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Carbines and Rifles: A Comprehensive Comparison

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Table of Contents

Rifles are available in all shapes and sizes, with each being built for a specific purpose. As the firearms landscape changes and priorities shift, the designs of rifles often follow suit to remain efficient and effective in their intended roles. Because of this, updated versions of these firearms have come about, with one such variant being the carbine.  

Carbines are essentially a shortened version of a rifle. Both exist to suit different applications, with carbines favoring speed and agility over the higher velocities and long-range versatility offered by full-length rifles. Where there once was a clear distinction between rifles and carbines, newer firearm designs have blurred the lines between the two to the point where there’s more ambiguity surrounding these rifle variants.  

By design, rifles and carbines are made for distinct purposes, so it’s important to fully understand the differences between them. Follow along as we break down the differences between each to see which one best suit your needs.  

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What is a Rifle? 

A rifle is a type of longarm with a spiral-grooved barrel (rifling) that’s designed for engaging targets at longer ranges. Historically, rifles were known for their larger size and long barrels, often measuring 20 inches or more. Although this isn’t a strict rule today, many modern rifles still fall in line with this principle, with their designs putting an emphasis on long-range performance.  

Rifles have been in use for quite some time. Although it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when they came about, some of the earliest rifled barrel firearm examples can be traced back to the 15th century. At the time most rifles had smoothbore barrels, and it wouldn’t be until the mid-18th century that some of the first successful rifled bore long arms would be developed. Since then, rifles have evolved to take on many shapes and forms, each one serving its own unique purpose for which it was developed.  

Modern rifles are available in a wide assortment of calibers, ranging from smaller rimfire rounds like .22 LR, to larger full-power rifle cartridges such as .308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor. Some rifles are even chambered in even larger magnum cartridges, with others being chambered in anti-material rounds like .50 BMG, with each one being available on different rifle platforms. Additionally, most modern service rifles are semi-automatic, but bolt-action rifles remain popular for specialized precision roles.  

How Rifles Have Changed Over the Years 

Rifles have seen their share of changes over the years. As we stated before, rifles most often had a barrel length that either was, or exceeded, 20 inches. Some notable early rifles were known for having barrels longer than 24 inches. While this was great for achieving a high amount of muzzle velocity, they aren’t exactly maneuverable. In historic battle settings, most of them often took place in large open fields, so there wasn’t really a need for maneuverability.  

However, as the combative landscape evolved, it was becoming common to see smaller groups using cover to their advantage, focusing on quick engagement and then backing off. As the landscape of warfare changed, longer rifles just weren’t as conventional in the modern space of the time. As such, shorter rifles were needed to keep up with the ever-changing combative landscape, leading to newer developments such as the carbine. 

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What is a Carbine? 

Carbines were developed when the need for smaller, more maneuverable rifles was needed for enhanced mobility. We get the term ‘carbine’ from the first soldiers to use them, French cavalrymen called ‘Carabiniers’. Carabiniers primarily used shortened variants of the standard French musket, which made them lighter, quicker to aim, and easier to reload when on the move. Eventually, the concept of using shorter rifles to enhance mobility would become adopted worldwide, and they have been in use in some capacity ever since.  

After the notion of shortening rifles to be more compact became more and more prevalent, many new carbines began being designed and fielded. Bolt-action rifles such as the Mosin Nagant and Carcano all had newer shortened versions produced to fill the need for a shorter, more maneuverable rifle, all before more modern semi-auto rifles were in widespread use. 

Nowadays, however, the terms ‘rifle’ and ‘carbine’ are often used interchangeably, largely because gunmakers in the late 19th and early 20th century began to dub any comparably compact longarm as a carbine, even if it did not stem from a parent rifle. Many ‘pistol’ carbines would make their debut in the late 1800s. Rather than being a shorter version of a rifle, pistol carbines were larger, stocked variants of pistols. This pattern continued through the 20th century with rifles like the M1 Carbine, which bore a resemblance to the M1 Garand but ran on a very different operating system. So, despite the name, the M1 Carbine isn’t really a true carbine at all.  

Many of the ‘carbines’ available today are similar, with them mainly just being a carbine in name only. Regardless, most will still adhere to a general size profile: most carbines are rifles with a barrel length between 12 to 16 inches. This is in contrast to a full-length rifle, which might have an 18” or 20” barrel. Again, the exact terminology will vary between militaries and firearm manufacturers, but that’s usually a safe guideline. 

Carbine Pros and Cons 

Carbines and similarly sized rifles remain a solid choice for close quarters use and other general applications, as they’re much more compact than full-length rifles. Being smaller, carbines tend to weigh less, making them more agile and easier to carry over longer periods of time—making for a much lighter loadout overall. Still, carbines have their trade-offs. Their shorter barrels reduce their total muzzle velocities, so they don’t perform as well as full-length rifles at long ranges. Although carbines can be incredibly accurate, their ballistic performance at greater distances just won’t be on par with what a dedicated long-range rifle is capable of. As such, it’s common to see them used in fast-paced or dynamic shooting disciplines instead of long-range roles. 

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AR-15: Rifle or Carbine? 

Technically, the AR-15 can be considered both a rifle and a carbine, depending on how it’s set up. As we mentioned earlier, the overuse of the term ‘carbine’ has led to some ambiguity as to what the AR-15 actually is. In the United States, so long as a firearm has a rifled barrel with a length a 16 or more inches, it’s classified as a rifle under the NFA. That said, most AR-15s are classified as rifle, but many models still hark back to the M4 and CAR-15’s carbine roots, such as the Colt M4 Carbine, for example. 

Most of your standard AR-15s will come with a 16” barrel and a carbine length gas system, which is one of the key distinguishing features of the M4 Carbine. On carbine length gas systems, the gas port is much closer to the chamber to siphon gas sooner, enhancing its cyclic efficiency. These ARs also commonly come equipped with a carbine buffer weight, making them more alike to the carbines they’re based on. 

Because of this, at the technical level, most AR-15s would be considered carbines, but only most. After all, AR-15s are available in numerous configurations and can be adapted to fit multiple roles, resulting in compact PDW configurations and longer precision-built Special Purpose Rifles. Because of how adaptable the platform is, it’s not possible to put it under just one category.  

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Carbines vs. Rifles: Which Should You Choose?  

Despite the terms ‘carbine’ and ‘rifle’ not being as clear-cut as they used to be, it’s still essential to fully understand when each one is best suited for your needs, assuming you’re looking at a true carbine derived from a full-length rifle.  

For more dynamic applications that place an emphasis on speed and maneuverability such as competitions, home-defense, and duty use, carbines—both true variants and those bearing the name—are the move, offering significant size and weight savings. In contrast, full-length rifles are best suited for long-range shooting disciplines such as marksmanship competitions and long-range hunting. Their longer barrels provide a considerable amount of muzzle velocity, allowing projectiles to carry more energy on target, while maintaining a more stable flight path. 

Conclusion 

Today, the term ‘carbine’ doesn’t hold to the strict standard it once did. Instead, the designation is now applied more loosely to rifles that share a comparable size and purpose. Despite the formal definition of carbines being more of a general guideline today, it’s important to understand how they came about as well as the purpose they were made for.  

Throughout the centuries that rifles have been used, we’ve been able to track their performance and see just how they’ve evolved to become more specialized to better suit unique needs. Carbines were a result of this, coming about when there was a need for enhanced mobility and better maneuverability. However, the overuse of the term—much of which has been erroneous—has made it hard to pin down true carbines from the many “carbines in name only”.  

In practical terms, carbines and other similar-sized rifles are a more agile option, making them ideal for home defense and competitions albeit at the cost of long-range performance. On the other hand, full-length rifles offer more in terms of power and effective range. As such, they shine in long-range marksmanship competitions and hunting. Just keep in mind that they generally aren’t as nimble when on the move. 

Choosing between one over the other is ultimately a matter of determining where your priorities lie. By taking the time to research each option to fully understand what they’re capable of, you’ll more easily make the right choice for you.