.45 caliber carbine: Cool toy or useful tool?

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TMann

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So I'm in one of our local gunshops on Friday. I have some cash in my pocket as I was planning on picking up a case of ammo. As per my usual practice, I take a look at the used guns that they have on display.

"Hmm...is that a Marlin Camp 9 I see on the wall?"
"Actually," says the gunshop guy, "it's the .45 caliber model."

So after taking a good look at it and confirming that it was in great shape (the stock wasn't cracked) I decided to put it on layaway. A big part of my decision to get it was that the Camp 45 is one of those rare guns that don't come around very often and I had a feeling that I'd kick myself if I let it get away.

So now it is about 24 hours later and I'm starting to wonder if I should have just passed. I'm having a hard time finding a good purpose for owning this gun. I already have a number of pistols for HD and SD. If I ever needed a long gun for SD, I already have a shotgun and a .223 rifle. .45 ammo is kind of expensive for target/plinking use. I don't hunt and .45 isn't an ideal hunting round anyways.

I have shopped at this particular gunstore before and I'm pretty sure that they would allow me to use the money that I put down on it for something else.

Any one have any thoughts about the utility of a .45 carbine?

TMann
 
Uses same ammo and magazines as the 1911 pistol. If you are already familiar with the Marlin clip (and Marlin calls it a clip rather than a detachable box magazine) loading .22 rifle, it is easier to master than a new-to-you rifle system. Plus it looks like a sporter.

That said, my carbine/pistol combo is a Rossi Puma leveration and a Ruger Security-Six in .357.
 
Interesting timing. I have just recently been thinking about getting a pistol-caliber carbine, just "because". I have looked at the Hi-Points, the Kel-Tec, and some of the AR 9mms, but the Marlin seems to be scarce. I think having a carbine that uses the same mags as my handgun would be a big plus.

I haven't big really big on AR type rifles since my military service, but with the sudden scarcity of those types of guns, the idea of a 9mm or .45acp carbine seems like something I might want. If I were you, I'd buy the gun, see how much use I had for it, and if not much, sell or trade it. The scarcity of that particular model might bring a premium, down the road.

Just my 2 cents, though.

Walter
 
Well you know what they say... The .45 ACP is THE GREATEST and MOST POWERFUL handgun cartridge on planet Earth. IT WILL lift a man up off his feet and toss him a dozen yards with a solid hit to the pinky finger or better.

What would it do out of a carbine barrel? My God. All I can say is you better be behind good cover when you take the shot because the SOB is going to explode like a 16" naval shell.

Back in reality, I personally think pistol-caliber carbines are pretty cool. I wouldn't hesitate to pick up a Camp Carbine in .45 ACP for a minute at a good price. Just know the limitations of the cartridge and it will be a fine defensive arm. I would rather have a Kel-Tec in .40 S&W or 9mm if only for the greater firepower, but the setup you mention here would be useful as well.
 
I had a lot of fun with my 9mm HiPoint, until it kept breaking. I'd love to have a carbine in 45.

One advantage, less noise and you can shoot them in 'pistol calibers only' ranges. The 45 really thumps a target with it's broad cross section.
 
Had a Beretta CX4 Storm in .45ACP. Love the CX4 platform, hated the super low capacity. Considering my tendency to blow through ammo relatively quickly with most rifles, the frequent mag changes and huge ammo costs led me to sell it. Mags were pricey too. This may not be an issue for you though. Didn't really want it in the first place, but the price was too good to pass up. In the end though, it ended up introducing me to a pistol caliber carbine that I enjoyed a lot. I'd gladly buy another CX4 in 9mm. Just more affordable to shoot, and if you own a 92 pistol, you can split mags and take advantage of the higher capacity mags, which is also nice.

As far as a Marlin Camp, I'd only be interested in the 9mm for many of the same reasons. Plus, Smith & Wesson 59-series mags are available in a wide variety of capacities, and are pretty cheap. But yet again, if you're ok with the capacity limitations of a 1911 and .45 ammo costs, go for it. I know there's high capacity 1911 mags out there, but I can't be spending that kind of money on ammo for a rifle that's essentially at its' best at only 50 yards. 100 is pushing it. The utility? I dunno, going to the range with it and a 1911 and calling it a day?
 
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You don't want it? Sell it to me.


Want to talk about a Hog slaying machine! That's one of my go too's.

Anything within 100yards and it's game time. Not to mention like others have said. Combo with a 1911 and your good.

Like I said, I'll take it if you don't want it. If the price is right. ;-)
 
I have both the Camp 9 and the 45.

Here is a pic of my 45 with her handgun partner.

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Well winter has surely set in, froze my toes just getting cigs today. I love to shoot rifles more than pistols. Pistols are OK, just boring for me having done it for 50 years.

We have indoor ranges that allow rifle ammo, but at 20 yards (about 65 feet), I hate having hot lead coming back at me. So what do you do, buy a new zombie defense system (a pistol caliber carbine).

If this means I go out shooting more during the winter to a indoor range, then so be it.
Jim
 
Shoot your .223 indoors without hearing protection and you'll wish you'd grabbed the .45. HUGE difference in noise and muzzle blast. Yeah, there's all that crap about "you won't hear the noise if you're in a fight" but that doesn't prevent the physical damage to your ears. Personally, I'll take the .45 for home defense because it will get the job done without making my ears bleed.
 
PCCs are lots of fun. They're often a decent platform to train young and new shooters with, if the triggers are reasonably crisp. Common types of handgun ammo are generally cheaper than many kinds of rifle ammo, so you can afford to stretch out those shooting sessions a bit more. (Especially if you're already reloading thousands of .45 or 9mm for your handguns anyway.)

They really aren't a first choice for any "serious" task (though some folks just plain love the idea for home defense) but not every gun you own -- in fact not even the gun you shoot most often -- has to be a "serious" weapon.
 
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Nice fun gun. I had a camp 9.
But for HD, etc. you are talking a discontinued, low production arm with a cartridge that is anemic compared to .223 and the 30s.

For the cost of this carbine, you could buy 2 new 20 ga shotguns for HD.
 
While I have a semi-auto carbine chambered in 44 Magnum something I would like to see is a semi auto carbine chambered to take the .40 S&W and the 10mm round.

Anyway, I wouldn't mind having a nice Marlin camp .45 as another fun gun.

Ron
 
Ruger had a .40 carbine for a police market that vaporized. It weighed a ton, looked very sturdy, but it was basically and answer for a question that nobody asked. They are still around on the used market, another discontinued, low production gun.
 
I picked up an excellent Marlin Camp 45 back in November. It is a blast to shoot and with an Eotech is extremely easy to knock down targets or punch holes in paper at 50 yards. Uses 1911 magazine. Make sure you replace the buffer and upgrade to a 16 or, better yet, 21-lb recoil spring. With 185 grain +P rounds it really is good out to 100 yards (though that is a stretch).

Looks a heck of a lot like a Ruger 10/22, and to me that is NOT a bad thing (= does not look EBG). I just ordered a Sig Fastback carry 1911 so they will be my HD go-to guns.

I think their value will only increase over time. I also just picked up 3 11-rd Mec-Gar magazines for them. The 15-rd ones I've seen a pure crap. In fact, I threw the one I stupidly bought out to be done with it.
 
If a Camp45 turned up in my local shop, I'd probably buy it - but then I like PCCs and don't feel a need for every gun I own to have a well-defined purpose.

If one insists on a purpose, though, I bet the Mrs would prefer having a Camp45 on hand for (beyond handgun) defense of the home than a rifle-caliber carbine - for noise, recoil, and mag-sharing reasons.
 
They are really cool guns. However from what I've seen the 45 doesn't get the boost in MV that 9mm and others get.
 
IIRC, at 500 yards, midrange trajectory is over 24 feet. Thus, if there were a house midway between you and your target, you could aim through the front door and out the back, and clear the roof in time to hit your target.

Now THAT'S shootin'. :)
 
As a benefit of my employer I get to shoot USC carbines & UMP subguns pretty well any time I like. I have to say PCC's are pretty useful tools.
 
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