Rifle or carbine which is which

[RU shooter]

Ok so an AR15 with a 20" barrel is called a rifle 16 or less called a carbine . Then there's guns like 1894 winchesters 20" barrel called a carbine . So when does a rifle stop being a rifle and start being called a carbine ? Just a random question that's been bouncing around in my head today .

[Omega]

My AR has a 10.5" barrel and they call it a pistol

[dragon813gt]

There is no hard rule. Typically a carbine is a shorter version of an existing rifle. Nowadays it usually means a compact gun that’s light. Like I said, no exact definition.

The AR becomes confusing due to gas length. You can have barrels of the same length w/ either carbine/mid or mid/rifle length gas systems. And the there’s the pistol length gas system. When you hear “carbine” and “AR” they’re usually talking about the gas system.

[lefty o]

no days it seems anything 18" and shorter is called a carbine, and longer a rifle. honestly it changes over time , and location. wasnt all that long ago when a bolt action military rifle with a 24" barrel was considered a carbine.

[dragon813gt]

no days it seems anything 18" and shorter is called a carbine, and longer a rifle.

I’d say it depends on the platform. A Marlin 1894C has an 18.5” barrel and you find many saying it’s not a carbine. Maybe 18” is +-1”?

[Outpost75]

Originally a carbine was a shorter rifle suited for carry by cavalry or dragoons on horseback, whereas a longer rifle with long bayonet which could reach a mounted rider on horseback from the ground was use by the infantry.

After horse cavalry went out of fashion, most armies adopted a common-length of shorter rifle, having a barrel length of about 24 inches. Some armies, notably the Russians, kept their long rifles.

About the time of WW2 the need was recognized for a more compact arm which was easier for motorized infantry to use getting into and out of vehicles. The US M1 carbine was envisioned as a replacement for the .45 pistol for personal defense by truck drivers, Navy construction btns., ammo bearers for crew served weapons, etc.

But it is also true that in some languages carabine or carabino is loosely used to describe any military rifle.

In northern Italy the M1 Garand is popularly referred to as il carabino di liberazione

[RU shooter]

Thank you for that very informative post Mr Outpost .

[Texas by God]

To me, a carbine has a maximum barrel length of twenty inches. But that's just me.

[HawkCreek]

Winchester goes with the "shorter version of an existing rifle" definition. Winchester 94's with 20" barrels are carbines because the standard barrel length for the 94 rifle was around 26". But that can be confusing as times change. I have several examples of Winchester 1895 Saddle Ring "Carbines", all of them have 22" barrels and are just as long as my bolt action RIFLES with 22" barrels.

[Lloyd Smale]

heck Winchester calls its 22inch 1886 a carbine. A carbine is just a manufactures shorter version of the same gun in rifle length. If they make a 30 inch rifle they can call a 26 inch gun a carbine if they want.

[dverna]

Why would it matter?

[Outpost75]

heck Winchester calls its 22inch 1886 a carbine. A carbine is just a manufactures shorter version of the same gun in rifle length. If they make a 30 inch rifle they can call a 26 inch gun a carbine if they want.

The Finns did the same thing, the 31" M24 being based on the Russian 1891.
The 27" M27 was meant originally for cavalry, bicycle and ski troops but by the 1930s production of the M24 long rifles was discontinued and most Russian captures were converted to the 27" M27 or M28 patterns and that length "stuck" with new production of the M28/30 and the M39 short rifles.