I shoot steel weekly with guys who are actually faster with a handgun than the guys shooting Pistol Caliber Carbines. The difference is the really fast handgun guys are the top competitors and only half a second or so faster than the PCC guys, who are mostly the average shooters. I've shot a short barreled AR rifle indoors. It was loud with hearing protection on. So my HD setup is a braced AR Pistol in a handgun round with a silencer on the end. It's shorter than a rifle, a lot quieter, but faster and more accurate than a handgun.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

Are there situations in which a rifle is the best weapon? Of course.
Are there situations in which a handgun is the best weapon? Despite the silly “a handgun is to fight your way back to your rifle” adage that has captured some people’s imaginations, the answer to that question is also, “Of course there are.”

If I were part of a team looking for a murderer in the woods of my county, I would have a DM-type rifle and worry much less about having a handgun.
If I were called to assist in neutralizing an active shooter in a school, I’d grab a rifle and a pistol.
When I investigate a strange noise in my house, I rely on a handgun for defense.

I think Sigfreund has a most excellent response to these issues.

I use a AR pistol 10.5” barrel with a red dot and suppressor for HD. It’s got 30 rounds in the gun, my USPSA STI 2011(double stack 1911) only holds 17.....

Im really accurate and fast with it. (The AR- to be truthful, I’m fast with the 2011 too)

I’m not a cop anymore and have no requirement to take said bad guy into custody. I only need to leave my bedroom to go protect my kid, I won’t be hunting bad guys, but if I run across one, I want all the advantages I can get.

To me, the AR pistol adds more accuracy then the handgun, plus the higher velocity rifle round increases the likelihood of fewer rounds being fired to stop the threat, and the more rounds in the magazine make me feel better.

I didn't really have a good reason for building mine, other than I just wanted too. Now I am glad that I did, because it is simply fun to shoot. Makes a pretty good truck gun as well. Did I say it was fun to shoot????

I placed my MPX into this role. Familiarity with the AR platform, low/no recoil from very hot 9mm loads in the platform, tons of control, 30 rounds on tap...what's not to like?

I will admit that I've deliberately shied away from a 5.56 platform specifically for the terminal ballistics and muzzle blast concerns cited by some other posters. I used to use a 16" AR carbine for HD, but my current home has some hallway zigzags that are difficult to negotiate with that length of weapon. The reduced length of 8" bbl, pistol-cal receiver, and short brace are very noticeable there.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rob Decker,

A few months ago, I developed some rotator cuff issues that will eventually require surgery. Extending my dominant arm (while shooting a pistol) causes more pain than shooting a long gun, including my 12 gauge shotgun(s) during competitive events. During the summer here in Arizona, shooting indoor "tactical" matches is far more enjoyable than enduring the heat and I've been using a neat little PCC (9mm) made for me by "Battle Tested Equipment", a local company. It's a great option for me for sporting purposes as well as HD and I've got my paperwork in to SBR it.