AR-15 Pistols Recommendations
- Thread starter hub1home
- Start date
With the crazy rules as they currently stand, most get a gun with a brace and use it to accomplish a function more like a SBR than a typical pistol.
Assuming you are going down the typical route, the first choice it to pick a caliber. I am also assuming you are not thinking pistol caliber stuff or you would have phrased your opening post differently.
With the short barrels typical for an AR pistol, the bigger the bore, the less you loose in terms of performance.
300 BO is a common choice and it gives a much better performance to blast ratio than the 223.
A 350 Legend will give more performance, but do you really want to go this big in a small platform gun.
The 45 cal choices are even more over the top for a pistol than the 350L.
The next question goes to cost and preference. Are you wanting a "name brand" gun, an assembled second tier brand gun or are you willing to assemble your own.
Assuming you are going down the typical route, the first choice it to pick a caliber. I am also assuming you are not thinking pistol caliber stuff or you would have phrased your opening post differently.
With the short barrels typical for an AR pistol, the bigger the bore, the less you loose in terms of performance.
300 BO is a common choice and it gives a much better performance to blast ratio than the 223.
A 350 Legend will give more performance, but do you really want to go this big in a small platform gun.
The 45 cal choices are even more over the top for a pistol than the 350L.
The next question goes to cost and preference. Are you wanting a "name brand" gun, an assembled second tier brand gun or are you willing to assemble your own.
Urbanrecon
Moderator
The answer to the question as to whether or not one wants to go to something as large as 300 BO or 350L in an AR pistol platform is not only yes but hell yes! 
Death-Ninja
New member
Here's my advice to you, if you're gonna buy such a firearm and its chambered in 5.56 mm, the rule is simple, nothing shorter than 10.5" in barrel length, period! If you are gonna go the true pistol caliber route(9mm, .45), then you can go with any barrel length you are happy with! The 5.56 mm AR pistols in barrel lengths under the 10.5" length are not fun to operate/shoot, and I assure you that if you go that route with a 9, 8, 7" barrel or even less that you will swiftly regret the impulse to have bought the thing! There are very good reasons why the shorter barreled AR pistols are so "ahh" inexpensive, and those of 10.5" length or greater, are so much more expensive, and everyone of those good reasons stem from muzzle blast, muzzle blast, muzzle blast... Good luck and do not get sucked into a sub 10.5" 5.56 mm upper.
dontcatchmany
New member
Extar 556. (no 223) 7.5 inch barrel plus flash suppressor.
I am old but can shoot it one handed.
New Frontier Armory is (to my knwledge) the only vendor).
It is loud and it does produce a large flash but it shoots very well.
Mine is 5ish years old and shipped to FFL and in my hands was a total of $485.00
I am old but can shoot it one handed.
New Frontier Armory is (to my knwledge) the only vendor).
It is loud and it does produce a large flash but it shoots very well.
Mine is 5ish years old and shipped to FFL and in my hands was a total of $485.00
"What caliber, what is the intended use?"
“The caliber would be .556 and the intended use would be all around shooting. I am not trying to be a smart aleck with shooting for the answer but I hate that question. It is like asking intended use for an automobile.”
I guess it’s probably a good thing I didn’t suggest something like my dedicated 22lr home built.
“The caliber would be .556 and the intended use would be all around shooting. I am not trying to be a smart aleck with shooting for the answer but I hate that question. It is like asking intended use for an automobile.”
I guess it’s probably a good thing I didn’t suggest something like my dedicated 22lr home built.
I would start with a budget. I look at it as building your own will usually cost a little more up front but, cheaper in the long run. Starting out with better components will raise the cost. If you don't want or won't ever do any upgrades. It'll be pretty close to buy vs building price wise in this current market.
I prefer an 11.5" barrel but, a 10.5" is fine too. I recommend a blast forwarding device on the muzzle with shorter barrels. They make a difference with the blast and sound but, are still louder than a longer barrel. It will add a little length overall. The plus side is you can go with a little longer forearm. The added real estate is nice for adding accessories or keeping your hand further away from the muzzle. I also like the look which is less important to me.
Here's an 11.5" with a cut down BFD.
10.5" with the same look and overall length as the 11.5"
I prefer an 11.5" barrel but, a 10.5" is fine too. I recommend a blast forwarding device on the muzzle with shorter barrels. They make a difference with the blast and sound but, are still louder than a longer barrel. It will add a little length overall. The plus side is you can go with a little longer forearm. The added real estate is nice for adding accessories or keeping your hand further away from the muzzle. I also like the look which is less important to me.
Here's an 11.5" with a cut down BFD.
10.5" with the same look and overall length as the 11.5"
Aguila Blanca
Staff
With all due respect, the question is not only fair and valid, it's essential. Guns are for shooting like automobiles are for driving. If someone with five kids asked what kind of automobile to buy, would you suggest a Honda Fit? After all, automobiles are for driving, right?hub1home said:
What is "all around shooting"? Sure, guns are made for shooting, but shooting what? Plinking? Practical shooting competition? Three-gun competition? Varminting? Small game hunting? Big game hunting? Predator control? Self-defense?
Without knowing the intended use (or uses), it's really an exercise in futility trying to recommend a firearm. The odds are about 90:10 that anything anybody suggests will be wrong for what the questioner actually plans or hopes to do with the gun.
You would be surprised. IMHO most people haver very specific ideas in mind when building an ar pistol. Most seem to be primarily defensive pdw types.ideas vary from home, to vehicle, to EDC with a quick detach in a bag. Some want pistol calibers, others 223, others 300 so they can suppress it. I think you are the first person I have ever seen who said general shooting.
My best advice, get some sort of linear comp or blast forwarding device. It's gonna rattle your teeth.
Willie Lowman
New member
Don't listen to them. Put a dual port muzzle break on it. Your friends at the range will thank you!
Exactly.
And the response of the OP, with all due respect, will result in many excellent responses not being written.
Desmosedici
New member
My last range outing I was shooting next to a police officer, really nice guy and had a bag full of nice guns. We were all having great time until he pulled out his SBR in 5.56, and GOOD GOD the blast from that thing literally made me flinch like a puppy in a thunderstorm every time he fired it, which, thankfully, was only a few magazines.
Granted, we were indoors, but that was my first exposure to an AR pistol, and unless I get to shoot one outdoors, I hope it's my last, at least in that caliber. It's deafening.
I'd love to shoot one suppressed in 300 Blackout, though.
Granted, we were indoors, but that was my first exposure to an AR pistol, and unless I get to shoot one outdoors, I hope it's my last, at least in that caliber. It's deafening.
I'd love to shoot one suppressed in 300 Blackout, though.
I had one in 300 BO suppressed (sold it) and have a 10.5" .223 suppressed now. Shooting supersonics, the 300 BO recoiled a tad more, but the noise and concussion was the same.
.223 pistols/SBRs with short barrels are harsh without a suppressor, and they do wear out bolts faster, but I don't put a ton of rounds through mine either.