Went to Gun show Saturday- First look at Ruger PC Carbine.

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VaTom

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Went to local Gun show this weekend. Got in some exercise and looked over a few vintage guns and spoke with some friends. One llocal dealer (largest in area and biggest vendor at show) had at least a half dozen Ruger 9mm PC Carbines. Priced at $499. First time I have seen one and handled. Was impressed with it especially the heft and solid feel. Wasn't expecting that with polymer stock. Didn't buy one or anything else that I couldn't live without but had a good time anyway.
 
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I teach firearms at a fancy resort in CO. where we do shotgun, pistol and rifle classes for our guests. We recently started a pistol caliber carbine class to go along with the other ones. We have purchased a Kel etc .9mm, two AR-15 carbines and a High Point as well as the PC Carbine. All of us like the Ruger the best out of the bunch. It is solid, performs well and is accurate. Don't think you can beat it for the money.
 
9 mm carbines are pretty popular around here. Mainly because shooters find them cheep to shoot and they go "BANG" louder than a .22. They are also allowed on most indoor ranges where rifle calibers are not. IMHO, with a few high priced exceptions, the Ruger PC carbine seems to be better built ( and thought out) than most 9 mm Carbines on the market today. ( i.e If I had use for one that is the one I would buy) The problem is that the Hi-Point 995 Carbine sells for nearly 1/2 the price and that's where allot of shooters aim.

p.s. Good way to spend the day!
 
I got mine a while back at a local gunshow. The dealer has been doing biz with me for at least 20yrs. His posted prices are good but if he feels like it he'll come down a bit more. I paid $499. plus sales tax.

I shot it in a local speed steel match today and the gun was problem free. I tried one of the clear plastic ETS magazines and the gun puked. It accepted all genuine Glock mags with no hiccups.

We have experimented with various factory ammo and find the 147 gr. ammo a little too mild to move the bolt full-cycle every time. I settled on Winchester 124 gr NATO and the guns runs fast and accurate.

The gun comes with 3, 3/4" spacers which allow each shooter to find his/her best LOP. I have long arms and used all three spacers. I mounted a C-More railway on it and had a great time.

I have seen some internet sellers are a little lower than $499.
 
I just received my PC, after a long wait period.

Very impressed with the quality, and ingenuity in design. It is HEAVY, but that is probably necessary, to counteract the 9mm pressures.

Ghost ring sight, is very useable. I can't wait to take it to the range.
 
Interesting to see comments about the Ruger - but Iowegan's comment about 147-grainers reminded me of an incident from years ago. Long story made short - I was firing factory 147's out of my Marlin Camp Rifle. The recoil felt light and lots of flash and smoke after the first round or so. One of the bullets had stopped about two inches from the muzzle and I prolly had three or four backed up behind it. Marlin was great about it and fixed it for free, but I sold it right afterwards. It's been over 20 years ago but I remember the 147-g ammo was factory. I haven't bought any since!!

To keep this post kinda-sorta on-topic, I picked up the original PC9 carbine (in Germany, of all places) a few years later. It is rock-solid but pretty heavy, I don't take it out much. I also picked up the .40 version overseas and learned, the hard way, to not run Blazer aluminum cased ammo thru it.
 
I also have a Marlin camp 9 carbine and the Ruger PC4. Definitely avoid the aluminum cased ammo in those blowback guns. I , even have pistols to match. Cannot beat the idea of sharing ammo and sharing magazines. Very convenient. The new Ruger PCC 9mm looks very well made. Everbody should buy one, so Ruger will invest money in making them in 40,45,357SIG, 10mm!
 
I'd only seen pictures of the Ruger PC carbine, and was unimpressed. I finally got to handle one at a gun show this last weekend. My impression was same as VaTom's. Didn't expect it to have such a heavy, solid feel. I have a Marlin Camp 9, but may invest in one of the Ruger PC carbines one of these days. The PC carbine I handled was priced at $479.00. I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the inflated Marlin Camp 9 prices moderate due to the Ruger PC availability.

BTW, reference the 147 grain bullets in a carbine. Speer doesn't recommend loading 147s for carbine use. In fact, they do not recommend 147s in barrels over 10" at all, in order to avoid the issue GeoJelly experienced.....
 
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To further the discussion of 147 gr factory 9mm ammo, I have only tried Federal. I bought 147 gr ammo to feed my S&W M&P pistol since people seemed to get better accuracy with heavier bullets. Running that Federal 147 gr in the Ruger carbine resulted in ejected brass covered with black smudge. The smudge is most likely due to brass not expanding enough to get tight to chamber walls. I've seen the same thing happen in revolvers with extremely mild loads.

I have an S&W Model 929 revolver that I can use up the 147s in.
 
Good information

Rock185 said:
I'd only seen pictures of the Ruger PC carbine, and was unimpressed. I finally got to handle one at a gun show this last weekend. My impression was same as VaTom's. Didn't expect it to have such a heavy, solid feel. I have a Marlin Camp 9, but may invest in one of the Ruger PC carbines one of these days. The PC carbine I handled was priced at $479.00. I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the inflated Marlin Camp 9 prices moderate due to the Ruger PC availability.

BTW, reference the 147 grain bullets in a carbine. Speer doesn't recommend loading 147s for carbine use. In fact, they do not recommend 147s in barrels over 10" at all, in order to avoid the issue GeoJelly experienced.....
Click to expand...
Good information! Luckliy 147 ammo is pretty hard to come by in my area and I've been shooting nothing but 115 grains in my carbine with a few 124 for home defense. I havent seen but a few boxes of 147 for sale and it was usually more $, so I keept buying the cheap 115 WWB, Blazer Brass, and Remingtons,
 
PC9

I bought the new Ruger PC9 carbine, I shot a box of Blazer brass ammo thru it, no problems but accuracy not very good, although seems to get better each time out. I now have a 3x9 scope on it, shooting the cheap 100 pk. Federal 115 gr aluminum cased ammo, at 100 yds. got a 3 inch group this morning, no problems whatsoever with the ammo, not bad for a pistol bullet at that range, next will try ammo from my Remington Bucket O Bullets. Having a Ruger is a better selling point than a used Hi Point some day, just my way of thinking.
 
NOT SOMETHING I HAVE A USE FOR...

BUT wouldn't mind seeing a head to head review between it & a Berreta storm. PLEASE tell me the PC doesn't stand for, more POLLITICALLY CORRECT than the mini 14"s/ranch rifles. :D
 
Rock185 said:
BTW, reference the 147 grain bullets in a carbine. Speer doesn't recommend loading 147s for carbine use. In fact, they do not recommend 147s in barrels over 10" at all, in order to avoid the issue GeoJelly experienced.....
Click to expand...

I would have to ask how much of that has to do with SAAMI specs being so far down on power compared with CIP. The folk at BBTI did not report any issues with 147 gr ammo in longer barrels. BBTI - Ballistics by the Inch :: 9mm Luger Results

I have shot 147gr from my Hi-Point carbine and it worked just fine. Best accuracy was obtained using Speer GD 124gr +P. I was making 2" groups at 50 yards with help from a red dot sight, and that ammo left the muzzle with a satisfying crack.
 
The PC9 is a bit of a conundrum IMO,
Why Ruger chose to build a politically correct 9mm rifle rather than a 9mm AR15 carbine from their existing AR platform is a mystery,
Perhaps due to leftist pressure that blame AR platforms for criminal behavior ?

It amazes me that S&W hasnt offered a9mm carbine version of their AR15 sporter II yet...priced in the $499 range they would sell like hotcakes.
I have had my feelers out for a Colt 9mm carbine for a while but in the current $1000 range not so tempting when a PSA 9mm AR carbine can be had for around half of that.
 
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My only 9mm carbine is an AR by Oly Arms (now a defunct company) I picked up used at a show about 10 years ago. Came with several mags, which appear to be modified Sten mags. A few years ago (during the high-cap mag madness) I ordered several more mags from Oly Arms, and what came were a different design, plastic, but work OK.

It gobbles everything I've tried - 90, 100, 115, 124, 147 gr ammo, steel or aluminum cased, FMJ or different JHP designs.
Curious as to why aluminum cased stuff is problematic in other carbines?

Would like to put an optic on it, but it has the old-school carry handle, so mounting up there is far from ideal.
 
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