Building the Best Canadian Made Pistol Carbine (Non-Restricted!)

Keep it short - Bull pup or magazine in grip.
Takedown - Yes, but pretty tough to do with a bullpup design.

ballistically, 357 is kinda redundant with 10mm available and easier to feed.
44 mag with desert eagle magazine is interesting, but pretty sure it would have to be a gas design which would add complexity, cost and weight.

full ambi woud be nice, but not necessary.

Would I buy one? YUP!
 
Please help us by answering our POLL! (Don't have Facebook? LOOK Below)

Lockhart Tactical would be honored to have your quick thoughts while we ramp up to build the best pistol caliber carbine while our UBS-12 is in production.


Key features we plan on implementing:
1) Ambi charing handle (side charging or AR15 style)
2) Ambi ejection
3) Last Round Open Bolt Hold
4) Bolt Release
5) Tool-less receiver take down for easy cleaning
6) Tool-less 1 second (handguard + barrel) take down quick release for compact storing and cleaning
7) High end USA MADE carbon fiber / Stainless Steel barrel Included at no additonal cost
8) Lifetime warranty on barrel
9) Lifetime warranty on firearm
10) Entire firearm as lightweight as possible
11) Will accept Glock Mags, Smith / Wesson M&P Mags and others high in demand
12
) Made in Canada!
13) Impressive skeletonized handguard with ability to add rails on all sides, MLOK or bolt on, NO KEYMOD junk!



Target price point: Under $1400 CDN

We will make the carbine look as similar to an AR15 as possible while maintaining our own design to ensure it is NON-RESTRICTED.


Picture below shows the high end barrel (May end up being RED / BLACK carbon fiber!)

View attachment 107575

If you don't have Facebook, we'd give you a pat on the back! If it wasn't for it's social media usefulness in business, we wouldn't have it either!

Anyways...

Here are the questions we ask:



My answers in bold.

Q1) Is an ambidextrous ejection port important to you when buying a firearm?
We want to ensure we have the features that most want, while keeping the cost as low as possible
Option 1: I only buy firearms that are capable of ejection on both sides
Option 2: No, I would buy it anyways
I don't care the slightest. I'd much rather save 10$ then have an ambidextrous ejection port.

Q2) Is an ambidextrous charging handle important?
Option 1: I only buy firearms that are capable of ambi charging
Option 2: No, I would buy it anyways

I don't care the slightest. I'd much rather save 10$ then have an ambidextrous charging handle.

Q3) Do you prefer side charging handles or an AR15 style charging handle?

Option 1: I prefer side charging handles (Left or Right side of the firearm)
Option 2: I prefer AR15 style charging handles
Don't really care to be honest. I like both equally.

Q4) Does "Take Down" matter? Do you care if you can separate the rifle easily to make it more compact?
We plan on developing a 1 second, tool-less twist lock release that separates the Barrel and hand guard together as one piece from the receiver Allowing super compact storage, and easy cleaning
Option 1: I prefer my firearms to have a "Take Down"
Option 2: I wouldn't ever, or very rarely use that feature
On paper it seems like a nice to have, but I never take down any of my guns unless it's to clean them, then I store/transport/use them fully assembled. So not very important. The important thing is that it's easy to clean, it doesn't matter if it needs to be full size for storage and transport.

Q5) Does weight matter to you?
Of course we want to make everything as lightweight as possible, but we want to know how much it matters to you.
Option 1: Yes, I want everything to be as lightweight as possible
Option 2: I don't care how heavy it is!
I'm a 6'2'' monster, everything looks like a toothpick in my hands, so if a gun is too heavy for me, it'll be a total failure.

Q6) Weight Savings - Would you pay slightly more to save more weight?
Option 1: Pay more for better lighter materials
Option 2: Heavy and cheap works for me
That's a very subjective question. There is a price I'd pay to get the rifle lighter, but there comes a point where you have to pay a lot to marginally reduce the weight, and that's not worth it. One sure thing, is that I prefer a heavier rifle made of strong materials (metals) than a light rifle made of plastic, regardless of the price.

Q7) What kind of barrel? We want to build the best rifle package at the most competitive price possible.
We feel that most companies uses cheap barrels. We want to use the best. If we can include a Carbon Fiber, SS barrel at NO ADDITIONAL COST to you, would you want that? Or prefer just regular steel, or SS?
Lifetime warranty on the barrel! and our Firearm!
Option 1: Plain regular steel - Cheapest
Option 2: Slightly more expensive Stainless Steel - No Rust
Option 3: High-end Stainless Steel Carbon Fiber Wrapped - BEST!
I really like SS personnaly. It's easy to clean and doesn't rust. I've never owned a CF wrapped barrel so I can't comment, but I'd try one if it was the same price as SS. I think an important detail is the quality of the barrel itself though; I'd rather get a black steel that shoots 1/2MOA than a CF that shoots 3 MOA.

Q8) What kind of forend / handguard?
Option 1: I need a quad rail for accessories on all sides
Option 2: I only need a top and bottom rail
Option 3: I prefer a simple round handguard with no rails or very limited
I hate the round plastic (classic M-16) handguard. Even though I don't attach a bunch of accessories, I think it's clumsy and it tends to overheat. Full quad-rail are heavy, so if you want to make a lightweight rifle, stay away from those. Check the VISM triangle MLOK handguards (https://www.ncstar.com/optics-acc/mounts/ar15-mounts/vmartmlc-mlock-tri-ar-rail-syscarbine). They're inexpensive, lightweight (due to mlok cuts), you can attach a gazilion accessories (including picatinny rails), and the shape makes it more natural to hold. Put something like that or nothing at all and save a few bucks on a piece of furniture we're gonna throw out anyway.

And while we're talking about furnitures, add a sling adapter endplate like the promag PM127A (https://www.midwayusa.com/product/7...ambidextrous-ar-15-lr-308-carbine-steel-matte). It cost almost nothing when building the rifle, you need an endplate anyway, but it saves the customer from making an additionnal order somewhere down the line.


Q9) Do you care if firearms are made in Canada?
Option 1: Yes! I support Canadian Business - If price is fair
Option 2: Don't Honestly Care, pricing is most important
Pricing and quality.

Q10) Price Point - What price do you think would be fair for an incredible Canadian made Non-Restricted firearm like this
Option 1: 700-1000
Option 2: 1000-1300
Option 3: 1300-1600
Well I'd like to get it for 50$, but I don't believe that'll happen. Any NR semi-auto priced at less than 1000$ will sell like hotcakes as long as it's functionnal. Entry level ARs are currently selling for 700$ and they sell like hotcakes; I believe a lot of people would shell out an extra 200$ to have their own personnal AR become NR.
 
I'm not sure about the appeal of a NR rifle using glock magazines. Most people who own glock magazine also own a glock. It means they have a RPAL. And it's not like one will go hunting with a 9mm. So in the end, it's gonna be used at a range by a guy with an RPAL. So what's the point of making an extra effort/paying more for NR?

Make it a 223 and 6.5 grendel with AR mags (which are also 10 rounds, mostly) and you just got an awesome hunting rifle available to anyone with a NR PAL (which is 96% of all PALs).
 

Q1) Is an ambidextrous ejection port important to you when buying a firearm?
We want to ensure we have the features that most want, while keeping the cost as low as possible

Option 2: No, I would buy it anyways

Q2) Is an ambidextrous charging handle important?

Option 2: No, I would buy it anyways

Q3) Do you prefer side charging handles or an AR15 style charging handle?

Option 1: I prefer side charging handles (Left or Right side of the firearm)
Option 2: I prefer AR15 style charging handles
Either Or.

Q4) Does "Take Down" matter? Do you care if you can separate the rifle easily to make it more compact?
Option 2: I wouldn't ever, or very rarely use that feature

Q5) Does weight matter to you?
Of course we want to make everything as lightweight as possible, but we want to know how much it matters to you.
Option 2: I don't care how heavy it is!

Q6) Weight Savings - Would you pay slightly more to save more weight?
Option 1: Pay more for better lighter materials


Q7) What kind of barrel? We want to build the best rifle package at the most competitive price possible.
We feel that most companies uses cheap barrels. We want to use the best. If we can include a Carbon Fiber, SS barrel at NO ADDITIONAL COST to you, would you want that? Or prefer just regular steel, or SS?
Lifetime warranty on the barrel! and our Firearm!

Option 3: High-end Stainless Steel Carbon Fiber Wrapped - BEST!

Q8) What kind of forend / handguard?
Option 3: I prefer a simple round handguard with no rails or very limited

Q9) Do you care if firearms are made in Canada?
Option 1: Yes! I support Canadian Business - If price is fair
Option 2: Don't Honestly Care, pricing is most important
Whoever makes the best product at the best price. If it's made in Canada and the quality is crap, then who cares and vice versa. If its made in the US but cheaper and quality is crap...


Q10) Price Point - What price do you think would be fair for an incredible Canadian made Non-Restricted firearm like this
Option 2: 1000-1300
 
Q1) Is an ambidextrous ejection port important to you when buying a firearm?
We want to ensure we have the features that most want, while keeping the cost as low as possible.
Being a righty it isn't a deal breaker if it isn't. That being said my significant other is a lefty and she only plays with my guns that are ambi, something the CX4 got very right and I would definitely pay more for the feature.

Q2) Is an ambidextrous charging handle important?
My response to Q1 pretty much goes hand in hand with this question.

Q3) Do you prefer side charging handles or an AR15 style charging handle?
Option 2: I prefer AR15 style charging handles

Q4) Does "Take Down" matter? Do you care if you can separate the rifle easily to make it more compact?
We plan on developing a 1 second, tool-less twist lock release that separates the Barrel and hand guard together as one piece from the receiver Allowing super compact storage, and easy cleaning

Option 1: I prefer my firearms to have a "Take Down"

Q5) Does weight matter to you?
Of course we want to make everything as lightweight as possible, but we want to know how much it matters to you.

Option 1: Yes, I want everything to be as lightweight as possible

Q6) Weight Savings - Would you pay slightly more to save more weight?
Option 1: Pay more for better lighter materials

Q7) What kind of barrel? We want to build the best rifle package at the most competitive price possible.
We feel that most companies uses cheap barrels. We want to use the best. If we can include a Carbon Fiber, SS barrel at NO ADDITIONAL COST to you, would you want that? Or prefer just regular steel, or SS?

Lifetime warranty on the barrel! and our Firearm!
Option 3: High-end Stainless Steel Carbon Fiber Wrapped - BEST!

Q8) What kind of forend / handguard?
I would want to see a long handguard that covers the majority of our long non-restricted barrels, the added weight is worth it to me for the aesthetic pleasure to my eyes.

Q9) Do you care if firearms are made in Canada?
Option 1: Yes! I support Canadian Business - If price is fair
Isn't the title of this thread the best Canadian made pistol carbine?

Q10) Price Point - What price do you think would be fair for an incredible Canadian made Non-Restricted firearm like this

$1000-$1600

All said and done the above is my idea of the best, if it didn't have features like ambi, takedown, stainless or better barrel and at the lightest weight possible I wouldn't consider it the best, I would consider it another option for a pistol carbine with what had better be a competitive price tag. (This is my opinion only, I don't know what others consider to be the best.) Bring the best and I will pay for it. The AR style charging handle would set it far apart from what the others offer, giving us something new and I really hope that idea makes the cut as it's probably what I want to see the most.
 
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Q1) Is an ambidextrous ejection port important to you when buying a firearm?
We want to ensure we have the features that most want, while keeping the cost as low as possible
Option 2: No, I would buy it anyways

Q2) Is an ambidextrous charging handle important?
Option 2: No, I would buy it anyways


Q3) Do you prefer side charging handles or an AR15 style charging handle?
Option 1: I prefer side charging handles (Left or Right side of the firearm)
Hopefully non-reciprocating

Q4) Does "Take Down" matter? Do you care if you can separate the rifle easily to make it more compact?
We plan on developing a 1 second, tool-less twist lock release that separates the Barrel and hand guard together as one piece from the receiver Allowing super compact storage, and easy cleaning
Option 2: I wouldn't ever, or very rarely use that feature

Q5) Does weight matter to you?
Of course we want to make everything as lightweight as possible, but we want to know how much it matters to you.
Option 1: Yes, I want everything to be as lightweight as possible


Q6) Weight Savings - Would you pay slightly more to save more weight?
Option 1: Pay more for better lighter materials


Q7) What kind of barrel? We want to build the best rifle package at the most competitive price possible.
We feel that most companies uses cheap barrels. We want to use the best. If we can include a Carbon Fiber, SS barrel at NO ADDITIONAL COST to you, would you want that? Or prefer just regular steel, or SS?
Lifetime warranty on the barrel! and our Firearm!
Option 2: Slightly more expensive Stainless Steel - No Rust


Q8) What kind of forend / handguard?
Option 2: I only need a top and bottom rail
Really I'd prefer just a top rail, and M-Lok on bottom & sides. Please make the dimensions from the top rail to the stock the same as a AR, so finding sights / optics mounts is easy.

Q9) Do you care if firearms are made in Canada?
Option 1: Yes! I support Canadian Business - If price is fair


Q10) Price Point - What price do you think would be fair for an incredible Canadian made Non-Restricted firearm like this
Option 3: 1300-1600
I prefer quality over price point, but honestly you will sell more if you keep it around $1000


Simple blow back operation. Takes Glock mags, since they are readily available, cheap and come in many calibers. Takes AR buffer tubes, AR pistol grips and triggers / safety would be awesome. If you could design it to take AR handguards it would be even better. AR15 style rifles have the largest selection of accessories available, so make it compatible with as many of them as possible.

I have seriously been considering buying a Thereon Defense carbine, and I believe it be the best PPC currently available.
 
Post some prototype pictures please. Really like to have a glimpse of the project.

I rather have a reliable piece for extra money than a paper weight. I hope it wouldn't be loaded with add ons that will increase the weight. Practicality is what I look for - 10 round mags, top notch reliability, nofrills, and commonly used caliber.
 
The great part about 10mmAuto, the bolt face does not change between .40S&W, 10mmAuto AND 357SIG or even 9x25 Dillon!!! MONSTER!!!!
Glock mags.

PS, if I nesd $$$ now, can I get delivery for september in 40 cal with 10mm and 357SIG? or, just give me a 9mm barrel, I have my SIG reamer at the house...
 
I'm not sure about the appeal of a NR rifle using glock magazines. Most people who own glock magazine also own a glock. It means they have a RPAL. And it's not like one will go hunting with a 9mm. So in the end, it's gonna be used at a range by a guy with an RPAL. So what's the point of making an extra effort/paying more for NR?

Make it a 223 and 6.5 grendel with AR mags (which are also 10 rounds, mostly) and you just got an awesome hunting rifle available to anyone with a NR PAL (which is 96% of all PALs).

This comment makes no sense ...9mm is perfect for small game hunting... And ALOT of people buy PPCs for NR plinking. They all use glock mags because let's face it, there available everywhere and are very affordable.
 
Man Canadians are cheap... Screw cost, just make a good gun that earns a good reputation. Cut costs after all the bugs are worked out and you guys have a coveted firearm

I want the bugs out before release and so does any reputable company..guess you pay more for an experimental vehicle that leaves you on the side of the highway.
 
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By light as possible I mean ar15 light, anything less would just be extra cool points. Having the gun able to accept a wide range of mags would be super cool, maybe sell adapters seperate to accept cz mags or glock mags. Ive been looking to buy a good 9mm NR carbine for quite some time because static ranges are no fun when it comes to carbines.
 
This comment makes no sense ...9mm is perfect for small game hunting... And ALOT of people buy PPCs for NR plinking. They all use glock mags because let's face it, there available everywhere and are very affordable.

Except if you run glock mags, you have a laundry list of NR PCCs to pick from already. Do you really need ANOTHER? Give literally any other mag brand some love. Any of em.
 
Except if you run glock mags, you have a laundry list of NR PCCs to pick from already. Do you really need ANOTHER? Give literally any other mag brand some love. Any of em.

Yes. Glock mags are inexpensive :) And since other carbines use them it makes sense.
Beretta mags only fit their carbines and certain guns etc.

for better or worse, GLOCK pistols are one of the most popular tupperware guns out there, and most prolific. Jump in, the water is great :)
 
Takedown is not needed and keep all furniture and the "theme" as basic/lowest cost as possible.
People can always add on stuff later. Focus on mechanical simplicity and reliability and not plasticky.
Offer 'first aid' kits for parts-fiend hoarders who want a spare firing pin/extractor/some springs/etc as available for ARs.
 
Tip to Lockhart
Use survey monkey
Free for the kind of survey you wany and will Talley all the options ND give you a report
No filling out options in posts
 
Q1) Is an ambidextrous ejection port important to you when buying a firearm?
Option 2: No, I would buy it anyways

Q2) Is an ambidextrous charging handle important?
Option 2: No, I would buy it anyways

Q3) Do you prefer side charging handles or an AR15 style charging handle?
Option 1: I prefer side charging handles (Left or Right side of the firearm)

Q4) Does "Take Down" matter? Do you care if you can separate the rifle easily to make it more compact?
We plan on developing a 1 second, tool-less twist lock release that separates the Barrel and hand guard together as one piece from the receiver Allowing super compact storage, and easy cleaning
Option 2: I wouldn't ever, or very rarely use that feature Not a make or break feature for me....

Q5) Does weight matter to you?
Of course we want to make everything as lightweight as possible, but we want to know how much it matters to you.
Strike a balance and it doesn't matter: too light is just as bad as too heavy

Q6) Weight Savings - Would you pay slightly more to save more weight?

See above

Q7) What kind of barrel? We want to build the best rifle package at the most competitive price possible.
We feel that most companies uses cheap barrels. We want to use the best. If we can include a Carbon Fiber, SS barrel at NO ADDITIONAL COST to you, would you want that? Or prefer just regular steel, or SS?
Lifetime warranty on the barrel! and our Firearm!


Option 2: Slightly more expensive Stainless Steel - No Rust


Q8) What kind of forend / handguard?

Option 3: I prefer a simple round handguard with no rails or very limited
People are funny: they want lightweight then ask for a quadrail to weigh it down again with useless options for the most part.
Small Rail (3") on two side and on bottom. Plenty for all practical uses.

Q9) Do you care if firearms are made in Canada?
Option 1: Yes! I support Canadian Business - If price is fair


Q10) Price Point - What price do you think would be fair for an incredible Canadian made Non-Restricted firearm like this

Option 2: 1000-1300
Aero. Beretta storms and JR's are similarly priced.
 
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