Considering AR build in 9mm

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E.D.P

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I'm considering building a AR in 9mm. Any suggestions? I was thinking of going through Palmetto armory. This will be my first AR build and I'd like to go with a 9mm to accept Glock magazines....unless there is something else out there that catches my eye. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
I put a PSA 9mm upper on my AR lower and used a Hahn "magazine block" adaptor that takes Colt magazines. It's been good so far.

I've read lots of stuff, some good, some not so good, about the PSA 9mm guns and uppers. Mine works and I know a couple of other people who have had good luck.

There are a couple of different mag blocks on the market, most take Glock pattern magazines. I saw a SHOT Show video that ATI is introducing one. You can sometimes catch PSA "dedicated" pistol magazine lowers on sale for less than the cost of a mag block plus a standard lower.

The PSA design is straight blowback. There are some alternative AR-ish designs, such as the CMMG Guard and the Sig MPX, that are worth a look.
 
My buddies and I have bought or assembled a few 9mm ARs, and they have become some of our favorite rifles. Inexpensive to shoot, moderate recoil, and without the loud blast that a similar 223 rifle would have. We really have fun with them on steel targets and other offhand rapid fire shooting.

For the price, and if you do not care to assemble your own AR, the Palmetto glock 9mm has been a reliable shooter for us. Since there is no standard for these rifles, unless you get a complete factory rifle, you have to select your components carefully so they are all compatible with each other. The dedicated glock lowers we got came with factory heavy buffers, but I added a plastic buffer spacer to the tube because that buffer is a bit too short to prevent damage to the "bolt hold open" part. (that's just one of the details you have to learn about when you build your own rifle)

But our favorite rifle is the lightest one. I assembled an upper with a 16" faxon barrel, ALG free float handguard, and Spinta Precision bolt. That is a very light upper, so it handles great and has good accuracy. You can get dedicated Colt magazine lowers, or dedicated Glock lowers. Both function well. I prefer the colt lowers because they have a very reliable "last round bolt hold open" function. The Glock dedicated lowers also function well, but not all of them hold open on the last round. The colt lower works 100%, all of the time with no finicky extra parts in my rifles, both dedicated lower and magazine block.

Finally, if you get only a 9mm upper, but have a 223 lower, you can get a magazine adaptor block to use your 9mm uppper. For a long time there were only Colt mag adaptors, but recently a few Glock mag adaptors have hit the market. I have had very good functioning with the colt style KAK industry 9mm mag block. I have not tried a glock mag block.

I would definitely recommend getting a 9mm AR. In fact, get 2, so you have a spare! Mine run great with $8 per box of 50 wolf steel case ammo and are a lot of fun to shoot. We blast up a storm with $20 to $40 in ammo and have a good afternoon at the range.
 
IF you are set on the Glock style, as opposed to the Colt style... keep in mind most Glock type lowers DO NOT have a Last Round Bolt Hold Open The Colt style does. That's why I chose the Colt style. I have two CMMG 9mm ARs, one Pistol, one Carbine. They are excellent, and the Colt style mags are easy to find online, and are inexpensive.
 
thumbnail_IMG_0595.jpg

Bottom is Stag ,colt mags 9mm,middle is its twin in .556 ,new addition not shown is the triplet in 7.62x39. All exactly the same except for caliber.And of course the top is my varmint medicine :evil::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
Last round bolt hold open is nice but it's not a necessity to me. I will definitely look more into the colt mags before deciding though, thanks guys!
 
There are more accessories for the AR platform.
Here are a few that I built.
IMG_5693.JPG IMG_5975.JPG IMG_0020.JPG

I'm about to build an AR9 pistol. I'll be using the Joe Bob Outfitter's Spartan lower that takes Glock mags.
There are a few new lowers with LRHO that take Glock mags.
New Frontier Armory makes an upper that gives you the LRHO with Glock mags.

Sylvan Arms 9mm Glock Conversion Block is a drop-in unit that will let you convert a standard lower to 9mm.
http://www.primaryarms.com/sylvan-arms-9mm-glock-conversion-block-gcb100
GCB100_00.jpg
 
ive got a 16 inch colt mag cmmg and it runs like a sewing machine and will shoot a 1.5 inch group at a 100 yards with loads it likes. I love it. I also have a 4 inch palmetto arms AR pistol with a kak brace that I just got notification should be here on Thursday. I know if it runs like the cmmg I will be one happy camper. I can cast my own bullets and load 5 or 6 9mm shells for the cost of one 5.56. it costs me 4 grains of powder and a primer and my time. With the prices of 22lr shells of late I can shoot handloaded 9s about as cheap and there a heck of a lot more fun. Ive got 8 ARs and every time I take one of my grandkids to the range they want me to take that 9mm along. If the liberals don't ruin it maybe next year when I got some more gun money saved up ill even buy a binary trigger for that little 4 inch gun.
 
FYI, there's an active 9mm carbine build thread you can reference for your build - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...es-and-what-parts-did-you-use-and-why.825314/

I have built several 9mm carbines using mag blocks and dedicated Glock lowers along with PSA complete uppers with bolts. In the past, bolts came cut different to clear Colt or Glock magazines but now, most bolt bottoms are cut to clear both Colt/Glock magazines.

With carbine recoil spring, I found 19-22 oz combined weight of buffer and bolt produces more comfortable felt recoil. 16-18 oz combined weight produces harsher felt recoil.

PSA bolt 14.7 oz + PSA buffer 5.3 oz = 20 oz combined weight and produces comfortable felt recoil with various 9mm loads. Since 9mm carbines are blowback, for longest "in battery" time for more consistent chamber pressures (and not get case base bulged brass), use heaviest buffer that will reliably cycle the bolt. With 20 oz combined weight, my 9mm carbines will cycle even lighter target loads (115 gr RMR FMJ with 4.6 gr W231/HP-38 or 4.1-4.2 gr Red Dot/Promo) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-what-am-i-in-for.824002/page-3#post-10606695

For reference:

- H1 buffer weighs 3.8 oz
- H2 buffer weighs 4.6 oz
- H3 buffer weighs 5.4 oz

IF you are set on the Glock style, as opposed to the Colt style... keep in mind most Glock type lowers DO NOT have a Last Round Bolt Hold Open The Colt style does.
Last round bolt hold open is nice but it's not a necessity to me.
Well now, shooters of AK variants HAVE NOT complained about not having LRBHO ... :eek::D

I started building 9mm carbines on AR lowers using mag blocks (both metal and polymer) and would definitely recommend metal mag blocks. BUT since quality mag blocks cost about the same or more than dedicated 9mm lowers, I would suggest considering dedicated lower over mag block option.

If you want LRBHO for dedicated Glock lowers, there are upper and lower receiver options.

I'm about to build an AR9 pistol. I'll be using the Joe Bob Outfitter's Spartan lower that takes Glock mags.
I have built 4 carbines on Joe Bob Outfitter's Spartan Glock lowers and quite happy with them. BTW, Joe Bob Spartan lowers are made by New Frontier Armory but at lower price of $149 and free shipping - https://www.joeboboutfitters.com/Sp...ine-Compatible-Billet-Lower-p/jb-spartan9.htm

Both NFA and JBO sell LRBHO option for upper receiver.

Joe Bob Outfitter also sells Spike's Tactical dedicated lowers in both Colt and Glock pattern lowers for $157 with LRBHO - https://www.joeboboutfitters.com/Pistol-Caliber-AR-Lower-Receivers-s/176650.htm

When I did my pistol build, I went with something with a bit more punch and did a .45 APC from Macon Armory.
If you want to shoot multiple calibers, consider Just Right carbine. Since mag well is modular, swapping out barrel/bolt/magwell using conversion kit allows switching to 9mm, 357 Sig, 40S&W, 10mm and 45ACP. Just Right offers mag wells to accept Glock or M&P magazines and with takedown tube, makes swapping barrels quick and easy - https://www.justrightcarbines.com/product/takedown-tube-2/

Caliber conversion kits - https://www.justrightcarbines.com/product/caliber-conversion-kit/
Glock mag well - https://www.justrightcarbines.com/product/glock-magwell-assembly/
M&P mag well - https://www.justrightcarbines.com/product/mp-magwell-assembly/

Case ejection and bolt are ambidextrous and with 1:16 twist rate barrel (instead of more common 1:10), I find JR carbine to be more accurate than PSA uppers and use 9mm/40S&W/45ACP barrels for accuracy testing - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/testing-pistol-loads-rests.834622/page-2#post-10799867

Here's JR carbine at 2018 Shot Show.

 
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Stop it guys. :) Y'all have me thinking about a 9mm AR. Seems logical with all my 9mm pistols.

-Jeff
 
What, You don't have one yet?:eek:
I'm in the same boat and don't have one yet. I can't decide between a mag block and a dedicated lower. I can say that i hate the way the glock mag looks angled back out of the receiver, but glock mags make so much sense! I am presently putting together my SBR ( lower is getting engraved as we speak) so maybe a mag block.... And a colt mag dedicated pistol....
 
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