Rifle Calibered pistols

Question

What are some various pistols that shoot Rilfe caliber rounds?

I know of the Kel-Tec PLR-16 and am quite interested in it. Was wondering if there were others that I could research before making my decision.

Answer 1

I hunt with a T/C in various large bore handgun cartridges. The closed-breech design (no revolver flashgap) gives a serious boost to power, and really I don't need more power than the same 830 ft-lbs for deer that Elmer Keith originally suggested that S&W put in a proposed 44 Magnum design. Factory 44 Magnum loads average 1100 ft-lbs. So I download the 44 Magnum (or my bigbore wildcat otherwise capable of African use), and upload the 45 Long Colt, all to that power level, delivered in my closed-breech 10 inch barreled T/C format, for deer hunting. For me, more power than that is only a distraction in the deer woods arena. Blurred death in the Savanna tall grass is another matter! My 44 Cal wildcat, being a 7.62X54R rifle cartridge, shortened to 1.480" and reamed to .4275", loaded with jacketed hardcast 300 grain bullets, can handle 60,000 psi and that is appropriate in that arena! And it is efficient in a "purist " 10 inch barrel. Big powder capacity rifle cartridges require a 14" barrel or longer for stable ignition. My wildcat has all the powder capacity you can get away with in a regular handgun barrel length.

Rifle cartridge chamberings are available in long 15 inch barreled "destocked carbine" T/C's if that's what you want for super-long-range prepared benchrest situations, but is that really hunting? Some say yes. But I find that 10 inch "purist" length is as long as still looks and feels like a handgun, and my preferred style of hunting is stalking in the sagebrush. Of course, whatever pleases you is what you should pursue, after all, we are hunters! Regards, Larry.

Answer 2

The Thompson Contender is a very accurate single shot pistol available in a very wide range of rifle calibers including .223, .308, .30-30 all the way up to .45-70

Answer 3

AK pistol models (umpteen million different ones)

AR pistol models (umpteen million different ones)

M1 enforcer

Mare's Leg

Vector's HK clone pistols (51,53)

etc.

Answer 4

Since you do not say what your intended use it, targets or hunting, the field is wide open.   I have a T/C conttender in 7x30 Waters and find it both accurate and fun.  The recoil is actually lighter than the big bores

but the energy for hunting is excellent.  It develops as much energy at 100 yards as the .44 magnum does at the muzzle.  

Answer 5

Desert Eagle

Answer 6

Mike there are several manufactures of handguns chambered for various rifle calibers. I think it would depend on what your wanting to do with it would make a difference in your selection. If your just looking for a plinker and easy shooting package then the kel tec would do. If your wanting to target shoot I would look at the TC. They have several very succesful calibers. If your looking more to a hunting round I would go with Ruger and Freedom Arms. The big bores have alot of loading versatility.