The rise in popularity of pistol-caliber carbines, or PCCs, may be new, but the PCC itself is not. Just look at the HK MP5, which has been a rock-solid SMG for something like 60 years, and which is coveted for duty use and by civilians alike.

Modern pistol-caliber carbines are attractive to shooters around this country, and for quite a variety of good reasons. Here are some of the best ones in defense of building with a 9mm AR  upper.

Why Build with a 9mm AR Upper?

If you’re interested in getting an assembled upper to complete a 9mm PCC, but want some justification rather than that you just “want it,” here’s some good ammo for you.

1. Compact footprint

This is certainly not exclusive to PCCs. After all, short barrel uppers chambered in .223, and AR15 pistol uppers that offer the same, are also quite compact.

Be that as it may, there are pistol-caliber uppers that can produce fairly compact platforms, which are thereby suitable for some shooters in close-quarters engagements, especially indoors.

This alone makes them attractive - although you shouldn’t rule out the possibility of building an AR15 pistol or an SBR with a kit.

2. Lower recoil

For what it’s worth, 9mm produces a lot less recoil than some of the cartridges that AR rifles are sometimes chambered in. Consider .50 Beowulf or 6.5 Creedmoor or even 7.62 Soviet. All of these kick a lot harder than 9mm.

It’s close - not like there’s a huge difference. And the truth is, 9mm produces more recoil than .223 or 5.56, so in those scenarios, it’s actually not a sell.

But consider this…

3. They can be easier to suppress

Alright, so technically 9mm actually produces a little more recoil than .223 and 5.56. But here’s another trick up the sleeves of pistol-caliber carbines. They can be easier to suppress, so it more or less evens out.

Pistol calibers, specifically subsonic pistol calibers, are easier to suppress than rifle calibers and on top of that are more reliable - a problem that plagues some ARs.

So, if you’re planning on running a suppressor, you might want to give a little extra thought to a  9mm AR upper.

4. Great for competition

Here’s a great reason to invest in a complete 9mm assembled upper for your next build - you compete, especially in 3-gun.

You’ll need a rifle and a pistol for that. If your AR is in a pistol caliber, you can engineer it so that you use the same ammo for both guns. In fact, you may even be able to get away with using the same magazines.

That can streamline operations and make interchangeability easier, not to mention you can make it easier to load your best.

5. They’re more affordable

While the price of ammo is still lingering at historic highs, there are ways to get 9mm ammo (and some other pistol calibers) at lower prices than their centerfire counterparts, and in some cases, substantially so.

If you shoot a lot, this can constitute the difference between burning a hole in your wallet and saving a bit at the range or in competition.

6. They may be allowed at indoor ranges

Here’s an unfortunate truth about rifle-caliber AR platforms. They are often not allowed at indoor ranges. Not only do they produce punishing muzzle blasts, but the ammo can be damaging to target frames and backstops.

By contrast, many indoor ranges will allow the use of PCCs, perhaps even in some cases where the range is a handgun-only range. Of course you will need to get permission in those instances but it’s still better than being verboten from the outset.

7. They’re great as defensive platforms

There’s a reason that handguns are commonly used as defensive applications, and it isn’t all about maneuverability and compact footprint.

The cartridges produce a good balance between recoil and stopping power and also, most of them produce a fairly low risk of overpenetration. They are slower moving, heavier, and produce wider wound channels than narrower, spitzer rifle bullets that present a much higher risk of overpenetration.

Just one more great reason to consider a 9mm AR upper for a defensive build.

Looking for a 9mm Assembled Upper?

Here for an assembled upper to use in your build project for a PCC, whether for competition or home defense? We can help with that. We carry a wide range of assembled uppers in an equal variety of lengths and other configurations, many of them in pistol calibers.

On top of that, we sell piecemeal uppers, parts and kits, including gas systems, barrels, charging handles, handguards, bolt carrier groups, and muzzle devices. We also carry lower parts, hardware, and other shooting accessories and attachments. For more information on these or on 9mm AR upper receivers and builds in general, get in touch with us at Sales@MCSGearup and we’d be happy to help.