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If its between an M1 Carbine and a Mini 14, I'd take the Mini any day of the week. In my limited experience with both models, my Mini could shoot circles around the M1 Carbines I've seen. And having a better selection of ammo factors into it as well.
mdThanatos
Member
What kind of carbine are you referring to? An AR style pistol caliber carbine, a 5.56 carbine, M1 carbine?
chicharrones
needs more ammo
If you don't already have a semi-auto 5.56 rifle, I'd have to pick that over a semi-auto pistol caliber carbine due to the 5.56 being able to outrange a PCC. A PCC is a nice option if you already have your rifle and handgun needs (or wants) sorted out.
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Charlie98
Member
It also depends on what you are doing with it. Help us help you... give us some more details, please.
Theohazard
Member
No, often they're not different at all. Often they're the exact same thing. The definition of “carbine” has nothing to do with caliber, it’s just a rife with a shorter barrel. There are many, many carbines chambered in 5.56. Actually, I’d bet that there are more 5.56 carbines in America than in any other caliber.
someguy2800
Member
This is like asking if you should buy a Toyota Camry or a Ford F350 without giving any details of what you need it for.
Is it really that hard to just give an offhand opinion?
PCC's are fairly close range firearms, within 100yds roughly. If you want to shooter longer distances upwards of 200yds or further, you'd want to go with the 5.56. PCC's are also a bit quieter, and therefore more pleasant to shoot(for me anyway), recoil depends on the design, could be more or less.
PCC's are fairly close range firearms, within 100yds roughly. If you want to shooter longer distances upwards of 200yds or further, you'd want to go with the 5.56. PCC's are also a bit quieter, and therefore more pleasant to shoot(for me anyway), recoil depends on the design, could be more or less.
CapnMac
Member
Ok, I'm going to be "that guy."
I would not buy either.
I'd get a nice, simple M4gery in 5.56; I'd then get a similar upper in a pistol caliber. (Ok, in all fairness, you'll wind up getting a lower dedicated to the pistol caliber magazines, but, that's later along.)
I would not buy either.
I'd get a nice, simple M4gery in 5.56; I'd then get a similar upper in a pistol caliber. (Ok, in all fairness, you'll wind up getting a lower dedicated to the pistol caliber magazines, but, that's later along.)
I have also been going back and forth trying to decide between a mini 14 and a Ruger 9 take down carbine. I don't own a .223 semi auto yet and I prefer my brown rifles to my black rifles which kind of pushes me towards the mini 14 (I love my Garand and M1 carbine which the mini 14 resembles). Now that Ruger has upped its game and make a more acurate Mini 14 than the Mini14s of my youth they have even more apeal. But for just pure shooting fun I can reload 9mm faster and cheaper than .223 (I reload both) which is pushing me towards the Ruger 9 take down. I also like the idea of the small size and quick assembly of the Ruger 9 for a truck gun.
I have been researching 9mm PCCs (pistol caliber carbines) and after researching the Sub 2000, Beretta CX5, Hi-point, JR Carbine, JR take down carbine, .30 carbine in 9mm , uzi carbine, 9mm AR carbine, Scorpian, MP5 clones (I love my HK91) I had just about decided on a TNW take down carbine in 9mm because of its multicaliber capability. When Ruger announced the 9mm take down carbine it just seemed to fit what I am looking for... fun, compact, cheap to shoot and reliability.
I have been researching 9mm PCCs (pistol caliber carbines) and after researching the Sub 2000, Beretta CX5, Hi-point, JR Carbine, JR take down carbine, .30 carbine in 9mm , uzi carbine, 9mm AR carbine, Scorpian, MP5 clones (I love my HK91) I had just about decided on a TNW take down carbine in 9mm because of its multicaliber capability. When Ruger announced the 9mm take down carbine it just seemed to fit what I am looking for... fun, compact, cheap to shoot and reliability.
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If you don't have any driving purpose then get the pistol caliber carbine, PCC (assuming that is what you meant). Especially if you already own a Glock or Ruger 9mm pistol. It will use your current pistol ammo which is cheaper and not expanding the types of ammo to stock up on. It will use common pistol mags so again no need to stock yet another type of mag. It will be fun, relatively cheap to shoot, can shoot at indoor and outdoor ranges, and can be used for self defense. May or may not be useful for certain types of varmint control.
What might drive one to consider the .223 carbine/rifle? Longer range for sure, either targets or varmints. And more accurate. More powerful than a handgun caliber so more effective in self defense and still suitable for defense in the home as much as the PCC is. If you served in the military it will be more familiar manual of arms, field stripping. Also, the M4 carbine has tons of aftermarket parts and upgrades so if you work your rifle hard then it might be easier to maintain. Plus, AR mags are even cheaper than Glock mags!
The PCC is mostly a near-to-100 yd firearm, whereas the Ar15/M4 is a near-to-600yd or further firearm. Just for fun? The PCC is the less expensive to feed (a few mags and lots of ammo). Putting it to hard work on range, varmints, or defense/training? The AR15 is well proven in that role and has many more options for configuration from lots of quality sources, and cheaper to buy lots of mags.
What might drive one to consider the .223 carbine/rifle? Longer range for sure, either targets or varmints. And more accurate. More powerful than a handgun caliber so more effective in self defense and still suitable for defense in the home as much as the PCC is. If you served in the military it will be more familiar manual of arms, field stripping. Also, the M4 carbine has tons of aftermarket parts and upgrades so if you work your rifle hard then it might be easier to maintain. Plus, AR mags are even cheaper than Glock mags!
The PCC is mostly a near-to-100 yd firearm, whereas the Ar15/M4 is a near-to-600yd or further firearm. Just for fun? The PCC is the less expensive to feed (a few mags and lots of ammo). Putting it to hard work on range, varmints, or defense/training? The AR15 is well proven in that role and has many more options for configuration from lots of quality sources, and cheaper to buy lots of mags.
bannockburn
Member
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- Apr 24, 2007
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My order of preference:
1) CAR-15.
2) PCC 9mm.
3) M1 Carbine.
1) CAR-15.
2) PCC 9mm.
3) M1 Carbine.
Charlie98
Member
My idea of a pistol-caliber carbine is my Marlin 1894FG in .41MAG. Having said that, I wish Marlin still made their Camp Carbines (9mm and .45ACP.)
Elkins45
Member
Mini 14 is a garbage rifle. Mine wouldn’t keep shots on a sheet of notebook paper at 100 yards. My vote is anything but a Mini, but that doesn’t necessarily mean going with a pistol caliber gun. It depends on if you just want a range toy or not. 9mm is cheaper to shoot that .223 if you’re buying factory ammo. That may be a factor to you.
If I only owned one centerfire semi auto it would be some variant of an AR.
If I only owned one centerfire semi auto it would be some variant of an AR.
Ironicaintit
Member
You guys.... More detail would be nice, but it's fairly obvious which he meant, partly since he was referring to a cartridge rather than a platform.
Anyways.....
I'd get a mini (if you already have an AR style)
I have both a 187 and 196 series, neither are modified at all, and they're both good for around 2-3 MOA. They aren't picky about ammo as far as cycling goes, and they handle real nice.
Once you have that out of the way, go ahead and get an M1 carbine, too.
Anyways.....
I'd get a mini (if you already have an AR style)
I have both a 187 and 196 series, neither are modified at all, and they're both good for around 2-3 MOA. They aren't picky about ammo as far as cycling goes, and they handle real nice.
Once you have that out of the way, go ahead and get an M1 carbine, too.
I LOVE my M1 carbine! The only negative to a M1 carbine in my opinion is .30 carbine costs more to reload than .223 and 9mm (by a lot). The old military .30 carbine ammunition I bought 30 years ago when I bought my .30 cabine (considered a cheap military trash gun by many of my friends at the time) is so corroded that I am hesitant to fire it, no less reload it. So I pretty much have to purchase new .30 carbine brass which isn't cheap or plentiful. Once fired 9mm brass is practically free in comparison. I have a few thousand lake city 5.56 brass cases that don't see a lot of action in my through my Remington 700 target in .223.
For guns that I enjoy shooting the .30 carbine tops the list. For guns that I shoot often the M1 carbine comes in pretty low. If I leave a few or all my 9mm cases at the range... no biggie. If I leave a single .30 carbine case at the range I feel like I lost a twenty dollar bill... it just bothers me!
P.S. 2 - 3 moa for a mini 14 is on par with most of my military rifles and suits me just fine. If I need more accuracy I use my Remington 700 targets in .308 and .223 off a rest on a bench. I can't hold 2 - 3 moa from a standing position so a more acurate rifle is mute unless I am shooting from a bench. My HK-91 will do sub 2 moa at the bench... but what is the point of shooting a HK-91 from a bench?
For guns that I enjoy shooting the .30 carbine tops the list. For guns that I shoot often the M1 carbine comes in pretty low. If I leave a few or all my 9mm cases at the range... no biggie. If I leave a single .30 carbine case at the range I feel like I lost a twenty dollar bill... it just bothers me!
P.S. 2 - 3 moa for a mini 14 is on par with most of my military rifles and suits me just fine. If I need more accuracy I use my Remington 700 targets in .308 and .223 off a rest on a bench. I can't hold 2 - 3 moa from a standing position so a more acurate rifle is mute unless I am shooting from a bench. My HK-91 will do sub 2 moa at the bench... but what is the point of shooting a HK-91 from a bench?
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tark
Member
K
Kame B.
Guest
Look out!This is gonna start something.......
I'd say, it only starts something ignorant. The only thing garbage about a Mini 14 is usually the shooter behind the trigger. Most of the time when people complain about the accuracy of a Mini 14, I would ask them what the twist rate is, and they usually dont know.
Elkins45
Member
I would ask you if an inaccurate Mini with a 1:7 twist rate is somehow superior to an inaccurate Mini with 1:12? Inaccurate is inaccurate, and I really tried to make it work with hand sorted brass and premium bullets in a variety of weights.
Knowing the caliber of movement inside a broken Rolex doesn’t make it keep better time.
I don’t know anyone in person who has seen Bigfoot, nor anyone who has owned an accurate Mini 14. I’ve only encountered both on the Internet.
Art Eatman
Moderator In Memoriam
Ahem! Back to the topic: For all around use, the 5.56 seems to me to be the more useful of the two choices. Leaving the cost issue out of it, the GI Carbine would be equally useful for defense and probably more fun "just plinking".
chicharrones
needs more ammo
As a follow up, what sort of 9mm or .40 carbine interests you at the moment?
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