Pistol Caliber Carbines

Stern Defense Magwell Adapters: Turn Your AR Lower into a Pistol Caliber Carbine

The guys at Stern Defense have answered the challenge of making great AR magazine well adapters. With one of Stern’s adapters, you can turn your AR Lower into a Pistol Caliber Carbine that uses Glock magazines (9mm/.40), Beretta Magazines (9mm/.40), S&W M&P magazines (9mm/.40) and S&W M&P magazines (.45). Mag-AD series adapters install in seconds, just like an AR magazine. They have a separate magazine release at the bottom you manipulate with your trigger finger and a functioning last round bolt hold open feature.

I have worked with several similar systems. The big question; Do they work? I got to shoot one at TriggerCon and I watched hundreds of rounds go through it. The Stern adapter fits snugly and it runs smoothly. Of course, you have to select the correct upper and buffer to make these guns run, but now you don’t have to build a dedicated lower. Stern has a web page you can check before purchasing to ensure compatibility with your setup so you don’t buy parts that don’t fit together.

Pistol caliber ARs are great training tools, cheap plinkers and perfect for new shooters. You can safely shoot handgun steal and use the magazines you already have. Law Enforcement agencies can build an AR that accepts their duty pistol mags for the ultimate police patrol rifle.

The Stern Mag-AD9 series adapters are made of aircraft grade aluminum, lightweight with ergonomic design. There is a tension adjustment feature to eliminate wiggle.

The Stern Defense MAG-ADMP45 use 45ACP M&P Magazines

Technical Information:

⦁ Made in the U.S.A.

⦁ Constructed from 6061 T6 aircraft grade aluminum.

⦁ 4140 NiB coated feed ramp.

⦁ Hard coat anodized type 3.

⦁ Sturdy Construction.

⦁ Ergonomic mag release.

⦁ Works with any mil spec ar15 lower receiver.

⦁ All lower components besides the adapter remain stock

The MAG-AD9 system is not compatible with New Frontier, PSA Hybrid or Foxtrot Mike bolts. This is due to the lug which strips a round off of the magazine being .035 of an inch further from center-line as compared to other bolt systems. If you are looking to use these bolts with our system we will provide bolt modification services with the purchase of a mag-ad9. More info HERE.

Looking for a complete conversion kit? They have you covered.
Click Here.

Already have a Colt Style bolt and want to use our system? They have those too.
Click Here

Don’t Have a bolt, want one? We have you covered.
Click Here

Don’t Have a barrel, want one? We have you covered.
Click Here

About Stern Defense:

STERN DEFENSE is a family owned American specialty manufacturer committed to precision, quality, and efficiency of the weapon accessories created. They use the best USA supplied material our products are designed and manufactured by the finest machinists and engineers in the industry. Their values? Traditional, Rooted, Firm and STERN.

FX-9 Pistol Update: Pure Fun

The FX-9 Pistol from Freedom Ordnance is pure fun. With receivers more than an inch shorter than other 9mm “AR” guns the FX-9 is quick handling. Feeding from ubiquitous Glock magazines makes magazine options plentiful and affordable. With a street price of around $600 it’s also one of the most affordable options out there for those wanting something fun that combines AR handling with 9mm.

Continuing our series of coverage of the FX-9 is an update on where we’ve taken the build. The gun just runs and runs. Swapping in a CMC trigger has accelerated that run as shots are much quicker and follow-ups following immediately. Take a look at the build in the video below.

As you can see in the video above aside from handling and controls, interchangeability with common AR parts makes the FX-9 customizable. AlumaGrips, CMC, Griffin Armament, Hexmag, Radian, and Sig have enhanced this example. I’d like to know where you would take your build. With the money saved over other pistol-caliber AR-type builds where would you make some personal touches?

I’m also curious to hear from other FX-9 owners what triggers they have tried. Unfortunately my options from Jard did not work, and nor did the Geissele, but CMC dropped right in and has functioned flawlessly without any hiccups or accidental doubles.

One consideration with braced pistols like this is the grip. Beyond just providing traction for your hand, it’s also important to consider angle. A braced pistol has a significantly shorter length of pull than a rifle. For some of this this means contorting our arm and wrist to fit behind the gun. Tension form contortion makes its way through the arm and can influence your ability to pull the trigger with fine control.

Another point to consider is proper eye relief for optics. Because the receiver is not only closer to you, but also shorter there’s no room for big glass. Fortunately big glass like the Optic of the Year Nikon BLACK X1000 isn’t needed for 9mm. A closer-range optic like the BLACK Force 1000 is more fitting.

First Look: Jard J68 9mm VIDEO

The Jard J68 is made from a simple formula.

Pistol-caliber carbine = fun. Bullpup = handy. Pistol-caliber carbine bullpup that accepts Glock magazines = Jard J68. In other words, I’m really looking forward to some trigger time with the Jard J68.

Jard is a company based in Iowa and known for their superb triggers. If you’re like me the next thought you had was, “but if they make great triggers, what are they doing with bullpups?” That question was answered as soon as I pulled the log of a gun out of the box. The trigger on the J68 is incredible, in fact I’d argue better than many standard rifles.

If you’re not familiar with bullpups, they are rifles offering equal or longer barrels out of a much shorter platform. This is accomplished by moving the chamber further back. Usually further back means the chamber is right under the shooter’s cheek. That may intimidate some, but when was the last time you experienced a gun blowing up at the chamber? Because the action is so far back some form of linkage must be made between the trigger that the shooter can reach and the actual hammer release in the firearm. At a minimum that usually means two pivot points which become sources of slop and result in a mushy trigger.

Mushy is not the adjective I would use to describe the trigger of the J68. For a closer look at their latest model see the video below.

In the era of polymer everything it’s refreshing to encounter a gun like the J68 that is made of stamped steel. The design reminds me a bit of the sub-guns of yesteryear. Elegance of design comes from its simplicity and utilitarian design. Full specification can be found below as taken directly from Jard’s website. If you take a visit you might find yourself getting lost as they actually have a rather full lineup of options between rifles and triggers. After feeling the trigger they are able to create in a bullpup I next want to get my hands on one of their AR or AK triggers.

Specifications:

Pistol calibers 9 mm, 40 S&W, 45 ACP
26 1/4 in. overall length
7 1/2 lbs. in 9 mm
17 in. barrel
Uses Glock magazines
Target trigger
Top picatiny rail
M loc compatible slots in chassis
Clam shell break open design
Bolt hold open device
Optional threaded barrel
Rod bolt guidance for smooth operation
QD mount
Ambidextrous features:
- Bottom eject
- Magazine latch
- Charging
- Safety

Shots Fired: Thureon Defense 9mm Carbine

Thureon Defense builds a variety of pistol-caliber carbines in your choice of caliber (including 10mm!) and magazine compatibility. Earlier we gave you our first look at one in 9mm that feeds from Glock magazines. Unlike most other pistol-caliber carbines Thureon builds them from the ground up for pistol calibers. This makes for a receiver that is shorter, slimmer, and lighter than many of the “AR”-based versions.

AR fans need not fret. Pistol grip, trigger, safety, and stock are all compatible with the wide range of aftermarket AR parts.

Shots Fired: Thureon Defense 9mm Carbine — Left-side Charging

Left-handed charging, and an appropriately short stroking bolt cycle makes Thureon rifles very quick-handling. We hit the range with ours and conducted our standard multi-mag and multi-load testing. Although there are many after-market magazine manufacturers, not all work in every gun. Tested were magazines from ETS, Glock, Jagemann, new-production Korean, ProMag, and SGM Tactical.

The multi-load test is meant to check for cycling ability with different projectile weights and bullet profiles. Testing included 165gr HUSH from Freedom Munitions, Browning 147gr BPT, Federal 124gr HST, Hornady 115gr XTP, Federal 100gr FTX, Fiocchi 92gr EMB, and the 65gr Civil Trainer from Liberty. For accuracy testing the Nikon BLACK Force 1000 was slapped into a Warne XSKEL mount and Sig EPA and Nosler 115gr Match ammo grouped at 50 yards.

Performance was excellent. What makes this carbine special for me is the ingenuity. Far from the norm, and certainly not a simple re-branding of someone else’s parts. Thureon designs, manufactures, and builds their own. The opportunity to select your favorite caliber, and have the gun feed from your favorite magazines is certainly uncommon. You can take a look at Thureon’s other offerings on their website here.

Shots Fired! Diamondback DB9R 9mm Carbine

Yes, we’ve been handling a lot of 9mm carbines lately. The Jard J68, Dark Storm Industries Hailstorm, and more are on the way. They’re fun and quite practical. If you consider the controls and familiarity lent from the AR platform and combine that with the benefits of 9mm there’s a lot to like. Why 9mm?

9x19mm is the world’s most popular handgun cartridge. That’s popularity not just in the amount of folks who like it, but also the most produced cartridge. That high production means a lot of variety of defensive loads and standard ball ammunition is less expensive than any other common caliber. For defense there is a plethora of specialty rounds to choose from including 60 or so in this playlist. Beyond the availability and variety many would argue that 9mm is simply smarter for home defense than a rifle cartridge. You can carry more rounds with less weight, the risk of over-penetration is a lot lower, and the recoil is lower. All in the question becomes why don’t you own a 9mm carbine? That shotgun may be plenty powerful and reliable, but what about the collateral damage risk?

Back to the DB9R. After the incredible results obtained with Diamondback’s DB10 we met the DB9R with high hopes and great excitement. We were fortunate to get our hands on the very rifle that had been a teaser at trade shows. Before we get to the specs just take a look at the testing we did. Various magazines, various loads, and accuracy all tested.

Now the numbers as taken from Diamondback’s product page:

Model: DB9RB

Caliber: 9mm Luger Barrel: 16″ Black Nitride

Barrel Twist Rate: 1:10 RH

Bolt Carrier: 9R Bolt Carrier

Handguard: 15” Keymod Rail

Pistol Grip: Magpul MOE

Stock: Roger’s Buttstock

Mag: 31 Round Glock style plastic mag

Flash Hider: A2

Weight: 6lbs

Overall Length (Stock Collapsed): 32.5″ Overall Length (Stock Expanded): 36”

If you’d rather have a more hands-on look at this rifle we’ve got you covered there too. See the tabletop review below.

Tommy Gun! The Chicago Typewriter from Auto Ordinance

90 years after the introduction of the 1927 Thompson submachine gun the “Tommy” still remains an iconic piece of Americana. Images of gangsters, prohibition-era smugglers, g-men, and even WWII heroes come to mind. The history of the “Tommy gun” and John Thompson is actually much richer than is commonly known:

John Thompson was responsible for the adoption of .45acp into military service.
He himself was a West Point graduate and actually retired from military service twice.
John Thompson also worked for Remington during which he was responsible for the construction of Remington’s Mosin Nagant factory.
Development of his “trench broom” was part of a mission to find an intermediate between traditional handguns and rifles. There is much more history to be found at Kahr’s website here.

Auto Ordinance of the Kahr Firearms produces a semi-auto version of the “Tommy” in various versions. We were luck enough to get our hands on their “Chicago Typewriter” complete with a drum magazine and “violin” case”. We’ll be spending some more time with this beautiful piece of history, but wanted to show some of the essentials. Watch the video below to see what it’s like to wield one of these beautiful pieces of walnut and steel.

The model seen in the video is the T1B-14 which has the following specifications taken directly from their product page:

Caliber: .45 ACP
Barrel: 15″, Finned (with compensator 16.5″)
Material: Steel
Length: 39″ overall / 29.5″ (without buttstock)
Weight: 12.5 lbs.
Sights: Blade front, open rear adjustable
Magazines: One 20 round stick magazine
Stock: Walnut detachable stock and vertical foregrip
Warranty: 1 Year

Is 12.5lbs a bit of a bear to carry? Yes. Does it make it any less fun to shoot? No, the weight makes .45acp feel more like .380 and unlike the full-auto versions that we’ve tried at events the fresh recoil assembly in our T&E gun kept the reciprocating mass from slamming into the receiver and resulted in a very smooth shoot. If I have any complaints about the Chicago Typewriter it’s that it’s too easy to burn up a couple boxes of ammo.