Why Marlin discontinue the 9mm and .45ACP camp carbine ?

^^^^My chrono tests of .45ACP, from a 16" UZI barrel taken in March of 1989 show that most 230 grain ball loads are very close to, or a bit over 1,000 FPS. The measurements taken with an old Pro Tach chronograph ten feet from the muzzle. For comparison, a slew of 1911 pattern pistols (5" barrels) from various makers clocked around 795-872 FPS. That difference is also representative of a number of lighter loads, both jacketed and hard lead.

As for the carbines, I wish the Beretta used Glock magazines; the Cougar magazines I believe only hold eight rounds. Sure would be nice if Glock had a carbine!

Here is some real world testing on the .45 in longer barrels-

http://ballisticsbytheinch.com/45auto.html

I've had my Marlin camp carbine in 9mm for years If I remember corectly I traded a sks strait across for it that's been 16 years ago, I shoot it a lot and havent had any problems so far..I also like my keltec sub2000 in 40cal. The little thing folds in half and excepts glock magazine also I have had it 6 or 7 years and I got it for a steal, it rides folded up in my center console in my truck and has killed several hogs at short range, its a very handy rifle to have. But back to Marlin I wish they would make them again But im not waiting the first one I find in 45acp is gonna get bought if its not trashed.

Stiab, Just curious, is the velocity increase with 230 fmj or with lighter bullets or both? I have read the same information, that .45 acp doesnt deliver higher velocities in carbine length firearms.

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Wow, I'm several months late responding to a follow up question, sorry about that, must of missed that post.

In comparison to the same rounds fired from a 4" S&W M625 and the .45 Camp Carbine, here the loads followed by the average increase in the Marlin...

Rem 230 HP +80, Rem 230 FMJ + 60, Pmc 230 FMJ +80, Mag Tech 230 FJM + 166, Win Silver Tip 185 + 222, Rem 200 +194, Win WB 230 +139, Reload 6.8 Unique 225 Gr lead +251, Win 230 "Clean" +191.

Wow, six years and still going strong! I'd opine that there are maybe three reasons a gun ever gets discontinued: It's banned/forced out of production or importation through legislation (eg MP5, MAC10), is dropped due to poor sales or ditched when it becomes too expensive to profitably sell (eg HK P7). Okay, I guess lawsuits due to design defects can also do it.

Wow, this is an oldie.

I posted in this over 6 years ago. Based on what I learned here, I eschewed the Marlin, continued my search for a Kel-Tec Sub2K, and found a new one.

Love it, has been reliable and lots of fun, same mags as my Glock, and it folds!

I bought a 9mm carbine in 2005 from a friend. I think he made a replacement buffer which, after his use and several hundred rounds of my use shows no signs of ever wearing out. With an Ultradot red dot scope on it, I can shoot the eye out of a Zombie Target with no real effort; even my wife, whose shooting is hurt by her weird vision problems, can do the same.

Malfunctions? None that I can remember.

For us, it's a good gun and a keeper.

My guess is that they will be introduced at some point down the road again.

If I run across another one, I'll insist on a trip to the range with it before committing to the purchase. My first experience was with the .45ACP, and it never functioned well. I was lucky to have bought it from a friend, and got a full refund.

check out glockstore for ar-15 9mm,40,45 using glock mags,mech-tech systems using glock pistol lowers attached to pistol/rifle uppers and bazooka brothers,who makes an ar-15 lower that accepts mac modified grease gun 30 round mags

fyi if you want pistol caliber semi carbines

I got a Just Right carbine in 45ACP. It takes Glock mags but will also take 1911 mags with a mag well swap.

Toss in a conversion kit and you can shoot 9mm/40S&W using either Glock or M&P magazines.

and how do those last two things have anything to do with why marlin discontinued two PCC's exactly?

splithoof said:

As for the carbines, I wish the Beretta used Glock magazines; the Cougar magazines I believe only hold eight rounds. Sure would be nice if Glock had a carbine!

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tiamat, I think dprice3844444 and I were replying to splithoof's post.

OK, back to OP.

Pistol caliber carbines are a lot more popular now than they were many years ago. Remlin ought to consider a new, updated Camp Carbine with the old bugs worked out.

I have the camp 45 I bought new in the 90's for $300 it is very accurate and reliable, that is until the factory recoil buffer disintegrated and the hammer strut bridge trunnion post broke
Well I got a blackjack buffer for it and a 16.5 lbs recoil spring and made my own hammer strut as the factory one is a stamped POS.
This thing is a real mouse trap to put back together
With the upgrades this camp 45 has been running great for the last 10 years and is a real treat to shoot

When Marlin designed the Camp 9, they had a problem--there was no one "generic" 9mm pistol magazine out there. What they probably should have done--in those pre-Glock days--was chose the Hi-Power's mag. Instead, they chose a mag in LE use. Their timing just wound up horrible for that choice.

S&W did not make things easy either, what with all the different mags they had out at the time.

So, Joe Shooter had to choose to use the one mag that came with, or go buy aftermarket mags (unless they were part of the small market segment that already used the M-35 mags). So, the Camp 9 did not sell well.

The Camp 45 was nicely proportioned, had zero EBR appearance, and used the magazine for .45acp, the 1911. Problem was that it was the era of the "wondernine." But, it was a niche that was not really there.

Couple that with "insides" that had clearly been designed after the "outsides" had been decided upon. So, it did not have a glowing rep even at a very good price point. All the glossy gun pubs were all about locking breeches, and here was a blowback .45 that relied upon a block of delrin to not batter the receiver end. Oh, ad when you cleaned the thing, the magazine hold-open fell out, and lots its spring for near ever. You then needed a third hand to trap the hold-open in place while pushing the locking pin in.

All in a market where a Universal carbine )or the like) was maybe $100-150; a GI Carbine was $150-200; a collectible M-1 maybe $50 more.

I still have my first-generation Camp 45, though.

I seem to recall something in the gun press about Marlin not wanting to be in the "assault rifle" business after Columbine.

I have a Camp 9 that I traded a Hi-point carbine for. I still consider it a good trade.

Yes, a wolf heavy recoil spring and blackjack buffer in my Camp 45 fixed it up for good. No issues

Marlin may have wanted to distance itself from "black" guns--however columbine was 11 years ('99) are I bought my Camp 45 (Aug '88). Even the dread (and useless) AWB was four years' in the future.

I've got two 9’s and a .45 and I love them. Put in some new springs and buffers a while back, and I've been shooting the hell out of them since. Love 'em!

Yet High Point sells them as fast as they can make them and they are IMHO the ugliest carbine in the world. Which proves there is a market for pistol caliber carbines.