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June 6th, 2016, 11:10 PM #1
9mm vs 5.56 AR Pistol Build - UPDATE: 5.56 - Help me Build One!
I've been kicking around the idea of a AR pistol for a few years.
Back when the arm braces were the rage (before the "no shouldering" thing) I had intended to get one. I love me a short rifle and never met a carbine I didn't like, so the shorter the better - an AR "pistol" would be perfect. I thought it would make for a handy house gun as well. Then the whole ATF thing came about and money got harder to come by, and I just shelved the idea.
Well, now that I have 3/4 of the parts required to build a 9mm AR carbine, the thought occurred to me that since the 9mm isn't going to have the range of a 5.56 in a carbine, would it make any sense to build a 9mm as a pistol using a KAK Shockwave Blade instead of a carbine?
I know the "correct" answer is "build both" and that may eventually happen one day, but for now I'm just interested in the good and the bad for each.
Random thoughts/ponderings that may be helpful:
- In my novice mind, I tend to think that shorter barrels are better than longer ones (like 11") that don't really give you much more in the way of compactness than a carbine, so why bother doing a "pistol"?
- I have zero interest in a suppressor. None. At all. Not going to happen.
- I have zero interest in a SBR. Not going to happen. I can barely afford to buy parts one at a time, so I'm not spending more on stamps.
- Is it realistic to consider a 9mm AR pistol for home defense? Are there reliability issues that would make a 5.56 a better choice in that regard?
- I currently have two lowers on hand to work with. One is a standard Anderson stripped lower that was purchased that way - new/never used.
The other is a GWACS CAV-15 MKII lower. (obviously this can not be used for a pistol)
I started thinking that if a 5.56 would be a better choice for a pistol, I may use the CAV-15 lower for my 9mm carbine build instead of using the Anderson AR lower like I had originally planned and use the Anderson lower for a 5.56 pistol.
(is that too confusing?)
- I assume either caliber will be loud - very loud - in pistol length. I also assume the muzzle flash will be "harsh".
As I understand it, the shorter the barrel, the worse it is on both counts.
How do the 9mm vs 5.56 compare in this regard?
- I'm told 9mm has more felt recoil as it's a blowback design. My wife can shoot the 5.56 AR. Not sure more recoil would be desirable for her.
(on that note, shooting rifles/carbines is not easy for her due to back problems, so I wondered if a pistol AR may be easier for her to shoot if she so chooses)
- Money. I'm not made of it - keep the suggestions realistic from a financial standpoint.
Thoughts?
EDIT: See post #36 for update. I've decided to go 5.56 for a pistol.Last edited by Emptymag; June 16th, 2016 at 06:21 PM.
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June 6th, 2016, 11:49 PM #2
Re: 9mm vs 5.56 AR Pistol Build - Pros and Cons
I, the same as you, went through this thought process recently and I chose the longer 10.5" 5.56 over the 9mm. I dream of making a 9mm ar that takes Glock mags and the new psa lowers look pretty good.
I chose to build in 5.56 because I found the upper with bcg and ch for a good price and I couldn't help but finish the build.
I think a Glock magged shorter barreled pistol make more sense for HD because the flames out of the 5.56 are ridiculous.Go head, skin it. Skin that smoke wagon and see what happens.
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June 6th, 2016, 11:58 PM #3
Re: 9mm vs 5.56 AR Pistol Build - Pros and Cons
I never shot an Ar pistol that had a brace on it... but with out any kind of brace they seem awkward TO me
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June 7th, 2016, 12:48 AM #4
Re: 9mm vs 5.56 AR Pistol Build - Pros and Cons
I had a 9mm and 5.56 pistol, IMO both are a waste without a stock. If it were me since a SBR is not in your plans, I'd build a carbine.
As for the recoil difference, the 9mm has a different feel due to blowback and it has less recoil than a 5.56, unless you set up your 5.56 with an adjustable gas block and brake, you can virtually eliminate muzzle rise and keep felt recoil to a minimum.
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June 7th, 2016, 01:13 AM #5
Re: 9mm vs 5.56 AR Pistol Build - Pros and Cons
I already have a 9mm mag block insert for Colt style 9mm mags. (and a handful of 32 rd mags)
If I didn't already have the lower I wouldn't have gotten the mag block - I'd have gotten a Glock mag lower. (I have a G19 and a handful of 33 rd Glock mags)
Maybe once I decide which way I'm going with the 9mm build, I'll do the other version using a Glock mag lower sometime down the road?
I was all set to finish this carbine build once I pick up some extra work and all of a sudden I got it in my head to consider a pistol build.
Yeah, huge fireballs are not really desired, so that's why I figured I'd ask for some info from those who have them.
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June 7th, 2016, 07:01 AM #6Banned
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Re: 9mm vs 5.56 AR Pistol Build - Pros and Cons
Can't really see the benefit of any pistol caliber SBR/AR pistol to be honest.
Yeah the 5.56 loses a lot of energy coming out of such a short barrel but it's still more powerful than a 9mm round.
I guess the biggest thing is ammo cost in the long run. I question cost savings since you can end up saving a lot on mags just sticking to 5.56 unless your AR pistol takes mags from a pistol you already own.
Other than ammo cost I don't see much of any other benefit of going with 9mm.
I've got an AK pistol that is 5.56 and I barely feel any real difference in felt recoil to my 16 inch AR-15.
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June 7th, 2016, 07:43 AM #7
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June 7th, 2016, 08:47 AM #8
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June 7th, 2016, 09:02 AM #9
Re: 9mm vs 5.56 AR Pistol Build - Pros and Cons
Id prefer a 8-10" 9mm for home defense, 556 in a short barrel loses too much energy and gains too much flash/noise (and I like flash/noise) 9mm sha a sproingy feeling recoil kinda like an AR when comparing to an AK but even more springy.
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June 7th, 2016, 09:09 AM #10Grand Member
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Re: 9mm vs 5.56 AR Pistol Build - Pros and Cons
Short barrel ars in 5.56 are ungodly loud. If you're going to use it indoors ever the flash can is a must. It's still going to ring your bell though.
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