ar9-sbr-1

The pistol caliber carbine category has exploded over the last few years. Starting roughly around the time the CZ Scorpion came on the scene, 9mm and .45 ACP firearms have flooded the market, from the purpose-built PDWs like the SIG SAUER MPX to various AR-15 re-configurations. The trend started with the lower end AR-15 manufacturers. And now Wilson Combat is getting in on the action with a new line of rifles specifically designed to work with your existing Beretta, S&W, or GLOCK magazines. From the presser . . .

The Wilson Combat AR9 was designed from the ground up as the new standard in pistol caliber carbine reliability. The use of common 9mm service pistol magazines makes it an ideal choice for patrol, home defense and cost-effective tactical training.

Not simply a converted AR-15, the Wilson Combat AR9 has been specifically designed for superior reliability and maximum accuracy, while retaining the familiar handling and controls of the AR platform.  The AR9 is available with your choice of pistol magazine compatibility, barrel length, custom Armor Tuff colors and other accessory options to suit your specific needs.

Wilson Combat engineers have designed three unique AR9 lower receivers with last round bolt hold open that are compatible with the most popular 9mm service pistol magazines from GlockⓇ, BerettaⓇ and S&WⓇ.  These new billet machined aluminum receiver models also accept standard AR accessories like furniture, triggers, charging handles, buttstocks and optics, and incorporate an integral trigger guard and flared magwell for fast reloading. The AR9 series of carbines has multiple unique patent-pending features that make it unique to the 9mm carbine market.

The Wilson Combat AR9 closed-bolt blowback operating system is soft shooting and reliable with a wide variety of 9mm loads and exhibits flawless feeding with all common pistol bullet shapes, including hollowpoint and +P tactical ammunition.  The AR9 bolt hold open ensures reliable lockback on empty with your pistol’s factory magazines.   The AR9 proprietary bolt carrier group with heavy duty claw extractor and plunger ejector is tuned for exceptional reliability.

The AR9 is also an optimized suppressor host with minimal gas blowback and enhanced accuracy over other designs. Wilson Combat carbon steel match-grade button-rifled 1-10” twist 9mm barrels ensure that the AR9 meets our stringent quality and accuracy requirements.

The Wilson Combat AR9 can be ordered with your choice of GlockⓇ 17, S&WⓇ M&P or BerettaⓇ 92 magazine compatibility and configured as a pistol, carbine or short barreled rifle (all NFA rules apply). The AR9 is offered with your choice of fluted or non-fluted barrels in multiple lengths and various Wilson Combat designed muzzle devices.

“We have extensively tested the AR9 and it has exceeded my expectations for reliability and accuracy. When the AR9 is mated with a quality red dot sight and weapon light it is an exceptional training and home defense firearm for shooters of all skill levels.” -Bill Wilson, President of Wilson Combat.

For those thinking of picking up one of these bad boys, the weapon system’s starting price is $2,000. While that ain’t cheap, it isn’t all that far from the price of other offerings in the category. It’s also the standard Wilson Combat pricing model: way more expensive than the budget version but still low enough that the “it’s a Wilson — it’s worth it” argument still makes sense.

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65 COMMENTS

    • Love that Aero rifle, at least on first impression. Is there a reason not to like it? I love the idea of same caliber for pistol and carbine.

      • They take Glock mags. I have never owned or fired one so you’ll have to do your own research. I did handle one at the gun show. Looked like a well built machine.

    • Good tip. I’ll look into it. I’ve been seeking a quality 9mm carbine for years, but nothing I’ve found so far quite does it for me. Nice to have a new lead to follow up on, with a lagniappe of interchangeable calibers, too.

  2. “the “it’s a Wilson — it’s worth it” argument still makes sense.”

    Not for a range toy, it doesn’t.
    A 9mm AR lookalike is for those who are too cheap to by .223 or 5.56 for range plinking.

    I know there are folks who like pistol caliber carbines, but I honestly don’t see much of a market niche for one that starts at $2K and goes up from there.

  3. Unless it’s full auto I see little point to this. I spent less on my AAC 9″ 300BLK upper, complete lower and $200 tax stamp.

    • I agree, 300 Blackout is much more “Ballsy” to boot! I’ve got my 10.5″ with a Troy PDW and suppressor for less with tax stamps.

  4. It isn’t all that far from other options?!?! Are you kidding me?! Hey, I love Wilson Combat products, and use them quite a bit. But you can put together a super reliable glock mag AR 9 from PSA for around $600!!! That leaves a staggering $1400 for ammo, accessories, and a lap dance at the club…

    • Yep PSA Rocks! I have one in 7.62×39 7 inch and one in 5.56 10.5 inch CHF. Both are accurate as hell and run like a swiss watch. Not SBR’s – pistols with shoulder thingies.

    • I can never find PSA products in 9mm. It’s frustrating because you are right they are so good. They are always out of stock.

  5. police departments aren’t using pistol calibers anymore for patrol rifles, and mere mortals cant afford 2k for anything besides vacations.

    cute rifle. poor business plan.

  7. For those of us that balk at the price tag (myself included), I don’t think we are the target market. Remember, WC has done quite well so far selling to a higher end niche. I am always amazed at what kind of money people spend on guns (and cars, and consumer electronics, and whiskey 😉 )

  8. Nice but pricey. 300 Blackout pushes a much higher BC projectile at .45 ACP weights. IMHO, this is more “Show & Tell” than practical.

    • Until I get a larger home, projectile BC isn’t that high on my list of concerns for a home defense carbine……

      Magazine compatibility between one’s carbine and sidearm, is a nice feature, unless one needs the added capability (mainly range) of a rifle round. Where the two most fruitfully meet, is closer to the AR357 (Sig) than to a 9, but I guess general appreciation for that, is still a few years off 🙂

  9. I have 2 9mm SBR carbines and a 300 BO SBR, all three suppressed. While the BO hits harder and has more range, in a SHTF scenario, a 9mm SBR is hard to beat. However, at $2k, no thank you. Thats about what we paid for the ‘do it yourself’ AR9, 2x tax stamps, and suppressor…

    Also, the note above: There’s no reason you can’t fit the gun with an SB-Tactical brace to avoid lengthy bureaucratic ballistic bumbling

    It is my understanding that If the firearm starts as a rifle, you can’t magically convert it into a pistol (legally). If it starts as a pistol, you can temporarily make it a rifle, and revert back to a pistol.

    • Come on blackoutfan. It doesn’t matter if it’s a rifle or a pistol. It only matters what you tell the ATF guy when he asks you – and I would recommend you say nothing at all. Your lawyer will answer the question on your behalf correctly at a later time. These laws are amazingly ridiculous, imbecile, and are seemingly designed for nothing more but to harass gun owners.

  10. “Practical” is a matter of opinion. For people who want a system where their pistol and rifle match, they’ll be about this. For people that want something they can take to indoor ranges with caliber limits, they’ll also be about it. For people that are into “high end” they may be about it too. I’d be looking at a convertible lower like the MGI or a PSA, RRA, LWD or a myriad of other companies for a lower and building out as needed for a lot less bank. I actually don’t mind the idea of a mag block because it lets me use my $$$$ trigger in one lower and swap out as needed.

  11. Keltec sub2000 gen2, a butt load of mags, a couple cases of ammo and still save a lot of money and be able to stash in back pack. No thanks

  12. If it’s a 9mm carbine or “pistol”, it should at least fit in my backpack. CZ Scorpion it is until I find something substantially better. The folding brace adapter coupled with an Aimpoint T1 makes it perfect for a fun/truck gun, and you can legally CC it in Texas, but that’s not really the wisest thing to do.

  13. The pistol carbine market has exploded the past few years because it’s replacing the .22 rifle. The .22 use to be the recreational gun, but rimfire has become a stigma and if you can’t reload it, it’s worthless. The panic buying of 2012 to present may have finally been the nail in the coffin for rimfire ammunition.

    Not saying that .22 will become obsolete, it’s still the best TEOTWAWKI cartridge, but it’s not going to be the recreational round of choice any longer.

  14. At this point, I have yet to exceed $1000 on any individual gun purchase, and this won’t encourage me to change that practice. I’d like a 9mm carbine, if for fun if nothing else, but most of the redi-made ones are illegal in California. With a pistol configuration (and a bullet button) or a 16″ barrel (and a bullet button, this would actually be legal (at least for now), but way too expensive especially since you are only saving ten to fifteen cents a round on ammo.

  15. I’ll stick with my Beretta Storm. Even with the trigger job I’m still under a grand, and I can pick up actual Beretta 17 round mags on gun broker cheap. Besides is much cooler looking IMO. Lol

  16. While I have a desire for a Glock mag 9mm carbine as a range gun, I can’t justify the expense that they usually go for. Yeah, the ammo for a rifle caliber carbine is going to be more expensive, but to spend another $1300 -$1400 on a 9mm version or an AR is way more then building or buying a 5.56 version and spending the difference on ammo. Most people aren’t going to shoot it enough to justify the ammo savings. My rough (quite possibly wrong) math works out to 2500 round difference at that price range, most people would be lucky if they put 1000 rounds through a rifle.

  17. I’ll stick with my Beretta CX4, even with upgrades its still only about $750. I like pistol caliber carbines. I like high end AR’s….I see no purpose to a high end AR that is a pistol caliber carbine.

    • Exactly, I could also survive with 1911 pistol which is 3 times cheaper than Wilson, Ruger for example.

  18. New frontier 9mm bolt. 150
    New frontier 9mm barrel. 110
    Psa 9mm mag block 30
    Psa blem upper. 30
    Pro 44mag 32 round 9mm magazine. 15
    Crappy amazon key mod handguard 40
    Charging handle 15

    Thats,
    390 for a complete 9mm upper.
    For the whole gun you can get a complete pistol or rifle lower for 150 ish…..
    That’s way under 700 for a complete gun

  19. And I built my 9mm ar not due to the minimal price difference with 223, at about 100 pucks per 1k. But 9mm vs 300 bo. I can get 9mm subs for 20 cents new, under that reloaded, vs best price I have found for 300 bo subs is 60 cents a round. So for plinking and varmint control a 9mm suppressed ar is the bees nees

  20. My 9mm AR when complete will be less than $700. It will take colt SMG mags and they really aren’t thay expensive. I’ll save 1300 and spend it on other guns and ammo.

    • I love my gmr. 14.5″ pinned barrel and the exact same trigger and hardware as my Jp 15.

      Regarding the Wilson pcc, I thought my Jp was expensive. 2k is a bridge too far

    • They still are, outside the US. In the US, AR patterned guns has completely taken over the market for any weapon between a handgun and a safari rifle.

      Cue Uzi, a pistol caliber anything, ought to take advantage of the fact that it’s magazine fits in a grip well. Use folding stocks to turn it into an SBR, or a close froward grip to make it a more traditional subgun. Or just be a weirdo with a trench coat, concealing a huge, select fire pistol….

      Uzi like packaging, Glock/Sig/M&P/Beretta mags, some semblance of modern ergonomics and shootability, optical sight, .357Sig, and a few choice accessories to kit it out for a wide variety of less than full on infantry war missions…. Now we’re talking versatile companion to that compact or subcompact Glock et al.

  25. I guess I agree with most above: The only way I can really ‘justify’ my PCC is that it can fold in half and was cheap as sh*t (Sub2k). If I really want to get serious and go all SBR, 9mm just doesn’t really cut it. That’s where 300 BLK comes in (AAC MPW 9′). Is this thing gorgeous? Sure is. I guess if I had a spare 3k or so laying around collecting dust, I’d kit one up.

  27. I purely love camp carbines. My Uzi Model B served the purpose for many years, but there were things I didn’t like about it: Built like a rock, and just as heavy. Folding stock was difficult to deploy and retract. No last round hold-open. Optics? Forget optics.

    When the CZ Scorpion acquired a buttstock I asked them about a 16″ barrel, and they told me, “Nope, not gonna happen”. Then Sig came out with the MPX-9-C, and it was going, going, GONE! CZ then released their Scorpion carbine, but there is no prize for second place in this game.

    The MPX-9C is the cat’s meow, and I purely love the ugly thing. It has acquired a Vortex Sparc II and a Viper HS 2.5-10×44. Best feature about the carbine: The stock collapses flush with the receiver like the HK-9X series. Best group so far: Five shots of 115 gr Rem L9MMC FMJ in 1.25 inches at 100 yds with a 0-10 mph crosswind. We have some 124 gr L9MM2 OTW, and I hope to trim a few tenths off that figure.

    About the Wilson entry: I will never understand why people put a collapsible AR buttstock on a rifle with no AR type buffer. It makes the rifle 6 inches longer than if it had a truly collapsible stock like the MPX, and that’s a bug, not a feature.

    Charlie

  28. A 9MM AR is neat, and fun, and would fulfill a “bump in the night” role (albeit much better if it were a 2 stamp NFA gun, SBR+suppressor or a suppressed “pistol”), but the ballistic improvements of the extra barrel length are marginal.

    Going to 10MM, things get REAL interesting, as Shooting The Bull and his video testing the same 10MM loads through a 4.6″ Glock 20 and a 16″ 10MM Mechtech CCU showed substantial increases in muzzle velocity and kinetic energy delivered to the target. A hot 10MM load can be a bit of a handful in a pistol, but in an AR carbine, it’d be very controllable and devastating inside 100yds. The Aero Survival carbine linked above looks like a viable option, or Quarter Circle 10 is offering 10MM/.45 large frame Glock magazine compatible lowers now.

  31. Another “new” gun that is just an antiquated 60 year old design with a few different parts. And $2K for that 60 year old design? What a joke. Easy pass.

  32. You want affordable? Try Mechtech. They have affordable CCUs (carbine conversion units) for under $500. Primarily Glocks and 1911s. Very happy with my 1911 CCU. Made in the USA and they ship regular mail.

  35. Already have a Glock magged carbine. It goes bang every time I pull the trigger with not one failure to fire or eject in over 1000 rounds, is quite accurate out to 100 yds, and only cost me $350 new. After a quad rail, a red dot, flip up sights, a light, and 10 17 round mags, I am in it a grand total of $705.

  36. is it just me or is that magazine in the picture installed backwards? hard to tell but…

    • I thought so too, at first glance. Looks like a Glock mag, and I don’t see any viewing holes, so it isn’t backward. Must be camera angle.

  38. Medic
    Why Beretta 92 mags? The only is on its way out and has been replaced by the PX4 STORM. And for some dumbass reason, the mags are NOT compatible.
    And for $2000 of can buy a PX4 STORM and a CX4 STORM and have a ton left over.

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