Pistol Caliber Carbines are a seriously big market these days as the world turns on to small caliber rifles. But what are the best 9mm rifles on the market?
This latest trend for PCCs has been fuelled by an explosion in the AR-9 pistol market, preppers and simple range shooting enthusiasts that like the cheap ammo.
9mm PCC Great For Home Defense
With 9mm evolving into the near perfect self-defense round due to advancing tech, a rifle makes a lot more sense for home defense than it used to.
These guns produce controlled chaos and you’d have to be pretty unlucky to fire through a wall and hit the neighbor with these. So that’s good, generally.
Why Buy a 9mm Rifle?
A PCC can also be used for endless low recoil range shooting, and small game hunting when a 22 rifle won’t quite cut it. They can share ammo with your 9mm concealed carry pistol in the Post Apocalyptic wasteland as well.
The simple truth is, for a variety of disparate reasons, people love them. But what is the best 9mm rifle you can buy in 2023?
1. Ruger PC Carbine Takedown Rifle
- Price: $599.99
- Caliber: 9mm
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total: 28.5-33 inch
- Weight: 7.6lb
This semi-automatic 9mm carbine rifle is an absolute classic and follows the true Ruger tradition of doing the basics well for a great price.
Add the Ruger PC Carbine 9mm takedown rifle to the best selling Ruger 10/22 22LR rifle and the AR-556 AR-15. It’s an elite list of revered, respected and generally exalted rifles that also happen to be some of the cheapest in their class.
That’s so hard to do, we shouldn’t just brush past it. Ruger knows cheap rifles like few others and the Ruger PC Carbine 9mm takedown with a dead blow action is a perfect example of the company spirit in a long gun.
Share Ammo With Your Sidearm
It’s a takedown rifle with a black synthetic stock. So you can throw it in a backpack together with a few Glock magazines and you’re set. You can use proprietary Ruger 9mm magazines intended for the Security-9 compact pistol as well.
You get adjustable iron sights, together with a rail for more serious scopes, optics, weapon lights etc in one of the best 9mm carbine rifle options for sale.
That turns this 9mm semi auto rifle into a lethal small game hunting tool and a serious proposition for home defense if you’re defending a large perimeter. They are complete rifles chambered in handgun ammo, in a way, so buy your gun online now.
2. Sig Sauer MPX PCC
- Price: $2,069.99
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total: 28.5-33 inch
- Weight: 7.6lb
This is the benchmark for 9mm carbines and will go down as one of the all time greats. Price and weight cost it the crown here, but not by much.
It has completely ambidextrous controls. It also employs a fully closed and locked rotating bolt. And the trigger pull is stellar in this company. As is the lightweight free float handguard.
A short stroke gas piston system pretty much means you can use dirt grade 9mm ammo if you want. Or you can load up with 9mm ripper bullets and really get evil.
3. Rock River Arms LAR-9
- Price: $1,114.99
- Barrel: 16.1 inch
- Total: 33 inch
- Weight: 6.5lb
The Rock River Arms LAR-9 is clearly a modified AR15 rifle, to the point that it even pays tribute to the old school Colt M4.
I mean you can buy a Colt AR-15 9mm, too. But this is a slightly more advanced version of the Colt.
You can buy a more modern version set up for competition shooting. But this is cool in its own way, with the old world Vietnam era carry handle and stock black polymer handguard.
Here’s the competition spec gun, just because it’s the best video we can find…
4. Foxtrot Mike Products FM-9
- Price: $669.00
- Barrel: 16.25 inch
- Total: 32 inch
- Weight: 7lb
The Foxtrot Mike FM-9 is one of the best new arrivals on the scene. After the CZ Evo was discontinued, this is one of the brands that is rising up to fill that low budget 9mm niche.
It does everything you would basically expect from an AR-15, but the 9mm won’t over penetrate like a rifle caliber.
This Glock mags, is optics ready, comes with a moly steel match spec barrel, and is pretty much perfect for the job. It also has the last round bolt hold open mechanism that really works.
This rifle weighs a little more than some, but it is almost designed to mimic an AR-15, down to the heft in your hands. It is competition ready if you want to try out shooting sports like 3 Gun too.
5. Kel-Tec Sub-2000
- Price: $429.41
- Barrel: 16.25 inch
- Total: 29.25-33 inch
- Weight: 4.25lb
The Kel-Tec Sub 2000 9mm has won legions of fans around the world with the simple recipe of a lightweight, folding rifle with one of the lowest price tags here.
This semi-automatic is ridiculously light for a gun with a 16 inch barrel made from Chrome Moly Steel. Of course there’s a lot of black polymer, it wouldn’t be a Kel-Tec Sub2000 without that.
But the main components are robust and this 9mm carbine rifle folds in the middle to stash in a backpack. So it’s kind of a survival rifle. Kind of…
That’s close to a concealed carry rifle. That has earned this versatile sort of survival rifle you can carry in the palm of your hand a place in hearts and minds around the world. I mean the pistol grip even doubles as a carry handle on these long guns.
As a personal defense tool, it’s way better than a pistol, as you’ll win the range war.
6. Freedom Ordnance FX-9 Carbine
- Price: $749.99
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total: 28.5-33 inch
- Weight: 6.1lb
The Freedom Ordnance FX-9 is one of the finest 9mm sub guns on the market. This is basically the longer version.
It’s obviously about as AR-15 style as you can get without being a true AR-15 rifle. So you get a black synthetic collapsible stock, chrome moly steel barrel, a muzzle brake.
There’s also a full-length Picatinny rail with red dot sights space and an M-Lok free float handguard that can take a weapons light. You can use a variety of muzzle devices and it comes with a fully adjustable stock.
Like many other 9mm semi-automatic rifles, it takes Glock magazines and that opens up a world of opportunities. That’s right through to drum magazines and 100-round capacities.
7. Christensen Arms CA9
- Price: $1,649.00
- Barrel: 16 inch
- Total: 28.5-33 inch
- Weight: 6.6lb
Christensen Arms makes custom rifles and pistols, using lightweight materials and modern tech to breathe new life into the classics.
The Christensen Arms CA9 PCC 9mm carbine is a rethink of the modern AR-style 9mm carbine using a lot of touches from the bigger caliber.
Obviously the highlight is that custom barrel up front, which is a slim wall of 416R steel wrapped in a carbon-fiber sleeve. The free-float handguard and Keymod rail system is largely CF too.
Also the Glock magazines, as you can see there, add a common touch, and the magzine release and ambi safety feels like a custom AR15. The choice of Cerakote finish takes it back upmarket and include Burnt Bronze and Tungsten through to plain matte black.
It’s a solid start for a number of competitions. You can add your own parts, accessories and upgrades, but you really don’t need to meddle too much with this high price, high spec rifle.
8. Patriot Ordnance Factory Tombstone
- Price: $1,963.99
- Barrel: 16.5 inch
- Total: 29.7 inch
- Weight: 5.75lblb
Lever action rifle with a steampunk flavor. What’s not to love?
Well the special price tag is seriously harsh, but that’s the only real downside here.
The lever action rifles element makes it pretty much unique. Apart from the Henry Repeating Arms carbine homesteader lever action rifles there really aren’t that many options.
This 9mm carbine rifle is seriously fun to shoot and it’s just one of those firearms that will make you happy.
9. Springfield Armory Saint Victor 9mm
- Special price: $1,134.99
- Barrel Length: 16 inch
- Total: 32 inch
- Weight: 6.9lb
The Springfield Saint Victor 9mm is pretty much exactly what you’d expect from one of the best-selling mid-range AR-15 manufacturers.
It is a solid semi-auto rifle made up of high quality gun parts, and it should be reliable and durable. There are no major surprises, but there’s a basic guarantee that goes with the name.
10. Smith & Wesson M&P FPC Carbine 9mm
- Price: $637.99
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
- Barrel: 16.2
- Total: 36 inch
- Weight: 5.25lb
The Smith & Wesson M&P FPC Folding Pistol Carbine is a refined version of the Kel Tec and a new entry into the world of folding rifles/9mm rifles.
11. Beretta CX4 Storm 9mm
- Special Price: $798.99
- Barrel Length: 16.6 inch
- Total: 29.7 inch
- Weight: 4.25lb
Yes this looks just a little bit ‘operator’, but that’s fun sometimes if you don’t take it too seriously.
Do that, and you’ll find this curvy polymer wonder is the foundation for a very solid rifle. It’s on the fringes of the top 10. But the people who take the plunge tend to love their 9mm tactical carbine.
Your Favorite New Rifle
Plenty have reported it swiftly becomes their favorite semi-auto rifle. One reviewer said a HK SP5K remained untouched in the gun safe after this one arrived. That’s the Godfather of short-barrel Pistol Caliber Carbines right there, and some people prefer the Beretta.
It’s not one off or particularly anecdotal. It seems to be a trend with one of the most under-rated carbines on sale.
12. Kalashnikov USA KR-9
- Special price: $1,176.99
- Barrel Length: 16.3 inch
- Total: 31 inch
- Weight: 6.6lb
The Kalashnikov USA KR-9 is inspired by the classic AK-47 rifle and some of them even come with faux silencers to give you a long gun with a real military vibe. You could get a threaded barrel and fit real muzzle devices too.
I mean these are still 9mm rifles at the end of the day, so there are none of the Russian ammo theatrics. But that can be a good thing.
The company makes some great semi auto shotguns, too, if you like that kind of thing.
13. Palmetto State Armory PSA Gen4
- Price: $689.99
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
- Barrel: 16.5 inch
- Total: 31 inch
- Weight: 6.5lb
PSA has one of the finest 9mm rifles on the market. On paper, definitely.
The spec sheet for this rifle is amazing. You can also order a California compliant rifle from the off.
You can level up to the handpainted and finished Palmetto State Armory Custom rifle. But we kind of like the cheaper version.
14. Hi-Point 995TS
- Price: $320+
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
- Barrel: 16.5 inch
- Total: 31 inch
- Weight: 6.5lb
This budget firearms manufacturer doesn’t get much love round here. But we still like the semi-automatic Hi-Point 995TS.
It’s not our first choice, but this comically tactical semi-automatic rifle certainly deserves its place. Really, the Hi-Point 995TS is good.
So if you want the semi-automatic Hi-Point 995TS in matte black or Flat Dark Earth, then go for it.
15. Battle Arms Developments Xiphos 9mm
- Price: $1,699.99
- Caliber: 9mm
- Barrel: 16
- Total: 32 inch
- Weight: 6.38lb
The Battle Arms Developments Xiphos is a great rifle
The receivers are machined from billet aluminum, it is a lightweight rifle with almost no recoil and you could shoot all day without breaking the bank or your shoulder. Or your walls.
Get the best red dot sights up top and you have a truly intriguing weapon here.
What About a Single Shot Rifle?
We went looking for a decent single shot rifle, because they could be fun. But we just can’t find a Bergara BA14 single shot rifle at the moment. If you have any other great suggestions for a 9mm single shot rifle, let us know.
Where to Buy Ammo
You need to bulk buy ammunition these days, dependiing on your local laws of course. We like Palmetto State and Lucky Gunner for barrels of 9mm Luger. With modern prices of ammo, shop around, sure, but these are good start points.
Remember to shift the price low to high if you want the real bargains.
- PSA – 9mm Luger in bulk, and on sale. Ammo for rifles, 9mm, everything.
- Lucky Gunner – Massive amounts of cheap 9mm. Rifle ammo deals too.
What About a 9mm Handgun While You’re Here?
We would love to sell you an S&W Shield Shield Plus. Or a Glock 43x, Springfield Hellcat and the Glocks here…
Where to Buy Gun Parts?
At some point you’re going to need rifle parts, handgun parts, shotgun parts, lower receivers, spotting scopes, accessories, optics, gun cases, all that stuff. You’ll need an upper parts kit long before that of course.
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