The CARACAL is in stock and now shipping. . .

[Moose-Knuckle]

Centerfire Systems (http://centerfiresystems.com/caracal.aspx).

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/AKS-74/CARACAL_29.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/AKS-74/CARACAL_31.jpg



So which one of you are going to be the beta tester and T&E the hell out of one of these for the rest of us?

[CaptainDooley]

So which one of you are going to be the beta tester and T&E the hell out of one of these for the rest of us?

If anyone would like to take up an offering I'll gladly shoot it often and post details of any issues I may have... :D

Looks cool, but it doesn't look like it does anything my other pistols don't...

[Ed L.]

I've already tested both of them with over a thousand rounds through each. It appeared in the June 2011 issue of SWAT magazine and I did make some mention of it here. Off the top of my head I had 2-3 malfunctions total betwwen the two guns, one of which I believe was caused by someone limpwristing and I was not able to get it to repeat after shooting 200 rounds of the same ammo with the same mag.

[bigghoss]

well at first glance; the bore axis looks low which cant hurt, I don't see any manual safety which I really like, I also don't see a key hole for an internal lock, and it looks like the fullsize mags would work in the compact. overall it looks like a bare-bones pistol without any extra bullshit like what ruger likes to put on their guns (I say looks because I don't know for sure).

but I already own 3 9mm pistols that have proven themselves utterly reliable and since 2 are glocks the only other 9mm I have any desire for would be a 19 and maybe duplicates of what I already own.

[Magsz]

The price has come down a bit which is nice.

I had a chance to handle one (havent shot it) a few months ago and i wasnt impressed. The beavertail area of the gun feels just as bad as the steyr M series. I seriously dont know how ANYONE could think this thing is ergonomic as i find it to be downright uncomfortable.

Having said that, its not quite as bad as the steyr M so it might be workable due to the really nice bore axis.

This pistol simply doesnt interest me all that much right now considering the PPQ and the FN-S will probably have a larger aftermarket following within a shorter amount of time.

ED, in your opinion, can you offer any compelling reason as to why this pistol is worth its price?

[Heavy Metal]

If I were going to bring a new gun to market, I would try and make it Glock magazine compatible.

[Moose-Knuckle]

The only thing that peaks my interest in this gun is it's low bore axis.

I would like to shoot one to see how this impacts felt recoil and muzzle rise.

[sniperfrog]

I got to shoot the first two Caracals in the US about a year and a half ago. I put a few hundred rounds through both the fullsize and the compact. The full size was Ok, but I wouldn't choose it over a Glock.

The compact I liked better and it had these weird sites with the rear forward of the ejection port. You could pick up the sites very fast and I didn't notice any decrease in my ability to hit out to about 15 yards or so. It was probably an inch and a half site radius.

The other guy I was with liked the compact better as well.

Muzzle flip felt about the same as an M&P or Glock.

[Omega Man]

I got to shoot the first two Caracals in the US about a year and a half ago. I put a few hundred rounds through both the fullsize and the compact. The full size was Ok, but I wouldn't choose it over a Glock.

The compact I liked better and it had these weird sites with the rear forward of the ejection port. You could pick up the sites very fast and I didn't notice any decrease in my ability to hit out to about 15 yards or so. It was probably an inch and a half site radius.

The other guy I was with liked the compact better as well.

Muzzle flip felt about the same as an M&P or Glock.

What was it about the compact, that you liked better, than the full-size?

[Ed L.]

I liked the Compact better as well. Nothing wrong with the full sized though.

[aflin]

Shot one at a LFer get together down in TN. Low Bore axis was astounding IMO. Shots felt "snappy" and tracking sights were surprisingly easy. The lack of changeable rear sight is something that needs to be changed ASAP.

Can't say anything about reliability, only put through 2 mags.

[Victor Romen]

I've only handled and shot the Caracal C with Quick Sights. Like Sniperfrog and Aflin mentioned the Quick Sights are great for rapid firing. I would say that a Glock or Steyr is only better due to parts support. This is a solid handgun that brings all the lessons the designer learned from working for Glock and developing the Steyr M & S. The Caracal has an ambidextrous magazine release, improved grip over the Steyr, low bore axis like the Steyr, and many of the coil springs in a typical pistol replaced with flat springs (extractor) or straight wire (mag release). I only wish they imported more of the Quick Sight versions, which is truly what sets this apart from other handguns.

[sniperfrog]

What was it about the compact, that you liked better, than the full-size?

It just felt better in my hand and the sites worked very well. It goes against conventional wisdom to have such a short site radius but it just plain worked. It had a fiber optic front site that helped too. The rear site was machined into the slide which means you cant change it so it probably isn't something I would want but it was very fast to aquire.
The fullsize is a decent gun but just needed a few tweeks (as does the compact). I think all of these issues have already been brought up to Caracal so hopefully they will change a couple things.

[bigghoss]

looks like for SHOT media day they had one with a stock attached.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2012/01/17/caracel-pistol-stock/

[Omega Man]

Is the reset as short as a Glock? I heard the trigger pull is under 5lbs.

[aflin]

Trigger felt just like glock, there was a distinctive reset. I have no idea what the trigger pull weight was. Felt somewhere between 5-6 pounds if I should guess.

[Kokopelli]

The range/LGS I shoot at has had them in the rent area for a year or more. There's some Tennessee connection as my pistolsmith has made several trips to "Arab land" and is somehow involved. At one time there was talk of moving the manufacturing to Tennessee, but that was many months ago. I looked at one at the range, but I'm not really a fan of that type of pistol and declined trying it out.. Ron

[Gary1911A1]

Decided to take a chance and I ordered the Caracal C Compact today due to the reviews I have read and price. I'm hoping it works out. If so I may carry it as holsters become available. One poster possibly on this forum reported he's ordered a holster from Blade Tech so at least there is one holster for it. I'll test it next month against my 19 and Walther 99AS and let you all know what I think.

[williejc]

I hope that customer service will be better than those outfits that import various firearms from Turkey. Between here and "Arabia" there are numerous bureacratic layers within a mix of cultural differences--all of which may impede smooth flow of support and cooperation that we demand.

[trinydex]

isn't that getting the cart before the horse? who even wants one of these?

[williejc]

Excellent point.