pistol caliber rifles/carbines

[wanderinwalker]

I've been looking for a 9mm Marlin Camp Carbine to pair with my S&W 915. No other carbines that I know of take S&W 3rd Gen magazines. That and I like wood stocks anyway. It would be a great match.

I feel as though there was a 3rd S&W magazine option with the Gen 1 Kel-Tec Sub 2000s. But I'd have a hard time deciding between the Kel-Tec or a Camp Cambine based on the list of short-comings of both designs. For me, I pick a carbine that has the features and layout I like, and then deal with the magazine situation separately.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Just remember not to use brake cleaner or gun scrubber on those vintage Marlins, it will destroy the plastic of the mag housing/trigger guard.

 

[wanderinwalker]

Just remember not to use brake cleaner or gun scrubber on those vintage Marlins, it will destroy the plastic of the mag housing/trigger guard.

I was thinking of the magical self-destructing recoil buffers in the Marlins, I didn't even know about the mag housing/trigger guard being susceptible to melting from exposure to solvents. After handling a couple in my previous life, I decided there were probably a lot of good reasons they weren't popular enough to remain in the catalog.

 

[Pat Riot]

Man, there is a serious lack of photos in this thread.

I have always liked the idea of a pistol caliber carbine or rifle to match up with a pistol or revolver.
Sometimes I prefer shooting my PCCs over my pistols or revolvers.
One of the reasons I bought a Ruger PC Carbine was that it would be the perfect long gun to take, along with one of my Glocks, as emergency guns to go with my Go Bag and associated gear.

Now having made my smart alec comment about a lack of photos it dawned on me that I need to take some photos of my PCCs along with the associated handgun or guns that pair up with those PCCs. I will have to do that soon.

PC Carbine and Glock 45



Henry X .45 Colt and S&W 25-15



Winchester 94 Trails End .357 and S&W 327 Night Guard

 

[cfullgraf]

I have an 1980 vintage Marlin 1894C and a 2018 vintage Winchester/Miroku 1873, both chambered in 357 Magnum. I also have an 2017 Henry chambered in 327 Fed Mag.

WIth the 357 Magnum rifles, I feel I could make a deer shot out to 80-90 yards, extending the effective range of a handgun chambered in the same cartridge. Then having a handgun chambered in the same cartridge as the rifle, I'd be able to carry less ammunition and let the pistol do the "coup de gras" if necessary.

A similar thought process for the 327 Fed Mag rifle. Besides the Henry, I have a GP100 and a Single 7 chambered in 327 Fed Mag. Both would be a great combination for small game.

Add in that I have Bond Arms barrels for derringers chambered in 357 Mag and 327 Fed Mag, I've got all bases covered.

I have an AR-15 chambered in 9x19 and a Kahr/Thompson M-1 chambered in 45 ACP. Both are fun to shoot but the advantages of being in a pistol carbine rifle are hardly great over a good handgun. The longer sight radius and the rifle platform provides some benefits, but the improvements in ballistics of the pistol caliber carbine in those cartridges is minimal over a good handgun.

Then there is the Marlin 39A 22LR rifle. great for plinking and small game and a long time favorite of many. Mine is from the early 1960's, a present under the Christmas tree one winter.

I've recently gotten into 22 WMR Hanguns. I have not decided if I need to look into a 22 WMR rifle yet.

 

[CraigC]

I'm a long time believer in them. For whatever reason, I have a distinct lack of pics of rifles. So there are two Marlin .44's and a Browning 53 missing, surely others.

Here's the Puma .454.



LevTac .45Colt.



Cimarron/Uberti 1866 .44Special.



DGW/Uberti 1873 .38-40.



I think the braced Scorpion pistol counts.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

The Marlins have steel receivers which gives them a nice heft.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

For 9mm, 40, 45, 10mm, and 357, any argument folks make for them being “fun” I will just counter with the handgun being fun too. I suppose if it’s just another excuse to buy another gun though….

Hitting is more fun than missing.

 

[dobedo]

what do ya'll think of pistol caliber rifles/carbines? I have three of them. A Henry Golden Boy 22, a Rossi R 92, stainless 16 inch barrel, 38 special/357 mag and a Rossi R 92, stainless 45 colt/454 casull.
They shoot great

One Coasty to another, I have found pistol cartridges in rifles provides many additional benefits. Depending on the cartridge you can hunt and use the same round in your EDC. This helps in reducing ammo as you now have 2 uses for the round. Personally, I have not jumped the shark on the 9mm carbines waiting for a couple years before purchasing the Henry. I have a .500 S&W magnum in a carbine and revolver both for hunting. Any of the name brand rifles will suit your endeavors only cost will be the limiting factor. If you have a particular pistol cartridge you use, then recommend buying a rifle in the same cartridge.

 

[tubeshooter]

Hitting is more fun than missing.

Yeah - I can hit with a lever .357 or .45C at 3x the distance I could shoot said handgun, easily.
Very mild - as mild as it gets.
Almost shoots itself.
Not as intimidating for others to use, as a bonus.


A handgun is probably a better bet for most situations. That being said, if you're holding down the fort or back at the ranch a PCC can be useful I would imagine. Especially if you are not really a shotgun person and a true rifle caliber = too much. Keep a few loose rounds in your pocket to top off with.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Hitting is more fun than missing.

Since when does “fun” mean hitting exclusively at distance?

 

[Phaedrus/69]

A long gun is easier to shoot precisely at every distance. The difference is of course more pronounced at longer distance but I've had many occasions to run handgun vs long gun against folks on the dueling tree. Back when I had my Beretta CX-4 Storm carbine I burned up many rounds on the tree, using it against my buddy and his handguns, then letting him run the Storm while I switched to a handgun. We never shot super at close ranges, not wanting to get splashed by lead or copper fragments, but at 10 yards and further it was rarely a close contest.

The choice of a defensive arm is more complicated of course than just picking the one you shoot most accurately. But I do think the PCC has a lot going for it as a home defense firearm. We choose pistols because they're portable not because they're powerful. I CCW a handgun because my AR won't fit in my pants. At home where the firearm need not be concealed or worn all day the PCC is a good option. The aforementioned CX-4 Storm is very very short due to the handgun-style layout of the gun (the pistol loads thru the handgrip like an autopistol) and the LOP is manageable for shorter people. Mags are available from 10 rounds up to 30 rounds and are fairly inexpensive (mine used 92F mags). With four points of contact a long gun is more stable to hold and recoil management is easy especially given 9mm in a five pound carbine. The 16" barrel gets between 150fps and 300 fps bump depending on the load.

Eventually I switched from a PCC to a carbine because I figured if I'm going to have rifle size and weight I might as well have rifle power. But the PCC is still a pretty good choice, and if you're a levergun guy something like a Rossi 92R in .44 Mag, .45 Colt or even .357 Mag would be pretty formidable.

 

[Jim Watson]

I think the braced Scorpion pistol counts.

The first applications I think of for a PCC are defense and competition.
Competitors should know that IDPA and USPSA specifically disallow "the Sig Brace or any equivalent." I have seen people call a "braced pistol" a PCC and get away with it. At club matches the MD probably doesn't care, or even know, but it wouldn't pass inspection at a major match.

Of course there are a lot of "range guns" out there whose owners would not dream of doing anything involving scorecards.

 

[CraigC]

The first applications I think of for a PCC are defense and competition.
Competitors should know that IDPA and USPSA specifically disallow "the Sig Brace or any equivalent." I have seen people call a "braced pistol" a PCC and get away with it. At club matches the MD probably doesn't care, or even know, but it wouldn't pass inspection at a major match.

Of course there are a lot of "range guns" out there whose owners would not dream of doing anything involving scorecards.

Competition would be my last consideration. I don't even know what discipline a PCC would be appropriate for. To me, a 9mm, 10mm or .45ACP "PCC" only makes sense as a braced pistol because it's the easiest legal way to get a quasi-SMG configuration.

 

[Rock185]

I like them. I may have one or two around here somewhere

But I am NOT looking for a companion rifle to go along with my .454 Casull.

 

[Barmcd]

The lever action pistol caliber rifles are the most fun to shoot, especially steel. I have a Henry 22LR Silver Boy, black Ross R92 45 Colt and stainless Rossi R92 44 Mag. All I need is a 38/357. The great thing about them is you can shoot light pistol or heavy rifle loads.

 

[Alex Clayton]

I remember there was a company that produced a gun where you put the some parts of a 1911 into it and converted it into a carbine. The idea was you could easily convert it and use the 1911 both ways.

Don’t recall them being very popular at the time.

They still make them, I have had 2. Mech-Tech. They sell an entire upper you use your frame on. When they first hit was during the great Clinton ban so they were limited. Later they started to offer them with different stocks and sight configurations. Heavy damn things but VERY well made. They make them for a other pistol frames now too and in several calibers.

 

[Alex Clayton]

I feel as though there was a 3rd S&W magazine option with the Gen 1 Kel-Tec Sub 2000s. But I'd have a hard time deciding between the Kel-Tec or a Camp Cambine based on the list of short-comings of both designs. For me, I pick a carbine that has the features and layout I like, and then deal with the magazine situation separately.

The S2K is made in two different configurations. One is Glock only. The other will say S&W, Beretta, ect. Any of them will work with all the different mags they mention no matter which way it comes factory. You just order another mag catch from them for the type mags you want to use.
The Gen 2 of the S2K made some nice changes. If I ever manage to wear out my old Gen 1 I will buy a new Gen2. The Camp Carbine was a nice idea. Downside to buying one now is they have been around a good while and if something breaks may be hard to get parts any more. For something with the "feel" of the old Camp Carbine the one Ruger makes now would feel much more like one. I LOVE my S2K but, they are VERY light and compact. Makes them great for carry but, little harder to shoot.

 

[T.R.]

This older photo is from a northern California hunt for coastal blacktail deer. Hunter orange not req'd within this silly state. 44 MAG is a keeper! TR

 

[Viking painter]

Pistol caliber carbines or lever guns are great! I have only 1 9mm AR but am going to get a 357 mag lever gun, the 357 ballistics are perfect for short range hunting it seems. The 9mm suppressed is super quiet and accurate with hand loaded subsonic and not too powerful for the youngsters to learn with. My father had a 44 mag lever gun when we were kids and I always wanted one of those too!

 

[Show Me]

Pistol caliber carbines or lever guns are great! I have only 1 9mm AR but am going to get a 357 mag lever gun, the 357 ballistics are perfect for short range hunting it seems. The 9mm suppressed is super quiet and accurate with hand loaded subsonic and not too powerful for the youngsters to learn with. My father had a 44 mag lever gun when we were kids and I always wanted one of those too!

To me a 20 inch barrel is for 30 30s. I started out with a Rossi .357 16 inch when they were less than 450.00. Then one for my wife , then a 24 inch just because. Then 44mags . Then 45 colt. We got older and less shooting so as of last week I'm down to the original 16 inch .357. I want it buried with me. Anyway that's how it starts. So beware.

 

[nanook12]

My only combo is a Ruger Alaskan 44mag and a Marlin 1894 44mag (pre safety). I’m still looking for a Marlin 41mag, to match my Ruger 41mag

 

[NorthBorder]

I sure wish someone (Rossi maybe)would make a PCC in 41 mag. I know Marlin did in the past but those are high price unicorns now.