Best pistol caliber Carbine....

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Carbon_15

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My local IDPA is having a 3 gun match this month. Pistol, check, shotgun, check, pistol caliber carbine...nope. I have had several and got bored with and traded 'em. I figure I can't pass up a legitimate excuse to buy a new gun though.
What is the best 9mm carbine on teh market?
I have owned a Kel-tec sub-2000, the trigger sucked and the ergonomics were horrible, I had to disjoint my neck to get the sights in line.
I traded that and got a Beretta Storm. Ditto the trigger, better ergonomics this time. Just couldn't get past the trigger, and I got bored with the flashy looks and mediocre performance pretty quick.
I also had a Camp-9 when I was younger. Probly a better rifle than either of the above. Regretibly I sold it when I sold the Storm. I had decided that 9mm rifles were not for me.
I'm not interested in a Hi-Point or Ar-15 platform...so what does that leave? Ruger? Vector Uzi? I'm also open to the idea of a leveraction .38/.357.
 
Sounds like you need a Mech Tech CCU. http://www.mechtechsys.com/

It's a shame you didn't like the CX4, I like mine. Eotech on the top and it's hard to miss out to 50 yards. Trigger took some time to get used to, so that's a valid complaint. The trigger on mine is broken in now. Still a mushy takeup, but now with a clean break.

Pros:
-Not a gun so they can ship to you directly.
-If you have a Glock or a 1911 you are already set up with magazines.
-Trigger is the Glock or 1911 trigger you're used to.
-Comes optic ready with the rail.
-$350 to $450

Cons:
-PIA to clean.
-If you don't have a Glock or 1911 you have a higher cost.
-Don't plan on using the same pistol at competition. It takes awhile to separate the two.
-Cheesy muzzle attachments.
-$350 to $450

CCU%20M16%20stock%204%20(small).jpg
 
I had a Ruger PC9. Heavy but crisp trigger. It's a bit shocking at first and you'll think the safety is on, but once you get a feel for it you will own the bullseye. Jack Wiegand makes a nice weaver rail for it that fits the machined in Ruger base recesses.
 
can you use a pistol caliber carbine in place of a normal rifle?
 
Mech Tech's are cool and fun to shoot. I have a different frame on it now. Bought a cheap used Essox frame for it and put my LW Commander back together. :D

attachment.php
 
UM lets see there is put together stuff..........not my first choice But most places that have "pistol caliber rifles" allow m1 carbines a far better choice than any other listed so far IMO. Some body is bound to mention the hipoint. but aside from the m1 there isnt a cheap high capacity alternative.
 
What's the reliability like with the Mech Tech? I assume just slightly less than the pistol itself?
 
The 9mm doesn't benefit much from the longer barrel unless you use Sub gun loads and some subgun loads may be too hot for civilian carbines.
Oddly some subgun loads which used slower burning rifle powders were found safe to use in the blowback 9mm Browning long 1907 because a lot of the powder burned outside the bore.

The Wilkerson Linda Carbine seemed to fit me pretty good but I didn't get around to buying one and I think they quit making them. Never fired one but they had a good rep at the time.

http://securityarms.com/20010315/galleryfiles/2100/2121.htm
Bit of a collectors item these days and priced accordingly.

From one source it appears that you could buy ten Hipoints for the resale value of one Linda in good condition.

Well thats another one I wish I'd got when it was cheap.
 
I have a Kel-tec Sub2K in .40, fun as hell to shoot. Takes Glock .40 mags and I have a couple of 29 rounds mags that work well also.

I've not had a problem with the ergonomics, but then I added a cheap holosight instead of using the factory sights.

jw
 
How about an M1 Carbine. Light as a feather, reliable, 15-30 round mags available, very accurate to 100 yds, no recoil, totally fun to shoot beyond all reason. Loud!
 
Ruger PC9 can have the trigger lightened pretty easily. The trigger return spring in mine was REALLY heavy and seemed to be in coil-bind when pushed far enough to make the hammer fall. Replacing mine (with one from my odds-n-ends box) and got the trigger down to 4 1/2-5lbs. Not the greatest trigger in the world, but MUCH better than the 'oh crap! I must have left the safety on' stocker.
 
Let me pitch the .357 lever carbine. It has MUCH more power than the 9mm (up to 30-30 levels), and has the potential for better range with the new LeverEvolution ammo. They are very PC (if that matters to you), they can be used to hunt, unlike the 9mm, and finally, they are very flexible. They can shoot light and cheap .38 loads for plinking, and be loaded with heavy 200 grain hardcast loads for real penetration, with a selection in between.

With a ghost ring / peep sight (XS or Williams), they pretty accurate and are quick to the eye. They are compact and handy to carry, and if you had only one rifle, it would not be a terrible choice.

I have a Winchester Trapper, and my brother has a Puma 1892. They are both pretty good, with the nod to the Puma for the trigger. Marlins are reportedly nice as well.

I will admit a certain envy for a Glock 20 Mechtech, since it is the only 10mm carbine avialable nowadays.
 
I am waaaay late to this conversation, but in case someone else comes across it as I did I'll add my 2-cents. There are two options not mentioned already and I have both and enjoy shooting both.

The first is the H&K USC chambered in 45 ACP. This is by far my favorite pistol caliber carbine. It is crazy accurate, allowing me to get 1 to 2 inch groupings at 50 to 80 yards. The kick was so light when I first fired it I wondered if it had mis-fired.

lg_usc.jpg


The second option is to put a Mako Stock on a Glock 17. NOTE: Doing this technically creates a SBR so be sure to file the right paper work with the ATF if you plan to go this route. The platform it creates is very stable and you get some pretty amazing performance using it. That said, its still a G17 and you won't get the additional range you would with a longer barrel.

314APxuvr-L._AA300_.jpg

A parting note, there are many MP-5 and Uzi clones out there. I've never fired one however so I can't share any experience on that count.
 
I would say Mech Tech as well, get it for a Glock 17 and you can buy a complete Glock lower for about $250 and not have to takes yours apart (if you have a Glock). The Masterpiece Arms Mac carbines work very well and have very good accuracy, the Suomi is a classic that uses cheap 72 round drums, the Sterling is available and if the allow 7.62X25 as a sub caliber the PPSH-41 works...

My favorites that I own and shoot....

Mech Tech...

mechglock.jpg

Suomi

suomi_4.jpg

MPA 71

mpa71range-1.jpg

PPSh-41

papacz.jpg
 
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