Mini 14 in Pistol Calibers...

[sargents1]

Who likes the idea? 9mm, 40S&W, 45ACP, 10mm,
With short rectangular magazines it would look a lot like an M1 Carbine.

Personally I envision a Mini 14 in 10mm. Get an ammo maker to work up some loads with slower burning powder to take full advantage of the longer barrel. Still compatible with pistol ammo...

180gr 40cal bullet at 1800fps sounds pretty good to me.

 

[PeterCartwright]

Marlin did just that a while ago with their "camp carbine" guns (9X19 and .45 ACP). Never owned one, but I wish I'd bitten the bullet while they were still in production. I just this morning read Gun Blast's review on the classic 9 mm Camp Carbine. That concept still makes a lot of sense.

PC

 

[sargents1]

Marlin did just that a while ago with their "camp carbine" guns (9X19 and .45 ACP). Never owned one, but I wish I'd bitten the bullet while they were still in production. I just this morning read Gun Blast review on the classic 9 mm Camp Carbine. That concept still makes a lot of sense.

PC

I did a plate-shoot a few years back with a Marlin Camp Carbine in 9mm. Sixty rounds fired, sixty hits. Zero misses. It was fast, handy and accurate. The buddy that owned it got rid of it, I wish I had snapped it up.

I know ruger made the PC9 and PC40 for a while, but they were kind of ugly and used pistol mags. Pistol mags are convenient but they dont look right. One of the reasons for the popularity of the mini 14 and mini 30 is that they Look like a classic M14 (to a point).

 

[PeterCartwright]

I know ruger made the PC9 and PC40 for a while, but they were kind of ugly and used pistol mags. Pistol mags are convenient but they dont look right. One of the reasons for the popularity of the mini 14 and mini 30 is that they Look like a classic M14 (to a point).[/quote]

Oops! Forgot about the PC series. Another production of a good idea.

PC

 

[Kanook]

I kept waiting for the PC to come out in 10mm and or 45acp also. Always wondered how the 40 did outa a rifle barrel, O'well.

If they made a Mini in 10mm I'm not sure what I would sell to get one but as sure as yellow snow tastes funny I'd be getting one.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Who likes the idea? 9mm, 40S&W, 45ACP, 10mm,
With short rectangular magazines it would look a lot like an M1 Carbine.

44 magnum:

...Jimbo

 

[sargents1]

Hey Jimbo, what brand of Red dot is that on your Deerfield. (I assume that it's a red-dot)..

Speaking of the Deerfield, I like the combination of caliber, handling and size of the rifles but there are a few things that I dont care for with the Deerfield rifles:

-They look like a 10/22. I have a 10/22 and I like it just fine but for a bigger caliber I want something that looks the business. I know its sort of silly but there it is.

- The other thing is that I have heard that they are not particularly accurate. Now, I dont have any first hand experience with these rifles so correct me if I am wrong and/or repeating BS internet rumors.

- Ok there are three things, the third is that you cant get a larger capacity magazine. The rotary mags are fine for hunting, preferable in fact, but I think that part of the popularity of the 10/22 is that you can get good 25rd+ magazines from several aftermarket mfgs. So far as I know, if you want a 10 or 20rd magazine for a deerfield you are out of luck. Again, correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Hey Jimbo, what brand of Red dot is that on your Deerfield. (I assume that it's a red-dot)..

Speaking of the Deerfield, I like the combination of caliber, handling and size of the rifles but there are a few things that I dont care for with the Deerfield rifles:

-They look like a 10/22. I have a 10/22 and I like it just fine but for a bigger caliber I want something that looks the business. I know its sort of silly but there it is.

- The other thing is that I have heard that they are not particularly accurate. Now, I dont have any first hand experience with these rifles so correct me if I am wrong and/or repeating BS internet rumors.

- Ok there are three things, the third is that you cant get a larger capacity magazine. The rotary mags are fine for hunting, preferable in fact, but I think that part of the popularity of the 10/22 is that you can get good 25rd+ magazines from several aftermarket mfgs. So far as I know, if you want a 10 or 20rd magazine for a deerfield you are out of luck. Again, correct me if I am wrong.

The red dot is a Millet. 3MOA in 1" rings.

The Deerfield looks better from the right side.

I can shoot into 3" at 50yds others can shoot into 3" at 100 yds but I think the 44mag cartridge is not particularly accurate.

...and there is a guy that makes 9 round mags by epoxying a Desert Eagle mag into the Ruger case. Google.

...JImbo

 

[tomiswho]

If I were looking (I'm not) I'd sure give a good look at the Beretta cx4Storm available in 9mm, 40 S&W and .45 ACP:

 

[welder]

Jimbo, that's a good looking outfit there. I always liked the Deerfield. I have a 77/44 and have yet to work it out at the range, so far just plinking a little.

 

[Snake45]

Pistol caliber "carbines" have never appealed to me. If I'm going to carry a rifle, I want rifle range, power, and accuracy from it.

I assume that the Mini-14's gas-operated action would have to be completely reworked or redesigned to take low-powered cartridges such as .45ACP and 9mm.

A 10mm carbine might make a certain amount of sense, as might one chambered for (rimless) .44 Auto Mag.

All that said, I like Jimbo's .44 Deerfield very much. I have absolutely no use or need for such a thing, but that doesn't keep me from sort of wanting one. :wink:

 

[dfletcher]

I understand all the "it won't work because ...." reasons regarding pistol calibers in the Mini, but one in 30 Carbine would be a ball.

I have a Marlin Camp gun and it's great fun out to about 50 yards. If there's a tin can to be shot it will handle it, the only little PITA thing to deal with is that different ammo gives markedly different points of impact. So running different types of cheapo 9mm isn't best, finding a specific el cheapo brand and sticking with it is a good approach.

 

[Kanook]

Pistol caliber "carbines" have never appealed to me. If I'm going to carry a rifle, I want rifle range, power, and accuracy from it.

Some handgun calibers in a carbine can equal (or real close) the 30/30 which is a great brush gun as a pistol caliber carbine could be IMHO. And once you stretch your pistol sights to carbine lenght you will get rifle accuracy with a lot less recoil.

So to me the person that reloads mostly for my handguns it would be nice to have a carbine that I was reloading for too, without needing to get new dies, moulds, ect...

I'm not trying to change your mind or argue, just giving out my reasoning for why they are usefull to some of us.

 

[sargents1]

Pistol caliber "carbines" have never appealed to me. If I'm going to carry a rifle, I want rifle range, power, and accuracy from it.

I assume that the Mini-14's gas-operated action would have to be completely reworked or redesigned to take low-powered cartridges such as .45ACP and 9mm.

A 10mm carbine might make a certain amount of sense, as might one chambered for (rimless) .44 Auto Mag.

All that said, I like Jimbo's .44 Deerfield very much. I have absolutely no use or need for such a thing, but that doesn't keep me from sort of wanting one. :wink:

Generally i agree that pistol caliber carbines are pretty limited in their applications. But when you start talking about things like .44mag, .45 Colt, and 10mm Auto you then have a carbine that is equal to, or in some cases more powerful than .223 Rem. Yes a .223 has much better long range ballistics but within 150yds its all (almost all) academic.

Truthfully I cant really come up with a "need" for any pistol caliber carbine. But I also dont need a sparkly new flat-screen TV or a motorcycle or many of the other things I enjoy owning.

Luckily, this is still the United States of America and I dont need my reasons for the things I do to be approved by the Politbureau. So long as that is the case, I would like my Mini 14 chambered in 10mm Auto with a 16.125in barrel, flash hider, 20rd magazine, walnut stock, finished in blued steel and topped with a scout-rail and red-dot sight. Please.

 

[Snake45]

I understand all the "it won't work because ...." reasons regarding pistol calibers in the Mini, but one in 30 Carbine would be a ball.

So is a real USGI M1 Carbine. :wink:

I can't think of one single advantage a Mini-14 in .30 USC would have over a GI M1 carbine, except perhaps a factory new gun warranty. :?

 

[Jimbo357mag]

If I was the president of Ruger I would make the 77 bolt, the 96 lever and the 99 Deerfield in 357mag, 41mag, 44mag and 30 carbine. Who cares if they would make a profit, I would have everything I wanted.

...JImbo

 

[Kanook]

A 357 Deerfield that was "blowback" so that it could use cast bullets and come with or have available springs to change the recoil so we could change the weight from light 158 to heavy 200 or even 210 would be in my truck so fast the wife would kill me.

Hope I explained it right.

 

[sdcharger]

Pistol calibre carbines make a bunch of sense for many reasons. They are easier to shoot with accuracy than a handgun. They are inexpensive to practice with. They are easy to shoot for recoil sensitive shooters.

With that being said, I don't see a market for such an offering from the Mini 14.

For around $300, you can get a KelTec Sub2000 that will take your favorite pistol magazine.

 

[Kanook]

When did KelTec start offering a rifle that uses a Desert Eagle 357mag magazine?

Just Kidding, but you did say my favourite pistol magazine.

 

[Rat76]

Having all three, the Marlin, Ruger & KelTec, I can make the following observations;

The Marlin is the most accurate, looks great & has the weakest action.

The Ruger is far and away the most rugged. But it's a "Built like a tank" Ruger after all. It also shoots "off hand' better than the other two.

The Keltec is a fine weapon & fits in your pocket.

Disclaimer; all of my Subbies are out of production all metal SUB9s.