[chefduane]

I've been looking a lot lately at some AR pistols I find really interesting. I know that there are not a lot of AR pistol fans out there but I would be interested to hear any feedback from those here that have owned one or know anything about the platform. Building one is probably not a option at this point as I do not yet have the expertise or time to complete a project like that so my preference is to just buy one ready to go out of the box. Both the Springfield Saint and Sig M400 are very attractive but I think a bit out of my price range. Palmetto looks interesting with the Shockwave but I also like the ATI Omni Hybrid Maxx and its only $350 or so. So... any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[bobbojama]

ATI Omni Hybrid Maxx - The biggest complaint I found is the use of Polymer uppers and lowers and the potential for breaking at the buffer tube. They/ATI seem to have fixed this issue with the addition of metal/zink/zamak reinforcements at the perceived weak points. I Do NOT own one, but I am interested in getting one now that they have a LIFETIME Warranty on the Polymer parts. I would also like to see any feedback from actual owners rather than pro/paid reviewers.... What would the maximum round counts be for the poly upper and lower ...



https://www.americantactical.us/warranty.html

 

[Lomax]

Never really warmed up to the poodle shooter round or the AR platform. With current saturation of the AR market, there ought to be lots of deals to be had.

I'm more inclined towards a short .30 cal. carbine with an underfolder stock.

 

[Car_Doc]

My AR is not a pistol, but it does have the Omni Hybrid lower. I've got couple thousand rounds downrange with no odd wear on any of the parts. I like the hybrid lower because it makes the rifle a little nose heavy, stays on target pretty well in rapid fire.

 

[Aggie]

I have a good 300 Blackout with a Leupold 1-4 scope

Look hard at the caliber first. The 5.56X45mm is less than ideal in a shorter barrel pistol.

Look over the CMMG caliber.

https://www.cmmginc.com/product-category/banshee/

22LR
5.7X28mm
9mm
40 S&W
10mm
.45 ACP
5.56X45mm
6.5 Grendel
300 BLK
7.62X39mm
308 Win
458 SOCOM

Some calibers are more optimal in an AR pistol. There are an array of considerations:

1. Caliber for your use
2. Barrel length to determine how compact you want it
3. Manufacturer quality and options
4. Ammo performance and cost (add ammo availability to that)
5. Your budget
6. What you will add to the pistol (manufacturer’s options are important)
7. A well thought out plan for its use
A. Range toy
B. Home defense
C. Hunting (varmints to pigs to deer)
D. Other

My son uses his 300 Blackout for pigs with a suppressor. Ammo selection is critical as he found out. Supersonic velocities are better for pigs and deer. Mine is for home defense, varmints, and close range deer hunting.

 

[GreenWolf70]

AR Pistols are very popular around here. There are several very good threads on them here on Taurus Armed.

These are my 9mm AR pistols


This is my .300BLK


You don't need any skills to build an AR pistol, any more than you need skills to build an AR. If you are building a rifle caliber AR pistol, you just need a pistol lower and any AR upper. I would advise against a .223/5.56 pistol upper as they are extremely loud and throw a long flame, even the blast from any thing other than a flash can can seriously harm you, or those around you. Pistol Caliber AR pistols are good, and even easier to build (no gas tube or gas block), but I would match my upper and lower receivers due to the diversity in designs right now.

I like .300BLK subs in my AR pistol, but even .300BLK supersonics are not bad. Ask Olfarhors, I talked him into a .300BLK pistol shooting subs for home defense and he loves the thing.

If you just don't want to assemble anything, there are still two ways to get them, either purchase a complete AR pistol, or buy a complete pistol lower and a complete pistol upper. If you can field strip your AR for cleaning, you can put an upper and lower together.

I prefer a complete AR from PSA over any of the assembled brands because I know PSA uses full MILSPEC parts without cutting corners, like I see on most brand name basic ARs. Rumor for quite some time has been that PSA parts are defense contract over runs from FN, which is not far away. Some complete uppers come with or without BCG and Charging handle. This is not a bad thing if you have your eye on a particular aftermarket CH, or a BCG with a coating. Again, if you can field strip your AR for cleaning, you can install these parts.

 

[GreenWolf70]

Just taking a look at stuff on sale at the moment on PSA, here is a good AR pistol in .300BLK:

Complete Lower ($170): https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-ar15-complete-stealth-classic-sba3-lower.html


Complete Upper minus BCG and CH ($200): https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa...der-ar-15-upper-assembly-black-no-bcg-ch.html


Nitrided BCG ($55): https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa-5-56-nitride-mpi-full-auto-bolt-carrier-group-516446953.html


I don't see a Charging Handle on sale right now but a MILSPEC CH runs about $15, or you can get an enhanced CH, like from BCM, for around $35 and up.

 

[GreenWolf70]

Here is a complete that has all the stuff I look for in an AR pistol.
https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa...ght-m-lok-moe-ept-sba3-pistol-5165449807.html



It has a nitrided barrel, this is vastly superior to a phosphate coated barrel, or a chrome lined barrel. and as good IMO as a stainless steel barrel.
It has a Flash Can suppressor. Any of my AR with short barrels have a flash can for safety.
It has a handguard that partially covers the flash can, so if in the future you put a silencer on it, it partially sits inside the handguard, rather than just hanging on the end of the barrel.

 

[silverstring]

I got mine from PSA, it had a 10.5 inch barrel, a 7.5 inch forearm, chambered in 556 with a 1 and 7 twist and a SB tactical brace. It cost in the low $500 range. It was fun and very accurate, But my gunshow friend wanted it, so I sold it for $550. Things to consider:

Recent change in ATF guidelines regarding upgrades - I was able to mount a Vertical Foregrip on mine at the time, because it measured 27" from front of barrel (not flash hider) to rear of the non adj SBA3. Now that is not allowed. The new measurement is 26" from receiver butt to front of barrel. But it is still legal to use a angled foregrip.

I upgraded the flash hider to a Kaw compensator to assist with muzzle rise and noise coming back to the user.

Installed a Bushnell TRS25 as my optic (co-witnessed with a 1"riser to the sites)

I carried mine in a Tennis Racket bag and 3 Magazines. One 20 rounder and two 30 rounders

It will be your most fun to shoot rifle, so buy lots of ammo. This platform is ideal for home defense/plinking and small varmints. I would not use on Deer or pigs (you could but one shot kills are a challenge). For larger game minimum is 300 blackout, or any of the large bore platforms. My buddy built a 8.5 inch 6.5 grendel for his son, it is a deer slayer. However the optic he used weighs almost as much as the rifle, it is a high end night vision model with more computing power than most desktop PC's. Needless to say his AR pistol looks wild with that huge optic on it. But it is a tack driver for him up to 400 yards.

 

[vboy36]

I bought a complete AR 300 Blackout pistol from PSA and really glad I did. Fun to shoot. I plan to get it to the range Sunday or Monday. 8.5 inch barrel.

 

[Czechbikr]

I'm a fan. Here my 10.5" Radical Firearms on a PSA lower. RDS with a flashlight/laser mounted low with offset BUIS. This is an older photo and it now sports an SB4 brace, mini KAK flashcan and a 3.5# drop-in trigger.

The lower currently is mounted on a 7.5" Combat Armory 5.56 upper with a RDS. The jury is still out on that upper...haven't fired it since I put the SB brace and new trigger in the lower.



This does show the mini flash can

 

[chefduane]

Thanks all for the good feedback. There is much to think about. The reason that I am thinking about an already complete firearm is because I am completely unfamiliar with the AR platform. Never assembled one or broken one down, never seen one assembled in person. And seldom even fired one. I know there are utoob vids about assembling them but utoob ain't real life. At least a complete gun comes functional and with some type of warranty. Again, the PSA and ATI look interesting because of the form factor and price. My Hi-Point 99TS fills my pistol caliber carbine category so I'll probably will stay with a 5.56/.223 Rem simply due to ammo price and availability, and am determining if I would go with a 7"-7.5" barrel or 10". Not sure yet. This will not be for 'tactical operation' or the zombie apocalypse even the coming civil war (although ya' never know...) but for the range, and my nephew has some property in East Tennessee that is prime for shooting!! Also, its because I want one to exercise my still intact (for the time being) 2A right to own one. And that's probably the best reason of all. Bozo O'Rourke be damned.

 

[Czechbikr]

Like I said, my 7.5" 5.56 is the least practical and least fun to shoot. Visiting TN you have have an opportunity to hunt hogs in which case the 300 BLK will be a much better choice for that. Add in the versatility of shooting sub-sonic the 300 BLK works better there also for home defense. I may sell off my 5.56 upper for the reasons posted and highly recommend the 300 BLK with a 10.5" barrel. The only drawback is the higher cost of ammo, which I think is falling due to the increased awareness of the caliber and demand out there. It began as a reloader's gun for this reason, but now the price per round is below 40 cents and 223 ammo is around .26-30 cents each.

 

[GreenWolf70]

If you reload, the price drops even more for .300BLK. Cheap .308 bullets are plentiful. .330BLK brass is cheap, available, and if you have a lot of .223/5.56 brass, you can easily convert your brass to .300BLK. Because of the small capacity, your powder requirement are light compared to other rifles. Power of the cartridge is about equivalent to 7.62X39 Russian AK round and just shy of the venerable 30-30, plenty of short range power.

Subs are where this round shines. I just enjoy the relatively low noise of the subs, and even in a short 7.5" barrel they are highly accurate. The power of the sub is not in straight line penetration, which is prodigious through soft tissue, but when the subs meet hard resistance, like bone, they tend to tumble, or go sideways, which immediately expends all of that long, heavy bullet's energy at that point, often with explosive results.

 

[terryb]

Here is a complete that has all the stuff I look for in an AR pistol.
https://palmettostatearmory.com/psa...ght-m-lok-moe-ept-sba3-pistol-5165449807.html

View attachment 449247

It has a nitrided barrel, this is vastly superior to a phosphate coated barrel, or a chrome lined barrel. and as good IMO as a stainless steel barrel.
It has a Flash Can suppressor. Any of my AR with short barrels have a flash can for safety.
It has a handguard that partially covers the flash can, so if in the future you put a silencer on it, it partially sits inside the handguard, rather than just hanging on the end of the barrel.

Greenwolf, you have done exactly what i did(and have recommended, right down to the nitride!) PSA had a sale on the 20 gauge shockwave and 3 AR lowers(i have since sold the shockwave and went KS7 as a MUCH better platform once you get them to put in the new version parts) but got the 8.5" upper complete and got their enhanced stock trigger which turned out to be more than satisfactory. I did do my own version of a blade (hope i am not illegal) which i find to be MUCH superior as a real pistol brace and cost me almost nothing

with the weight of the pistol lifting up on the "J" under your forearm it balances right into a one handed pistol shooting position as well as letting you get it and out of position instantly without any stupid velcro straps

 

[bertha]

ATI Omni Hybrid Maxx - The biggest complaint I found is the use of Polymer uppers and lowers and the potential for breaking at the buffer tube. They/ATI seem to have fixed this issue with the addition of metal/zink/zamak reinforcements at the perceived weak points. I Do NOT own one, but I am interested in getting one now that they have a LIFETIME Warranty on the Polymer parts. I would also like to see any feedback from actual owners rather than pro/paid reviewers.... What would the maximum round counts be for the poly upper and lower ...



https://www.americantactical.us/warranty.html

thanks

 

[terryb]

and i am VERY cautious to keep .300 stuff labeled as such because it turns out you can jam a .300 round into a .223 barrel and get it to fire, but not with a good outcome

 

[vboy36]

I have a 10.5" 5.56 PSA upper for my PSA lower and want to not only label the magazines as to 5.56 and 300AAC but I want to label the uppers as well. I saw some stickers to put on the mags (I currently use the see thru mags for 300 blackout only and they are stamped 300 but I want a more visible sticker) and I plan to put those stickers on the uppers as well. Having said that, like Czechbikr, I have not shot the 5.56 upper, have not even put it on the lower, lol. Was at the range today with the 300 black out and shot the subsonics and the supersonics through it, awesome!!!

 

[terryb]

another thing about nitrided barrels, cleaning is a breeze. ihave both .223 and .300 and get no copper fouling

 

[RogueTS1]

A shorty 5.56mm is quite battle worthy as well as a hoot to shoot. As long as you keep the barrel 10.5" or longer, I prefer 11.5" barrels, you will not lose too much velocity and keep her in the combat ready and reliable zone.

If doing a pistol make sure you use one of SB's adjustable braces. It does away with the special pistol buffer tube and allows one to adjust the length of pull which is quite important. It provides just about the same support as a proper stock unlike the Shockwave which has little to no surface area to place along one's shoulder. There are a few other good braces out there but I use only the SB's on the AR platform because it works.