Started off with a basic Caracal F 9mm. The end result, was impressive with a total of 10,000 rounds. I was actually a bit surprised at how well the finish held up on this gun. Although I did not run the gun from a holster.
I finally got the Caracal F to my goal of 10K rounds. It took a bit of time, but the gun held up. With the original recoil spring assembly still in place I was a bit surprised to see it run that far. The gun itself began to run a bit sluggish right around the 8800 round mark, but I attribute that to a well worn recoil spring assembly. There is no evidence of battering yet, but I suspect I did not do the gun any favors. I should mention that I was using some surplus 9mm NATO ammunition so the pressures on the gun were pretty high.
Operationally, the gun held up. Overall, it continued to feed and function properly and there appeared to be no degradation in accuracy. I skipped cleanings and went straight to lubrication only for the last 3000 rounds without a problem. I think the most surprising thing was how well the finish is holding up on this gun. I was not working it from a holster on a regular basis, but I wasn’t babying it either. Dirt, grease and carbon deposits just wipe right off.
Overall, the gun did well, and if Caracal were to fix a few minor issues, I could see it having a place in the US market.
On a final note, I received this link from a friend and felt compelled to share it with you. Take from it what you will. Personally I am circumspect of any singular occurrences, particularly when the information is second hand and dubious at best; I feel you should see it all.
This picture is borrowed from the original post on thefirearmsblog.com. You should read the accounts of what happened and draw your own conclusions.
Fantastic review. well written, very unbiased, and open minded. You sir, are the MAN.
And on another final note, Caracal has apparently recalled all of their Model C pistols as a result of that kaboom. Quoting their web site, “PLEASE DO NOT LOAD OR FIRE THE CARACAL MODEL C PISTOL.”
Link: http://www.caracal-usa.com/press/Recall-Notice-Caracal-Model-C-Pistol/
I just spoke with Jeff Spaulding about this very thing. Jeff is a consultant for Caracal USA. He made clear a couple of very important points. 1) Caracal does not yet have the gun in question, and 2) The recall is just how Caracal handles things. They tend to be overly cautious.
Rather than take a chance they prefer to err on the side of caution and voluntarily initiated a recall to protect their end users. Looking closely, we will see that Caracal is doing this ahead of the facts as preemptive measure. Before they even know for certain that there is a problem with the gun they are stepping up to protect all involved. That is a stand up business policy.
So please, before we go down the negative road, let’s wait for all the facts. It is possible there was a defect in the gun, but it is just as possible that there were other factors which led to the issue at hand here. I’ll be first to say something is wrong if a gun has a problem, but so far I am not convinced it has a problem any more than I am convinced there should have been a recall for a single occurrence.
Caracal stepped up. Let’s wait for the facts.
If they fixed the sighting arrangement, this would be a very viable gun. As it is, I don’t care for either setup (the way the more traditional rear sight is mounted and the short-radius system both have obvious downsides). It is the only thing that I really don’t like about the gun, but obviously is very important.
They have introduced a dovetail version of the rear sight on the “F” version of their new .40 cal gun they debuted at SHOT. I am finding Caracal to be very responsive to what the end users want. The rear sight change and the .40 offering are both very good examples of a responsive and flexible manufacturer.
Regarding the “C” model and the way the sights are set up, I agree, it is less than traditional. I have not had a chance to work with one yet. I spoke with one person who swears by that configuration. Unfortunately, most US shooters tend to stick with traditional set ups, and who can blame them? Spending your hard earned cash on an experimental sight set up that you can not alter is a big risk. I suspect that the folks at Caracal may be listening on this one as well. Right, wrong or indifferent, if the consumer will not buy something or the end user will not learn to use it, then it is simply not a good idea.
I bought my model F just before the recall notice was announced. Mine was one of those affected. I just got the replacement pistol today. A brand spanking new gun by the way. The trigger is even better than the one I sent in. Very crisp trigger, and this from a dyed in the wool Glock fan. I have the conventional sight version gun. I got the chance at Shot Show to handle the quick sight version, and really liked the set up. For the conventional sight version, I would prefer a thinner front sight or larger opening on the rear. My old eyes need more light between the sight picture to pick it up. Over all a great gun, and everyone that has shot it feels the same way. Including my friends 11 year old daughter. She prefered it to my Glock 17. What can you say, the girl has class.