Home defense carbine: M1 carbine or 45 cal?

[Dr_2_B]

Which would you choose and why? I have an M1 carbine but I've considered getting a Hi Point 45 carbine.

Which would you choose and why?

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

A FMJ M-1 carbine round will do some penetration despite the "war stories" about it being a weak round. If you are loading it with soft points it probably won't travel as far after hitting something solid. The .45 up close should pack a harder punch due to the wider cross section and heavier weight bullet, especially with either a hollow point or wadcutter bullet but you might have some feeding problems with the wadcutter. Either would do the job if they hit center of mass.

 

[gondorian]

M1 Carbine. Because I have yet to encounter a long gun that handles better. But also because the cartridge is slightly more powerful.

 

[Magnuumpwr]

I chose option 3. I have an M1 carbine, but not a viable 45. My choice is the PS90 due to the ability to readily attach a light, laser, and optic which makes it a better option for me.

 

[mavracer]

I keep my M1 carbine for HD and while a Hi Point 45 would be a good choice, IMHO it's not a better choice than a M1 carbine.
BTW I sold my 9mm Hi Point carbine when I got my M1

 

[hatt]

That's an easy call. No way I'd go out and buy a HiPoint to replace a working M1C. Just buy some quality defensive ammo.

 

[MistWolf]

I would not choose to trust my life to any firearm made by HiPoint regardless of caliber. An M1 carbine in good working order is far more reliable. Use a good expanding bullet for best terminal performance. Buy more ammo instead and go shoot your M1 carbine. It's a great little rifle and a lot of fun!

 

[browningguy]

I chose .45, but that's because I use a HK USC and really like it a lot.

 

[hatt]

I chose .45, but that's because I use a HK USC and really like it a lot.

A USC changes the thread up a little vs a Hi Point. .30 Carbine round still far outclasses the .45 for use in a 16 inch carbine.

 

[rondog]

I read an account somewhere of an incident where a criminal jumped out and fired one round of .30 carbine FMJ ball at a police officer. The bullet penetrated his body armor, went through his body, out the back of his vest, and penetrated the vest and body of the officer behind him. Both officers died. I wish I could remember where I read that.

Point is, I wouldn't recommend FMJ ball for home use in an M1 carbine!

I keep a Plainfield M1 carbine by my bed, with an Ultimak handguard on it, and fitted with a red dot sight and a flashlight. I've posted photos of it here many times. I keep it loaded with Cor-Bon DPX ammo, which is 100gr. Barnes all-copper hollowpoints loaded hot. Very aggressive bullets, nasty buggers. Made for deer hunting and defense.

I also have three HiPoint carbines, and would trust them for the task as well. HiPoint haters are just silly. But the M1 got the job, it has more power, more ammo, and was already equipped for it.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If I were going to use a Carbine length rifle for HD I would rather use a levergun in .357 or .44 Magnum.

 

[peacemaker45]

Normally these questions go "I have a ______, which is pretty good for _____, but I really want to buy a ______. Please, validate my decision, which I've already made."

My stock answer is "If you want a gun that'll do the job, use what you've got. If you want to buy a gun, buy a gun. You don't need my permission."

In this case, though, I'll change it up a bit. If you want a capable home defense carbine, use your M1, provided you've checked out your mags and ammo. If you just want to buy a gun, use your M1, provided you've checked out your mags and ammo, until you've saved up enough to get something better than a High Point.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Due to penetration concerns, I would opt for softnose hollowpoint in .30 Carbine or jacketed hollowpoint in .45ACP over the FMJ bullet of either caliber. You don't want over penetration in a home defense situation or collateral damage to your neighbors.

There are three considerations in a home defense weapon: reliability, reliability, familiarity. The long gun I keep for home defense I will not name nor recommend out-of-the-box to anyone. As a pet project I took it to the mountain (we had had local plague of borer beetles, lotsa dead pine trees, and my uncle had piles of 4 to 5 foot log sections on the other side of the meadow fence, great stand-up knock-down targets). I put that gun through the wringer 100s of rounds over several weekends plus about 8 to 10 hours troubleshooting and fixing faults with the gun, until I felt I could trust it.

I have seen and shot HiPoint carbines owned by friends. I would have no qualms keeping one for home defense, after giving it and all magazines used with it thorough testing. Same thing would hold for a more expensive brand: verify before trusting. I would rather bet my life, or my wife's or Turbo Cat's life, on a tested HiPoint carbine than on an untested new-out-of-the-box H&K or Beretta carbine.

 

[NWCP]

The humble shotgun is the better home defense option. Most any other choice in weapons would bring into play over penetration which could endanger your family, or the neighbors. I have a simple Mossberg 500 12 GA pump loaded up with #5 2 3/4" shot. I own a HK USC .45ACP carbine. That would be my choice if I had to follow your poll items. Loaded up with 230 grain +P JHP it would serve me well in the take down department, but any misses and perhaps pass through shots could endanger my neighbors. JMHO

 

[ejfalvo]

I have a Beretta Storm in 45ACP, that along with a Sig P227 is the HD plan.

 

[Pilot]

I really, really want to get a G.I. M1 Carbine, and if I did that is what I would use for HD. They are easy to point, and shoot, have good capacity, and the round is fine, especially at HD ranges.

 

[USSR]

My M1 Carbine with these:



Don

 

[OilyPablo]

A .45ACP Carbine, but NOT a Hi Point 45 carbine!!

In fact I have my Marlin Camp45 Carbine sitting loaded 3 feet from my desk. It's my raccoon and possum popper. Why of all my guns would I choose that? Noise. It shoots (relatively) quiet and next are plans to thread the barrel and get a suppressor.

 

[yamahawarrior89]

I choose both, because I have a M1 carbine with PPU 110 gr soft points and also a EAA Witness 45 Next to my bed.

 

[LebbenB]

There are three considerations in a home defense weapon: reliability, reliability, familiarity.

THIS. If something "goes bump in the night" and you pick up your HD rifle/handgun/shotgun, you don't want to have to think about where the controls are or how the mag is inserted. You want to be able to pick it up and operate it without a lot of conscious thought. This level of intimacy can only be achieved by constant practice (both live and dry fire) with your chosen HD weapon

I chose Option 3 because my choice of HD firearm is based on a weapon I've used for a quarter century.

 

[Art Eatman]

I figure my M1 Carbine with round-nosed soft-points would work inside the house as well as any other rifle. Probably do okay in the front yard, also.

 

[tommy.duncan]

I deleted my post. My answer did not truly answer the question asked by the OP.

 

[jimherb]

I would be happy to take M1 carbine off your hands.
For that matter, I have been looking for a .357 lever action for some time as well. Rossi92 or a pre-Remington Marlin would be great.

 

[amd6547]

M1 Carbine...
It was my good fortune to get in on the CMP M1 Carbine sales not too long before they ran out...picked out a nice six-digit Inland myself at North Store.
I find mine to be almost magic in its handling properties. The old timers really designed a carbine that points like its part of my body.
So light weight...and the 30 carbine round hits a nice, 357mag level of performance.
While I have generally stuck with the long standard 110gn SP load by Remington, I recently bought a box of the new Hornady 110gn FTX load. It looks like a great choice for SD use. I have not had a chance to try it at the range, yet..but the bullet profile looks good for reliable feeding.
The only problem I have using my carbine for SD is the fear of losing it to an evidence locker for an extended period.

I have no problem with the HiPoint...I used to own a 9mm carbine that was very accurate, even out to 100yds...and it never jammed in a couple 1000 rounds using ammo of all descriptions...value pack FMJ to +P+ JHP.

 

[eastbank]

these five firearms are my main home defence guns, a remington 12ga shotgun, a winchester m1 .30 carbine, a colt ar-15 .223, a glock .40s&w and a s&w 9mm. to me they cover most home defence chores. eastbank.