Got bit by the Glock mag AR9 bug. So I started some Google Fu to investigate build vs buy. Decided against building and ended buying a PSA AR9.
I bought the lower and upper separately from PSA as they did not have the combo I wanted in a complete firearm.
I got the slim Mlok railed 10.5" upper with the billet lower.
I then purchased the upgrades that I wanted. Most of which were external additions and a little bling.
As best as I can tell, most of these are just outsourced AR9 parts. It does appears that some parts are PSA, but most are not. The lower is New Frontier Armory without the last round option (for the Glock lowers anyway). The bolt is Kaw Valley Precision. The Buffer tube and brace are SB tactical......ect. The fire control group, safety, mag release and possibly the rail (which I think might also be Kaw Valley Precision) seem like they are PSA parts. So it's a piece meal assembly, not all original.
With that said, it looks like to me they choose some decent parts. And for the most part, I was pretty happy with the internals. I did make 1 change pretty quick. The lower came with a carbine buffer tube, a carbine spring, but the standard length carbine buffer at the heavier 5.3oz 9mm weight. This allows the bolt to travel farther than it should in a 9mm setup. So I installed a New Frontier polymer buffer spacer to limit travel.
After installing my Daniel Defense iron sights, off to the range I go to sight the AR9 in. Being new to the AR9, I was not quite sure what to expect. Definitely quieter than all my AR15's. Recoil was not that much different though.
I got through 90% of my sighting in, which the gun ran flawlessly, when I had a breakdown. The ejector in the New Frontier non-bolt hold open lower is held in with just 2 set screws that press it in place. So basically it's a friction fit. Apparently no one thought to use any Loctite and the set screws came loose. This allowed the ejector to come out of the groove it sets in and it jammed down into the magazine. This jammed the bold part way back and left the gun inoperable. Once I got it home, I had to pry out the magazine, which destroyed the plastic locking tab on the mag itself. It turns out the mag was dead before that anyway though because when the ejector jammed into it, it destroyed the feed lips.
I called PSA and they sent me a new ejector ($4 part on NFA's website). No compensation for the mag. Thankfully it was a KCI mag I installed a Wolf spring in.....Mag was only $10. I bought another mag and saved the Wolf spring to swap out again, the spring was OK.
I decided I was going to make sure this ejector never comes out again. So on the new ejector I drilled "dimples" lined up for the set screws to engage so they had some positive retention other than just pressure. Also, when I reinstalled the ejector, I clean everything really well with rubbing alcohol and smothered it all in blue Loctite. It's not coming out unless I really want it to.
During this, I noticed how much carbon was in the receiver. I have seen people complain about the AR15, but after only 130 rounds, the upper and lower were really filthy. I also noticed that my brass had a fair amount of carbon on the outside as well. Since the AR9 only uses spring pressure and bolt / buffer weight to delay opening, I was concerned the bolt may have been opening earlier than it should. However, none of my brass were bulged, so it was not to terrible, just not to my liking.
So while making ejector repairs I ordered a Tubb's 308 flat wire buffer spring and a PSA 8.0oz extended 9mm buffer. This seems to have helped greatly. Now the brass look pretty comparable to my other locked breech pistols in regards to carbon fouling on the exterior and it still is heaving the brass 15 feet or so with ejection.
I was very happy with the results during my 2nd range session. It could have been just a good day for me, but it seems to me that the heavier recoil spring and buffer may have tightened up my groups a bit. I know many say the heavier spring and buffer are supposed to reduce recoil. I think it does, but to me the recoil reduction was minor.
Since I know
I have some below.
This is my sight in target from today after repairs and changes. This is with iron sights at 25 yards with a full 33 round magazine.
Are hear are the pics of my final creation minus my VTAC sling.
I bought the lower and upper separately from PSA as they did not have the combo I wanted in a complete firearm.
I got the slim Mlok railed 10.5" upper with the billet lower.
I then purchased the upgrades that I wanted. Most of which were external additions and a little bling.
As best as I can tell, most of these are just outsourced AR9 parts. It does appears that some parts are PSA, but most are not. The lower is New Frontier Armory without the last round option (for the Glock lowers anyway). The bolt is Kaw Valley Precision. The Buffer tube and brace are SB tactical......ect. The fire control group, safety, mag release and possibly the rail (which I think might also be Kaw Valley Precision) seem like they are PSA parts. So it's a piece meal assembly, not all original.
With that said, it looks like to me they choose some decent parts. And for the most part, I was pretty happy with the internals. I did make 1 change pretty quick. The lower came with a carbine buffer tube, a carbine spring, but the standard length carbine buffer at the heavier 5.3oz 9mm weight. This allows the bolt to travel farther than it should in a 9mm setup. So I installed a New Frontier polymer buffer spacer to limit travel.
After installing my Daniel Defense iron sights, off to the range I go to sight the AR9 in. Being new to the AR9, I was not quite sure what to expect. Definitely quieter than all my AR15's. Recoil was not that much different though.
I got through 90% of my sighting in, which the gun ran flawlessly, when I had a breakdown. The ejector in the New Frontier non-bolt hold open lower is held in with just 2 set screws that press it in place. So basically it's a friction fit. Apparently no one thought to use any Loctite and the set screws came loose. This allowed the ejector to come out of the groove it sets in and it jammed down into the magazine. This jammed the bold part way back and left the gun inoperable. Once I got it home, I had to pry out the magazine, which destroyed the plastic locking tab on the mag itself. It turns out the mag was dead before that anyway though because when the ejector jammed into it, it destroyed the feed lips.
I called PSA and they sent me a new ejector ($4 part on NFA's website). No compensation for the mag. Thankfully it was a KCI mag I installed a Wolf spring in.....Mag was only $10. I bought another mag and saved the Wolf spring to swap out again, the spring was OK.
I decided I was going to make sure this ejector never comes out again. So on the new ejector I drilled "dimples" lined up for the set screws to engage so they had some positive retention other than just pressure. Also, when I reinstalled the ejector, I clean everything really well with rubbing alcohol and smothered it all in blue Loctite. It's not coming out unless I really want it to.
During this, I noticed how much carbon was in the receiver. I have seen people complain about the AR15, but after only 130 rounds, the upper and lower were really filthy. I also noticed that my brass had a fair amount of carbon on the outside as well. Since the AR9 only uses spring pressure and bolt / buffer weight to delay opening, I was concerned the bolt may have been opening earlier than it should. However, none of my brass were bulged, so it was not to terrible, just not to my liking.
So while making ejector repairs I ordered a Tubb's 308 flat wire buffer spring and a PSA 8.0oz extended 9mm buffer. This seems to have helped greatly. Now the brass look pretty comparable to my other locked breech pistols in regards to carbon fouling on the exterior and it still is heaving the brass 15 feet or so with ejection.
I was very happy with the results during my 2nd range session. It could have been just a good day for me, but it seems to me that the heavier recoil spring and buffer may have tightened up my groups a bit. I know many say the heavier spring and buffer are supposed to reduce recoil. I think it does, but to me the recoil reduction was minor.
Since I know
I have some below.This is my sight in target from today after repairs and changes. This is with iron sights at 25 yards with a full 33 round magazine.
Are hear are the pics of my final creation minus my VTAC sling.
