Are Pistol Caliber Carbines Useless?

[father-of-five]

A 9mm carbine seems like a good rifle to introduce someone to shooting. Having an inexpensive carbine (yes...a hi-point!) in a caliber I already have is a win for me.

[cdi]

Oh,I forgot to add pistol caliber carbines are for girls.

[esh21167]

You're just bored and lookin' to stir the pot.

I need a few facts clarified first. Is 5.7 a pistol or rifle caliber? Is .30 carbine a rifle or pistol caliber? Please include definitions which clearly differentiate pistol and rifle calibers.

Yes.

To all questions posed.

Hold on. Those weren't yes or no questions. You didn't give answers to my quest...


Oh, I see. Stirrer of the pot.

I was told recently that just because .30 carbine was designed to be fired from a rifle, doesn't mean it's a rifle cartridge, so I asked that person to actually define pistol/rifle cartridges, and asked if .22 rimfire was a rifle or pistol cartridge? I honestly wanted a response because maybe I'm missing something, and he just disappeared.

But I digress.

I don't think there's any question about the 'effectiveness' of a rifle round over a pistol round (foregoing the former topic). But potential benefits of a pistol caliber 'longer gun?' Inside noise factor(?). Light recoil and more control for less than operational non-operators (?). I think many occasional shooters do better with short, light rifles than handguns. More like subguns though, like an MP5.

So we also need to clearly differentiate PCC and Submachinegun for this topic.

Is a 9mm SBR AR a PCC or a subgun?

Flow chart anyone?

[Emptymag]

I don't believe a pistol or SBR would be considered a carbine regardless of caliber.

[JaySmith]

As some of hte videos mentioned, they consider PCC to be 16" barrel, full size. And if that's the case, then yes, I think they're worthless. But as some of the video's mentioned, scorpion, stribog, and apc can be pcc's, and if that's the case, no. pcc's shoudl be compact similiar to sbr's or submachine guns. 6-9" barrel, brace, possibly a suppressor.

[Noah_Zark]

. . .

So we also need to clearly differentiate PCC and Submachinegun for this topic.

Why not both?



EM will recognize this; he's fired it.

Noah

[Emptymag]

As some of hte videos mentioned, they consider PCC to be 16" barrel, full size. And if that's the case, then yes, I think they're worthless. But as some of the video's mentioned, scorpion, stribog, and apc can be pcc's, and if that's the case, no. pcc's shoudl be compact similiar to sbr's or submachine guns. 6-9" barrel, brace, possibly a suppressor.

I don't think there's a clear definition of "carbine" other than "shorter than a standard rifle".

Personally, I don't consider SBRs of the PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) style to be carbines, but something like an M4 with a 14" barrel would be - although not legally - legally it would be an SBR. Ha.

I don't consider a 9" 9mm AR15 to be a carbine, but I DO consider my 14.5" with pinned/welded flash hider to be a carbine.
I guess it depends on who you ask.

[Rural Ruger]

It's not the one I'll be reaching for when there's a bump in the night, but I can see the value for the wife (very recoil averse), and in time the kid(s).

[esh21167]

I don't think there's a clear definition of "carbine" other than "shorter than a standard rifle".

Personally, I don't consider SBRs of the PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) style to be carbines, but something like an M4 with a 14" barrel would be - although not legally - legally it would be an SBR. Ha.

I don't consider a 9" 9mm AR15 to be a carbine, but I DO consider my 14.5" with pinned/welded flash hider to be a carbine.
I guess it depends on who you ask.

I think that's just it. I don't believe there's an absolute definition of each. Where are the lines between PDW/PCC/Subgun (let's keep 'em semi).

[ExFlyinguy]

I'll make my argument simple-

Given I can choose cartridges like 300blk or 7.62x39 in barrel lengths equal to the pistol caliber subguns/carbines I have a hard time considering pistol calibers worthwhile.

I own a Sig MPX 8" 9mm, a CZ Scorpion 8" 9mm, and a Ruger PCC 16" .40S&W. All safe queens and a waste of my money. Fun to shoot but my HD gun is 300blk AR pistol