How Effective Are Pistol Caliber AR-15s?

Recently bought a Stribog without doing research 🤦‍♂️. I got some mags in the mail before my background check came back. They were the worst designed mags I have ever seen. I loaded some rounds up and then started pushing them out with my thumb. The rounds constantly started just spitting out and started tumbling upside down in the mag. I immediately went back, cancelled the transaction and bought a Christensen arms CA9MM.

Most people will piss themselves at the sound of the charging handle dropping. However, my buddy is one the most B.A. military operatives I've ever met. He's used a pistol AR on a combatant who was drugged out of his mind in the middle east and essentially he got to the point he was chopping the dude apart to put him down. He is very, very adamant that if you're gonna rely on an AR for consistent lethal velocities it better be coming out of a 16" barrel.

Thanks for the INFO.

Of course they are effective…the question is why. You said yourself pick the right ammo … so what makes a pistol carbine better than a rifle carbine provided you use the appropriate ammo for the rifle ? We all know rifle rounds are vastly more effective at stopping a threat…. so I just don’t really get the whole pistol carbine thing especially with the advent of the AR pistol in 556 or 300. Are you telling me that if a nut job broke into your home and you had two AR pistols to pick from and one was a 9mm and the other was a 300 BO loaded with SST or Gorilla ammunition’s Hollow points …. you are grabbing the 9mm ? Nah dog… that’s a no for me.

Wait a minute…
Quit feeding into the "NAISMITH bad" syndrome, as if owning an NFA item. for home defense is bad or somehow illegal.
As far as getting arrested after defending your home, you can pretty much count on it, anyway and should have something like USCCA insurance.
That said, the fact that having to pay a tax for something that protects your hearing or is an inch shorter than it's "legal" counterpart is ridiculous enough as it is. Legitimizing their position and making people somehow afraid to exercise their rights, including with NFA items, is not cool. After all, if you have an NFA item and a tax stamp to go with it, thats your first line of defense as you had tonbe able to be cleared for the stamp in the first place.
If not for home defense, how many other reasons are you "legally" supposed to use them for?
The range? Going to battle with terrorists?
I realize my statement is a bit over the top but, I just wish people would stop being apologists for the very thing they're promoting because of shear paranoia at the reaction they "might" get.
Thanks.

Please stop spreading misinformation. AR ammo is not inherently prone to overpenetration. Look at the testing, AR shooting some standard SS109 or M855 penetrate FEWER interior walls than pistol rounds or buckshot BECAUSE they are traveling faster, tumble sooner, and fragment more rapidly, thus dispersing their energy and reducing penetration of interior/exterior walls.

What no Brigade BM9? What's up with that?

I have a CZ Scorpion for home defense.

Clint, you should do a whole separate video on the CAA MCK since you guys sell them now. I don't believe a lot of people know about them but I love mine. It's lighter than all AR9s and has virtually no recoil.

Stopped watching 1:30 in when this clown tried to make the argument that a pistol caliber has less chance of over-penetration than a 5.56.

Why would anybody not use Hornady critical defense/duty if you want to reliably cycle 9mm in an AR

Well the MP5 has served its purpose for years. If you can get the AR platform to spit out pistol caliber rounds reliably, then yes, the firearm is very effective for the cqb and 100 yard range use. ARs allow you to mount any optic easily so I would say ARpcc’s are a great package. Eventually this was gonna happen since they’re so popular.

Very! Less recoil in certain actions like radial delayed blowback. More rounds on target. Muzzle length etc. CMMG is the way to go of course! I want the 10mm. Add VG6 epsilon muzzle break.

T

What a stupid question to pose! Someone already replied something to the effect that the ability of the shooter behind the weapon is the key factor in effectiveness and that is true, but so are other factors, like whether or not you have immediate, unimpeded access to the weapon, your time available to react, the reliability of your ammunition and your weapon, the number of home invaders and whether they are armed or not, what types of weapons the home invaders have, the primary intent of the home invaders as well as their proficiency with those weapons. There are a lot of factors that will affect efficiency on the simple context of firearm choice, but certainly, pistol caliber long guns or AR pistols in pistol calibers are going to have some advantages as well as disadvantages over handguns, rifle caliber rifles and shotguns and vice versa. People should use what they are proficient with and feel comfortable using for home defense. Self defense pistol calibers are less likely to over penetrate than rifle calibers or full metal jacket pistol calibers and even 00 buck. Ultimately, just having any home defense firearm at the ready, every day, and having the proficiency to use it, are the two most important things one can do… after that most other factors become somewhat extraneous.

If they are the same caliber as Your carry gun well you have a back up. I'm not a fan of short barreled 5.56 rifles a bit over kill and you can't use the ammo for anything different like you can with the PCC. And you can make hits at a pretty good range with the PCC. However I like the longer barrel firearm not into getting a stamp I can use that 200 on magazines and ammo. Just another right we lost so the government can make money.

Just buy a pistol you dont have to mangle a rifle we already have pistols that are perfect for home defense. or a sub gun, this strikes me as gimmicky and fairly useless for any thing really. it might work, but its not good by any means at any thing but plinking

Crying in California as I watch this knowing that I can’t legally get any of these in my State. 😩

Thank you!

Every new home purchase should come with a PCC

Shoot at 200 yards all the time with my AR-pistol 556 , 10.5" , use frangible bullet's if you're afraid of over penetration , got a High point carbine 9mm but the 556 would be my go too !

i got a pc9 and i love it

When is someone going to recommend a firearm for homeless defense? Us homeless people need firearms just like anyone else.

My wife says she's never worried about over penetration. To The MOON ALICE!👊!

You did not address the current situation regarding the braces?? I do not want to spend my money on something that might be outlawed by the F*# king A.T.F. Having said that, I love them all..

my extar ep9 is bad ass!!!!!

I tremendously love the M1A1 shown in the video!!!!!

Home defense in todays society is a great deal and something like a 9mm pistol would solve most situations!

I have the CMMG Banshee in 9MM and 45ACP. They are awesome, especially for home defense.

I ordered that exact CMMG Banshee in burnt bronze. It was the last one in stock.. Now I know why it hasn't shipped yet…..lol
Great video.

I'd love to see more about pcc's… The CZ scorpion has my attention.. and seeing how all I have is 9mm I'd like to buy a gun I can shoot without having to search for another caliber.

The Sar 109T looks big enough to fit a full size ar-15 stock

FN57 on the hip
PS90 for the truck and home defense

Love the FM-9 8.5”

Not AR based but I love my kriss vector 9mm pistol which takes glock mags.

anyone that could take a pistol caliber bullet or two ..to the chest can talk shit…otherwise shut the f up

Been wanting a pcc for a while now. But I've been favoring the AKV from PSA

I always keep penetration in mind

*Pistol caliber AR15 pistol.

CMMG Banshee 300 9mm Mk4 ARC (AR Conversion) flavor using the 5.56/.300 PMAG format.

Get the lower registered as a handgun, then swap between 9mm, 5.56, and .300 Blackout by just swapping out upper receivers… CMMG claims that theses three calibers, using their CMMG uppers, run reliably with no change (buffer extension tubes, buffers, springs…) to the factory lower. There are other calibers that the lower receiver can be used with as well, some tuning would possibly have to be done to the lower though. One day I’ll hopefully get to try a 6mm ARC upper with no changes to the lower.

I’ve already changed out and added some things in the lower and the right now 9mm is a hoot to shoot! I have a couple more things that will probably make it an even more universal lower to the calibers of my interest.

But I digress… and actually… probably… all AR-15 9mms are a blast to shoot if they run reliably and they give you substantially more rounds than any small platform handgun WITH better accuracy in case of self/home defense… and I think that’s the point.

Thanks for the info,another great video👍🏿what would be your choice not as Clint from classic,but to put your life in the hands of out of the guns on the table???no offense by the way as “Clint from Classic” it’s your job to sell us stuff just interested in what you’re choice would be as a serviceman?

One thing I really appreciate from you is your closing. And, may I say, "God's grace and peace to you as well." Maranatha!

I got the CMMG banshee but with an 8 inch barrel. The additional space on the handguns really helps with being able to add more items to optimize for defense. Plus the slightly longer than average barrel helps increase the velocity of the 9mm round. If you load it with hot 9mm rounds, you might be able to get velocities comparable to average 357 magnum velocities. In which case, the 9mm is in no way underpowered for defense. Even with the extra length, the banshee is very maneuverable in tight areas, very ergonomic, modular, and accurate. One of my absolute favorites.

Love my PSA AR 9. Have a Sig Sauer Romeo5 on top. 30 yard bullseye every time.