GGR 160 – Pistol Caliber Carbine Overview

Welcome to Episode 160 of Gun Guy Radio! This is the podcast that shines a positive light on the firearms lifestyle. I’m Your host Ryan Michad and this is your weekly dose of positive firearms talk, without the politics.

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Pre-Show Discussion:

First off, like Jake said we will soon be going to NRA Show 2015 in Nashville, so be sure to keep your eyes open for the details on the listener meetup on the FRN Facebook page and on the shows as well. One of the big things that we will take a look at there is the highly-anticipated Glock 43 that was just announced last week.

When the Glock 42 was announced, there was a collective groan from many people. Why was it in .380? Why is it so big for a .380? Why didn’t they just chamber it in 9mm. Well, I was one of those people. I looked at guns in .380 the size of the Ruger LCP, and said to myself “Glock what are you thinking!?” I made assumptions before I had even handled the gun (which was wrong on my part) and I swore up and down that Glock would be shooting themselves in the foot by chambering the gun in .380, that it was too big and there were smaller slim 9mm’s on the market out there, like the Kahr and Ruger guns. The first time I handled a Glock 42 however, I was quite surprised. The gun was markedly smaller than I had imagined or had noticed in the pictures. Shooting the gun also affirmed that I was wrong in my initial assumption; this was a fun, accurate little handgun. There were some teething issues, which was atypical of Glock functionality, but it seems those issues have been worked out.

I’ve noticed something strange however. The Glock 43 was one of the most highly anticipated handgun releases in recent years, and I’ve found many people are already criticizing the gun for being too large, too blocky, too expensive. To the blocky complaint I say, you’re buying a Glock, that is their shape and you should know what you’re getting into. The other two complaints are quite valid. Speaking to the size of the gun, the Glock 43 Spec Sheet shows it being a bit larger than many of the small single-stack 9mm handguns out there. It is markedly bigger than my Kahr CM9, yet it holds the same number of rounds. For me, the slim subcompact 9mm handguns are strictly pocket guns. If I’m going to be carrying something on my belt, it is going to be a larger handgun with higher capacity. The Glock 43 (or any of the single stack 9mm’s) would not be a belt gun for me. The CM9 is on the very edge of being almost too large for some pants pockets, so I am concerned that many people who buy the Glock 43 will want to pocket carry it (with a proper holster) and they will have trouble with some pant designs. It will be interesting to see what end users say once the gun gets in the pipeline.

The cost complaint also concerns me. There are many manufacturers producing these single stack 9mm’s at a far more competitive cost. Around my area, you can find S&W Shield 9mm’s for $400, maybe a little less. The Ruger LC9 and LC9s you can typically find for around $325-350. The MSRP of the Glock 43 as it stands right now is at $589. The Kahr CM series are going for $460 MSRP, so what is there different that warrants such a large increase of MSRP? However, the pre-orders I’ve seen from a few different companies states that the retail price will be $449 for civilians, and for LEO/Military will be $358. If they can maintain that price point and the gun runs reliably as its larger brothers, I’m sure Glock will have a huge hit on their hands. I am looking forward to seeing it at the NRA Show in April.

Main Topic: Pistol Caliber Carbines

One hot topic of discussion is the pistol caliber carbine. Many people want to think that because the barrel is longer, the pistol caliber carbine (PCC) can replace a traditional long gun, firing a traditional rifle cartridge. This is one common misconception that needs to be addressed. The PCC serves a good role in extending the reach of your chosen handgun cartridge, but is smaller, lighter and more handy than would be a rifle-cartridge carbine. I have picked a few PCC’s in each category, such as semi-auto, non-semi auto, some of the classic favorites and newer carbines based on submachine gun platforms.

Guide to Pistol Caliber Carbines

Ballistics By The Inch

Modern PCC’s:

Beretta CX4 Storm:

Kel-Tec Sub 2000: Folding, 9mm, Pistol Magazines

Hi-Point Carbines:

Just Right (JR) Carbines:

Classic PCC’s:

M1 Carbine:

Marlin Camp Carbine:

Ruger Police Carbine (PC):

Ruger 99/44 Deerfield Carbine:

Non-Semi Auto Carbines:

Marlin, Winchester & Rossi Lever Actions:

Ruger 77/357 & 77/44 Bolt Action Carbines:

All Others:

Mech-Tech CCU Conversion Unit:

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