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Thread: Looking for an AR in 9mm

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Looking for an AR in 9mm

    I had a Kel-Tec and want something higher end. I had problems with the 30 round magazines so it was not something I would let the gf use as a home defense gun. Plus she had difficulty operating the bolt.

    The gun will be both a SD gun that the gf can handle indoors (.223 is too loud) and a cast shooter for plinking. Reliability is important. Having bolt lock back on the last shot is desirable as well.

    My understanding is that these are built on dedicated lowers as the standard AR lower will not work unless the hammer is changed....is that correct? I have an AR lower I could use for the build if it is suitable. I waded through pages of stuff on the AR15 forum and got overwhelmed. So if a build is too complicated, I will buy a complete gun.

    As my SD pistols are Glocks, I would prefer to use Glock magazines.

    Lastly, it should be a flat top as it will wear a Sparc dot sight.

    Any advice or or suggestions are welcomed. If there is a "Build an AR in 9mm for Dummies" book please let me know
    Don Verna


  2. #2
    Boolit Master



    NavyVet1959's Avatar
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    Why not the .300 AAC?

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    marlin39a's Avatar
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    Look at Palmetto State Armory. They'll be able to help you.

  4. #4
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    I have a cmmg 9mm. That thing has digested I don't know how many loads (1000s) from plinking to full power and with at least a half a dozen different bullets and has NEVER missed a beat. Not once. Uses cheap uzi mags too. probably the most fun rifle ive ever owned.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master



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    I've been looking at them quite a bit too. So far the Rock Rivers look like a pretty good quality gun to me - a bit pricier than the Palmettos. If money were no object I might think about the Wilson Combats. The lowers are dedicated and you can choose which magazine style you want - Beretta, Glock and S & W. Would probably choose the Rock River if I had to decide today
    Last edited by square butte; 03-19-2017 at 09:01 AM.
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  6. #6
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    Build one! Fun and it will be YOURS.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master buckshotshoey's Avatar
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    Why not a Mech Tech for the Glock?
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  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    Id also go with the PSA, you can get the lower cor glock mags and use what you already have.
    Not personally a big fan of conversions, rather spend a bit more and have 2 weapons myself

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Look at Thureon Defense.

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    .

    What about a 9mm Colt AR6951 ?








    Non-NFA 9mm Colts AR's are all over auction websites like gunbroker, & Bud's Gun Shop has them, along with many others (google can be your friend).


    http://www.gunbroker.com/item/630969841


    https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...2%2B1+9mm+16.1

    .
    Last edited by pietro; 03-19-2017 at 12:21 PM.
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  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    I built one on a GPI dedicated billet lower that takes the colt-pattern mags. You can also use a magazine block that fits a standard lower (Hahn is recommended by people who run submachinegun matches), or you could buy a Glock-pattern lower from PSA or any number of other companies. Brownells carries a few. YHM and Colt both make factory rifles, and Olympic used to make a 9mm AT that took special mags. Colt mags are modified Uzi mags, BTW.

    Next is the bolt. It used to be that the two magazine patterns required different bolt, but now there are hybrid bolt available that do both. The bolts will be heavy, as will the buffer, because you're dealing with a blowback gun. Make sure the buffer and spring are the right weight for the bolt as well.

    If I had it to do again, I would have waited a few months and ordered one from PSA, or ordered a factory rifle.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master 308Jeff's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by marlin39a View Post
    Look at Palmetto State Armory. They'll be able to help you.
    +1

    That'd be the way I'd go if I was looking for a 9mm.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master


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    I've had good luck with my Hi-point 995.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master
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    It looks like PSA is the way to go. Using the same magazines as the Glocks is advantageous to me.

    Thanks guys for sharing your experience.
    Don Verna


  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy 380AUTO's Avatar
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    Not an AR type rifle but I have a Marlin camp 9 that has never failed to function with cast or jacketed rounds. Will even cycle my light 9mm loads just fine. Will accept hi cap mags as well
    Proud to serve, U.S. Army Infantry

  16. #16
    Boolit Master


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    I had an Olympic Arms 9mm AR a long time ago. I shot it with every partial box of ancient leftover 9mm ammo I had laying around, it never bobbled once. I wish I still had it, especially with the kids getting old enough to shoot.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master Moleman-'s Avatar
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    I'd build one also as most places mark them up quite a bit for what they are. Spinta precision has a blem bolt (ramped for use with a standard hammer) and stripped upper for $150 and barrels from $100 on up. http://www.spintaprecision.com/combo...pper-receiver/ Get an inexpensive free float tube and an upper kit and you should be right at $300. If you're going to used There are three styles of mags they can take, colt pattern, glock or sten. I have a quite a few sten mags so the gas operated 9mm uppers I made used them and the blow back uppers I've made use them also. If I didn't have so many sten mags I'd likely go with the colt pattern. You'll also need a heavy buffer and a magwell block or a dedicated 9mm lower. They're fun and if you cast it doesn't cost much more than what they want for 22lr in the stores around here.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    The Rock River dedicated 9mm are great. My Dad bought one a year or so ago and it is really accurate with cast. A well made rifle.



    Quote Originally Posted by square butte View Post
    I've been looking at them quite a bit too. So far the Rock Rivers look like a pretty good quality gun to me - a bit pricier than the Palmettos. If money were no object I might think about the Wilson Combats. The lowers are dedicated and you can choose which magazine style you want - Beretta, Glock and S & W. Would probably choose the Rock River if I had to decide today

  19. #19
    Boolit Master

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    I just picked up an ATI carbine. Haven't put it on paper yet, but 147 commercial cast (only 9mm I could find in the house) was happily kicking up dirt on the berm at 100 yards when I function checked it. It takes Glock mags, comes with a fancy fore-end and collapsible stock, and can be customized with just about any AR accessory. One thing it doesn't do is lock open at the last shot, though it can be manually locked open with the bolt stop.

    http://www.americantactical.us/5355/detail.html

    I got mine for considerably less than MSRP.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master Moleman-'s Avatar
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    JSE surplus is another good place to get 9mm parts http://www.jsesurplus.com/ar9mm.aspx as is PSA http://palmettostatearmory.com/ks-47...ar-9/ar-9.html If I were to make a dedicated 9mm lower that took glock mags I'd likely get this blem PSA lower http://palmettostatearmory.com/blem-...sic-lower.html or their standard one which is another $80 or so. Past that it's basically just torqueing down the free float tube or barrel nut and the flash hider. There is no gas tube/block needed and the barrels themselves are easy to make if you have access to a lathe. If you do decide to piece one together, just start a thread on it any others that have gone down this road will walk you through it.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check