For SHOT SHOW TV, Stag's Jesse Tischauser bought one of the new Stag 9T 9mm ARs. It is a very nice little rifle! The designers at Stag made the decision to build a 9mm from the ground up. The lower is designed for the standard Colt 9mm magazines — not a mag well block, but a dedicated receiver. Stag also redesigned the bolt, buffer system, the hammer, mag catch, dust cover and brass deflector. Stag's also rolling out 10, 20 and their own branded 32 round 9mm magazines. Jesse had just gotten the gun, so we spent some futzing time taking it apart until we had to finally do the television stuff. I may have to add this one to the collection.
Interestingly enough, the day before I'd done a couple of pieces for DRTV (to air with TBD's new season that begins NewYear's Eve) on my old Spike's 9mm pistol, which runs off Colt mags via a mag block, and the JP GMR-13, which runs off Glock 9mm magazines. I'm kinds thinking that this year might well be the year of 9mm carbines. TTAG's readers' choice award for rifle of the year is a Sig Sauer MPX, even though it's technically not available yet. The CZ Scorpion EVOIII created quite the hot flash (photo above) even without the hot Czech model. The TAVOR 9mm conversion kits and Beretta Storms are flying out the door. Bob Campbell did a nice wrap-up on pistol caliber carbines for defense in the CTD newsletter earlier this year.
I think there's probably 3 primary drivers here. The first is the 9mm handgun is going through a renaissance, with even the FBI looking at going back to the nine. Secondly, there's a lot of 9mm ammunition around…it's easier to find than .22 and cheaper than 5.56 (Russian 9mm is about $0.21 a round). Thirdly, 9mm carbines work great in the self-defense context — less blast, noise and recoil than a 5.56 (which is still, IMHO, an excellent self-defense choice), easy to shoot, accurate, etc. Interesting!
I also got a closer look at DoubleStar's .308 platform that I handled at last year's SHOT. I have one on order because I have a thing for AR-10 platform guns, and my precision 5.56 from DoubleStar is a real tack driver. Marshal and I can take the .308 DoubleStars to FTW early next year and wring them out at a distance.
Anyhow anyhow, good to have survived another season. While I was sitting around the hotel room in Tulsa, I caught up on reading master instructor John Farnam's Quips, a wonderful collection of thoughts from a brilliant mind. This one in particular caught my mind:
“Safety” is a word we’ve invented to describe a non-existent phenomenon. Our lives need to be a daring adventure, as they all end the same way!
Amen, John...
4 comments:
TTAG's readers' choice award for rifle of the year is a Sig Sauer MPX, even though it's technically not available yet.
Not available, takes proprietary mags and isn't a rifle.
Makes perfect freaking sense.
Way a head of you Michael, I Have been seeing more club members getting 9mm carbines. We shoot steel plates and steel bowling pin matches with them and even do 3 gun matches with 9mm carbines now and then.
A 9mm carbine is great fun, easy to shoot. The wife has a Stag Left handed one on order. Can someone please make an aftermarket trigger for the AR 9mm carbines!
Michael, you are going to get me in trouble at work. I run a lot of meetings in a conservative company. We were wrapping up the agenda and I caught myself before I said "ok we're down to the stems and seeds." You're a bad influence Michael Bane. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for your blog and TV show, I enjoy both. The first rifle I bought for my children when they were old enough to shoot was the Charter Arms AR7 back in the 80's. They are made by Henry now. If you would contact them and see if they could come out with the AR9. If it could handle the 9mmP++ rounds it could be both a survival and home defense rifle.
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