Carbine-style rifles that fire pistol cartridges are a joy at short range, and this Auto-Ordnance Thompson M1 Carbine is a good example. It is new, chambered in .45 ACP, with a blue and black finish.

The Thompson name carries a lot of weight in American firearms history. Auto-Ordnance sells its semi-automatic carbine built on that heritage for civilians, and the styling follows the classic lines. Shooting it is easy: .45 ACP is a slow, heavy bullet with soft recoil in a rifle, and a carbine adds stability and a longer sight radius over a pistol. A short session at the range will teach you how the sights are regulated and where the rifle prints at a hundred yards.

Use cases are simple. A shooter can spend an afternoon on steel plates, introduce a friend to a large-bore round, or keep a handy rifle for ranch chores that need a quiet-ish load at close range. Ammunition costs more than 9mm but is easy to find.

The rifle ships to a licensed dealer you choose, and the background check is completed there.