25 - 50 yards

[A.J. Holst]

Out of a carbine...

Excluding price and availability, which would be the better choice?


9mm
.38/.357
.30cal carbine
2.23/5.56
7.62x39

[173rdABN]

The one that packs the most energy.

 

Personally, I stick with 9mm in my MP5 as my go to gun. But, it has its downfalls. 

 

Next choice I go with is my 10.5" AR15 in 5.56. 

 

After that, X39

 

I wouldn't want .38 or 30 carbine in a carbine platform.

[Jct1911]

Better choice for what?
Defense, target, hunting, plinking?

[DaveTN]

.308 Winchester, but since you don’t have that as a choice I would go with .357mag. 7.62x39 would be my next choice, but I don’t buy foreign guns so I don’t have anything that would shoot it.

[RED333]

The same caliber you have in pistol.

[zybysco]

.308 Winchester, but since you don’t have that as a choice I would go with .357mag. 7.62x39 would be my next choice, but I don’t buy foreign guns so I don’t have anything that would shoot it.

Is this sarcasm? There are several US made with the mini 30 being the most famous. You are missing some nice guns too if you require everything to be US made.

To the topic in hand, can you give some more details? Do you want semi auto? How many rounds? Cause 357 or 44 mag make nice carbines, but you are limited due to the rimmed cartridge.

[gregintenn]

44 Magnum.

 

Out of your choices, 7.62x39.

[DWARREN123]

Depends on many things but 5.56/223 and 7.62X39 are good. Any may work depending on the requirements.

[LngRngShtr]

now as for all around I'd probably go for my Chinese SKS  in 7.62 x 39

 

if you could specify the situation that decision may change 

 

25 and 50 yds. is still almost handgun category though, and for that in those available calibers I might be more likely to go with one of my S&Ws

Accuracy the M52-2 148 HBWC .38 SPL  825-850 fps

Power my 586-1 158 gr JHP .357Mag 1270 fps

 

but that isn't in the spirit of this post so I guess the 7.62 would be my choice for general use and a .223/5.56 for accuracy work

[nightrunner]

A rifle barrel deserves a rifle class chambering.

[JeffL]

5.56 would be my choice out of your list. My 300 Blackout SBR will be going deer hunting with me this year, with supersonic loads of course.

[A.J. Holst]

Better choice for what?
Defense, target, hunting, plinking?

Good question!

Plinking and home defense.

[cannoncocker]

9mm AR Pistol, suppressed with Sig Brace.

[JAB]

.30 Carbine.  It was made for carbines.  It's right there in the name.

 

Lots of fun to shoot, low recoil, accurate and at 25 to 50 yards with the right ammo should have no problem getting the job done.  People claim they are 'underpowered' but the one I have belonged to my late, maternal grandfather who once told me that he had taken more deer with a .30 Carbine than any, other rifle he owned.  I mentioned that to my uncle (my dad's brother) a couple of weeks ago and he said that he (my uncle) had personally seen my grandfather take several deer with it.  One shot kills out to about 40 yards.  I know you didn't mention hunting - I am just using that as an example of what the .30 Carbine can do in the right hands.  Supposedly the .30 Carbine is roughly equivalent to a .357 Magnum.  You can get 15 and 30 round mags.  Ammo isn't exactly widely available, though. 

 

I am also pretty fond of my Hi Point 995TS 9mm carbine.  Surprisingly accurate and reliable.  Major drawback is that there are only 10 round factory mags for it but there are other 9mm carbines that will accept higher capacity mags.  Ammo availability would be much better than .30 Carbine meaning you could plink/practice with it more.  From the numbers I have seen 9mm doesn't seem to pick up as much velocity/energy from a carbine vs. a full sized handgun as does something like .357 Magnum but again, with the right ammo it should be pretty capable.

 

I don't have a .357 carbine but I kinda wish I did (a lever carbine) and that is about all I can say about that.

 

Personally, I don't much enjoy 'plinking' with full on, centerfire rifle rounds (like 7.62X39 out of my SKS, for instance) all that much.  Shooting them at targets every once in a while when I can get to a range where I at least have a long enough shot to make it 'worth' it - like maybe 75 and 100 yard shots, sure, but at 50 and especially 25 yards, nah.  I'm sure some folks enjoy doing so but not me.  I don't own anything in .223/.556.

Edited October 27, 2014 by JAB

[musicman]

Same question as the other: for what purpose? I've got ARs in 556, but I also really love my Marlin 1894 in 357. Pretty stout round when it's coming out of a rifle. Don't know what, in this continent, it wouldn't kill within 50 yards assuming proper shot placement. I hope to add a sister rifle in 44 mag soon.

[A.J. Holst]

.30 Carbine.  It was made for carbines.  It's right there in the name.

 

Lots of fun to shoot, low recoil, accurate and at 25 to 50 yards with the right ammo should have no problem getting the job done.  People claim they are 'underpowered' but the one I have belonged to my late, maternal grandfather who once told me that he had taken more deer with a .30 Carbine than any, other rifle he owned.  I mentioned that to my uncle (my dad's brother) a couple of weeks ago and he said that he (my uncle) had personally seen my grandfather take several deer with it.  One shot kills out to about 40 yards.  I know you didn't mention hunting - I am just using that as an example of what the .30 Carbine can do in the right hands.  Supposedly the .30 Carbine is roughly equivalent to a .357 Magnum.  You can get 15 and 30 round mags.  Ammo isn't exactly widely available, though. 

 

I am also pretty fond of my Hi Point 995TS 9mm carbine.  Surprisingly accurate and reliable.  Major drawback is that there are only 10 round factory mags for it but there are other 9mm carbines that will accept higher capacity mags.  Ammo availability would be much better than .30 Carbine meaning you could plink/practice with it more.  From the numbers I have seen 9mm doesn't seem to pick up as much velocity/energy from a carbine vs. a full sized handgun as does something like .357 Magnum but again, with the right ammo it should be pretty capable.

 

I don't have a .357 carbine but I kinda wish I did (a lever carbine) and that is about all I can say about that.

 

Personally, I don't much enjoy 'plinking' with full on, centerfire rifle rounds (like 7.62X39 out of my SKS, for instance) all that much.  Shooting them at targets every once in a while when I can get to a range where I at least have a long enough shot to make it 'worth' it - like maybe 75 and 100 yard shots, sure, but at 50 and especially 25 yards, nah.  I'm sure some folks enjoy doing so but not me.  I don't own anything in .223/.556.

 

 

I've got both the .30 carbine and 9mm HP in an ATI-storm-knock off, just trying to figure out if based on my needs (no long distance target shooting or hunting) if I could possible (and realistically) justify something that gets used even less than the few long guns I already have. 

 

Since I have a pair of SP101s, a .38/.357 lever action would be cool...

Edited October 27, 2014 by Gotthegoods

[ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ]

Aero Survival Rifle chambered in 9mm may be a good choice.

 

It uses AR furniture and Glock magazines.

 

http://www.tnwfirearms.com/product-p/asrx-cplt-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx.htm

 

Link to video review by Carter Cutlery:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaTguwvKiUE

 

My two cents worth.

[gregintenn]

Hard to beat a 30 carbine.

[Clod Stomper]

.308 Winchester, but since you don’t have that as a choice I would go with .357mag. 7.62x39 would be my next choice, but I don’t buy foreign guns so I don’t have anything that would shoot it.

 

Maybe you're never fired a .308 out of a carbine barrel.  The muzzle blast and flash are impressive.  Perhaps even disorientating.  On a range with ear protection and eye protection, it ain't a big deal.  

[DaveTN]

Maybe you're never fired a .308 out of a carbine barrel.  The muzzle blast and flash are impressive.  Perhaps even disorientating.  On a range with ear protection and eye protection, it ain't a big deal.

I own a .308 carbine; it’s my “go to” rifle. It’s the most versatile rifle I own. I don’t find it disorienting at all and can unload a 19 mound mag almost as a fast as my .223 and stay on target. Plus range isn’t an issue. The longest I have been able to shoot it is 300 yards, but I doubt it will have any problems much farther than that if needed.

I have had a few people approach me at the range and want to know what I was shooting.

[Jct1911]

9mm is perfectly serviceable as a defensive cartridge in a carbine. Was a long time favorite of those who had to bust down doors and put rounds on target quick. The mp5 and UZI come to mind with a long service history. Now we have things a little easier with more options. Personally, if I didn't build, I'd drop $1k on the colt factory 9mm and couple hundred on quality 32 round mags. If you owned a beretta 92, the beretta cx4 would be an excellent choice. With home defense in mind, an auto loader is a must. 9mm also gets a good boost in a 16" barrel and can match 357 mag pistol ballistics. The 147gr loads are proven man stoppers also.

[Dirtshooter]

try a hipoint carbine they make 9mm, .40 and .45 cal. I have a .40 and it is a 100 yd+ gun. It amazes me that it is dead on with plinking ammo. The only drawback is the 10 rd. mags.

[A.J. Holst]

try a hipoint carbine they make 9mm, .40 and .45 cal. I have a .40 and it is a 100 yd+ gun. It amazes me that it is dead on with plinking ammo. The only drawback is the 10 rd. mags.

Concur on accuracy and capacity, my 9mm Hp can group better than my skills allow, I currently have 8 mags... Edited October 31, 2014 by Gotthegoods