Newbie AR question

[indyac]

I did a search and did not see anything on this topic, so I apoligize if I missed it.

Can anyone provide information on why 9mm is not more popular in AR's?

Is it becuase the .223/ 5.56 is the Military Spec? Thanks.

 

[DRob]

9mm ARs

Well let's see. Underpowered. Not very accurate. Not cheap enough to qualify as a plinker. Useless in a prairie dog town. Might as well have a .22lr. But that's just my opinion. Others may disagree.

 

[sloughfoot]

The AR has to be modified to function with the 9mm. Special mags are also required. I don't think it makes much sense to go through all that for a lower powered cartridge than the 223. IMO Especially with a semi auto. Now a belt fed 9mm might be kinda cool....

I know a couple of guys that have 9mm AR's and even they don't know why, after shooting them and thinking about it.

 

[indyac]

Thanks for the info. I knew there were good reasons, I just could not find them.

 

[Colt556]

I have a 9mm Colt Carbine and I love it. It's fun to shoot and mine is very accurate. The skinny mag has always looked funny stickin out of the bottom of the mag well to me though. The pistol caliber carbines are more useful in military/LE roles where they need more firepower but don't want the over penetration, noise, recoil, etc of a true rifle caliber carbine. Their guns are usually full auto and surpressed though. It can also be advantagious to have a carbine/pistol combination in the same caliber. The FBI used 10mm Carbines for a while... I'd love to have one of those as I love the 10mm cartridge and out of a 16" bbl it would be pretty damned accurate. Just IMHO...

 

[WhitleyStu]

I had a Colt CAR-15 (6450) and it is one rifle I wish I had never sold (especially seeing what the prices are now). Very accurate at mid range distances, but of course nothing like the .223. I considered it more of a plinker than a target carbine, but a blast to shoot.

 

[Stainer]

I'm starting up a project now to get one of my own. I think the reason there aren't as many 9mm out there is because there isn't any other practical application for them other than target shooting. You can use .223 for target, varmit, and zombies. But if you want a cheaper shooting experience if you are going price wise, the 9mm will be it. 9mm is way cheaper than .223

 

[cosermann]

There's no weight savings either as the 9mm and 5.56 cartridges weigh the same.

 

[shooter521]

IMO, 9mm ARs aren't more popular because:
1) until relatively recently, Colt and Olympic arms were the only sources, and the guns/uppers weren't always readily available

2) converting to 9mm requires some mods to the gun (9mm hammer, 9mm buffer, magwell adapter; the former two can stay in when shooting .223)

3) 9mm Colt-style magazines were, until relatively recently, hard to find and quite expensive. Now that other manufacturers have gotten into the game, this has changed.

4) people compare the 9mm with the 5.56 as if putting a pistol cartridge against a rifle cartridge is an apples-to-apples comparison, and don't stop to consider the advantages:

• inexpensive ammo (not a "plinker" in the sense of a .22, but WAY cheaper than 5.56)
• ability to shoot your AR at ranges that prohibit rifle calibers (indoors, steel plate matches, etc)
• for training purposes (see two points above)
• less flash and blast than 5.56; useful for introducing new shooters to the AR platform, or even for home defense
• maintains ammo commonality with your handgun
• allows much more effective sound suppression than 5.56

My

 

[Stainer]

+1 for Shooter521

All the reasons I am going to start a 9mm project

 

[Colt556]

I have to agree with you shooter. But I never thought of it as a 9mm vs .223 thing. I thought of mine as 2 separate rifles with 2 different purposes. I have the Colt 9mm Carbine as a complete rifle. I bought it and the Government Carbine in .223 when they were cheap, well cheap compared to today's standard that is. Some of my shooting buddies made fun of it until they shot it. Afterwards they all wanted one but there were none to be had. Luckily I got 6 32 round Colt mags with the gun. Right after that the mags were as high as $150 bucks each! Now mags are much cheaper and I've added a few more to my stash. The gun will shoot any 9mm I can cram into the mag, which is a major PITA to load btw, and keep on going. It really liked the hot IMI ammo that was supposedly loaded for UZIs that was floating around some years ago. I think the only addition to your comments that I would make would be that for those people looking for a carbine for home protection the 9mm Carbine might be a better choice than the .223. You get a carbine platform to work with and you don't have to worry about the over penetration of the .223. I love my 9mm and it's one of the guns that will never leave my possesion, well unless someone wanted to offer me a fortune for it! Once again this is just my $.02

 

[shooter521]

which is a major PITA to load btw

Then you obviously don't have one of these:

MAGLULA LTD SEMI-AUTO LULA MAGAZINE LOADER/UNLOADER at Brownells

You get a carbine platform to work with and you don't have to worry about the over penetration of the .223.

Repeated testing has shown that 5.56 M193 (55gr ball) will actually penetrate LESS in common building materials than a 9mm HP or FMJ. IMO, the primary advantage the 9mm carbine offers in the home defense application is its' reduced blast and flash compared to 5.56 (though discharging ANY gun indoors is going to be f-ing LOUD without hearing protection).

 

[Colt556]

Wow! I never knew a 9mm would penetrate further in a house than a .223 ball round! Thanks for that info. I have one of those loaders for my .223, didn't know they made them for the 9mm AR mags. See, THIS is why I love INGO! There is a ton of valuable info to be gotten by reading and asking questions. Thanks again....