A pistol-caliber carbine, also known as a PCC, is basically a sporting rifle chambered in a handgun caliber, such as 9mm or .45 ACP. As for a micro conversion kit, or MCK, it’s a chassis that converts a handgun into something more akin to a carbine or SBR.
Forums are ripe with debate over which is better, so if you’re here because you’re weighing the potential of one over the other, here are some of the relative advantages of each.
Micro Conversion Kits
If you don’t want to build a dedicated PCC, a micro conversion kit (MCK) is a good alternative, which will offer much of the same performance.
- Great if you already have a handgun. If you already have a handgun, you can convert it into a platform very like a pistol caliber carbine without buying an entirely new gun.
- No gas system, lower maintenance. A real pistol-caliber carbine will likely utilize a gas system (unless it is bufferless or utilizes a blowback action, which is also fairly common) in which case the carbine will need more thorough cleaning and maintenance in order to reliably perform.
- Requires no modifications to the handgun. One of the great things about micro conversion kits is that they’re compatible with a wide range of handguns and they require absolutely no modifications to the gun.
- Relatively cost effective compared to getting a whole new PCC. Not that micro conversion kits are cheap, because they really aren’t, but they’re more affordable in almost all cases than a dedicated pistol caliber carbine.
- Offers a very compact option. You can outfit an MCK with a side-folding stock which will in most cases render it smaller and more compact than comparable PCCs.
- Flexibility; you’re not stuck with the carbine footprint. One of the biggest selling points of an MCK is that you can take the handgun out or replace it as desired, giving you a much greater degree of flexibility. When handgun handling is called for, just remove the gun, but when you want greater stability, outfit it with the MCK. Just remember that you’ll need to recalibrate the gun after removing it because the zero will shift.
- Many micro conversion kit accessories are available. Lastly, there are a ton of micro conversion kit accessories available, ranging from thumb rests and charging handles to brass catchers and glass breakers and a whole lot of other useful shooting accessories.
Pistol-Caliber Carbines
A pistol-caliber carbine is basically a sporting rifle that’s chambered in a handgun caliber. Like MCK platforms, they offer a number of advantages of their own.
- Offers a dedicated platform. For some, having a separate, dedicated PCC, and not just a converted handgun, offers more value.
- If you build it you can customize. Whatever handgun you put into an MCK, that’s the performance you’re going to get. If you build a PCC, you can customize performance in terms of barrel length, BCG, rail system, and much more. It gives you more flexibility in that respect.
- You can tinker with the gas system and buffer system to dial in performance. The same thing goes for cycling. With a handgun, there’s not too much you can do. With a PCC, assuming it is gas powered and not a blowback action, you can get an adjustable gas block, tinker with the gas system, and even fine tune the buffer weights to dial in cycling and recoil.
- Also a compact option. A PCC might not be quite as compact as an MCK, but it’s still a good option. And, if you go with an AR-15 pistol upper and a handgun cartridge, it might actually be more compact.
- Run the same ammo through your handgun as your carbine. Ammo has been short for the past few years, and if you build a PCC that shoots the same stuff as your handgun, you can simplify that aspect of your shooting hobby.
- Slightly more power, contingent on barrel length. This is dependent on barrel length, but typically a PCC will have a barrel slightly longer than that of an MCK, since it’s just a handgun barrel. That extra barrel length means extra muzzle velocity, which in turn translates to slightly more power. It’s not a big boost, but it still deserves a callout.
Shop AR-15 Parts, MCKs and Accessories Here
Not sure whether you want to go the route of a pistol-caliber carbine or get an MCK for your favorite handgun? Take a look through the short AR uppers, short buffer systems, and micro conversion kits and accessories we sell here; we have what you need regardless of what avenue you ultimately take.
We also carry 5-inch AR uppers and even 4.5-inch AR uppers for AR pistol builds which are even more compact than PCCs, in case you’re looking for a build that pairs rifle-caliber firepower with a compact, maneuverable platform that’s easy to conceal. Take a look through our collection and get in touch with us at Sales@MCSGearup.com if you have any questions before you buy.