Ruger's new LC Carbine in 45 ACP

[Sailormilan2]

Well, as a comparison, I just put together an AR in 45acp, using a Spike's Tactical lower. As equipped with a Thordsen Gen III stock, it weighs in at 7# 10oz. So, at 7# 1oz, the Ruger is lighter. I can replace the upper if I choose and go with 10mm. But the problem is, and this is where I am at, getting a heavy enough BCG, buffer, and recoil spring combo that is heavy enough to not allow the gun to beat itself to death with 10mm loads. I'm still working on that.
My 9mm AR is slightly heavier, but I'm using a standard AR15 lower, with a Stern Defense mag well adapter. This allows me to go back to a standard AR configuration by removing the mag well adapter, the upper, and the buffer.
All of those builds cost a lot less than the price that someone mentioned for the Ruger.
Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of a PCC. But, spending $1000 for one is not really going to excite me.

[Regular guy]

I really enjoy the synergy of having a carbine that takes the same ammo and same mags as my handguns. Really nice.

[boltstop]

Forgotten Weapons?

[plumbum]

Ruger could easily resurrect the 99 series - it was a gas piston .44 magnum, so a 10mm would be zero issue. Just need to plop it in a synthetic stock and give it some Glock 29 magazines and I'm sold!

[Zenderfall]

Of course they do. I'll be willing to bet they even have hundreds of designs that never made it off paper, and thousands of variations of everything in between. They're one of the larger gun manufacturers, and regularly come up out with new stuff. What prevents the vast majority of these cool concepts is probably the same reason that stops "cool" cars from coming out - how much they cost vs how much they think will sell, the latter is the much harder one to figure out.

I really don't buy the "action can't sustain long-term .45 or 10mm." excuse. The big reason why they don't want to do it is most likely that 9mm sells so much more than .45 and 10mm, maybe even combined. It's not good business to dump $$$ into R&D something only to see it become the least popular sold version on the market. Whether or not you think .45ACP or 10mm is "better," is another thing entirely, (ok, maybe it IS), but the very fact that 9mm sells far more and at lower prices, steers Ruger's decisions a lot more than people want to think.

[splithoof]

[smittty]

If the .45 weighs over 7 pounds, a 10mm would probably weigh 9 pounds.

There's no innovation happening if the best they can do is a 7 lb pistol carbine.

Consider their 77/44 mag rifle weighs 5.2 lbs with full adult size stock and 18.5" barrel. That should be their max weight for any pistol caliber carbine.

Keltec's gen3 Sub2000 weighs 4.2 lbs.

If they can't make then between 4lbs to 5.5 lbs, don't bother!

[k1dude]

There's no innovation happening if the best they can do is a 7 lb pistol carbine.

Consider their 77/44 mag rifle weighs 5.2 lbs with full adult size stock and 18.5" barrel. That should be their max weight for any pistol caliber carbine.

Keltec's gen3 Sub2000 weighs 4.2 lbs.

If they can't make then between 4lbs to 5.5 lbs, don't bother!

Agreed!

[bigboyshooter]

[zaitcev]

Perhaps Henry will offer the Homesteader in .45, that may be more likely. I think it would also have a better wood-to-metal fit that the Ruger.

Potentially, Henry can do it without a major re-design. Because their blowback mass is in the handguard, it can easily be increased. On the Ruger PC the mass is in the receiver, and it already has a tungsten weight to make it smaller. Henry is going to have an easier time, if they so choose.

The question is, would they want it. How much more the sales are going to be if a new caliber were offered.

They made about 15,000 Homesteaders in 9mm, if serial numbers are to be believed. Ruger made more than 180,000 PC Carbines and PC Chargers. That's more than 10 times more.

The wood fit is quite nice on my Homesteader, BTW. But the wood is soft and the checkering collects oil from my palms. They make lever guns with a better wood options. I wish they made "Homesteader Deluxe" with harder wood and coarse checkering, covered in a lacquer.