I guess I'll call them "PRRs" or "RRPs" (Rifle Receiver Pistols). A few of us made comments over at at Say Uncle about the use of such pistols. There was the assertion that Blackwater personnel have been using AK pistols out of vehicles. I don't get it. Here's my last comment;
A cut down, folding stock carbine I can see (AKS-74U et al) but I have yet to understand the allure of the "pistol" version (no shoulder stock at all).
"They became very common with Blackwater in Iraq."
You're not referring to a folder rather than a pistol?
Stateside, I see the rifle receiver pistol as a political creation (if it has a shoulder stock it falls under the NFA [as a short barreled rifle, or SBR]) rather than something that arose for a particular application. Otherwise we'd be seeing handguns more along the lines of an Automag with 30 round mags, and/or the Tech 9 or some iteration thereof would be popular, which it isn't.
There must be something I don't understand. Is it all about suppressive fire? But in that case what's wrong with having a folding stock on there just in case you want to, you know, aim, or something?
Can anyone fill me in on the particulars? Why an AK pistol, AR pistol, etc., other than the fact that the stocked version comes with the NFA hassles and tax for civilians? I mean; why are such pistols desired for defense and/or in combat? Or are they?