This morning tho', was the last straw, and when the dog came back on our property and growled and came at me, I was positioned to take a clear shot right at its chest. No sticks this time: doggie got a 22 lr hollow point dead center chest from my Ruger rifle, 10 yards away. The dog was able to run back across the road but was dead B4 I could position for a clear follow up. Might have been a bit of a lucky shot to kill so quickly, as the Ruger is more accurate than I am. Anyway, the situation had me wanting something a bit more powerful, without being a dang cannon. (If I need the latter, out comes the 12 ga.)
So... What do FReepers think of 9mm carbines as a mid-power varmint rifles? My requirements are relatively cheap, hopefully available(!) ammo, typical range under 100 yards (usually 50 or less, really), only moderate penetration to minimize exiting of the target, with stopping power similar to a 38 to .357 handgun / somewhere between a .22lr hollow point and a 12 ga. deer slug.
I definitely want something not as LOUD as a 12 ga., and with considerably less recoil, so my quite petite wife and / or daughter can comfortably use it, if need be.
The typical target is a medium to medium large dog (Pit Bull, Boxer, Lab, etc.), or possibly a coyote. Hollow point slugs are a given.
I DO have a .223 carbine, but a larger, lower velocity, relatively inexpensive slug makes more sense to me, here.
Have at it! I’m sure there will e many opinions... :-)
We use pistol calibers in pistols because rifle calibers don’t fit in pistols. If the platform works for rifle calibers, use a rifle caliber.
Just off the top of my head…
Henry .410. There’s a variety of shells available for specialty purposes, but for close range, not too loud & effective it is a good option.
Want a short barrel option? No worries.
I have a non-lethal rubber bullet load in the FIRST shell. After that…..
What you want is a .357 lever action. Nod your head “yes”. Trust Me.
High point makes a cheap 9mm or .45 carbine for less than $300. Yes its a high point but its suprisingly accurate.
45 ACP Camp Carbine. Nice and quiet. Use soft lead bullets.
There are a number of pistol caliber carbines out there. Ruger and Beretta make nice ones, and if price is a factor Hi-point makes one that I’ve never had a problem with. I might consider .45 as a caliber. Low velocity, big bullet. .45 also is not to bad out of a carbine, so those for whom it is too big in a handgun won’t be put off by a carbine.
I love mine. I’ve used it on whitetail deer with no issues. FMJ bullet no less. It has a 16” barrel, and those 9mm slugs come out of it cooking. I can ring an 8” plate with it a 200 yards.
Always double tap; always.
Really the .223 carbine is ideal for this.
That said a 9mm carbine would work well. Not at 100 yards. 9mm is a 50 yard cartridge MAX. It’s really better suited for 25 yards down to contact distance.
If you want to split the difference a 357 Magnum carbine might be an option as well. 158gr bullets loaded hot will hit 1800+ FPS from a rifle barrel. Should take the starch right out of any overly aggressive canines.
I could make a lifetime of shots like you describe with the .223 for less ammo cost than any 9mm carbine (new gun plus ammo) and have the huge benefit of more practice with the more capable gun.
BUT, if you want to justify a new gun -- get a nice one and have fun.
If you want to save money go with the 223. That caliber is great for varmints and widely used as such. The 9mm in a carbine is great all around cartridge. Yes it’ll do varmint work at your range extremely well.
9 mm pistol caliber carbines are nice but they have a lot of drop so ballistics kind of suck. If you want a nice one the CZ scorpion evo is a solid choice and very fun to shoot. If it were me, I’d choose the venerable M1 carbine. Light (about 5lbs), compact and the ballistics are much more suitable for your application. They are still in production and there are a number of companies making them including Auto Ordnance and Inland. Another decent choice would be an AR-15 M4 pattern carbine in 300 black out. The 300 blk round is available in subsonic versions for suppressed use which would punch your ticket for lower power and lower noise but it is still available in a sonic version that is comparable to the Russian 7.62x39 in the AK47. If you have an AR-15 pattern rifle you cab buy an upper receiver and bolt/carrier that drops into the AR-15 lower to save money. There are also 9mm uppers for the AR-15 lowers
Ruger PC Charger would be my preference, but if you really want a carbine, you could get its biological cousin the Ruger PC Carbine.
Been down the road your going, 9mm, 45acp, 44mag, 357 carbines. Then I discovered the 300 blackout in 10.5 barrel. Very versatile platform, esp if you are a reloader and great for getting into suppressors.
I have a Beretta 9mm carbine, and have shot several other brands. They aren’t the most accurate things in the world. A good 22 or 22magnum really outshines them considerably. They are in that catagory of neither fish nor fowl. To powerful and not accurate enough for squirrels or small varmints, and too weak for deer of larger stuff. A 22 hornet would probably fit your needs IMHO.
5 rules of a gun fight:
1) gun beats no gun.
2) fast beats slow
3) a hit beats a miss
4) bigger bullets beat smaller bullets
5) two holes beat one hole
To your specific question, I would agree with either 9 mm or .357 mag. Both are widely available, both work well in pistol and/or carbine. Both are often reloaded.
I am of the opinion that there is a slight advantage to the .357 because when shooting / practicing gets expensive, you can also use .38 special.
If decibels are a big concern, a .45ACP carbine is going to be somewhat less loud than a 9mm carbine due to it’s lower operating pressure and velocity. Both will be quieter than when fired out of a pistol and a lot quieter than a .223. Don’t expect either to act like Thor’s hammer shooting coyotes or large dogs, though. Shot placement is still key.
Your sense is wrong.