Review: Kriss Super V .45 ACP Carbine

[Sturmgewehre]

Here's a video review of the Kriss Super V .45 ACP carbine. The concept of a rifle and pistol combination that uses the same cartridge dates back to the Old West. Sometimes its easier to have a long arm and handgun that use the same ammo, and in this case the same magazine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElrPPcnp2tU

Questions and comments are welcome.

 

[Davey]

I'd love to have one of those. Too expensive though.

Great video, thanks for sharing it.

Also, be careful, at 0:45 it looks like you muzzled your hand.

 

[Sturmgewehre]

My hand was well behind the muzzle and not in front of it, although from the camera angle it does seem otherwise.

 

[Technosavant]

The KRISS is an interesting concept, but I just don't see it as having much use for regular folks for one reason: the 1934 National Firearms Act.

The gun you reviewed is classified as a short barreled rifle, necessitating the full up NFA hoops in order to own one. For a full 16" barrel, you've just managed to pack a much less powerful cartridge into something the same size as a gun that will shoot actual rifle rounds (more power, more range, etc.).

The lack of recoil in a semiauto (we can't get the full auto ones thanks to the 922o registry closure, which refers us back to the 1934 NFA) doesn't mean much, IMO. I'm not aware of any long gun which has much recoil when shooting a pistol cartridge. Heck, in semi-auto fire, the predominant intermediate cartridges (.223/5.56, 5.45x39, 7.62x39) don't recoil all that much either. Sure, it's a bit more, but remember, we're talking semi-auto fire. If you're drilling bullets carrying a bunch more energy into your target, that tiny fraction of a second from the additional recoil isn't going to mean much- your trigger finger is slower than your recoil recovery.

I suppose there might be times when pistol/longarm ammo compatibility might be desirable, but for the most part, carrying ammo is carrying ammo. I'm just not sure of a situation where we're going to be pulling the mag out of a pistol in order to feed the longarm; if you get to that point, you're hosed anyway.

And all this isn't even considering the price.

I can see how the KRISS in SBR and full auto would be the bee's knees in doing things like house clearing (limited range of the .45ACP wouldn't matter, full auto would be a help, and the lack of recoil would also be desirable), but while it's a neat concept, the real world utility is limited.


As a side note, I was amused when playing Homefront in the final level- the Korean occupiers were packing the KRISS in some instances... I found this funny, since there wasn't an AK variant to be found, but they're using the KRISS in a situation where the greater range and power of a real rifle would have been vital. Ah, well, that's what we get when game developers watch Future Weapons instead of getting out to the range.

 

[Father Time]

Thanks for another great review Sturm.

It looks fun to shoot and all, but the price is still too high for me. If I stumbled into the $1700-$1800 for the gun I would probably buy a SCAR instead..

that's what we get when game developers watch Future Weapons instead of getting out to the range.

I heard somewhere that they use airsoft guns for the game model's
Go into a gunshop and you hear the gamer's talking about this gun and that like they are experts.

 

[Sturmgewehre]

I disagree regarding the usefulness of a semi-auto vs. a full-auto in most defensive situations (non-military). People seem to think full-auto is a deathray, but in reality it does very little to increase the effectiveness of a defensive arm in many peoples' hands and often times, even in the military, is misused.

Sure, MG's have their place in the military but as civilians the tactics employed by the military aren't always applicable.

Shoot the Kriss next to a semi-auto UMP then tell me there isn't a difference. There is, quite a bit of difference in my experience. The UMP jumps around more than a M4. The Kriss in .45 ACP kicks straight back with a light impulse that makes a quick and accurate follow-up shot a breeze. If you want to hit hard, not over penetrate or even go suppressed, the .45 ACP in a CQB environment is hard to beat.

I would agree that modern 5.56mm rifles with the proper attachments (PWS brake for example) have negligible recoil as well and quick follow-up shots are also a breeze. The difference is that the full power of a 5.56mm round isn't always desirable and it doesn't share ammo/magazine commonality with your sidearm.

It does fit a specific roll, albeit a very narrow and even controversial role. But it does have its uses. Would I opt for the Kriss over a 5.56mm rifle in a SHTF situation? Probably not, but others might weigh the benefits of a pistol calibered rifle that uses the same ammo and magazines as their sidearm more heavily than I do.