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Thread: I picked up a 9mm carbine this week...

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    I picked up a 9mm carbine this week...

    I liked the idea of the new Ruger, but I waited until a friend bought one and talked him into letting me shoot it. I did not particularly like it. It did not misfire or fail to fire, but it bothered me the way the magazine (a 32 round Glock) shook and rocked in the small plastic piece that holds it. It looked like a place to fail in the not-to-distant future.

    Then I ran across a local Marlin Camp 9 with a Ram-Line folding stock. What I liked about it (other than it is a Marlin and I have owned them since my very first gun, a 39A) is that it had a 2-1/2” to 3” box sticking out the bottom of the action to hold the magazine secure. I decided to look at it more closely. Other than being filthy (which seems to be common with used guns of all types anymore), it looked good to me and we were able to come to an agreement. The guy said that he had changed the recoil springs and buffer a while back. They feel good, but I will probably get replacements of my own.

    I did some superficial cleaning and took it to the range. It has an original Marlin 4-round (hunting) magazine, a couple of 20 round and a couple of 30 round aftermarket magazines. Unfortunately, one is Triple-K. I have not had much luck with Triple-K in the past. Firing a total of 50 rounds at 25’, 50’, and 75’ (an indoor range) was uneventful. No failures at any kind. All magazines worked. Accuracy was good. Naturally, the first two distances gave very small groups. The 75’ target opened up a little bit, but still all shots stayed in the black. It was VERY difficult for me to see the sights on the 75’ target. I will need to find a peepsight for the gun. The box extension does support the long magazines much better than the Ruger did (like I thought it would).

    After testing it, I happened to find four brand-new 30-round S&W 5906 magazines (which are interchangeable with the Marlin magazines) at the range and was able to buy them at a reasonable price (just a little higher than the lowest prices on the Internet). That way, the aftermarket magazines can be kept as spares instead of depending on them.

    Its been a good week so far, and I get to shoot Cowboy Action tomorrow.

  2. #2
    Moderator


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    A new toy! Congratulations! A 9mm carbine should prove useful for several applications that come to mind, such as home defense, camping, and.....just fun!

  3. #3
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    MrWolf's Avatar
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    The camp 9 is fun. I have the camp 45. The buffers tend to disintegrate and heard the wood cracks due to pressure from action. I went with the Beretta Cx4 Storm. Looks funny but it is a blast to shoot and takes same mags as my 92f. Have fun with it.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    I have owned one since they first came out. Mine shoots cast vert well. I had a mount made and put a tasco red dot on mine. The mount allows you to use the iron sites. Really fun. Zombies look out.
    QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES?

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    Marble's Bullseye would probably work great on the Camp carbines.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.

  6. #6
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    I have changed the buffer and spring in one for my friend. Of course I had to test it for 100 rds before I returned it. It was nicer than the Hi point and Beretta 9mm carbines I have shot.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I used to own a Marlin Camp carbine in .45ACP caliber. It was a hoot to shoot, I really liked it. But I got talked into selling it one day and I regretted it ever since. My best friend has a Marlin Camp Carbine in 9mm and he likes it a lot.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    I happened to find a front and rear set of Tru-Glo sights in my parts drawer. They fit the Marlin easily. The rear two dots are green and the front one is red. Looking through them is MUCH better than thru the stamped metal original sights. I will be testing them with the new magazines this weekend. Testing a 30 round magazine burns up a lot of ammo in a short period of time.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    Elkins45's Avatar
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    Williams makes a nice aperture sight for the Camp 9. You will need a riser block to elevate the front sight.
    NRA Endowment Member

    Armed people don't march into gas chambers.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy 380AUTO's Avatar
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    I purchased a Marlin camp 9 the day I turned 18. I had been saving up waiting for the day to legally purchase the rifle. I still have the rifle today and have fired thousand upon thousands of cast bullets out of it. Everything from 105 grain lee SWC to heavier 147 grain. Feeds them all. I can put my rounds into clover leafs with this rifle. I will never get rid of my Carbine.
    Proud to serve, U.S. Army Infantry

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    One of the reasons I choose the KelTec sub 2000 is its ability to have a scout scope mounted forward of the reciever. I love forward mounted optics in the low power range for quick target aquisition and accurate shooting. Yesterday I shoot the little 9mm carbine at 80 yards and it reliably hit the 4" group range. I was shooting low cost Remington 115 grain FMJ. I am with all you the 9mm in carbine has great utility and is allot of fun low cost shooting. I'm have a RN mould and this winter I will cast up a bunch of boolits to play around with.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Update: I sighted in the gun with the Tru-Glo sights today. They were way off from where I originally placed them, but were easy to adjust. Took a while and quite a few rounds, but the 25 yard groups were better than with the stock sights. I guess if you cannot see the sights on the target, you are not going to hit it very well. Anyway, it is coming along.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check