9mm Luger bolt-action rifle - What do you think?

[Welder]

So probably your first thought was, "Why?" But hear me out.

I've been thinking about the future of beginner rifles, which have traditionally been .22's. But we all know the ammo situation. So I was trying to come up with a 'next best' option. Here's what I would want for something like that:

1) Reloadable
2) Relatively Quiet (no sonic cracks)
3) Stingy on Powder
4) Storebought ammo available and cheap
5) Acceptable for varmints to around 100 yards
6) Could use cast bullets
7) Brass plentiful
8) Straight-walled cartridge to make reloading easy and case life long

So the cartridge that kept coming to mind was the 9mm Luger. Plenty available in semi-auto, but none in bolt action. You have the old quasi-Mauser Spanish Destroyer carbine, but that's in 9mm Bergmann / Largo and suffers from parts availability and breakage issues.

Typing "9mm bolt action" into the search engine brought up a few other people who've thought of this, and one possible solution. Seems the .22 TCM cartridge being offered by RIA in their bolt rifle is a close dimensional match for the 9mm Luger. A couple of companies are modifying the TCM rifles by slightly boring the bolt head (TCM based on .223 head dia) and swapping barrels.

I've emailed and called RIA asking them to chamber the TCM rifle for 9mm, but they aren't interested and referred me to the companies who are already doing so in the aftermarket.

Anyhow, just curious on y'all's thoughts on this. Really don't want anything more than a cartridge that's basically a reloadable .22. No Hornets, no .223's, etc. I did think of Ruger's 77/357, but that's also more power than what I'm wanting, with brass also being harder to find during the panics. To me someone manufacturing a 9mm bolt rifle is a total no-brainer. But it's possible I'm the one with an empty melon.

[SecondsCount]

I have thought about it but already have a 9mm AR and can reload subsonic 223 for less than 10 cents a round and get similar results as a 22LR.

Also, recoil is going to be substantially higher than a 22LR.

[Welder]

I have thought about it but already have a 9mm AR and can reload subsonic 223 for less than 10 cents a round and get similar results as a 22LR.

Also, recoil is going to be substantially higher than a 22LR.

At one time I had a Marlin 9mm Camp Carbine, but it was so long ago that I don't remember the recoil as being an issue at all. I guess the passage of time has got me confused.

While I know that various .22 centerfires could be used in place of the rimfire, I'd prefer a cartridge that could easily use cast bullets if a person was really on a budget (.22 is getting a little small for easily casting your own), and one that was straight-walled. Just thinking of how many bricks of .22 I shot up as a teenager...if I was to want to reload that many, I'd want as simple of a reloading process as possible.

I would consider .32 Auto except that the brass is a lot harder to come by. Bullets would be cheaper, though, at least cast ones. I don't know. I think the rimfire did what it did, perfectly. Except for being reloadable. I'm sure 9mm wouldn't be everybody's idea of the answer. I just think it could be mine.

What brings this to mind is the upcoming elections and the for-sure knowledge that once again our sport is going to suffer, some from the politicians and some from the hoarders and resellers. I hate to see a generation of kids coming that won't have a good option for a beginner rifle caliber because a bunch of idiots are slitting their throats, either for politics or profit. Just been spending some of my time off thinking about possible solutions to that problem.

[DamonL]

Never mind.

[David S.]

Along the same lines: Ruger 77/357

[Bigghoss]

If it were inexpensive and had iron sights I could see it being an interesting plinker. But otherwise I would say just reload for a 77/357.

[TGS]

A 9mm blowback carbine is actually less complex and cheaper to make.

So given today's awesome selection of 9mm carbines, why not just get a 9mm blowback carbine? I think the facets you want to address are why PCCs are so popular today. A bolt action would have no advantage over a blowback carbine for that target market.

[Welder]

So given today's awesome selection of 9mm carbines, why not just get a 9mm blowback carbine?

I dunno, I guess I grew up in a different world. Bolt rifles have always seemed to be the best beginner rifles to me, and they encourage quality of the individual shot over quantity of available shots. Plenty of time for semi-autos later in life. I honestly don't get as much enjoyment from a semi as from a standard repeater like a lever or bolt anyway.

To the above mentions of the 77/357, I keep thinking about getting one of those just for the fun factor. My biggest issue with it compared to a 9mm is brass availability. 9mm is everywhere, even in the shortages. So if the shooter is a little careless and loses some brass, it's not a problem even when times are tight. But I agree that the 77/357 is probably the closest rifle in current production to what I'm talking about.

Anyhow, just an exercise in thought. Not trying to convert anyone; just interested in hearing other peoples' ideas about what type / caliber rifle will be carrying the banner traditionally carried by the rimfire in the past. And seeing if an outside-the-box idea like mine has any wider merit beyond my own interests.

[olstyn]

I can see the appeal, but it seems like it'd have a somewhat limited market. It occurs to me that .38 lever guns also have a lot of the same advantages, and, as others have said, existing 9mm semi-auto carbines fill basically the same market niche, but have additional utility beyond "beginner rifle." Getting somebody to produce a 9mm bolt gun is probably a bit of a hard sell as a result.

[TGS]

I dunno, I guess I grew up in a different world. Bolt rifles have always seemed to be the best beginner rifles to me, and they encourage quality of the individual shot over quantity of available shots. Plenty of time for semi-autos later in life.

How about one of those Thompson Center guns or a break action Handi-rifle?