I am an unapologetic B&T Fanboy. They make some of the highest quality firearms on the market. Unfortunately they also don’t make (or at least don’t import) some of the best firearms you cant buy such as the P26.
B&T only imported 400 of the P26 in late 2015. So even though the P26 is more or less a well built TEC-9, used examples trade for over $3,000 and are extremely hard to find. I happened across a used one at a once-in-a-lifetime price, so I jumped on it.
The P26 follows B&T’s general theme across most of their product line, polymer lower, AR style trigger, direct blowback, and high quality. Having both a tri-lug mount and a threaded barrel is a welcomed feature that I wish more manufacturers offered. I currently have an AB Phantom installed, which is a fantastic, lightweight, titanium, direct-thread, 9mm suppressor.
The left side charging handle reciprocates with the bolt, which is as smooth as it gets. Even the trigger is good, which was not a common trait of pistol caliber carbines in 2015.
Unfortunately, the B&T P26 does share two bad traits with the B&T TP9: the rear sight is thin plastic and feels like it will break quickly, and the folding stock locking tab is also thin plastic. The rear sight on the P26 was broken when I purchased it, and my TP9 rear sight and stock locking tab were broken within a year of ownership.
But I don’t care, I’ll keep this gun forever.
Full range report coming eventually.
The B&T P26… I have one of those! Got it from a county tax auction for a small gun store that didn’t pay its property taxes for a long time, the owner just walked away and refused to pay the taxes so they put everything in the store up for tax auction. Paid, I think, $250.00 for it at most, I remember that I did not bid anything over $250.00 on anything for that auction – walked away with several brand new guns.
That’s a better deal than I got. How is the rear sight?
Its a fragile looking plastic, I would not want to bump it against anything.
I thought you said it was high quality? “The rear sight on the P26 was broken when I purchased it, and my TP9 rear sight and stock locking tab were broken within a year of ownership.”
Every other part of it is top shelf, which makes the sight and stock that much more disappointing. It doesn’t need to be perfect to be high quality.
Yes, its a high quality firearm… its just that rear sight and locking tab. Its puzzles me as to why they did that, it doesn’t make any sense to go with quality in the gun for everything else then put that sight and locking tab on it.
Yes, surprising and disappointing from a B&T, a Swiss company known for quality. I wonder how much they saved $4. maybe $9?
Especially when you consider B&T’s demographic, I am sure they (me) would gladly pay an extra $50 if the sights wouldn’t break.
I don’t get why there’s a bunch of plastic direct blowback PCCs’ out there that cost an arm and a leg. To be fair to B&T, that includes a lot of other companies. What I really don’t get, is that there are people spending serious cash on them.
The B&T SPC SD PDW costs one testicle!
Well hell I’m done making babies, I’ll take a couple thank you Sir.
Pistol caliber carbine? Looks more like SBR. But who cares.
You caught me! I was just trying to prove to Jeremy that I can spell “caliber” close enough for spell checker to correct it.
I have one of the early ones:
the rear sight broke at least twice, the front sight is impossible to adjust for elevation (although it is supposed to, afaik), the recoil spring system broke and I got a free upgrade from B&T, the safety selector broke several times (I got now a set from HBindustries, but haven’t installed it), finally some pins started to move and I had it repaired, luckily B&T is here in Switzerland. And no, it’s not a heavily used gun, it’s a range toy with a B&T trilug silencer. Ah, yes, the magazines are finicky, in some of them the follower gets stuck when there are only 2-3 rounds left in the mag… if someone knows a fix for this? I might have to try to remove the spring in the top part of the mag.
B&T makes bomb proof silencers, but my first plastic gun from them will most likely remain the last one I buy from them, and I live in Switzerland…
Well after your report I think I’ll keep my nuts after all.
They will be more useful, that is for sure!
Sounds like anything from Oncegreatbritain an that has an engine or electrical.
I own around 15 of the B&T 9mm 30 round mags and have never encountered any issues with them in my TP9, GHM9, or SPC SD PDW. I haven’t had much time with the P26 yet but I will certainly report any issues in the full review. Don’t give up on B&T, sell your P26 and pick up a Gen 2 GHM9.
Nice
B&T has a really nice execution on their blowback 9mm but It really isn’t much more than a status symbol when compared to other notables in the category that do the same thing at 1/2 the price.
I sold all of mine but I am keeping the APC9 pro just to have a B&T in the collection.
Status is probably part of it for some people. I personally just like rare or unique guns.
I think I’d rather have a Beretta PMX once they start importing them. I wouldn’t pay a premium for something with fragile sights and a finicky stock. An expensive gun that breaks doesn’t seem very high quality to me.
If you want a B&T, there are better options.
I agree, the gen2 GHM9 is probably the closest equivalent gun that B&T currently makes and it is better. So is the SPC. I am pretty excited about the Beretta PMX which actually uses B&T mags, same ones as the P26 and most of the other B&T 9mm products.
For 3K a 9mm carbine I get better have a delay action other than blowback. Just saying there’s tons of nice MP5 clones or even a real MP5 on the market and other innovative products that are likely as good if not better quality.
Totally agree. If you want a gun to actually use go get an MP5 SBR clone with a nice red dot and a suppressor for the same money. The P26 is a safe queen for me, I will certainly shoot my PTR more.
It seems to me there were no import restrictions at the founding of America, so those bullshit ‘Import Points’ BATF rules need to be nuked.
And Chris? Have you considered getting with a machine shop with a CNC to make and sell more durable metal bits that won’t break when breathed on?
Smells like a business opportunity to me… 🙂
Not only have I thought about that I already have most of the stock modeled. I am dropping the sight off with one of my designers tomorrow. I am one of the owners of Black Collar Arms btw. Jeremy… we are making a replacement B&T sight and stock.
Okay, that’s pretty cool. You may as well make something to co-witness to a red dot while you’re there. 😀
Oh any chance of making TEC-9 parts? I realize the market isn’t where the MAC stuff is quite yet but I think it’ll get there with printing the way it is.
A TEC-9 clone that actually works would sell very well, in certain markets…
Probably not, any B&T parts made would just be to satisfy my personal needs.
Forget the Tech9, I’d like some spare parts for my KG9.
I’ll say up front, this is the first I recall hearing about this, uh, weapon. Don’t misunderstand. I like an SMG. They are effective. And a little fun. The PCC is a little lost on me. Pistol caliber 16″ barrel semi-auto? What passes for a rifle caliber. 16″ semi-auto today. Let me think about that. For about a second. Back to the topic of the article. When a large portion of the subject of the critique seems to be apologizing for sights, and other parts breaking, I could only read on with a sort of morbid fascination. This is a great gun. Except it breaks? Uh, no thank you.
Read on? I mentioned the sights and stock at the end, and I never said it was a great gun… The main appeal to me is that it’s rare and I got a great deal on it.
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