Are pistols in rifle calibers useful and practical?

[leadcounsel]

Just a quick look at the pistol designs that are chopped down rifles, are these useful, managable and pratical?

Kel-Tec PLR 16 in 5.56
AK47 pistols in 7.62x39
PTR 91 pistols in .308

Others?

I like the concept of compact firepower, but without a tax stamp and a shoulder stock and/or a forward vertical pistol grip, seems they may be unmanagable. I know there is a technique of using a single point short sling to push the weapon forward to help with control, but how effective is that method?

Quick grip - this is what makes these gun laws so unbearable (eg inability to put a stock or forward grip on a pistol).

 

[Girodin]

They are good for making an SBR, beyond that they are not very practical to me, I'd either prefer a real rifle or a true handgun. For many of them I presume their raison d'etre is to provide the base for an SBR.

 

[Shadow 7D]

they have a place
but no,

Then again, that has never stopped anyone from buying them.

 

[uspJ]

I have a Draco AK pistol. With a sling it is very manageable, and fun to shoot as well as accurate to 50 yds. Without the sling not so much. I had plans to SBR it, but I do like the fact that I'm able to keep a 30 rd 7.62 caliber weapon loaded and chambered in my vehicle. I've been planning on adding a red dot to it to get on target faster.

If it is used with a sling it is manageable. Practical and useful are completely up to the user.

 

[jonnyc]

Not nearly as practical as pistol-caliber rifles/carbines.

 

[Girodin]

I have a Draco AK pistol. With a sling it is very manageable, and fun to shoot as well as accurate to 50 yds.

Put a stock on it and you are good to 200 yds.

but I do like the fact that I'm able to keep a 30 rd 7.62 caliber weapon loaded and chambered in my vehicle.

Out of curiosity 1) Where are you keeping this chambered weapon? and 2) in what scenario(s) do you imagine that it will be truly beneficial to have?

 

[Olympus]

A lot of guys shoot Thompson Contender and Encore pistols chambered in large rifle calibers as well. Seems to be a pretty big following...

 

[M2 Carbine]

I have a Bushmaster Carbon 15 AR pistol, two Kel Tec PLR .223 pistols and a AK pistol.

Practical? What's practical? Depends on the user. Is a gun practical if it's just fun to shoot or is it only practical if it's a efficient man killer?
Personally, a long time ago I got away from that, A gun has to be "practical" before I can own it.

In good hands the guns are deadly and I would hate to go up against anyone who knew how to use a PLR but my guns are just fun guns.
The reason is the noise is ear splitting. I don't want to think about shooting one of these things indoors or in a car without good ear protection.










.

 

[Mainsail]

The biggest advantage to owning one here in WA is due to our laws. You see, you cannot have a loaded long-gun in your vehicle, so if you prefer a rifle caliber you have to keep it unloaded (which isn't really all that much of a downside since you can have a loaded magazine right next to it). If you own a pistol AR15, you can keep it loaded in your car or truck and still be on the good side of the law.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Dunno if 9mm/40/45 rifles are 'practical' but .357 Magnum ones sure are!!

Buffalo Bore .357 158gr JHPs get 2100 fps, yes I said 2100 fps, from a Marlin 18.5 inch barrel lever gun! And that is 30.30 class. The same load from a 4 inch .357 gets 1450 or so fps (jep a bit of a hand slapper!)

Deaf

 

[Zombiphobia]

they are made for high fire power in close quarters where there isn't much room to manuever a rifle or carbine and still be more powerful than a pistol, shoot through heavier cover such as furniture, walls, etc... If I was the first guy through the door on a raid, I'd want a shorty AK-Pistol with collapsible stock... and a 3-shot burst setting if that's not asking too much.
Plus us Americans love all kinds of guns just to shoot.

So yeah, they have a practical use.

 

[Prosser]

.308? How much do those guns weigh? In Kali, we can only dream...