I'm talking about "pistol caliber" here, something so not politically correct, so we're talking shooty sticks here, and Ruger just released a new one here. It's the first one out of Ruger in over a decade, and I think this could be a very successful product line if Ruger chooses their chamberings right.
This model, chambered in the ubiquitous 9x19mm Parabellum handgun cartridge, is clearly aimed on not only complimenting Ruger's own line of semi-automatic handguns, but that is the leading competitor: Glock. In the box, with all tools and instructions provided (no gunsmith required), you can swap out the magazine well to one set for use with Glock magazines. Genius.
For those of you not big on the firearms industry, Glock and its handguns are about a ubiquitous as the 9x19mm cartridge. It's just good business sense to make your PC carbine available for use with a Glock as your sidearm, sharing ammunition and magazines, in the great tradition of 19th century cowboys who used lever-action rifles and revolvers with the same ammunition.
I can see where Ruger's coming from with this carbine. Like its previous (long-discontinued) Police Carbine, this is meant for an urban or suburban security function where the user is not primarily meant to engage in firefights with hostiles. In short, this is a firearm in the tradition of the M1 Carbine; a tool for self-defense for people who are not primary users of firearms. (Yes, this does mean cops, in their former image of being friendly locals who do law-enforcement as a means of community support; in the militarized form of being urban warfare operatives, this carbine is not adequate.)
And the price is right. It'll set you back less than a Glock 17 or 19 of the latest generation (or even a generation or two back), so it's on par with the price for Ruger's recent semi-auto handguns (including the model whose magazine ships with the carbine) and the initial reaction from GunTube (the gun channels on YouTube, mirrored at Full30) are liking it so far. So far. We're talking before they do their run-and-gun drills, dump a score of mags through it in rapid succession, use it during a weekend carbine course, and other such extended testing and evaluation.
Yeah, I want to go plug some plates with one. Alas, I don't think I have any local shooting buddies who have it. Gonna have to wait for a rental or a promo event I can actually attend. I hope they do produce a variant in 10mm, as that will have great field utility hunting all sorts of big game, including some you may not expect.
Bradford
ReplyDeleteYeah i saw it. Looks interesting.
I wont' be surprised if the eventually offer it 8n the popular calibre like the various 45 calibre,357 magnum and even 22 calibre for the kids.
I suspect they'll even make it modular so you can swap barrels and mag wells.
xaviee
I expect a .45 ACP version soon, but not a .357 Magnum one due to the latter's rimmed cartridge being an issue in feeding from magazines. The Coonan had to spend some brainpower to figure out that issue, and it's still not as reliable a some would like.
DeleteAs for .22 Long Rifle, Ruger's far better off making a new model of their venerable 10/22 rifle that feeds from the magazines used by one or both of their semi-auto rimfire handguns (though I would prefer the Ruger Mk. IV over the SR22 as a default choice).
What I could see Ruger doing is reviving their dormant line of bolt-action carbines using the new American model as the base. They used to sell 77/44, 77/357, 77/22, and I think 77/17 versions built off the Model 77 hunting rifle; if they want a popular bolt-action carbine in a pistol caliber, using the American model as a design basis that they iterate into the pistol version is the way to go.
Bradford interesting. Bolt action pistol carbines.
DeleteWell between Glock's new X Series and Ruger pistol caribines looks like American shooter have much to shoot with :)