9mm Non Restricted Carbines; What's Available? Help Please

Travis Bickle

Travis Bickle

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Upper Lower Middle Alberta
To the more knowledged masses; I'm interested in getting a small carbine in 9mm pistol cartridge.

Specs must be:
Semi Auto
Non Restricted
Take 10 round Pistol mags of one kind or another.
Reliable and not crazy expensive (ball park $600 range)
Have (or be able to mount) iron sights.
What's available?
I really liked the concept of the M1 carbine repro's in 9mm (JR carbine I think?) but have heard many things both very bad and very good about them when they came out back when.

Any models or info to look into would be appreciated.
 
Sorry I stand corrected, I believe it was the Chiappa M1 Carbines in 9mm.
Heard they had much trouble feeding. Can anyone shed light with some unbiased experience of them?
I'd be willing to chase down a used one if it's worth the time.

Not a fan of the Kel-Tec Sir, thanks for the suggestion.
 
I have been researching the same thing as well recently. I have read alot of reviews of the Chiappa M1 9mm and they all have been pretty bad. The JR carbine has great reviews but they are around the $1000 dollar range with no optics. Try looking into the TNW aero rifle. The aero rifle uses 9mm glock mags and comes with a scope.

Heres a TNW aero review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LFP3ykTeR8
 
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The two NR 9mms that I have experience with are the CX4 and the 9mmS2k. Both are cool guns but I like the beretta more and here is why. The kel tec feels cheap. The two guns side by side the choice is clear... The Italian stallion.

The sub 2000 has its place. It's SMALL! As a truck gun or maybe a bug out bag gun, perfect. Mine is reliable but I've read many poor reviews of this gun. As I said before, this gun feels very cheap... Slop in the hinge and the pistol grip is almost floppy. I put a hogue rubber grip sleeve on it, that helped. It's a nice light package, I just don't trust it. I'm hoping the gen II fixes these issues. It's kind of like Wendy's... It's so cheap it makes me sick but I'm going back for seconds. Lol.

The CX4... It's a thing of beauty. Sleek, light, handy, accurate, pistol mags with the reliable .40 option... Comes with rails. I don't like a bunch of sh!t hanging off my gun, I'm running one small rail and a light. 14 rounds, fast with a light. It gives the kel tec a run for it's nicest feature by breaking down so easy. One pin and it breaks down into two pieces... Did I say this thing is accurate? Like one hole. New shooters seem to love it also.
 
Pondering this myself and it seems down to my personal preference for the beretta, after trying one out, or the wildcard choice of the TNW, that I've merely held.

I found the JR too long and heavy to be a lightweight carbine. I also talked to a guy shooting the chiappa at the range and he said his was very fussy with ammo. I'd like to get an actual M1 carbine some day. I'm waiting to see what comes in from James River and at how much above what they were last time before I commit.

I liked the s2k the one time I tried it. Not lefty friendly, says my chin
 
Kel Teck, JRCarbine and right now there are two or there was at least two Aero Survival Rifles in the EE as of lastnight , but for a couple hundred $$ more than your limit.

I bought my ASR for 700.00 nib unfired, but it is a couple years old as per the low serial number.

I had a CX Storm in 9mm and as DD has mentioned it was/is easy to take down and even easier to change from right hand to left hand too.

The ASR on the other hand is alot more of a challenge from the U Toob clips i have seen, but that doesnt bother me none as it is set up for me ..being aright handed shooter too. Hope it turns out to be a fun plinker like the CX is.

Seek and yee shall find sooner or later and it might just be what your looking for too.

Rob
 
I have a Cx4 and I love it, but that won't help you. The trouble is your price range... $600? Oh boy... and the $CAN is low, to make things worse.

Travis, I can only suggest you save a little more: in firearms, you really get what you pay for. Someone called it the "Pay low, cry many times; pay high, cry once" effect.
 
kel-tec sub2k is my recommendation. New gen 2 are out and improved over the first. Retail prices are around $699, take glock mags, folds to around 20 inches OAL. I just picked mine up but have not had time yet to put rounds through it. Today is the day. inventory is limited across the board but they are around if you look hard enough. Other options are $300-400 more expensive but will most likely be more durable due to more metal vs polymer. The beretta is a nice carbine. A friend of mine had one and it feels very natural in the hand but is twice the price and bulkier. It is sleek but not slim. The Sub2k is slim but not sleek. packability and ease of deployment were my 2 primary considerations. The sub2k has that. manual of arms and looks were secondary. The TSW ASR and CX would be at the top of my list if packability and ease of deployment were not my first requirements. The ASR does offer takedown models but require barrel nuts to be tightend. The Sub2k folds into place and is ready to go.
 
Much as I love Hicok45's reviews (what a nice plinking range he has), I wonder... has he ever produced a negative review?
 
Grawfr said:
Much as I love Hicok45's reviews (what a nice plinking range he has), I wonder... has he ever produced a negative review?
Click to expand...

I have wondered the same thing myself.

Well I may have to look into this Kel Tec Sub.
It really sucks that the Chiappa M1 clone ended up being junk. That would have been the all around best carbine 75 meter beater rifle of all time if it fed reliably :(

The basement gun smith in me wants to buy one and modify it/cut into it to make it feed more reliably, but the busy man in me just wants a gun that works out of the box for once.
Going to have to try and find one local and try it out first.
Thanks for all the input guys much appreciated!
 
Reading into it now the reviews are 100% in favour for the sub 2000.
Very reliable, very accurate.
Light, folds in half, takes very common mags (10 rounders!)
In good old cheap(ish) 9mm...
It's too bad it looks like a poorly made prop from a bad 1950's sci-fi film though lol I may have to try one of these bad boys out.
 
Grawfr said:
Much as I love Hicok45's reviews (what a nice plinking range he has), I wonder... has he ever produced a negative review?
Click to expand...

He's more show and tell then review.
He's show and tell'd guns that broke down or had issues so I don't think he's hiding anything.
 
You really can't go wrong with the jr carbine. I bought mine in 9mm and I love it. It uses standard glock mags and it functions flawlessly with KCI 10/33 mags as well. All ar furniture, so you can customize the hell out of it.
Here's mine:


 
I was once interested in a Sub 2000... but then I handled one at a gun shop, I was astonished by how cheaply made and put together the thing was... its a 9mm in a water gun frame that costs $600 ! no thanks, but maybe the gen 2 will be better. I was split between the CX4 and the TNW ASR, the ASR felt better in my hands so I bought it.

so far my thoughts on the ASR are good, the only things that stand against it in my mind is the: no last rnd hold open, no irons, the lower came from the factory slightly loose (barely noticeable)... still need to tighten it and the trigger on mine is a little gritty.

it seems fairly accurate...shoots a 5"gong @100yrds everytime.......shot a trotting coyote the other day @ like 80yrds, first hit knocked it down, second finished it off.

DSC00432_zpsde6xbk0a.jpg
 
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