Just Right Carbine Gen 3, Explained in 2 Minutes: If you’re a fan of the AR-15, but always wanted it in .45 ACP, then the Just Right Carbine Gen 3 was made for you. I was actually surprised how much it had in common with an AR because it uses several of the same parts, from the pistol grip to the stock and trigger mechanism.
I bought mine for around $700, which is about average for the Gen 3, and I went with the KeyMod Rail model because I had a new sight to try out and it gives plenty of space on the Picatinny rail.
I will say that it doesn’t come with its own optics, so you might have to purchase one unless you shoot at closer distances. On that note, I put 100 rounds inside of 50 yards with pretty solid accuracy.
It didn’t get heavy because the whole thing weighs under 7 pounds, which is actually the trigger tension. I will say that I wasn’t a fan of the bolt not locking back when my magazine was empty. The good news is that it uses Glock Model 21 magazines, so you can use larger clips if it’s legal.
The blowback system of chambering the next round fired slower than my AR, but I felt less recoil and the bullets seem to have a higher velocity. I did love the longer barrel because it helped with accuracy and took off some of that recoil.
My Gen 3 is standard-issue black, but there are some camo options out there. I did switch mine out to 9mm at one point with a $250 conversion kit to see how that fired, but you can also go to .40 S&W so it’s a pretty versatile carbine.
Speaking of that, for the lefty shooters the Just Right Gen 3 can switch the charging handle and ejection side to be ambidextrous. The only thing I had to get used to was that the magazine release is on the left.
There’s a Takedown model if you need to be more mobile with your carbine, but I found that the forend felt kind of loose after I took it off and put it back on. Either model’s disassembly is a little more complicated than my AR, which can make it harder to clean and those bullets are dirty.
All in all, the Just Right .45 ACP Carbine Gen 3 has straightforward accuracy, low recoil, and good space on the upper rail for an optic. It has a couple of hiccups, but for the price, it delivers a pretty solid AR-esque performance.
Richard Douglas writes on firearms, defense, and security issues. He is the founder and editor of Scopes Field, and a columnist at the National Interest, 1945, Daily Caller, and other publications.
