We’ve assembled a list of some of the best pistol caliber carbines (PCCs) of the 21st century. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced shooter, there’s a PCC out there for you.
Beretta CX4 Storm
The Beretta CX4 Storm Pistol Caliber Carbine (PCC) first hit the market in 2003. At the time, the Storm was one of a few such firearms available. Two decades later, the PCC market offers lots of choices, including the now venerable Beretta. However, thanks to its simple, reliable design, the CX4 Storm is still a viable option in a crowded market.
Dependable and Familiar Design
The single-action straight blowback operating system means the Beretta is very reliable. The gun fires from the closed bolt. It eats a variety of ammo and just keeps on running. The CX4 Storm uses the proven Beretta 90 series, 800 series, or PX4 series handguns, which adds to that reliability. It also eases magazine expenditures, assuming you already have one or more of those Beretta pistols. The same mags will work in both guns.
The Beretta magazines give the carbine a 15, 17, or 30-round 9mm capacity, with a 10-round version available for those unfortunate souls stuck behind the deep blue curtain. The magazine release controls are also the same as the Beretta pistols, providing further familiarity to Beretta owners. The mag well is in the pistol grip, making it simple to find, load, and eject, even in the dark.
The simple disassembly makes cleaning and maintenance a breeze.
Beretta CX4 Storm Specifications
- Available Calibers: 9x19mm, 9x21mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP
- Capacity: Dependent upon caliber and magazine choice
- Barrel Length: 16.6 inches
- Overall Length: 29.7 inches
- Height: 7.5 inches
- Width: 2.5 inches
- Weight (Unloaded): 5.75 pounds
- Chrome-lined cold hammer forged barrel
- Polymer stock and handguard
- Reversible controls (except the bolt release lever)
- Reversible ejection port
A Light, Handy Carbine
A good carbine should be easily handled, and the CX4 Storm delivers. At a mere 5.75 pounds, the Beretta is lightweight, but the pistol chamberings ensure little to no recoil. The 16-inch barrel seems a bit long for the package but saves the gun from being classified as a short-barreled rifle under the NFA.
Still, if you wanted to trim some length (after asking ATF permission, of course), the CX4 Storm with a suppressed 12-inch barrel would be very nice indeed. Either way, you will have to have the barrel threaded if you want to run the gun suppressed. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come that way from the factory.
The carbine’s length of pull is adjustable by using the included spacers, and the thumbhole stock isn’t as hard to work around as most of its breed.
The controls are all reversible, with the lone exception of the bolt release lever, so lefties have a lot to like here too. The sights are effective, if basic. The simple front sight post is windage adjustable using the included adjustment tool. The rear sights are flip peep sights similar to those found on the M-1 Carbine. Both sights flip down out of the way if you choose to add an optic.
Room for Accessories
The full-length top Picatinny rail means you probably will add that optic because, seriously, why wouldn’t you? A lightweight red dot won’t take away from the carbine’s handiness, nor will a small weapon light. The gun ships with a short rail section for mounting accessories on either side or underneath the handguard.
Now For the Bad Part
Or at least the not-so-great part. No firearm is perfect, and the CX4 Storm is no different. The trigger is easily the gun’s worst feature. It’s mushy, creepy, and heavy. The Storm’s factory trigger is in the 11-to-12-pound range. Ouch. That heavy trigger contributes to the gun’s reputation for not being as accurate as it might be.
Part of the reason for that lack of crispness is the polymer hammer. The lightweight implement requires a heavy hammer spring to make it fall with adequate force. That heaviness translates to the trigger. In addition, the trigger assembly includes a small ball bearing that shifts when the gun is tilted past a certain angle up or down. That ball bearing adds even more weight to the already heavy pull. The ball bearing can be removed if you have some mechanical skills, and losing it does not affect the gun’s reliability. Even so, the procedure doesn’t help the trigger all that much.
But do not despair. There are aftermarket trigger assemblies out there that feature a heavier stainless-steel hammer with a correspondingly lighter hammer spring. A steel trigger replaces the factory polymer affair, and the gun suddenly becomes a very nice shooter indeed. That procedure will shave six to seven pounds from the trigger pull. The parts add a couple of hundred bucks to your investment, but they do wonders for your accuracy and turn a good carbine into a great one.
Replacement stocks are available if the factory thumbhole version isn’t your thing. We think it looks kinda cool, but you do you.
The CX4 Storm: A Nice PCC Option
Overall, the Beretta CX4 Storm is a nice PCC, even 20 years after its release. The gun was a bit expensive back in the day, but the $899 MSRP is very competitive in today’s market. The street price is even more so. The recommended upgrades add to that, but they are probably worth it.
The gun is not a tack driver, but what PCC is? We aren’t talking about a competition firearm here. But a two to three-inch group at 100 yards is perfectly acceptable for a self-defense weapon. The trigger upgrades will improve that, assuming you do your part.
One real advantage of the gun’s age is the proven track record that comes along with it. The CX4 Storm is a quality firearm upon which shooters have relied for two decades. Aftermarket support is solid, giving you the ability to upgrade the gun significantly. Finally, you have the Beretta name behind it, along with the platform’s built-in versatility.
There’s an awful lot to like about the Beretta CX4 Storm PCC and very little downside. At least, not much that can’t be rectified. And let’s face it, this is a gun that even George Jetson would feel at home with. You know it looks cool. If Santa didn’t bring you the PCC you wanted for Christmas, maybe give the CX4 Storm a look. You’ll probably like it.
CZ Scorpion
The 1st-generation CZ Scorpion machine pistol was adopted by the Czechoslovak Armed Forces at the height of the Cold War in 1961 and saw use anywhere the Warsaw Pact sought goodwill. Over the years, the CZ Scorpion has gained a reputation as a premiere submachine gun of the 20th century. The CZ Scorpion Evo 3 is the 3rd-generation version that leans on heritage by name but is an entirely new departure that contends in the crowded pistol-caliber carbine market.
CZ Scorpion Features
There are a few different Scorpion models to choose from. The Gen. 3+ Micro is the smallest of the bunch but comes with a pistol-length 4.25-inch barrel. This same model is also available with a 7.8-inch barrel. The latest iteration, the Evo. 3, uses this longer barrel and has a melted appearance and fully-ambidextrous safety, bolt release, and charging handle that the other models lacked until now.
The Evo 3 series is chambered in 9mm Luger for the American market and uses a straight blowback action like most PCCs on the market today. The beefy upper aluminum receiver houses a heavy bolt and a polymer lower receiver for the trigger group, magazine well, and pistol grip. If AR-style guns are your forte, this setup should be somewhat familiar. Likewise, the magazine release and safety are in their familiar places.
The addition of a stubby polymer M-Lock handguard, aperture and post iron sights, and a full Picatinny rail on the sighting plane for an optic will also ring a bell. The forward-mounted charging handle is the only major departure. The handle does not reciprocate on firing and can be locked open by bringing the handle rearward and up into a safety notch. And, yes, you can do the H&K slap to charge the gun, but it can only be done with the bolt already locked open into that notch.
Although not as prevalent as Glock mags, Scorpion mags are completely functional, made for full-auto abuse, and out there for a reasonable price. Magpul’s standard 35-round stick magazine and CZ magazines ranging from 10-30 rounds can be had at reasonable prices.
Decisions, Decisions?
The CZ Scorpion is an excellent military submachine gun, and in semi-auto format, it is a great PCC. But in a market flooded with the type, the biggest drawback of the CZ is the sheer number of alternative options you might consider. A buying decision will come down to your intended purpose and how much you want to spend over those alternatives.
If you want to shoot pistol rounds and get more power out of them, look elsewhere. Ballistically, a more traditional pistol-caliber carbine like the Keltec Sub 2000 or Ruger PC carbine would be a better option. Their sixteen-inch barrels can give you 100-300 feet per second greater velocity out of a given 9mm or 40 S&W pistol loads than out of a five-inch handgun. At the low velocities handgun rounds are clocking in, that is enough of a difference to make a difference. Further, you can get these options for far less cash.
Picking gets easier if you want the compactness of a braced pistol and you are willing to put up with pistol ballistics while gaining some shootability over a conventional handgun. With an MSRP between $1000-1300, coupled with the expense of a brace, the CZ commands a premium over a traditional carbine but is set below a comparable Sig MPX or B&T.
One of the few braced pistols in the CZ’s price range is the Grand Power Stribog. That PCC has stormed onto the scene and gained a following. Like the CZ, the Grand Power was designed for military service before its redesign for the civilian marketplace. In terms of price, you can save by going with the Grand Power. But saving goes beyond the green in your wallet. Aftermarket support for the Grand Power is growing, but it is still a long way from CZ’s market power. Given CZ’s storied history and the Scorpion as a mainstay PCC, the decision to buy and resupply can be that much easier.
Grand Power Stribog
Grand Power, originally a Slovakian defense firm, has taken to importing a number of autoloading pistols to the American civilian market. In addition, a limited number of their Stribog pistols have made an appearance. When paired with a pistol brace, the Grand Power Stribog can make for an excellent pistol caliber carbine.
The Rundown
Although originally designed as a select-fire submachine gun, the Grand Power Stribog is imported into the United States as a semi-automatic pistol-grip-only 9x19mm handgun. Superficially, the Stribog bears a resemblance to the Swiss-produced B&T, but at a discount. As such, it did not take long for aftermarket pistol braces and attachment plates to become available.
On its own, the Stribog is a blowback-operated, closed-bolt pistol centered around a blocky one-piece aluminum receiver and handguard. The top of the receiver has a folding set of iron sights that are inletted into a Picatinny rail for optics options. The bottom has an identical section of rail. Both sides of the handguard are slotted for M-lock accessory rails. As we would expect from most PCCs on the market today, the eight-inch barrel on the Stribog is threaded for 1/2×28-inch suppressors and flash hiders.
The Stribog is built from the ground up around the 9mm cartridge, and it does not have any wasted space you would get with the typical AR-9—a 5.56mm platform retrograded to 9mm. However, your typical AR user will be comfortable with manual safety and magazine release in roughly the same place on the Stribog.
Any Downsides?
The Stribog doesn’t take Glock magazines. Okay. Let me clarify. Most Stribogs take takes proprietary ten, twenty, or thirty-round double feed magazines that can keep up with full auto fire. Unfortunately, since we are dealing with the semi-auto counterpart, the advantage is moot. However, the newer Stribog A3G variant is built around Glock magazines.
Grand Power Mags aren’t going to be found at the local Five and Dime store. But elsewhere, those mags can be had, and they are cheaper than other options. In our own inventory, Grand Power Stribog mags can be had for $23. A comparable Sig MPX is over twice that.
Leaving that aside, the Stribog’s charging handle can be a sticking point. The original Stribog’s charging handle reciprocates with every shot, and you will need to either watch the placement of your off-hand or convert the pistol to non-reciprocating.
Fortunately, Grand Power’s A1 Gen 2 model has a charging handle that is nonreciprocating from the factory. But the placement of the charging handle placement above and forward of the bolt makes for a taller gun with more offset between your sights and the bore. At very close range, your rounds might strike low. When shooting in dynamic situations, you might have a clear line of sight, but your muzzle may still be flagging whatever wall, car door, or another obstacle you are working around.
The Bottom Line
All in all, the Stribog’s cons are minor and a little different from other designs. Indeed, given the niche it is intended to fill, the Stribog might be the best buy. Although not comparable to a Sig or B&T in overall fit, finish, and cool factor, the Stribog is still a compact, well-built package that retails for half the price of those other options.
Getting a good PCC for under $1000 can be a tough sell. Some, like the Keltec Sub 2000, are cheaply made; others, like the Ruger PC carbine, are too heavy for some tasks. The AR9s around are tempting but come across as oversized—a 5.56mm rifle platform masquerading around the short and small 9mm. All things considered, the Grand Power Stribog might be the best of the budget PCCs out there.
KelTec Sub2000
Pistol caliber carbines come and go like the changing of the seasons, but shooters continue to return to the KelTec Sub 2000. It’s been over twenty years since this folding pistol caliber carbine went into production, and KelTec can rightfully be accused of putting out forward-thinking designs. The Sub 2000 is one exceptional product that continues to hold its own.
KelTec Sub 2000 Features
The KelTec Sub 2000 is as novel today as it was when it was introduced in 2001. Its great claim to fame is the ability to fold in half, but from an engineering standpoint, there were few guns at the time that used polymers so extensively. The receiver is made of Zytel and the buttstock, handguard, and pistol grip, are also made of polymer. But the pressures of firing are largely taken up by a large steel bolt recoiling back into a steel tube where the charging handle is located.
The Sub 2000 is available in either 9mm Luger or 40 S&W and is straight blowback operated, relying on a heavy bolt and spring pressure to time the cycling of the action.
The platform mixes familiar and odd features. If you are a pistol shooter, reloads with the Sub 2000 will be intimately familiar as it feeds from magazines fed through the pistol grip. But the manual safety is not a lever. Rather, the Sub 2000 uses a cross-bolt safety, not unlike some hunting rifles.
Forward of the action, the Sub 2000’s hardware is more straightforward. The polymer handguard is slotted for M-Lock rail sections but already sports Picatinny rails at the top for optics and the bottom for your favorite lights. Out of the box, the Sub 2000 uses a winged-front post front sight and a folding peep rear sight.
The Sub 2000 has an added bit of versatility with its ability to take different pistol magazines. KelTec offers a “Glock Sub 2000” that only takes Glock magazines, while the “Multi-Mag” version can use Sig, CZ, Beretta, and Glock magazines, among others, by changing the magazine catch.
Are there any downsides to the KelTec Sub 2000?
I know of a few people who put the KelTec Sub 2000 to work as a truck or home defense gun. If properly secured, a folded Sub 2000 would make a great truck or pack gun. At four pounds, it is lighter than a lot of 22 rifles and offers quite a bit more punch for more applications. Likewise, the Sub 2000 is a true carbine with a sixteen-inch barrel. You can nominally see higher velocities out of a given pistol load but in a package that is easier to control.
While you will gain more, ballistically, with a Sub 2000, the sixteen-inch barrel adds quite a bit of length compared to a short-barreled braced pistol like the Stribog S9 or Sig Scorpion. If you are used to the latter, you might love or hate the extra length.
Where those other guns blow away the Sub 2000 is in ergonomics. The safeties on most PCCs follow an AR pattern and allow for a sweep of the thumb to engage and reengage, while the Sub 2000 is still using a cross-bolt safety that is all too easy to forget. In my own limited shooting, I am quite used to a cross-bolt safety, but the lack of a good cheek weld was an issue. You only have a steel tube in which to place your cheek, and the charging handle tended to rub me with every shot. I can imagine this to be more disagreeable for those of us who sport facial hair.
The Bottom Line
Although the KelTec Sub 2000 is neither the most compact nor comfortable to shoot, a case can still be made for it over twenty years after its inception. The Keltec is perhaps the most accessorial of any PCCs on the market, and unlike the current braced pistols on the market, it comes with a true carbine-length barrel that will give you the most out of those pistol loads.
Further, the case can be made by price alone if you are looking to get into a first PCC. The Sub 2000 can be had for under $500, and it feels like a gun that is made for under $500, but for what it brings to the table it may be money well spent.
Ruger PC Carbine
Many pistol caliber carbines on the civilian market today usually tip their hat to an existing military and law enforcement design. However, others are built from the ground up with the civilian market in mind, such as the Marlin Camp Carbine and the Keltec Sub 2000. The Ruger PC Carbine is a more recent addition to the market that fits into that latter camp.
Ruger PC Carbine Features
Not unlike other PCCs on the market, the Ruger PC Carbine is a blowback operated pistol caliber carbine chambered in either 9mm Luger or 40 S&W that can be fed from Glock magazines. But the PC Carbine is not at all typical in features and style.
This is a true carbine, sporting a threaded sixteen-inch barrel and as it was 1st introduced, came with a traditional synthetic buttstock and fore-end, not unlike a typical hunting rifle. The base model rifle features a rear aperture sight forward of the anodized aluminum receiver. The front sight is a protected post. The receiver is milled with a Picatinny rail and the end also sports a section of rail for the optics and lights of your choice.
Since the carbine debuted in 2017, Ruger has offered a number of variants, such as their M-Lock aluminum handguards and more modern collapsible stocks. But mechanically and ergonomically, the PC Carbine mimics the Ruger 10/22. The traditional PC Carbine has a similar buttstock, trigger group, cross-bolt safety, and bolt hold open as the 10/22. As it happens, the 10/22 was a model for the ill-fated Police Carbine that preceded the PC Carbine a decade previously.
The PC Carbine is more modular than the original, but it is fairly novel in the realm of PCCs. The Carbine’s charging handle and magazine release can be switched for use by left-handed and right-handed users. It comes from the factory compatible with Ruger SR pistol magazines, but the magazine well is modular and allows the user to change wells to accept Glock magazines.
While these features are occasionally seen elsewhere, the PC Carbine also enjoys the distinction of being a takedown. It borrows the same takedown mechanism as seen on the Ruger 10/22 takedown. By depressing a spring-loaded detent and twisting the PC Carbine in your hands, it comes apart into two halves allowing for easy storage.
Does the Ruger PC Carbine have any downsides?
The Ruger PC Carbine is a full-featured PCC that can be had for under $1000. But there are some aspects that may not be so appealing.
The 1st thing you will notice when you take it in hand is the heft of the rifle, compared to other PCCs. Ruger states that their standard PC Carbine weighs 6.7 pounds, while their lightweight backpacker model weighs 6.2 pounds. For a firearm that fires a pistol round, that is hefty and something worth considering if you want to press the PC Carbine into a pack role.
Beyond the weight of the PC Carbine, the stock iron sights leave something to be desired. Should you choose to go without an optic and depend on your eyes, the ghost ring rear sight is placed too far forward. Such a sight might better be used closer to the eye when mounted on the Picatinny rail. With my eyes, seeing the front post through that forward-mounted peep sight was a chore.
The Bottom Line
The Ruger PC Carbine may not satisfy the tacticool amongst us. While we might gravitate toward lightweight pistols braced to become carbines, the PC Carbine is true to the word with a full stock, sixteen-inch barrel, and the weight of such a platform to boot. But if you are familiar with a traditional hunting rifle and need something that can flex into a role that neither the 22 rimfire nor a full-powered rifle cartridge can fill, the PC Carbine can get the job done without breaking the bank.
