me. This has been debated ad nauseum elsewhere online and there are many who scoff at PCCs in general and the Sub2k in particular, but for the very narrow purpose mine serves it was a no-brainer.
On April 3, 2013 at 2:47 pm, Bill said:
Before I sold it due to the current shenanigans in NY, I had a fun little plinker called the CX4 Storm by Beretta in 9mm. I bought it on impulse for my wife and I, figuring the low recoil might help her along the path.
I also wanted to get the PX4 based on the ergonomic feel of the BB version. (One of the selling points was that you could by the same magazines for the PX4 and the CX4 and they’d work in either, but time has not born that out. You have to mod the magazine well of the CX, and it would only accept which ever type you chose when modding. The mod isn’t a quick in and out. Under stress you’d easily lose the cotter pin holding the well in place.)
Anyway, as far as my wife being introduced to higher than a .22, it worked. She is scary impressive as a very unpracticed shot. (Want to learn about your significant other? Go to “The Gun Store” in Las Vegas and have them fire a handgun for the first time. If she takes out the hostage takers eyes in the first two shots, she might be sending you a message.)
I wouldn’t attempt to put myself up against anyone with serious or even moderate range time, and I was able to rapidly and accurately place shots out to 75-80 yards with iron sights alone consistently. I tried rapid fire and rapid switching of mags and never ran into a problem. That’s not saying it couldn’t occur, just that it didn’t.
It was very easy to break down and clean, ambidextrous setup, (Wife is lefty, I’m righty) a light weight, ergonomic, with very well placed safety and magazine drop buttons, and I never had a misfire.
Beretta doesn’t seem to be supporting the platform much anymore, so I’m glad I sold it, but it will always have a place in my heart as a fun semi-automatic.
As far as utility, the short barrel was excellent for close quarters style “check what goes bump in the night”, but I notice I still had my wife’s go-to weapon as the Remington 870. I’d definitely prefer a higher caliber and better range in the future.
Young and unlearned saw it as cool. Older and realizing there’s much better out there has me looking for other platforms.
On April 8, 2013 at 10:11 pm, bubba said:
Dang, I would sorely love to own a Thompson M1 like Dad carried in WWII. I was never much infatuated with the M16 I carried but I do love the Garand I purchased from the CMP manufactured on my birth month and year.