AR9 Building

1
I think I want to put together an AR9 Glock Block carbine. Anyone else done this? Do you have any advice to keep in mind while I am looking at components? I know I want a dedicated 9mm lower as they seem to be more reliable than a standard AR15 lower with a mag well adapter. I know I want an upper without a forward assist or dust cover.
Never smile too big, the gods may mistake it for hubris.

AR9 Building

2
Here’s mine. I think I may have discussed here before. Other than the lower (premium price bought during an earlier panic), it was built on a budget with most/all parts on sale. ALG trigger, etc. I still need to replace that gnarly castle nut, and buy dedicated flip up sites...

[IMG]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201804 ... 2c397a.jpg[/IMG]

I built it to be a dedicated platform for suppression. I MAY switch to a dedicated glock at lower, but have found that the G- block from Torkmag actually works quite well. A couple of f2fs early on, but smooth sailing since with about 200 rounds. Even the after market KGI mags work pretty well in it (spray them down inside with Teflon spray). I may also switch to one of those KAK adjustable buffer kits...

Neat stuff...All the AR taste and 1/2 of the AR calories -doesn’t eat your pocketbook...

Re: AR9 Building

3
That is really clean and tidy. I am probably going to go piece by piece (not stripped unless it's a REALLY screamin deal) but I have in mind a longer (16" to 18") barrel and an old school A2 stock. My goal is something about the same dimensions as my lever gun. If they were not so damned pricey I would look at the FightLite SRC lowers and a mag well adapter & 9mm BCG. Basically an effective faster carbine than my lever gun. I love it and would not hesitate to use it defensively or to hunt small game but I want something with more versatility. Also something that won't scare the non gun types so much. No one seems to care that my "cowboy" guns are just as deadly and in some cases more effective than the dreaded "assault rifle" with it's devious barrel shrouds and angled fore grips and removable box mags.
Never smile too big, the gods may mistake it for hubris.

Re: AR9 Building

5
If they're not on the shit list presently, and not sold out of everything as usual, Palmetto usually has some decent budget-conscious parts/sets/kits.
He roughed us, then he cuffed us
And he took us off to jail
No picture on a poster, no reward, and no bail

Re: AR9 Building

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SpaceRanger42 wrote: Fri Apr 06, 2018 2:10 pm That is really clean and tidy. I am probably going to go piece by piece (not stripped unless it's a REALLY screamin deal) but I have in mind a longer (16" to 18") barrel and an old school A2 stock. My goal is something about the same dimensions as my lever gun. If they were not so damned pricey I would look at the FightLite SRC lowers and a mag well adapter & 9mm BCG. Basically an effective faster carbine than my lever gun. I love it and would not hesitate to use it defensively or to hunt small game but I want something with more versatility. Also something that won't scare the non gun types so much. No one seems to care that my "cowboy" guns are just as deadly and in some cases more effective than the dreaded "assault rifle" with it's devious barrel shrouds and angled fore grips and removable box mags.
Since you said "SCR", I'll contribute my $0.02. It's a very nice lower/stock setup. Be aware of the proprietary bolt carrier group if you head down that road. I have a self-built 18" .223 upper on an SCR lower and it is an amazingly soft shooter and more accurate than I am (not saying much). It definitely helps soothing the "ARs are icky" crowd. I prefer the platform to the standard AR configuration and there's no "sproing" in the recoil.

Just a question, if you're looking for versatility, why 9mm? .223 would be better for just about anything except, perhaps, suppression which I know nothing about. And why 16-18" for 9mm?
Last edited by featureless on Fri Apr 06, 2018 2:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: AR9 Building

7
ErikO wrote:Most 9mm uppers should not ahve a FA as those are not really needed for straight walled calibers.
Agreed. But if it’s cheap...

Also, there are other non-AR looking 9mm carbine options out there as well. Ruger Camp Carbine “redeux”, Just Right, Hipoint, etc. all have been discussed here before. just pointing out if the intent is to have the capability without the “evil “ appearance.

Re: AR9 Building

9
Featureless- I already shoot and load 9mm. Having a carbine and a pistol that take the same gun food is a quirk of mine. On my bingo list still is a lever gun in 45colt and contrariwise a pair of single action revolvers in .357. The versatility is a bit more broad. I do shoot .223 in my target rifle, but that is all that it shoots (Ruger mini14 target model) but let me see if i can sum up my feelings-
Reloading- Straight Walled carts are generally easier to reload
Ammo buying- .223 is cheap and plentiful but 9mm is too and the variety in self defense rounds is nice. You can plink, protect your home or hunt for small game easily without going broke buying ammo
accessorizing- I was never really all that into the AR platform until I started to learn how customizable it is. I could have different barrels and muzzle accessories for different uses without breaking the bank and use all the other geegaws and doodads if i want to.
low profile- Let's just say I am hedging my bets, just in case legislation comes down the pipe restricting what caliber ammo a civvie can use. (unlikely but ya never know, also I am only slightly paranoid once in a while)

Yankee- You are totes right there are other options and I love them all. i really want the new Ruger PCC especially since I can get an adapter to take my pistol mags, and I really want a Hi-Point Carbine in either 45 or 10mm. I already have all the replacement rails, mag release bits and what not in a shopping cart for the HiPoint :)
The Ruger PCC is damned scarce on the ground around here, they are on back order pretty much everywhere and they are reasonable but still outside my immediate budget so I figure I will wait a bit and get one later. The AR build I can go bit by bit each pay check. I am looking at one of PSA's lowers but they NEVER seem to have uppers in stock and they claim that you need to match their 9mm lowers with their specific uppers. I have heard that this might not be true.
Barrel length- I like long barreled PCCs, carbines, scout guns etc. My lever gun is roughly 36" overall and that's the general dimension I am aiming for.
Never smile too big, the gods may mistake it for hubris.

Re: AR9 Building

13
SpaceRanger42 wrote:Featureless- I already shoot and load 9mm. Having a carbine and a pistol that take the same gun food is a quirk of mine. On my bingo list still is a lever gun in 45colt and contrariwise a pair of single action revolvers in .357. The versatility is a bit more broad. I do shoot .223 in my target rifle, but that is all that it shoots (Ruger mini14 target model) but let me see if i can sum up my feelings-
Reloading- Straight Walled carts are generally easier to reload
Ammo buying- .223 is cheap and plentiful but 9mm is too and the variety in self defense rounds is nice. You can plink, protect your home or hunt for small game easily without going broke buying ammo
accessorizing- I was never really all that into the AR platform until I started to learn how customizable it is. I could have different barrels and muzzle accessories for different uses without breaking the bank and use all the other geegaws and doodads if i want to.
low profile- Let's just say I am hedging my bets, just in case legislation comes down the pipe restricting what caliber ammo a civvie can use. (unlikely but ya never know, also I am only slightly paranoid once in a while)

Yankee- You are totes right there are other options and I love them all. i really want the new Ruger PCC especially since I can get an adapter to take my pistol mags, and I really want a Hi-Point Carbine in either 45 or 10mm. I already have all the replacement rails, mag release bits and what not in a shopping cart for the HiPoint :)
The Ruger PCC is damned scarce on the ground around here, they are on back order pretty much everywhere and they are reasonable but still outside my immediate budget so I figure I will wait a bit and get one later. The AR build I can go bit by bit each pay check. I am looking at one of PSA's lowers but they NEVER seem to have uppers in stock and they claim that you need to match their 9mm lowers with their specific uppers. I have heard that this might not be true.
Barrel length- I like long barreled PCCs, carbines, scout guns etc. My lever gun is roughly 36" overall and that's the general dimension I am aiming for.
I do regret trading away my Hipoint. Probably wouldn’t have if they were designed for glock or even grease gun mags. Also agree on the bit by bit strategy. I am officially a cheap B@st@rd...it works for me

Re: AR9 Building

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I've built two 9mm AR carbines. The first was mostly a PSA build, detailed here. The second build is a bit fancier and what I use for competition, details about the build here.

There are three major problems I've seen with 9mm ARs. First a lot of lowers are out of spec and the magazine isn't always situated correctly for reliable feeding especially with non-ramped barrels leading to FTFs. Second, many bolts do not work with many popular aftermarket triggers, especially drop in triggers because the hammer doesn't make contact with the bolt because of the way the ramp is cut. As a result, the trigger doesn't reset. The third problem is finding the right buffer weight and spring combination that works reliably for your loads. Again you can have FTFs and out of battery discharges. If you just want to shoot, I would say get a 9mm Ruger or a JP or Foxtrot Mike build. If you're building one, consider Foxtrot Mike (sold by Brownells or Primary Arms) or Taccom (nice ramped barrel) for components, I've had great customer service from both companies.

Re: AR9 Building

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Good info, Spara. I would not mind getting into PCC in USPSA too. One of the reasons I was wanting to go with a dedicated 9mm lower was the FTF/magazine issues I had read about with magwell adapters. Great info on your links, thank you! I would probably go with a lower price range on my components to start. The glory of the platform is the ability to also upgrade a bit at a time, hey?
Never smile too big, the gods may mistake it for hubris.

Re: AR9 Building

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SpaceRanger42 wrote: Sat Apr 07, 2018 3:39 am Good info, Spara. I would not mind getting into PCC in USPSA too. One of the reasons I was wanting to go with a dedicated 9mm lower was the FTF/magazine issues I had read about with magwell adapters. Great info on your links, thank you! I would probably go with a lower price range on my components to start. The glory of the platform is the ability to also upgrade a bit at a time, hey?
Check out the stuff from Foxtrot Mike at Brownells and Primary Arms. Their stuff is reasonably priced and designed to run steel case ammo. I have one of their early BCGs and I had problems with the firing pin. They were super fast getting new parts out and working with me to diagnose the problem.

Re: AR9 Building

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DamnYankee wrote: Fri Apr 06, 2018 1:04 pm Here’s mine. I think I may have discussed here before. Other than the lower (premium price bought during an earlier panic), it was built on a budget with most/all parts on sale. ALG trigger, etc. I still need to replace that gnarly castle nut, and buy dedicated flip up sites...



I built it to be a dedicated platform for suppression. I MAY switch to a dedicated glock at lower, but have found that the G- block from Torkmag actually works quite well. A couple of f2fs early on, but smooth sailing since with about 200 rounds. Even the after market KGI mags work pretty well in it (spray them down inside with Teflon spray). I may also switch to one of those KAK adjustable buffer kits...

Neat stuff...All the AR taste and 1/2 of the AR calories -doesn’t eat your pocketbook...
Wow, what is that grip?

Re: AR9 Building

18
Bang wrote:
DamnYankee wrote: Fri Apr 06, 2018 1:04 pm Here’s mine. I think I may have discussed here before. Other than the lower (premium price bought during an earlier panic), it was built on a budget with most/all parts on sale. ALG trigger, etc. I still need to replace that gnarly castle nut, and buy dedicated flip up sites...



I built it to be a dedicated platform for suppression. I MAY switch to a dedicated glock at lower, but have found that the G- block from Torkmag actually works quite well. A couple of f2fs early on, but smooth sailing since with about 200 rounds. Even the after market KGI mags work pretty well in it (spray them down inside with Teflon spray). I may also switch to one of those KAK adjustable buffer kits...

Neat stuff...All the AR taste and 1/2 of the AR calories -doesn’t eat your pocketbook...
Wow, what is that grip?
I think it was something from Fab Defense I bought on a impulse/whim way back. Had it in the parts bin, and when I was building this, I was trying to do it on a budget and use all the surplus stuff.

https://www.fab-defense.com/en/category ... grips.html

Re: AR9 Building

20
I went the Beretta Cx4 Storm route for a 9mm PCC. It doesn't take Glock mags--only Beretta, but my other PCC, the Sub2K, uses the same ones.
Cx4s can be pricey but one guy here in NJ stocked them for over $200 less than the other locals--I think I paid $640 for it. It's not as customizable as an AR in 9mm, but it's lighter, shorter, and still has a lot of options. Everything but the charging release is reversible for lefties (I'm not)--ejection port, charging handle, safety, mag release (this is a little trickier, but not hard).
You can upgrade the trigger, hammer and recoil spring assemblies. Plus, it's a proven, reliable design.

Just sayin'
"Even if the bee could explain to the fly why pollen is better than shit, the fly could never understand."

Re: AR9 Building

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featureless wrote: Fri Apr 06, 2018 2:38 pm
SpaceRanger42 wrote: Fri Apr 06, 2018 2:10 pm That is really clean and tidy. I am probably going to go piece by piece (not stripped unless it's a REALLY screamin deal) but I have in mind a longer (16" to 18") barrel and an old school A2 stock. My goal is something about the same dimensions as my lever gun. If they were not so damned pricey I would look at the FightLite SRC lowers and a mag well adapter & 9mm BCG. Basically an effective faster carbine than my lever gun. I love it and would not hesitate to use it defensively or to hunt small game but I want something with more versatility. Also something that won't scare the non gun types so much. No one seems to care that my "cowboy" guns are just as deadly and in some cases more effective than the dreaded "assault rifle" with it's devious barrel shrouds and angled fore grips and removable box mags.
Since you said "SCR", I'll contribute my $0.02. It's a very nice lower/stock setup. Be aware of the proprietary bolt carrier group if you head down that road. I have a self-built 18" .223 upper on an SCR lower and it is an amazingly soft shooter and more accurate than I am (not saying much). It definitely helps soothing the "ARs are icky" crowd. I prefer the platform to the standard AR configuration and there's no "sproing" in the recoil.

Just a question, if you're looking for versatility, why 9mm? .223 would be better for just about anything except, perhaps, suppression which I know nothing about. And why 16-18" for 9mm?
I drop Fightlite a note asking if their platform would work with industry standard for 9mm conversion. Unfortunately the very cool buffer system and BCG for their lowers won't accommodate the necessary changes.
Never smile too big, the gods may mistake it for hubris.

Re: AR9 Building

23
SpaceRanger42 wrote: Fri Apr 13, 2018 11:39 am I drop Fightlite a note asking if their platform would work with industry standard for 9mm conversion. Unfortunately the very cool buffer system and BCG for their lowers won't accommodate the necessary changes.
Bummer. It's a very cool lower, but doesn't work for everything. I've thought about slapping a 6.5 grendel upper on mine but don't want to wear it out with additional recoil forces.

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