I stopped into Clyde Armory near Warner Robins Ga this week.  They had a good supply of Police Trade Ruger Mini-14s and Ruger PC4s.

The PC4s actully looked pretty decent, light little carbine - somewhat cool with the LEO Rack Numbers Stenciled on the stocks.

They take Ruger magazines and Glock mags would be better, but for a handy auto/truck gun, or a home defense gun for my daughter, I was thinking this would be handy.

THey do have some additional block base forward of the receiver - not sure what its purpose is ETA - This is where the factory rear sight was - The ones for sale at Clyde are outfitted with a Rear Aperature sight that is on the hind end of the receiver

A red dot on a carbine like this might be handy.  I have a glock 23 that I have since converted to 9mm, otherwise I gave up on 40 cal - HOWEVER 40 S&W ammo is actually available at a few places because everyone wants nine now.

Are these reliable?  and durable or are they subject to breakage, etc and not supported anymore?

I have one, they are well made reliable rifles. My only complaint about mine is that the trigger is not very good. Ruger still sells mags for them (same mags as the P91 pistol).

Like most Ruger firearms of the 90s its reliable, chunky, affordable, and has a shitty trigger

go for it, they are a fun gun

It would not surprise me to learn that there are aftermarket parts available and/or techniques available to safely improve the trigger.

Probably some decent youtube vids as well.

For the original models at least, I've never really seen any aftermarket parts for them. The new current production guns are significantly different and I don't believe very many, if any, parts interchange with the older ones.

It still might be that some parts are available to re-hab/modify the older units.  Certainly the techniques must have been worked-out to do a proper trigger job on them.  In many cases, speaking generally, a simple dis-assembly, cleaning, careful stoning of wear/engagement surfaces, and careful re-lubing with modern lubes will go a long way.  In some cases, depending on the mechanical construction of the trigger group parts, a substitution of certain, carefully-tested springs can reduce the trigger pull weight, but great care is advised, lest the pull weight be reduced to an unsafe level.  Even the addition of a simple trigger shoe can be useful as regards perceived trigger pull weight.

It should be possible for a reasonably experienced person to "massage" an undamaged trigger group  into something much better than stock.

When is the 92/M9 version coming?

I used to have one.  It was a police turn in with the ghost ring sights.  It was heavy, but I liked how short it was.  I had to have Ruger repair it when the firing pin spring broke it and start slam firing bursts.  

Had it fixed by a Ruger and sold.  Kinda wish I still had it, though.

In 2002 a local shop had both a 9mm & a .40S&W & both had been converted to use Glock mags.  I went back to buy one & ended up walking out w/out buying one & for the life of me can't remember why I didn't.  Always wish I had.

The Glock mag conversions are pretty rare. This was an aftermarket service provided by a third party back when they were being produced, I've heard about them but never actually seen one.

How much are they selling for?

At Clyde Armory I saw prices - $429 and $459 or so.

Before the new version came out I bought a PC4 off gunbroker for around $650. So, those are cheap.

Concur. You can mount a tubular red-dot using factory Ruger rings if you want.

Attached File

Weren't there more than one iteration of the Ruger PC carbines, with significant differences between them?

I never even knew this existed. Cool.

I always wanted one in the late 1990's and early 2000's but never had the cash. I just looked on Rugers website and they won't fix them or provide parts anymore on the old ones.

I think for the price I would opt for a new one (pc4), given that you want it for the utility. They can be had for around the same price. I paid 500 OTD.

Yeah, if I could find one in the mid 4's, I would jump on it.

Jam up truck gun.

Doc

Mine is very accurate. I hit what I aim at. I just wish it took Glock 22 mags.

They were our issued carbine for a few years (Winston Salem PD) and I carried one.  The stock pouch that held a couple of extra pistol mags was nice to "grab and go".  As others have mentioned, the triggers kinda sucked but I dont remembering every having a malf.  Keep some paper clips handy for takedown/assembly tools.

I'm not sure how you're defining "Ruger PC carbines," but I'll see if I can over-answer your question.

In 1960, Ruger introduced the Model 44 "Deerstalker."  It was a gas-operated semi-automatic with an 18.25" barrel and chambered for .44 magnum, which it fed from a 4-round, tubular magazine.  This pistol caliber carbine was discontinued in 1985.

In 1996, Ruger introduced the "Police Carbine," which was available in either 9x19mm (PC9) or .40 S&W (PC4).  These were blowback-operated, semi-automatic carbines with 16-inch barrels, and optics can be mounted using Ruger's integrated base and proprietary rings.  They fed from the same magazines as the Ruger P89 (9mm) or P94 (.40 S&W) pistol.  This pistol caliber carbine was discontinued in 2007.

In 2000, Ruger introduced the model 99/44 "Deerfield Carbine."  This was another gas-operated semi-automatic chambered for .44 magnum, this time with an 18.5" barrel and fed from a 4-round rotary box magazine (similar to the system used by the 10/22).  This model was discontinued in 2006.

In 2017, Ruger introduced the "PC Carbine" (Pistol Caliber Carbine).  These are another blowback-operated carbine, but this time they have a 16.25" barrel, which is threaded, and they are all takedown models.  Optics can be mounted via the picatinny rail on the top of the receiver.  These carbines are available in either 9x19mm or .40 S&W, and they come from the factory with one Ruger SR-series pistol magazine, which is what the rifle is set up to take.  The PC Carbine has the capability of being easily converted to take Glock magazines and come with the part necessary to make the conversion.  It can be reverted back to compatibility with the original Ruger magazines as easily as they can be converted to take Glock magazines.  The 9mm version of the PC Carbine is also compatible, from the factory, with Ruger Security-9 magazines, although the Security-9 is not compatible with the SR9 magazine that comes with the PC Carbine, and there is a magazine well insert available from Ruger to make the carbine compatible with magazines from the Ruger American pistol.  The PC Carbine is also available with a variety of buttstock, grip, and foreend configurations.

I suspect your question pertains more to the 1996 "Police Carbine" and 2017 "Pistol Caliber Carbine" versions, so a short summary of their differences:

1. 1996 version compatible with Ruger P-series pistol magazines.  2017 version compatible with SR-series pistol magazines, Security-9 Magazines, and Glock magazines with what comes in the box and American pistol magazines with a $30 part from Ruger.
2. 2017 version is a takedown model (all of them).  1996 version is not.
3. 2017 version has threaded barrel from factory, 1996 version does not.
4. 1996 version uses proprietary scope mounting system, 1996 version uses pic rail.

Ruger recently released a "Chassis" 9mm M-Lok model. There's one that's a standard stoke with M-Lok hand guard and another with AR compatible pistol grip and M4 style buttstock. A friend of mine has an earlier model and I have a Sub 2000, because I was on a budget back then. I can tell you the Ruger is far more comfortable to shoot. If I had it to do again I would have just spent the money and cut back on my beer consumption for a month or two.