RFI: 9mm AR Pistol

[ASH556]

I’m considering putting together a 9mm AR pistol, short 5”ish barrel with my EVO-9 suppressor under a handguard SD style. I know there are a bunch of people making them these days with a bunch of different mag patterns. Who makes what and what works? Looking to do it on the cheap since it’s really just a toy. If Glock mags is an option that’d be cool since I carry and shoot Glock 17’s, but not a deal breaker.

Thanks for the info!

[nate89]

I wrote up quite the paragraph on one of the P&S facebook pages about this, but I'll summarize a few points.
1-bolt it critical, get a good one. In my opinion the JP is probably the best, I have also had good luck with the QC10.
2-QC10 is my preferred lower, but I have also heard good things about the JP. I'm sure there are others. I have used the COlt and Glock QC10 lowers and both worked very well.
3-I like using heavy buffers and heavier springs. Right now I have an A2 spring with a Vltor A5H4 in a standard carbine RE (usually a big no-no). There are also 9mm specific buffers that are longer, but I had this laying around and tried it out. Working well so far. I'm sure there are others with way more experience, but with my build (QC10 colt lower, colt SMG upper, JP bolt) I have 1k plus with no issues. About half of those have been suppressed.

[DpdG]

I have a 16" rifle I've assembled, but I suspect it would be the similar/same for a pistol configuration. I used a Glock mag lower manufactured by New Frontier Armory (many brand names are made by NFA) with a Palmetto upper and hybrid BCG. I'm running a standard carbine buffer spring with a Macon Armory buffer. The Macon buffer is 7.8oz and longer enough to not require a spacer. In total, I have about $800 into it, including $250 of optional furniture and optic.

My only complaints are 1) the ejector is secured with allen screws, which worked loose after the first few hundred rounds (Loctite fixed it) and 2) no last round bolt hold open. Otherwise the thing has run like a scalded dog for a few thousand rounds. The one thing I mention is recoil is no softer than a traditional 5.56 gun, due to the violence of the blowback action. I don't have access to a suppressor, so no comment there.