Help Me Decide what 9mm carbine

[1858remington]

I am considering buyin a 9mm carbine for plinking at the local indoor range. Larger calibers are just too expensive, due to rise in ammo cost.

I have 4 carbines I'm considering: Ruger pc9, Beretta storm, Kel-tec su2000, and if I can find it, Marlins camp 9.

I've read that the pc9 and the storm have heavy triggers, and that the camp 9 has buffer issues. The su2000 seems to function well, but has very basic sites, and has no rail to mount a scope.

After much research online, I am now more unsure whats the best buy (price not an issue).

What do you all think?

 

[ZombiesAhead]

I can personally vouch for the Kel-Tec Sub2K with the greatest advantage that it takes mags for my carry gun - a 9mm Glock as well as 33 round Glock stick mags.

Also hear good things about the Beretta but I'm all about having lots of "high capacity" magazines for all my guns.

 

[Clipper]

Why no Hi-Point? It has the scope rail but the stock post-and-peep sights are pretty good too, is more accurate than the Beretta, dead-nuts reliable, and less spendy than any of them, so you can use your savings to but extra magazines, like I did...

 

[Urbana John]

My 9mm Storm is "very" accurate with my reloads, and it accepts the standard 92 mags, and you can get 30 rounders for the berettas. And you can add rails for more bells and whistles.

My Storm has a Red dot sight, a red lazer site, and a flash light, my primary HD weapon

UJ

 

[cluttonfred]

There have been a lot of 9mm carbine threads recently, so definitely do some searching.

Ruger is recently out of production, Marlin out of production for several years, so harder to find.

Beretta, Kel-Tec and Hi Point are all available and have their fans and detractors.

Another option are the Vector Arms semi-automatic Uzi carbines and the Calico carbines, assuming 50-100 rounds in the magazine is allowed where you live.

It just depends how much money you want to spend. As I have said before, I wish someone made a Sten-simple 9mm carbine that wasn't so, ahem, beauty-challenged as the Hi Point.

 

[rklessdriver]

If price is not an issue, why not buy or build a 9mm AR?
Will

 

[capttom]

Hi-Point

Before deciding, think about a Hi-Point with the ATI stock. It's reasonable and (dare I say it) sexy. Add it to the the original modest cost of the carbine and you should still have room in your budget for a scope.

My only nit to pick w/ the set up is the magazines. Mine serves ably in any "too far for 12-gauge, too close for battle rifle" scenario.

 

[strat81]

If you're doing this to save money, why not get a 22LR? AR-15, GSG-5, modified 10/22, plus a billion other guns out there...

 

[chris in va]

I have a HiPoint 9mm.

But these look pretty sweet.

 

[Georgia Gunner]

I also have to suggest the hi-point, it's a good shooter

 

[briansmithwins]

I owned a Ruger PC9. I had people that borrowed it ask me if the trigger was broken, it was that heavy.

I sold the PC9 and picked up a Vector Uzi. Mags are $12, it damn robust and has been surprisingly accurate (6MOA). Optics can be mounted but require modification to the top cover at a minimum.

BSW

BSW

 

[1858remington]

I looked at the 22lr version of the mp5. the price wasn't bad, but their website said they aren't taking orders, since supply is way under demand. Otherwise I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

The reason I was thinking 9mm was that I wanted some recoil like a rifle, but I also wanted it to be inexpensive to shoot. looking for the best of both worlds.

The Hi piont does seem to be well thought of, but from what I hear it only has 10rnd mags available. Besides, I just have a hard time buying something that looks soooo cheap, and ugly.

 

[strat81]

9mm isn't as cheap as it used to be. .22LR is still the king of cheap.

 

[FFMedic]

I own a PC4, CX4 in 9mm and Camp 45, so I might be able to help.

Granted the Camp 45 and PC4 were aquired used, the CX4 is by FAR the best shooter of the 3. The sights are great, options for custom add ons amazing and it's the type of gun that fits like a glove. Beretta has great 15 and 20 rounders as well.

The trigger on my Beretta seems the same as any other DAO handgun action. It's close to my Glock 21, WAY better than my Sigma. It dosen't keep me from putting 20 out of 20 rounds in a 8" target standing at 50 yards, fast fire.

I can't comment as to using the Kel-Tec but the front sight sure seems crude and I draw the line on looks somewhere as well.

FFMedic

 

[kx250kev]

Cx4 Storm...it's a poor man's MP5. I love mine!!! Throw a reddot on it and it is a HOOT! My 20 round clips provide plenty of firepower, and you can even get 30+ rounders for it.

 

[Tarvis]

How about a Mechtech? They are different, but you aren't buying this to look cool right?

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

The Hi piont does seem to be well thought of, but from what I hear it only has 10rnd mags available. Besides, I just have a hard time buying something that looks soooo cheap, and ugly

It is ugly, but ATI makes a stock for it that basically turns it into a (much cheaper) Storm. I'm considering one just because it's so inexpensive for a 9mm carbine. I think ProMag makes 15rd magazines but they aren't up near the top of my "reliable magazine mfr" list.

 

[J Star]

I have a Hi-Point 995 in an ATI stock. It's cheap, fun to shoot, and ammo is fairly affordable. I wanted a Storm, but since I live in NY, the only thing the Storm offered above and beyond the 995 was a mute point. (10 round limit on new mags here.)

The only problems I had with the Hi-Point went away with the ATI stock. (The pistol grip is actually mushy on the factory stock. Mine kept catching the mag when you tried to insert it.):banghead:

 

[woof]

I had a pc9. It was ok but heavy and bulky for a pistol cal carbine. I sold it and bought a Marlin 1894 .357 that I shoot a lot of .38 spc with.

 

[EHCRain10]

i have a beretta storm and love it

 

[JFettig]

I've shot a kel-tec and 2 9mm ARs.

The kel-tec sight picture is not all that great, doesn't work with muffs.
9mm bushy was ok, I don't like those carbon receivers, not as robust as an aluminum receiver.
I built a custom 9mm AR which is pretty sweet(custom machined parts).

Jon

 

[Marbles]

I built a custom 9mm AR which is pretty sweet(custom machined parts).

Pics or bannage.

 

[rondog]

I've been trying to get a Hi-Point 4095 .40 S&W carbine since Father's Day. They're having parts vendor issues, and production is currently suspended, not likely to resume until "late winter or ealy 2009".

The store that had them on sale says they've issued a bunch of rain checks for the .40 and 9mm carbines both, and they're trying to get some shipped in from some of their other stores.

I just want one for a can-bustin' range toy. I've picked up thousands of .40 and 9mm cases and am ready to reload them, need somethin' to shoot 'em with.

 

[chaim]

I once had a Hi Point 9mm carbine. It could be fun, but it was surprisingly uncomfortable to shoot for a 9mm (something about the shape of the stock and where the sights put your face). I sold it to a local guy on THR. He put a red dot sight on it and I shot it at a MD THR gathering. The red dot changes things- I changed my positioning on the stock so I could use the red dot and my face no longer got punched by the stock. With the red dot the gun actually became a lot of fun. It was also quite reliable, a much better gun than it should be for the price. Put on a red dot sight, or an aftermarket stock, and the only problem with the gun is gone- if I wasn't cutting back my collection (I don't have enough room in my apartment) I would probably add another (I probably will once I buy a house in a few years).

You did say price is no object. For just a little more than the Beretta you could get an AR carbine. If you already have an AR all you need is a new upper and the practice will translate fairly well to your AR with the .223/5.56 upper. If you don't already have an AR, you could add other uppers in other calibers later. I'm thinking about a 9mm AR upper for myself in a year or two (even with cutting back my collection) because I rarely shoot my AR (I get to a rifle range only about once a year) and being able to shoot it at an indoor pistol range would add a lot of utility for me.

That said, neither are on your list. Out of what is on your list, I'd most likely go with the Kel-tec. It can be set up for S&W, Glock or SIG mags so you are more likely to be able to share mags (and if you don't own, and don't plan to own, any of these guns, you can pick the one you want based on which mags are cheapest/easiest for you to find). I also like how compact it is.

 

[Garzavalwolf]

9mm AR all the way!!!!!

If price is not an issue, build yourself a 9mm AR with the Colt/RRA mag system. Get yourself some surplus Uzi mags and convert them (5 minute process with a dremel or pay a gunsmith $5 a mag to convert them for you). You can find 20 and 25 round mags really cheap right now .

The AR system is comfortable and easy to shoot accuratly. Plus you have a veritable plethora of accessories for the gun/system (sights, optics, grips, stocks, rails,etc,etc).

Save a bit more cash, get the hammer, buffer, upper and some mags and you can shoot the 5.56/.223 round as well.