What makes a 'carbine' a carbine

[feedr]

Hi all,

Quick question for a bit of a noob.

What makes a 'carbine' a carbine?

I see they're in bolt actions, semi-auto and FA military stuff.

Sako do their Bavarian Carbine and also the regular Bavarian which then is not a carbine... Lost

Ta.

[loaded]

A carbine has a shorter barrel.

[dustin]

Yup,

They're often just shorter versions of a full length rifle, e.g. the two Sako Bavarian options you mentioned.

Don't think there is an official standard on when the cut of length is for being a rifle or a carbine though... Seems to be largely up to the opinion of the maker of the particular longarm.

[Carter]

The old copy/paste from Wikipedia

A carbine is a long arm but with a shorter barrel than a rifle or musket. Many carbines are shortened versions of full length rifles, shooting the same ammunition, as opposed to stand alone designs with generally lower powered ammunition.

The smaller size and lighter weight of carbines makes them easier to handle. They are typically issued to high-mobility troops such as special-operations soldiers and paratroopers, as well as to mounted, supply, or other non-infantry personnel whose roles do not require full-sized rifles.

[1290]

The term more referred to the user than the rifle; the Carabineer/Carabinieri/Carabinier etc were the soldiers or cavalry using a shorter musket for portability (usually on horseback).
The final version of the 1898 Mauser was not only a Carbine, but a short carbine K98K Where K & K= Karabiner Kurz or carbine short. The SMLE was also a short rifle (S in SMLE is for short) both of those being 24inch or thereabouts in barrel length....

The barrel length definition is shrinking though, nowadays a 'short' rifle would be less than 20 if not less than 18 inches...

[Norton]

More than a few in the 16" - 17" neighbourhood now too, after the popularity of the Scout I guess.

[Dirtdart89]

As far as I have ever known it's just the same model shorter barrel. Even bullpups can come in carbine. Which is a little funny to me considering the whole point of the bullpup is to make for a shorter rifle.

[chacka]

Geez, you'd just about me holding onto the muzzle as the fore-grip with a carbine bull-pup?

[Dirtdart89]

Nah, you get a few inches in there depending on the muzzle.

[V22C]

F88 steyr had a carbine variant( F88C) no bayonet lug - was issued to armoured soldiers

[feedr]

Don't think there is an official standard on when the cut of length is for being a rifle or a carbine though... Seems to be largely up to the opinion of the maker of the particular longarm.

That was what was losing me.

Some calling themselves carbines which are longer than those calling themselves rifles. And vice versa.

[Usurper]

Dunno if you've looked at any cartridge names lately, but shooting isn't exactly famous for a uniform system of naming things

[SendIt]

You'll need American to adopt the metric system for that.

Wouldn't hold my breath...

[Vati]

I think they're still waiting for the entire world to take a step backwards and return to imperial measurements.