There is a propensity with gun nuts to downplay the value of a pistol caliber carbine.
For those of you who don't know, a pistol caliber carbine (PCC) is a rifle that fires a lower powered round that is typically associated with a pistol. For example, a .357 fired out of a lever action rifle. The extra barrel length gives the gas a longer time to expand, creating higher velocities, increased accuracy, lower bullet drop over a distance.
A lot of gun nuts consider the PCC to be an intermediate, and therefore pointless, long arm. They say that a pistol round is better out of a long arm, but not as good as a rifle round out of a long arm. "If you're going to carry a rifle, why shoot less effective rounds?" Technically, and ballistically, they are correct. A rifle round is almost always better than a pistol round out of a rifle, that's what they were designed for. However, a pistol round is far more efficient, with less kick, and more accuracy out of a longer barrel.
It's my opinion that those gun nuts are being a short sighted (no pun intended). I love the idea of the intermediate firearm. Kind of like the scout rifle concept, the idea that a firearm can be used adequately for multiple purposes really appeals to me. A PCC is a good example of this.
If you want a long range hunting rifle, there are plenty of long range hunting rifles out there, but they are exactly long range hunting rifles. Not much good at anything else.
Just like a hand gun for personal defense, they are designed for their purpose specifically. Not much good for accurate distance shooting.
Gun nuts want a rifle that is exceptional, a general purpose firearm is almost by definition average... but it's average at a lot of things, an expert at none. Personally, I like the idea of a firearm that can be used for multiple purposes over carrying multiple firearms that each have a specialty.
There are quite a few PCC options out there. I lean toward lever actions, there are plenty of good revolver/rifle combos out there. .22lr, .357, .44 mag, .45lc... Historically, cowboys liked having a long gun and a pistol that used the same ammunition, that way they only had to carry one. So, cowboy combos are easily adapter to a pistol-rifle combo.
However, in this modern age, there are quite a few options for semi-auto rifle and pistol combinations. With a little research, it's quite possible that your favorite mag fed semi-auto pistol has an equivalent carbine.
If you like Glock, there is a Hi-point carbine for you.
If you like Beretta, there is a Beretta CX4 storm for you.
Even the M1 carbine, which shoots ".30 carbine", has a Ruger revolver that uses the same round.
Almost all of the big gun manufacturers have a PCC available, that uses their variety of magazine and ammunition. It's only too bad that there isn't a good PCC that will take a large variety of magazines, it would make acquiring and matching magazines so much easier. Personally, I like Glocks but want a CX4... those magazines don't match up.
Or you could look at something like Mech Tech where you can convert your favorite pistol into a PCC. This is of course depending on your local laws. There are a couple of companies that offer packages like this, it's an interesting option.
The other benefit is the range time fun... They're a blast to shoot, very low recoil, and pistol ammo is usually far cheaper than rifle rounds. For a box of common ammo it is around the same price, around $25, but rifle rounds usually come in a box of 20, pistol rounds usually come in a box of 50.
The PCC might not be the best at anything, but it will get the job done in most situations. That's what I like about them.
Right now, it might be the M&P 22 and the M&P 15 combo. Or I could do the Rossi R92 and the Ruger Blackhawk. Neither option is too shabby, if you ask me.
Showing posts with label rifle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rifle. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Best Zombie Rifle Ever?
So, I was reading this good Zombie novel, "Still Alive..." by A. C. Thorne.
I love a good Zombie book and "Still Alive..." is definitely one of the better ones. There are a couple of sappy chapters but overall it's one of my current favorites. It's one of the few zombie books with a strong female main character (written by a woman, I'm thinking), that is action packed, surprising, and very well written. Several times it caused flash backs to the novel "I am Legend" by Richard Matheson, a classic, which I'm sure was intended by the author. Over all "Still Alive..." is a very good read and I hope that the series continues soon.
One of the things that caught my attention in the book is the main character's main weapon. She stumbles onto a "tactical" .22lr semi auto rifle and uses it very effectively. From the description in the book I'm thinking it was an AR style .22lr, like the Smith and Wesson M&P-15/22. At one point she is critical of another survivor that didn't make it, who used larger calibers. She thought that the semi-auto .22lr with hi-cap magazines was far more effective than a hunting style rifle in a larger caliber. Able to shoot rapidly, can carry lots of ammo, low recoil, accurate, and with high capacity...
Ok, interesting idea... normally I would have forgotten about it and moved on, however, a buddy of mine had just purchased an M&P-15/22 ($500) and was taking it to the range this weekend. I invited myself along to see if maybe it might actually be the perfect zombie killing rifle.
A couple of things I should mention first; I'm not a fan of semi-auto in general (they just aren't as much fun at the range), I'm not a fan of "Black Rifles" (I don't like the look of military-style rifles), and the idea of having an AR in the .22lr caliber seemed really idiotic. If you're getting an AR, why not go for a real one in 5.56? Or, If you want a semi-auto .22lr, why not get a 10/22? Cheaper and less ugly. But I decided to try it out and make an attempt at keeping an open mind.
I had a f***ing blast.
I had so much fun that the M&P-15/22 is now high on my wish list. Seriously, I want one. Bad.
My buddy had no idea what he was buying, he just thought it would be fun toy. So, before we went to the range I helped him get the sights set up, got the rifle cleaned, and range ready. It was incredibly easy to clean, easy to set up, came with nice iron sights (it has a two size flip-up ghost-ring sight, easily adjustable). It was mostly plastic, extremely light weight, and I was a little worried how it would hold up at the range.
There was no reason to worry, this thing was a freakin' tank. After I got it sighted in, this thing was a tack driver out to 100 yards. That would have been cool, but what amazed me was how light the kick was, which meant extremely fast follow up shots. I mean, keep both eyes open and you could acquire targets, fire, and be back on target in a fraction of a second. It cycled flawlessly (only one misfeed, which I think was probably a fluke) over 300 rounds.
We were at the silhouette range and the semi-auto was addictive. There were two lines, 50 yards and another at 100 yards. The iron silhouettes were about 1ft by 1ft. At 50 yards I could hit the targets faster than 1 per second, going down the line either direction. And it's so quiet, so quick handling, so little recoil, it almost feels like it's a toy.
Bang, Ping, Bang, Ping, Bang, Ping, Bang, Ping... as fast as you could acquire the target and pull the trigger. It was almost video game easy, too easy. Reload the magazine, back to work.
I thought a .22lr AR was stupid, but even if you just look at the cost vs range time ratio it's worth picking up. I typically spent at least $50 in ammo for some decent time at the range. I mean, cheap pistol rounds are 25-35 cents, most rifle rounds are between 50 cents and a dollar. .308 for my Scout Rifle is almost a dollar a round. Rifle shooting gets expensive fast.
However, you can buy 500 rounds .22lr for 20 bucks. You just can't beat .22lr for cost and weight. It's easy on the wallet, easy to stockpile, and you can easily carry hundreds of rounds. Maybe you want to train, get used to an AR, or a cheap plinker for the range, or have a fun rifle for the youngsters, then this would be a fairly inexpensive way to do it. Or maybe you should keep one in the closet, just in case there is a zombie apocalypse.
This rifle is so easy to use, so accurate, so simple, that it is freakin' awesome. Defend against zombies, fun at the range, easy to use... this thing is awesome.
I've seen a lot of arguments about whether the .22lr is powerful enough to take down zombies. The round is so small and low powered that it really limits the ability to get through a skull. I'm not a ballistics or forensic expert, but I'll give a quick opinion on it. .22lr in a pistol would probably be effective out to 20-30 feet, depending on your accuracy (any further than that and I think you'd have to be an exceptionally accurate shot). Out of a rifle though, I think you could extend that range out to around 50 yards, again depending on your accuracy. Accuracy is such a huge factor because the .22lr is such a small round it's far more susceptible than other rounds to glance off the skull rather than punching through. The shot would need to be a direct, straight-on shot.
I hesitated to think that a .22lr would be a good zombie killer, with accuracy and speed being so vitally important. However, this M&P-15/22 has me seriously considering it. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a rifle that can shoot as quickly and accurately.
So, I think I'm going to have to pick up one for myself. It'll be cheap fun at the range and when the zombie apocalypse happens I'll let you know how effective it is. Now I just need to talk Hornady into making these in .22lr...
I love a good Zombie book and "Still Alive..." is definitely one of the better ones. There are a couple of sappy chapters but overall it's one of my current favorites. It's one of the few zombie books with a strong female main character (written by a woman, I'm thinking), that is action packed, surprising, and very well written. Several times it caused flash backs to the novel "I am Legend" by Richard Matheson, a classic, which I'm sure was intended by the author. Over all "Still Alive..." is a very good read and I hope that the series continues soon.
One of the things that caught my attention in the book is the main character's main weapon. She stumbles onto a "tactical" .22lr semi auto rifle and uses it very effectively. From the description in the book I'm thinking it was an AR style .22lr, like the Smith and Wesson M&P-15/22. At one point she is critical of another survivor that didn't make it, who used larger calibers. She thought that the semi-auto .22lr with hi-cap magazines was far more effective than a hunting style rifle in a larger caliber. Able to shoot rapidly, can carry lots of ammo, low recoil, accurate, and with high capacity...
Ok, interesting idea... normally I would have forgotten about it and moved on, however, a buddy of mine had just purchased an M&P-15/22 ($500) and was taking it to the range this weekend. I invited myself along to see if maybe it might actually be the perfect zombie killing rifle.
A couple of things I should mention first; I'm not a fan of semi-auto in general (they just aren't as much fun at the range), I'm not a fan of "Black Rifles" (I don't like the look of military-style rifles), and the idea of having an AR in the .22lr caliber seemed really idiotic. If you're getting an AR, why not go for a real one in 5.56? Or, If you want a semi-auto .22lr, why not get a 10/22? Cheaper and less ugly. But I decided to try it out and make an attempt at keeping an open mind.
I had a f***ing blast.
I had so much fun that the M&P-15/22 is now high on my wish list. Seriously, I want one. Bad.
My buddy had no idea what he was buying, he just thought it would be fun toy. So, before we went to the range I helped him get the sights set up, got the rifle cleaned, and range ready. It was incredibly easy to clean, easy to set up, came with nice iron sights (it has a two size flip-up ghost-ring sight, easily adjustable). It was mostly plastic, extremely light weight, and I was a little worried how it would hold up at the range.
There was no reason to worry, this thing was a freakin' tank. After I got it sighted in, this thing was a tack driver out to 100 yards. That would have been cool, but what amazed me was how light the kick was, which meant extremely fast follow up shots. I mean, keep both eyes open and you could acquire targets, fire, and be back on target in a fraction of a second. It cycled flawlessly (only one misfeed, which I think was probably a fluke) over 300 rounds.
We were at the silhouette range and the semi-auto was addictive. There were two lines, 50 yards and another at 100 yards. The iron silhouettes were about 1ft by 1ft. At 50 yards I could hit the targets faster than 1 per second, going down the line either direction. And it's so quiet, so quick handling, so little recoil, it almost feels like it's a toy.
Bang, Ping, Bang, Ping, Bang, Ping, Bang, Ping... as fast as you could acquire the target and pull the trigger. It was almost video game easy, too easy. Reload the magazine, back to work.
I thought a .22lr AR was stupid, but even if you just look at the cost vs range time ratio it's worth picking up. I typically spent at least $50 in ammo for some decent time at the range. I mean, cheap pistol rounds are 25-35 cents, most rifle rounds are between 50 cents and a dollar. .308 for my Scout Rifle is almost a dollar a round. Rifle shooting gets expensive fast.
However, you can buy 500 rounds .22lr for 20 bucks. You just can't beat .22lr for cost and weight. It's easy on the wallet, easy to stockpile, and you can easily carry hundreds of rounds. Maybe you want to train, get used to an AR, or a cheap plinker for the range, or have a fun rifle for the youngsters, then this would be a fairly inexpensive way to do it. Or maybe you should keep one in the closet, just in case there is a zombie apocalypse.
This rifle is so easy to use, so accurate, so simple, that it is freakin' awesome. Defend against zombies, fun at the range, easy to use... this thing is awesome.
I've seen a lot of arguments about whether the .22lr is powerful enough to take down zombies. The round is so small and low powered that it really limits the ability to get through a skull. I'm not a ballistics or forensic expert, but I'll give a quick opinion on it. .22lr in a pistol would probably be effective out to 20-30 feet, depending on your accuracy (any further than that and I think you'd have to be an exceptionally accurate shot). Out of a rifle though, I think you could extend that range out to around 50 yards, again depending on your accuracy. Accuracy is such a huge factor because the .22lr is such a small round it's far more susceptible than other rounds to glance off the skull rather than punching through. The shot would need to be a direct, straight-on shot.
I hesitated to think that a .22lr would be a good zombie killer, with accuracy and speed being so vitally important. However, this M&P-15/22 has me seriously considering it. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a rifle that can shoot as quickly and accurately.
So, I think I'm going to have to pick up one for myself. It'll be cheap fun at the range and when the zombie apocalypse happens I'll let you know how effective it is. Now I just need to talk Hornady into making these in .22lr...
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Almost My New Favorite Rifle: Auto-Ordinance M1 Carbine
In general I'm not a fan of semi-auto rifles and pistols. There's nothing wrong with them, there really isn't, I just think firearms that require more interaction are more fun to shoot.
Take a single action revolver, in my opinion is a whole lot more fun at the range than most other pistols. It makes you slow down, put a little more time, energy, and thought into shooting. To me, that's more fun. It also makes me more accurate since I'm not just throwing rounds down range, each shot is a very deliberate process... not just pulling a trigger.
I think that's probably the same with rifles, that the reason bolt action rifles are widely considered more accurate is because it forces the shooter to slow down. I also think that the lower the capacity, the more careful the shooter. If you only have five rounds you make them count, if you have twenty than you are more likely to shoot first and question later. More input from the shooter and fewer round capacity means slowing down, there is more of a process between each shot being fired, and ultimately I think that makes a shooter more accurate.
However, the firearms that I like to shoot have their limitations. For most people a single action revolver doesn't make a lot of sense for self defense compared to even a modest semi auto. Semi autos usually have larger capacity, quicker follow up shots, and faster reloading. So, obviously semi-autos have a place, I just never really enjoyed shooting them very much.
All that said, I decided I wanted to add a semi-auto rifle to my growing collection. I really like the collection I've got going and decided to continue adding variety.
So, of all of the times to go to the gun store looking for a semi-auto rifle, this was probably the absolute worst time to go. I wasn't looking for an AR-15 or AK, I was thinking maybe a Ruger Mini-14, but quite literally the three stores I went to were cleared out of any semi-auto rifle over a 22lr. I would have been good with getting a 22lr semi-auto but they were all AR variants (I'm not a fan), or 10/22s in garish colors (I mean that literally, there were greens and purples left).
Then, at the last store I went to I saw something interesting. Just like the others, the semi-auto shelves were bare... this one had one last rifle. I'd never seen anything like it and asked if I could check it out. It came with a folding stock and had a beautiful wood forestock and handle. It almost looked like an old version of the AK but was obviously a smaller caliber.
Turns out it was an M1 Carbine, a WWII replica of a paratrooper's rifle built by Auto-Ordinance and Kahr. I'd heard of the Garand, but never the M1 "carbine" before. I did a little research and realized that I really should have heard of it before, it's a pretty cool rifle with a very cool history. Check it out yourself, if you need more info there are many, many M1 carbine fan sites out there.
The more I looked at it, the cooler it seemed.
The 30 carbine ammo is not a particularly good round for hunting or survival scenarios (it's actually called ".30 carbine" and you're not likely to find it laying around). The round looks like a skinnier version of the .357 and hasn't been common for decades. It's also pretty similar balistically to the .357 out of a rifle. It's a little weak for a rifle round, only really usable out to around 150 yards, and it was mostly issued to support troops in WWII.
Despite being less common, because of it's small size it's cheaper than a lot of rifle ammunition, about $25 for a box of 50. Almost the equivalent of most pistol amunitions.
I decided to go for it, the rifle was just quirky enough that it caught my interest. I like getting those looks of "WTF is that?" when I uncase my rifle at the range. This rifle would be a unique addition to my collection AND it was semi-auto. Score one for the weirdo.
Then comes the real question, how did it do at the range?
First time out? I don't think I hit the target. It took some cycling to get it running smoothly, the first few times it was pretty rough. It also had an issue with feeding the last round in the mag. I think that was stiff springs in the mags, which should break in, causing the last round to get stuck half way inserted. Otherwise, it was a blast to shoot. This thing kicks about the same as a .38sp out of a lever gun, which is hardly more than a .22lr. I think I was grinning ear to ear with each shot, it was just a blast to shoot.
I looked it up later and accuracy problems are a pretty common with these rifles the first time out. Out of manufacturing they leave the front site too tall. This is also had a non-adjustable flip-up rear sight, one for 100 yards and the other for 200. I'm going to have to do some playing to get it up to the accuracy I would expect. The only other complaint that I had is that the rifle isn't actually "blued", it's painted and scratches fairly easily.
But man, is this a cool carbine. It's pretty, I love all the wood. It's easy to disassemble and clean. It barely kicks, and it's fun to shoot. It's a unique addition to most anyone's collection. Even with the few small issues I had, this rifle is quickly creeping toward the title of "Favorite Rifle". It makes it me smile everytime I shoot it.
For all you survivalist types, this is probably the lightest rifle I've ever held. You pick up my rifle case and it feels empty. Seriously, the whole rifle weighs in around 5lbs. This paratrooper folding rifle, you cold sling it over your shoulder and forget about it until you need it. The ammo isn't common, but it is fairly light and inexpensive compared to actual "rifle" rounds. Besides, with how light the rifle is you could compensate by carrying more ammo.
At $990 dollars it isn't the cheapest rifle, but for that price I can put up with the few complaints I've got (they're all easily fixed). I'm definitely looking forward to getting the sights adjusted and having some fun throwing lead the next time I head to the range.
And I found out that Ruger makes a Blackhawk single action revolver in .30 carbine. Apparently, it's very, very loud and intimidating.
Muhuhahahahahaaaa!
EDIT (02-10-2013): I love my M1 carbine. I love the history, the looks, and how it shoots. However, the rear sight drives me bonkers. It comes with a non-adjustable flip sight, one for 100 yards, one for 200 yards, in a dove tail joint. On mine, it was really off to the left. To "adjust" this sight you need the proper vice/tool, or a hammer, punch, and patience. I ordered an adjustable sight for it, tried a dozen times to replace the flip sight... and broke down and ordered the proper removal tool. These typically go for $150, the cheapest I could find was with Sarco for $70 (E-Sarco Inc). It's been frustrating, especially since I'm probably only going to use it once. So, great rifle, just keep that rear sight in mind. On a plus note, the original M1 needed to have the front sight ground down in the field, whereas the front sight on my replica seems spot on.
Take a single action revolver, in my opinion is a whole lot more fun at the range than most other pistols. It makes you slow down, put a little more time, energy, and thought into shooting. To me, that's more fun. It also makes me more accurate since I'm not just throwing rounds down range, each shot is a very deliberate process... not just pulling a trigger.
I think that's probably the same with rifles, that the reason bolt action rifles are widely considered more accurate is because it forces the shooter to slow down. I also think that the lower the capacity, the more careful the shooter. If you only have five rounds you make them count, if you have twenty than you are more likely to shoot first and question later. More input from the shooter and fewer round capacity means slowing down, there is more of a process between each shot being fired, and ultimately I think that makes a shooter more accurate.
However, the firearms that I like to shoot have their limitations. For most people a single action revolver doesn't make a lot of sense for self defense compared to even a modest semi auto. Semi autos usually have larger capacity, quicker follow up shots, and faster reloading. So, obviously semi-autos have a place, I just never really enjoyed shooting them very much.
All that said, I decided I wanted to add a semi-auto rifle to my growing collection. I really like the collection I've got going and decided to continue adding variety.
So, of all of the times to go to the gun store looking for a semi-auto rifle, this was probably the absolute worst time to go. I wasn't looking for an AR-15 or AK, I was thinking maybe a Ruger Mini-14, but quite literally the three stores I went to were cleared out of any semi-auto rifle over a 22lr. I would have been good with getting a 22lr semi-auto but they were all AR variants (I'm not a fan), or 10/22s in garish colors (I mean that literally, there were greens and purples left).
Then, at the last store I went to I saw something interesting. Just like the others, the semi-auto shelves were bare... this one had one last rifle. I'd never seen anything like it and asked if I could check it out. It came with a folding stock and had a beautiful wood forestock and handle. It almost looked like an old version of the AK but was obviously a smaller caliber.
Turns out it was an M1 Carbine, a WWII replica of a paratrooper's rifle built by Auto-Ordinance and Kahr. I'd heard of the Garand, but never the M1 "carbine" before. I did a little research and realized that I really should have heard of it before, it's a pretty cool rifle with a very cool history. Check it out yourself, if you need more info there are many, many M1 carbine fan sites out there.
The more I looked at it, the cooler it seemed.
The 30 carbine ammo is not a particularly good round for hunting or survival scenarios (it's actually called ".30 carbine" and you're not likely to find it laying around). The round looks like a skinnier version of the .357 and hasn't been common for decades. It's also pretty similar balistically to the .357 out of a rifle. It's a little weak for a rifle round, only really usable out to around 150 yards, and it was mostly issued to support troops in WWII.
.38sp vs .30 carbine
.38sp vs .30 carbine
Despite being less common, because of it's small size it's cheaper than a lot of rifle ammunition, about $25 for a box of 50. Almost the equivalent of most pistol amunitions.
I decided to go for it, the rifle was just quirky enough that it caught my interest. I like getting those looks of "WTF is that?" when I uncase my rifle at the range. This rifle would be a unique addition to my collection AND it was semi-auto. Score one for the weirdo.
Then comes the real question, how did it do at the range?
First time out? I don't think I hit the target. It took some cycling to get it running smoothly, the first few times it was pretty rough. It also had an issue with feeding the last round in the mag. I think that was stiff springs in the mags, which should break in, causing the last round to get stuck half way inserted. Otherwise, it was a blast to shoot. This thing kicks about the same as a .38sp out of a lever gun, which is hardly more than a .22lr. I think I was grinning ear to ear with each shot, it was just a blast to shoot.
I looked it up later and accuracy problems are a pretty common with these rifles the first time out. Out of manufacturing they leave the front site too tall. This is also had a non-adjustable flip-up rear sight, one for 100 yards and the other for 200. I'm going to have to do some playing to get it up to the accuracy I would expect. The only other complaint that I had is that the rifle isn't actually "blued", it's painted and scratches fairly easily.
But man, is this a cool carbine. It's pretty, I love all the wood. It's easy to disassemble and clean. It barely kicks, and it's fun to shoot. It's a unique addition to most anyone's collection. Even with the few small issues I had, this rifle is quickly creeping toward the title of "Favorite Rifle". It makes it me smile everytime I shoot it.
For all you survivalist types, this is probably the lightest rifle I've ever held. You pick up my rifle case and it feels empty. Seriously, the whole rifle weighs in around 5lbs. This paratrooper folding rifle, you cold sling it over your shoulder and forget about it until you need it. The ammo isn't common, but it is fairly light and inexpensive compared to actual "rifle" rounds. Besides, with how light the rifle is you could compensate by carrying more ammo.
At $990 dollars it isn't the cheapest rifle, but for that price I can put up with the few complaints I've got (they're all easily fixed). I'm definitely looking forward to getting the sights adjusted and having some fun throwing lead the next time I head to the range.
And I found out that Ruger makes a Blackhawk single action revolver in .30 carbine. Apparently, it's very, very loud and intimidating.
Ruger Blackhawk .30 carbine
Muhuhahahahahaaaa!
EDIT (02-10-2013): I love my M1 carbine. I love the history, the looks, and how it shoots. However, the rear sight drives me bonkers. It comes with a non-adjustable flip sight, one for 100 yards, one for 200 yards, in a dove tail joint. On mine, it was really off to the left. To "adjust" this sight you need the proper vice/tool, or a hammer, punch, and patience. I ordered an adjustable sight for it, tried a dozen times to replace the flip sight... and broke down and ordered the proper removal tool. These typically go for $150, the cheapest I could find was with Sarco for $70 (E-Sarco Inc). It's been frustrating, especially since I'm probably only going to use it once. So, great rifle, just keep that rear sight in mind. On a plus note, the original M1 needed to have the front sight ground down in the field, whereas the front sight on my replica seems spot on.
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