The Pistol Caliber Carbine chambered in 9mm can be the ideal firearm for a number of scenarios.
A pistol caliber carbine, also known as a PC Carbine or simply a PCC, is exactly what it sounds like: a short-barreled rifle that is chambered for calibers typically used in semi-auto pistols or revolvers.
The longer barrel of the rifle allows for the handgun rounds to reach greater velocities than they can when fired from handguns, resulting in greater accuracy and more power.
While an SBR offers similar advantages, they require a tax stamp and are often difficult to control when chambered in anything bigger than .223 Rem. A 9mm PCC can be used with the wide array of defensive ammunition on the market while also minimizing over-penetration in home defense situations.
PC Carbines are also more controllable and have much less of a learning curve than handguns, making them ideal for small to medium game hunting, survival, or as a home defense weapon.
These are some of the best 9mm carbines on the market today.
Kriss Vector CRB 9mm
The KRISS Vector is a remarkable firearm in its submachine gun and semi-auto forms, but the carbine version with a 16-inch barrel is an extremely versatile pistol caliber carbine that is remarkably comfortable to shoot. It produces hardly any felt recoil thanks to its Super V System, a nonlinear, multilink, blowback design that redirects the recoil energy of each shot downward instead of back and up, which counteracts muzzle rise.
This makes it ideal for home defense, offering extreme controllability and increased velocity with handgun ammo. Along with the pistol grip and extremely low bore axis, this is one of the most controllable, fastest shooting pistol caliber carbines on the market.
It features a full-length top rail for optics or iron sights and a six-position adjustable stock. It is also available chambered in .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and the powerful 10mm Auto—and no matter the chambering, it accepts full-size and extended Glock magazines, including those made by Magpul. The 9mm version comes with 17-round magazines.
The ergonomics of this firearm are a little weird to look at, but outstanding and surprisingly comfortable to feel. Hitting the magazine release on the side of the magwell with the left hand will take some getting used to for those accustomed to shooting ARs and handguns, but it's not a huge hurdle.
Kriss Vector CRB SPECS
- Caliber: 9mm (also available in .40 S&W, .45 ACP, 10mm)
- Capacity: 17 rounds with full size Glock magazine, extended mags can also be used
- Barrel Length: 16.0?
- Overall Length Collapsed: 35.25"
- Overall Length Extended: 38.25"
- Operating System: Closed Bolt, Delayed Blowback
- Action Type: Semi-Automatic
- Stock: 6 Position Adjustable
- Color: Black
- Weight: 8.0 lbs.
- Barrel Material: 4140 Chrome Moly
- Barrel Finish: Black Nitride (QPQ)
- ?Twist Rate: 1:10? RH
- Trigger Type: Pivoting, Single Stage
- MSRP: $1,499
Kel-Tec Sub-2000
One of the greatest advantages of a pistol caliber carbine is that it can use the same ammunition as your handgun. This modular, 9mm carbine from Kel-Tec is an unconventional-looking firearm, like most of Kel-Tec's catalog, but it's an extremely simple, versatile, and effective carbine with a unique feature: it foldable to a 16.25" x 7" package, making it super easy to store and transport.
Plus, it can be ordered to accept the most popular handgun magazines on the market, including the SIG Sauer P320, SIG Sauer P226, Beretta 92, Glock 17, Glock 19 and Smith & Wesson M&P. As you'd presume, it can accept extended magazines for any of these models, making capacity pretty much up to the user.
This compact, minimalistic firearm makes for a great backpacking gun, survival rifle, or a compact home defense/self defense firearm. The Sub-2000 features a 16-inch barrel and the handguard is covered in M-Lok slots, so a range of accessories can be added.
The straight blow-back system is simple and easy to maintain, which means takedown in the field is also simple. The sights are intuitive and the stock is adjustable to the user.
Kel-Tec Sub-2000 SPECS
- Caliber: 9mm or .40 S&W
- Weight: 4.25 lbs.
- Magazine Capacity: varies
- ?Overall Length: 30.5"
- Length When Fully Collapsed: 29.25"
- Length When Folded: 16.25"
- Barrel Length: 16.25"
- Twist Rate: 1:10" or 1:16"
- Trigger Pull Weight: 9.5 lbs.
- MSRP: $556
CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Carbine
This is a carbine version of CZ's popular Scorpion EVO submachine gun, which hit the U.S. civilian market as semi-auto pistol in 2015. The carbine has a 16.2-inch barrel that is threaded at the muzzle. It comes with either a compensator or a faux suppressor, but of course, a real suppressor can be attached.
The Scorpion EVO 3 S1 comes with CZ's folding, adjustable buttstock. The carbine's newly redesigned forend features a number of M-Lok attachments points, meaning home defense accessories like gun lights, laser sights, and foregrips are easy to attach pretty much anywhere you want.
The gun has an overall slim profile, making it nimble in the hand and quite maneuverable, yet the forend is still wide enough for most pistol caliber suppressors to fit partially inside it. A top Picatinny rail comes fit with iron sights and lets users mount any kind of optic they choose.
All controls are ambidextrous and simple to use, and the non-reciprocating charging handle can be oriented on either side of the gun. With a whole array of aftermarket parts available for the Scorpion EVO 3 platform, the gun is highly customizable.
CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 Carbine SPECS
- Caliber: 9mm
- Magazine Capacity: 20+1
- Magazine Type: Double Stack Polymer
- Frame: Fiber-reinforced polymer
- Grips: polymer with adjustable trigger reach
- Sights: Adjustable iron sights
- Barrel: Cold hammer forgedm muzzle threaded 1/2x28
- Barrel Length: 16.2"
- Weight: 7 lbs.
- Overall Length: 36"
- Height: 9.4"
- Safety: Ambidextrous thumb safety
- MSRP: $1255
IWI Tavor X95 9mm
A 9mm PC carbine in a bullpup configuration offers a number of advantages. You get a shorter overall firearm with a full-size carbine barrel, and because the action is in the buttstock, a bullpup is extremely controllable.
These advantages make this IWI offering a great home defense firearm that is manageable for almost anyone in the household. The Tavor X95 began as a bullpup rifle chambered in .223/5.56, but very soon after, conversion kits were made available so the gun could use 9mm ammo, and a dedicated 9mm model was added to the line.
The X95 features AR-15 style controls with an ambidextrous magazine release and a forearm with Picatinny rails at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock with removable covers. The charging handle is located close to the user's center mass for ease of use. While the X95 uses proprietary magazines, they have a healthy 32-round capacity.
IWI Tavor X95 9mm SPECS
- Caliber: 9mm
- Action: Semi-auto
- Operating System: Blow Back, Closed Bolt
- Magazine Type: IWI proprietary, steel
- Magazine Capacity: 32 rounds
- Barrel Material: Cold hammer forged, CrMoV
- Barrel Length: 17?
- Overall Length: 26.125?
- Weight: 7.9 lbs.
- Rifling: 1:10 inch twist, 4 grooves, Right hand
- Stock Type: Reinforced polymer bullpup configuration
- Sights: Folding front sight (blade) with Tritium insert and rear sight (aperture)
- MSRP: $1,999
Ruger PC Carbine
Ruger's PC Carbine has been a popular model for a while now, and there's good reason—it's an extremely solid firearm platform that makes for an excellent 9mm hunting gun or defensive firearm.
One of its unique features is an interchangeable magazine well that allows the PC Carbine to use pistol mags from the Ruger SR-Series/Security 9 handgun, or Glock magazines—it comes with sleeves for both and one SR-Series magazine. A mag well is also available for Ruger American Pistol magazines.
The handguard is literally covered with M-Lok slots for easy attachment of accessories and foregrips. This gun is also a takedown model that allows the barrel and handguard assembly to be easily separated from the action for easy storage and transport. All you do is lock the bolt back, depress a lever, and twist.
While the PC Carbine isn't necessarily heavy, it's beefy, offering stability and a little extra weight to soak up more felt recoil. Ruger's dead blow action uses a custom tungsten dead blow weight that shortens bolt travel and reduces felt recoil and muzzle rise.
As for controls, the magazine release is located on the magwell and is reversible. The charging handle can also be mounted on the left or right side of the bolt. The barrel is almost completely shrouded by the handguard, and it is fluted and threaded for suppressor use and other muzzle devices. A simple, rugged, glass-filled nylon buttstock rounds out this solid firearm.
Ruger PC Carbine Specs
- Caliber: 9mm
- Stock: Black Synthetic with Aluminum Free-Float Handguard
- Capacity: 17-rounds with included mag, variable
- Barrel Length: 16.12"
- Overall Length: 34.37"
- Front Sight: Protected Blade
- Rear Sight: Adjustable Ghost Ring
- Barrel Feature: Threaded, Fluted
- Thread Pattern: 1/2"-28
- Weight: 7 lbs.
- Length of Pull: 12.62" - 14.12"
- Receiver Material: Aluminum Alloy
- Receiver Finish: Type III Hard-Coat Anodized
- Twist: 1:10" RH
- MSRP:$729
These represent several of the top choices for a 9mm carbine, but the choice of PCC you end up with is all yours to make. Which one catches your eye?
NEXT: 10 OF THE BEST LEVER ACTION RIFLES MANUFACTURED TODAY
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