Parallel Worlds - Short Carbines:

 The Canadian C8 Carbine serves multiple specialist units around the planet

in a similar way to the "Eastern Bloc" AKS-74U

.. These firearms are short barreled variants of the standard service weapons having respectively a 368mm 14.5 inch Colt tube and the 8.2 inch 'U' Kalashnikov snubby . - This truncated 'AK' loses 500 feet per second muzzle velocity .. The "Colt" AR comes in various flavors including a 10 inch barrel C8-CQB model - but it's overall length is limited by having the it's buffer tube & telescoping stock rather than the folding stock of the 'AK'.

These species of arm have much utility for convenient carry in & out of vehicles and during house entry & internal movement.

In USA there are regulations that restrict ownership of  'SHORT RIFLES' - while handguns tend to be regarded as more lawful (or perhaps less lethal?) so there is a style of firearm rising in sales there that are known as long pistols with 'arm braces'..

Bearing in mind that I have no law-enforcement nor military specialist experience - but here in New Zealand I rather liked owning and shooting Pistol Caliber Carbines PCCs as they were cheaper to run and quieter on the ears - particularly when fitted with silencers - as my long gone confiscated and destroyed ("Buy-Back $$") Just Right Carbine was in 9mm caliber.

Despite the call to arms in Ukraine and a smearing of hypocritical outrage from a few politicians based here - there is little chance of we legitimate gun owners losing our PARIAH status and of us being recalled from the 'Naughty Step'  - so that our knowledge and experience can dispel some of the prevalent WILLFUL IGNORANCE of both our Police and our Law Makers regarding the proper use of firearms in qualified hands.

Sad times we live in eh.

Marty K.