9mm AR questions

RFMan

RFMan

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So, now 9mm ARs seem to be a thing. I quite like the AR platform, and am in 5.56mm (a lot) and 7.62mm (a little). So, help me out here, and pardon the number of questions and the stream-of-consciousness...

What's the bottom-line point of a 9mm AR? What does it buy you? Is it just fun, or is there a real benefit?
Compare/contrast with other platforms (e.g., semi-auto MP5).
How much actual parts commonality with 5.56 AR parts?
The PSA 9mm ARs - any good? Reliability, cost? Good, bad, or indifferent? How do they stack up against other makes? (I have PSA ARs and non-PSA ARs, and I've bought parts and uppers from them.)

If I had a reason (aside from just wanting to...I WANT to do a lot of things, but am not going to GET to...) I might start accumulating parts. But right now, aside from, "Oh, cool! Another modular platform to mess with!" I have no perceived need or real drive to hop in that particular pond.

If nothing else, it gives us another gun thread to post in :D
 
Whats the point -
depends on your situation. Some people can't shoot rifle at their range, so this let's them practice rifle manipulation with a pistol rounds. Also to go along with this - price of ammo vs rifle rounds.

Compare -
Don't have a lot of seat time with other platforms. But I would day it's pretty similar to the CZ scorpion as far as felt recoil. The sig blows the AR out of he water here because of the piston. So smooth, but $$$.

Parts compatibility -
Most parts are. 9mm AR are similar to AR10's - because almost everything is compatible, but a few things in a few cases aren't. And it's not easy to find that info. The big gotchas seem to be bolts, buffers, and mag releases are different (a lot of that depends on glock vs Colt mags).

I've heard mixed things about the PSA - enough that I would steer clear. They would probably make it right, but I'd rather not chance it.
 
1. Its cheap to reload, less prep work than 223
2. Parts availability-some AR parts cross over, so if you're a trial and error guy like me you have a bucket full of used stuff. I have a Glock lower so its easy to find mags
3. Different and fun in the same time. If I hit a wall with the pistol, it can be fun to switch gears to a full length system with a red dot

Most importantly
4. Cause all the cool kids are doing it
 
Another one - How much point is there in a non-SBR 9mm AR? I'd love an SBR, but not planning to go through all the hoo-hah right now.

I have access to places I can shoot rifle, so that's not a big enough draw on its own.
 
It let's me shoot carbine matches on the cheap and it's a great suppressor host.

It uses Grock mags, shoots flat and has a great trigger.
 
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At local matches here (Mid Carolina range), PSA 9mms are failing every match, usually multiple guns. A PSA C-suite dude shoots there and never says a word.

I will be using a different brand for my 9mike build
 
11B CIB said:
At local matches here (Mid Carolina range), PSA 9mms are failing every match, usually multiple guns. A PSA C-suite dude shoots there and never says a word.

I will be using a different brand for my 9mike build
Click to expand...
What brands are you considering?
 
If you don't own a suppressor, I don't see the point in having one. I guess I could buy the "shoot cheaper using the same platform" argument.

But shooting with a can is where it's at.
 
The selling point for me was being able to share ammo AND mags with my Beretta 92 A1. That and it's made by Wilson Combat.
 
I will say if I had to do it over again, I'd consider a Glock mag lower...but the Metalform mags have been flawless so far.
 
BigWaylon said:
I will say if I had to do it over again, I'd consider a Glock mag lower...but the Metalform mags have been flawless so far.
Click to expand...

I just got the email this afternoon from Aim that CProducts 20 rounders we're back in stock, so I ordered 3 for $55 shipped. Hoping they perform like everyone on the web says they do. Apparently they're the only reliable Colt pattern mags not made by metal form.
 
RFMan said:
What brands are you considering?
Click to expand...

CMMG despite no Glock mags. Critical Capabilities I've looked at...undecided

JP and Wilson are $$$$$$$, Angstadt is close. Rock River makes one Id cut down and modify.

No good answers. But PSA is begging to fail from what I've seen
 
BigWaylon said:
I will say if I had to do it over again, I'd consider a Glock mag lower...
Click to expand...
Agreed. I have a mostly New Frontier Arms build. The firing pin broke really early on, but a call to their shop and I had one in hand a week later. One thing Ive noticed is that the bolt doesn't always lock back with the Magpul mags, but always does with the Glock factory pieces.
 
I've got an older Colt 6450 that functions great, both the C-Products 32rd and the Metalform 20rd mag work fine w/ fmj and Federal BPLE+P+.

Why do I own a 9mm AR?

Nostalgia...I was issued a Colt 635 for a while and I loved it and could make hits w/it far quicker and more accurately under compressed time frames and induced stress than the MP5N that replaced it, but both were excellent weapons.
 
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I built one using the PSA receiver and their bolt. Everything else was bought from all over the web. A few items (parts) were bought twice until I got the gun the way I wanted it. I might have 2000 rounds through the gun and never had an issue once I got the right bolt (Glock vs Colt there is a difference).

I could have bought one for less money than I have in the gun but it was fun playing around building it.
Love going to the range with a bunch of 9mm rounds. I will bring the AR-9 and the Glock 19.
 
JRHorne said:
I just got the email this afternoon from Aim that CProducts 20 rounders we're back in stock, so I ordered 3 for $55 shipped. Hoping they perform like everyone on the web says they do. Apparently they're the only reliable Colt pattern mags not made by metal form.
Click to expand...
If they work (never used them), that's not a bad deal.

Most of mine are PSA (made by MetalForm).
 
i have x2 new frontier builds (one side charging pistol, and one slick side 16" upper). I will say the 16" had a little more slop than I liked, but a shim on the front pivot pin fixed it right up. The billet receiver set for my pistol is flawless though. The machine work is impressive - I was not expecting that. Even my FFL made a comment about it.

The ONLY reason I got a 16" was so I could shoot matches with it. Didn't want to SBR my pistol, so this gun will be my match gun.

Like others have said - short barrel + suppressor = good times.
 
I built one for my oldest son for his 16th birthday. This was before PCC was huge. My main reason was ammo cost. When he steps up to the line and dumps a mag on target, my wallet doesn't cry as it would with a rifle round.
 
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Mine is mostly QC10 stuff and I love it. Superb quality but kinda expensive and when I was building mine they were out of stock frequently.
 
RFMan said:
So, now 9mm ARs seem to be a thing. I quite like the AR platform, and am in 5.56mm (a lot) and 7.62mm (a little). So, help me out here, and pardon the number of questions and the stream-of-consciousness...

1. What's the bottom-line point of a 9mm AR? What does it buy you? Is it just fun, or is there a real benefit?
2. Compare/contrast with other platforms (e.g., semi-auto MP5).
3. How much actual parts commonality with 5.56 AR parts?
4. The PSA 9mm ARs - any good? Reliability, cost? Good, bad, or indifferent? How do they stack up against other makes? (I have PSA ARs and non-PSA ARs, and I've bought parts and uppers from them.)

If I had a reason (aside from just wanting to...I WANT to do a lot of things, but am not going to GET to...) I might start accumulating parts. But right now, aside from, "Oh, cool! Another modular platform to mess with!" I have no perceived need or real drive to hop in that particular pond.

If nothing else, it gives us another gun thread to post in :D
Click to expand...

1. The point of mine is for suppressed fun. Not a competition gun, not for self defense, just pure fun.
2. It's cheaper than a scorpion or mpx. Plenty of glock mags already and had most of the parts laying around from previous AR15 builds.
3. AR15 lower parts kit, AR10 buffer setup. My biggest problems were with assembly. Obviously a ar15 mag lock block won't fit in a glock magwell and my LRBHO ar9 upper didn't fit in an upper lock block due to the hold open lever.
4. I have a PSA glock lower and though I have no experience with any other AR9 brands, I haven't had any problems with the PSA. Price is usually cheaper than most others and they're usually always on sale. I've had other people suggest a different LPK so mine is a BCM kit.

Overall, this is my new fun gun. It wasn't expensive to build and I can find subsonic 9mm for the same price as 223 if not cheaper.
 
I built a Angstadt Arms 16" about 6 months ago and now I am building a mag block ar9 that takes colt mags.
Mine are build for everything, competing, trunk gun, house gun... just a all around fun rifle.
 
11B CIB said:
At local matches here (Mid Carolina range), PSA 9mms are failing every match, usually multiple guns. A PSA C-suite dude shoots there and never says a word.

I will be using a different brand for my 9mike build
Click to expand...
What's failing on the PSA's? Is it the BCG, mags, failure to lock open on the last round?

I have a complete PSA glock Mag setup that I built to include using their AR-9 buffer and have about 2oo rounds through it. I haven't had any problems so far. I'm using the ETS 31 round smoke mags and shooting 115 gr JHP handloads. When I clean it I always check the BCG because I have heard of shearing issues but don't even see a wear spot on mine yet.
 
jmgdfther said:
What's failing on the PSA's? Is it the BCG, mags, failure to lock open on the last round?

I have a complete PSA glock Mag setup that I built to include using their AR-9 buffer and have about 2oo rounds through it. I haven't had any problems so far. I'm using the ETS 31 round smoke mags and shooting 115 gr JHP handloads. When I clean it I always check the BCG because I have heard of shearing issues but don't even see a wear spot on mine yet.
Click to expand...


There are two main issues:

1) PSA themselves and

2) The 9mm ARs


I'll start with 2. A lot of them have had disconnector issues, which have caused him to go full auto. Second, there have been quite a few with chambers which were cut too short. There have been other issues, like broken pieces and parts, mostly everything in the upper receiver. A lower receiver would probably be OK, but that leads to the first issue:

I've seen enough rifles with QC issues that PSA has failed to support when issues arose, NEW rifles

Tons of issues, no recalls, poor support.

Can't do it. I'll buy mags and powder and stuff but no more rifles they make
 
11B CIb, my AR-9 also when fully auto. i though that it was due to the trigger that I put together. Had about 3.5 break. Then put a couple more triggers in the gun with the same results (empty a 30 round magazine with 2 trigger pulls). Took the gun to the local smith and he changed the spring on the PSA bolt and never had an issue going full auto. Wish I kept that bolt and bought another one.
 
I think the answer to "why" is the same as so much else we do: because we can and it's fun.

Having said that, there are so many quality manufacturers that offer Glock or Colt pattern components that there really isn't a reason to buy PSA anymore. I'll have $2,000 in my setup with 2 different uppers, an MRO, and using expensive rails and the JP silent capture system. A basic 16" setup can easily be done for under a grand with a decent red dot.
 
I appreciate all the info. I'm probably going to keep watching this stuff from the sidelines for now. If HPA-type stuff passes, and can prices come down a bit...that may push me over the edge. I have other higher-priority stuff in the works right now to spend money one :D
 
Phulish said:
1. The point of mine is for suppressed fun. Not a competition gun, not for self defense, just pure fun.
Click to expand...

A great reason to have a gun, imo. Although I consider my comp guns "just for fun".

I started enjoying shooting a lot more when I started buy guns purely for the fun factor.
 
NKD said:
A great reason to have a gun, imo. Although I consider my comp guns "just for fun".

I started enjoying shooting a lot more when I started buy guns purely for the fun factor.
Click to expand...

All my other guns are fun too but always had a purpose behind them. They have all the bells and whistles to give them a "purpose;" even my 10/22 is put together for small varmints. I just wanted a fun reliable gun that I could abuse. So far I've put about 1500 rounds both suppressed and non with only issue being sometimes the LRBHO doesn't engage. But to be fair, it's frankenstein and the only PSA part is the lower.
 
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Schuyler Arms has Spikes colt mag 9mm lowers (come with pivot pin, takedown pin, magazine catch assembly and bolt catch assembly already installed) for $105.
 
S&WNewb said:
Schuyler Arms has Spikes colt mag 9mm lowers (come with pivot pin, takedown pin, magazine catch assembly and bolt catch assembly already installed) for $105.
Click to expand...
I'm trying to not order 2 just for GP.
 
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