The Keefe Report: When Caracal Comes to Town

by
posted on September 7, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

I have been following the Caracal pistol since it was just a rumor of a handgun being produced in the United Arab Emirates. The gun, designed by Austrian William Bubits, who had a long affiliation with Glock and then was a designer for hire—think the Steyr M pistol as well as the Walther PPS—was really onto something.

The gun was ergonomically excellent, with a very high tang and a low bore axis. Add that the magazine in its polymer frame held 18 rounds and it had a good trigger, and you ended up with a gun that became very popular very quickly.

And that was despite difficulties with importers and importation. The efforts to get the guns onto the U.S. commercial market were amateurish and botched badly. Once importation was finally going well, sadly, there was a full recall issued by the company, likely prematurely, and the guns have been absent from dealers shelves. 

For Caracal USA, there's a new sheriff in town. His name is Jeff Spalding, and he is the company’s general manager. He was in our offices, and we had a chance to take the Caracal pistols and carbines to the range. In the accompanying video, we shoot a version of Caracal Enhanced F, a gun that is made in Newington, N.H. 

Interestingly, it has the Quick Sight system, which allows for a very fast flash sight picture. Although the gun is offered with conventional sights, the Quick Site has cuts in the top of the slide forward of the action port that make for what is akin to a scout configuration on a pistol. Your sight radius is only about 3 inches, but after going to the range with it, I can assure you it is indeed fast. While I was never a fan of the trapezoid sights of the Bubits-designed Steyr M, I think they are onto something here. We are looking forward to further testing of the U.S.-made Caracal pistols and rifles.

Additional Reading:
SHOT Show 2017: Caracal USA Enhanced F 9 mm Pistol  

Latest

target with holes
target with holes

Resisting the Temptation of "Good Enough" for Firearm Performance

No matter what firearm you're using for whatever purpose, even if it's simply a trip to the range, always resist the temptation to accept “good enough” if there is the possibility of better performance.

Armed Citizens Stop a Lot More Criminals Than Most in the Media Will Admit

Since January 2025, the Crime Prevention Research Center has documented 16 defensive gun uses in which police say armed citizens stopped mass public killings.

Federal & Mossberg Collaborate on Autonomous Airborne Drone Defense

Federal and Mossberg are working with Palladyne AI in the creation of SwarmShot, a kinetic defense system that employs swarms of armed drones to shield troops from unmanned aircraft system threats.

Cold Performance: How to Prepare for the Uncertainty of Self-Defense

Defensive gun use is defined by uncertainty. You don’t know when it will happen, how far away the threat will be, how many threats you will face or what position you will be in when it begins.

Derya Goes Silent: The OBone Suppressor

In 2025, Turkish manufacturer Derya Arms opened a new facility in Florida, enabling the company to produce a number of new products domestically, such as its new OBone suppressor.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 26, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.