Pistol caliber carbines

[Walter45Auto]

I'd love to have a Marlin Camp .45. My dad and I wish we'd each bought 10 of them when they were all over the place for $260. The carbine I really want is a Kel-Tec SUB2000 that takes GLOCK 21 magazines. But they don't make one.

[powderfinger]

I only own one pistol caliber carbine; a Marlin 1894c in .357. Talk about a fun gun. I too am a fan of the Kel-Tec Sub2000 but I don't own one yet. I'm holding out in hopes they come out with one in .45ACP or 10mm.

[Walter45Auto]

Another one I'd like to have is a Puma .454 Lever action. I'd like to have 2 of them, actually. One with a large Loop Lever and 16 inch barrel, and one with the standard loop and 20 inch barrel.

[hawkeye1]

Now I like the idea of a carbine in 454.  That would go nicely with my Super Redhawk.  That would make a great deer gun, among other things.

[canon6]

My 16 inch Rossi '92, carries 8 rounds in the tube , 9 on the carrier and I am getting north of 1800fps with a 180gr wfngc.I do not believe the 30 carbine is any where near that.If I wanted to go to a 125 gr I could top 2200fps.  Doug

[Sponsor]

[m25operator]

I've always liked the idea, I once had a Colt Ar in 9mm, bowling pins at 50 yards were no trouble, I wished I had it back but I traded it and 300 bucks for an M1a, that was before the ban when the car15 went to over 1500 bucks, LOL, but I still have the M1a, and it is definitely a keeper. I have had a marlin in .357 but I don't usually carry a .357 pistol in the woods. I definitely appreciate the findings on the Glock or 1911 mech-tech conversions, I don't know anyone who has tried them. Dang it, Brownells closed out on some of these for a very reasonable price in the odd calibers, eg... 10mm for the glock. I am actively seeking a .44mag carbine, just waiting for the right deal. I had a Rossi Puma in .44 mag, and it would not feed, traded off very quickly.

[ellis4538]

MB i saw your post about the Mech-Tech conversion...How ammo sensitive is it?  You mentioned about it qualifying as a "car gun", what about for HD instead of an AR.  I live just outside a small city so long range isn't an issue.  Thanks.

[Michael Bane]

I ran mine on 230-grain ball and old IPSC Major 185-gr H&G cast bullets and it ran fine on both of those. The system seems to me to be pretty much "blunt trauma" — a big recoil spring and a wide feed ramp...

Michael B

[ellis4538]

MB, what about the rest of my question?

[Michael Bane]

I think it can easily replace an AR in specific uses where long-range isn't an issue. Decades ago I wrote a piece for a police magazine suggesting that in most application, the .45 ACP Thompson would be a superior long gun for cops over the AR platform because of the .45's proven stopper ability and the Thompson's slow rate of fire in full auto. Since the gun was going to ride around in the car most of the time, the Thompson's beefy weight wasn't an issue, and there was always the option of 50 and 100-round drums.

The Mech-Tech's primary limitation is magazine capacity. The Wilson 10-rounders are reliable; I haven;t had much luck with the others.

Michael B