9mm carbine, worth it?

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hardheart

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This is for my specific case, where I have a 3" SP101 and 20" Rossi 92 in 357, along with a 3" G26 - and a used 4.5" CZ75B with two hi cap mags at the LGS for 425.

Looking at bbti and guessing that the high velocity tables on buffalo bore would maybe come from carbine length barrels, then 9mm in a carbine might just sorta match my SP101 loaded with 357. The Rossi might just sorta match 30-30. Hot stuff in the CZ might just sorta match not as hot stuff in the 9mm carbine.

So, is it not a great idea? Kinda thinking so, but open to persuasion. I don't have a specific carbine in mind, but one stuck with 10 rd mags would also not be great compared to the CZ, imo.
 
A .357 Magnum will get a velocity and power boost from a 16" carbine barrel as opposed to that of a typical revolver, but I don't think it would be turned into a .30-30, either.
 
9mm does not gain as much in longer barrels as the .357 will. What is your intended purpose? I prefer a carbine to a handgun for HD, but I would go with .223 over 9mm for that purpose.
 
What is your intended purpose?
Click to expand...

Darn, hoped that wouldn't come up, lol. Also have a 18.5" Maverick 88 w/adjustable stock, so the carbine would not be among the top choices for HD considering size and ammo options. Really, the purpose would be "a second 9mm". They aren't exactly his/hers, but the two magnums are ostensibly for my truck. The G26 is similar to the G27 she had before and is most accustomed to - and I better not put the 88 somewhere where she can't find it.

So, if I was looking to get another firearm (well, a few), I was thinking either get a bit of parity in the 357 and 9mm by having handgun/carbine combos for both, or at least get two pistols of the same caliber so we can run the same ammo at the range for cheap after I send a few cylinders down from the SP.

It's just that with the magnums and shotty, the carbine is behind in velocity, bullet weight, and variety. It gets points for sight radius over the CZ, but how far can you shoot the 9mm anyway? I mean, I know you can reach a little bit, but my thing is we already can do that medium range with the other two long barrels.

Just seems that if I'm looking at another range toy primarily, that would fill another role secondarily and behind other existing options, the carbine might be boring for range time and behind the curve as much as the CZ otherwise (while also being bulkier). OTOH, two pistols in the same caliber, even being different as the CZ and the Glock, isn't going to be so stark a contrast for variety on the line. Plus, the CZ's grip is too thick for her, so she likely won't shoot it much.

Sorry, I know it is presented in a muddled fashion.
 
Not for me. If you are going to commit to a long gun, why would you take one that is inferior in stopping power? If you want one to plink with for fun, that's perfectly fine, but if I am using a long gun, I see no reason for it to be a reduced power long gun. (If I have a choice, I will ALWAYS choose a long gun first.)
 
I considered going this road a while back. I ended up deciding to save toward a Cz 75b, but I was gunna get either a Kel-tec or the incredibly-ugly-but-excellent-for-the-money High Point.
 
The 115 gr., 9x19 rounds get a good boost out of carbine.

Here's a bit of info on all that .
http://www.shootingillustrated.com/index.php/6626/pistol-caliber-carbines/

http://www.hipointfirearmsforums.com/forum/f306/carbine-ballistics-increase-over-pistol-273708

I own a few 9x19 caliber carbines of various makes and models.
The Beretta CX4 is a nice, accurate,and easy to use carbine. I like it better than the M4 series of carbines.

The Ruger PC9 is the size of a rifle, but uses the same mags as my P95s do.
 
I'm not going to share the data but a 9x19 carbine can see significant performance increases over a handgun with prudent handload tuning, even surpassing 357 revolvers.

For example my top load from my 16" encore barrel in 9x19 pushes a 147g hornady xtp to a velocity of near enough to 1500 fps to make no difference
 
They are a blast to play with,and in 9mm you do get a boost in velocity.
My 124 gr hand loads are 200+ fps faster than my pistole velocity.
There cheaper to shoot than most others short off the .22.
and at a hundred and in fairly accurate.My 40 cal sub 2000 does not gain as much as the 9.
 
You'll pick up some speed in the 16" barrel, but not a great deal. I get 115s to 1350 or so. 124/5s are a little slower. They are fun, economical range toys, and could be used effectively for self defense, but the longer barrel doesn't make them magic.
 
If you want a range toy and you reload, the lever 38/357 is just stupid fun...especially on steel targets.

If you don't reload, the 9mm carbine is fun and a little easier on the wallet.

It also depends on what your range time consists of. I'm not limited to a static range stall, I have several choices where I can shoot on the move at multiple targets. Carbines are fun in that environment. If all you have available is a static range, then I don't enjoy shooting much except pistols in that environment. Except levers, levers are just fun anywhere for me.

With regards to the handguns, I like all of those. My g26 is fun even as a range toy. It's far more accurate than most people think if you do your part.
 
If you reload, the 9mm 115gr bullet can be push pushed upwards of 1800fps. The most I have pushed mine is around 1600fps, never had the nerve to try those compressed loads. ;)
 
then 9mm in a carbine might just sorta match my SP101 loaded with 357.
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If you ever shoot them over a chronograph a 124 gr 9mm+p from a 4" or longer barrel will just about match most 125 gr 357's from 3" barrels and be faster than most loads from 2" barrels. I'm betting your G-26 is closer than you think to the SP-101, at least with lightweight bullets. The 357 will shoot much heavier bullets than possible in 9mm.

The 357 is one of those rounds that needs some barrel length and perfomance really suffers from short barrels. With good loads your 357 carbine won't match 30-30, but will be an effective deer hunting choice out to 75-100 yards. I've never hunted with them, but those that do claim that at reduced ranges they are very effective on deer. The 30-30 will still be effective at longer ranges.

I see a point in the pistol caliber lever action carbines. The 44 mag and 357 gain enough speed to be useful at longer ranges for hunting or SD, but don't see much point in the carbines in semi-auto rounds. Velocity gains are not as great, and even if they were the emergence of short barreled AR and other 223 carbines have made such guns obsolete in my opinion. With 223 rounds you are getting real gains in performance over pistol rounds, with greater mag capacity and less danger of overpenetration. They don't cost any more than quality pistol caliber carbines and ammo is not significantly more expensive.
 
I just bought an ugly as hell Hi point 995.
Man is it ugly. But maaan is it fun!

I burned through like 200 rds at the range through it the other day. Just awesome. Nothing like their of-questionable-quality pistols.

I also bought it because it is NY legal and it'll make a great brush gun for poking around the woods up there.
 
Listen, when I read this I thought 'why'?
But the fact is, if you want it and it's not taking food from anyone's mouth, then buy it. I got laughed at yesterday for asking about a 6.5x55, 'this is Utah!' I thought of some responses later, but the point is, b/c that's what I want.
I saw a site that turned your 1911 into a carbine...that sounds like fun to me, so why not your 9mm?
 
i've had two beretta storms, and a high point, i've been kinda diapointed in 9mm as a carbine round, general rule for all pistol cartridges is 25-30 fps per barrel inch, so a 16" barrell will add 11" of velocity (250-325) some where's in that range, all variables considerd, anyway, a 9mm becomes lile a 30 carbine, it will penetrate all kinds of stuff, but if your shooting a fmj bullet, to punches really good holes, and doesn't have a lot of knock down stopping power, if you shoot HP's or self defense ammo it's wicked, a friend of mine took a white tail a few years ago with a high point at 100 yards using a corbon powerball 100gr., he shot the deer between the eyes and it removed the top of the deers head and emptied it's brain cavaty,......they are what you make them,..........but i live in the country, and submachine guns gave way to 223 and 7.62X39's assult rifles for a reason, are they good, yes they can be, but they do have their limits, and if you have a storm, and a 92, your like my cowboy gun philos.....two guns, one cartridge, in some cases, the same magazine................
 
I've found a 9mm carbine to be a great gun for pest control in and around the yard. If something is trying to get into the chicken coop or out in the yard, a 9mm will kill it and not keep going quite as far as say a .223, and it won't make as much of a mess as a 12 gauge when you shoot a skunk on the lawn.
 
Years ago when I had a Marlin in 357 magnum I loaded up some 170 grain bullets which were actually, IIRC, less than 200 fps slower than 30-30 w/ 170 grain loads. Like 1800 fps or so. I wish I had kept that data.
 
MljDeckard
I have no idea why that guy laughed at the Swede. I went to another store near the statehouse in SLC and the guy scoffed too. Cabelas didn't have one: I was starting to feel odd then I remembered all the reasons I fell in love with it...
Greg
 
tyeo098 said:
I just bought an ugly as hell Hi point 995.
Man is it ugly. But maaan is it fun!

I burned through like 200 rds at the range through it the other day. Just awesome. Nothing like their of-questionable-quality pistols.

I also bought it because it is NY legal and it'll make a great brush gun for poking around the woods up there.
Click to expand...
Shot a doe with mine last year. 124 gr Winchester PDX +P. 57 yards, behind shoulder, ran about 30 yards and piled up. Nice exit wound, no bullet recovered.
 
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