9 of the Best AR Pistols – 2024

Last Updated January 16th 2024

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Winners at a Glance

Image	Product	Detail	Price
	Sig Sauer Spear	Overall Winner	Best Price
	Palmetto State Armory JAKL	Best Value AR Pistol	Best Price
	Rock River Arms LAR-15	Best AR pistol with buffer	Best Price
	ATI Omni Hybrid	Best polymer pistol	Best Price
	FN SCAR 15P	Best battle pistol	Best Price

Intro

AR pistols have been a revolution for the home defense weapon industry, as well as the military and law enforcement.

Military sub machine guns have spawned semi-automatic weapons of war that have proven a complete gamechanger.

Now they are some of the best-selling guns in America and Joe Biden doesn’t like that one bit. So for 2024 we have new rules and we are already seeing the market react with a new wave of monolithic AR15 pistol that might be even better.

It’s an exciting time in the pistol industry, and we’re betting on bufferless, squared off 5.56 NATO pistols that simply don’t need a pistol brace.

Here are the best AR pistols for sale in 2024.

1. Sig Sauer MCX Spear LT

• Special Price: $2,499.99
• Caliber: 5.56
• Barrel: 9 inches
• Total Length: 31 inch.
• Weight: 5.8lb
• Capacity: 30+1 Rounds

The Sig LT Spear is military gear, more or less, and the longer barrel, fully enclosed design means it fits the current rules to perfection.

This is the next gen Sig Sauer MCX AR15 pistol and more or less the only limit to the configuration is your imagination.

You can order 5.56 NATO, 300BLK or 7.62x39mm AR15 pistols.

Then you can keep it clean and simple and use one hand on the lightened handguard to combat muzzle rise. An 11.5 inch barrel is actually heading towards rifle levels of stability and long range accuracy, and you can see how to achieve balance on this pistol without a stabilizing brace.

Or you can do add a lightweight brace for greater stability.

Either way, this might be the best AR pistol on the market right now. If you have the dollars to spend. If not, there are cheaper alternatives just a little further down…

2. Palmetto State Armory JAKL

• Regular Price: $999.99
• Caliber: 5.56 NATO
• Barrel: 7.5 inch
• Total: 5.5lb

This is another company to react to the changing landscape with a monolithic truck gun that you can run without a stabilizing brace.

Now the Palmetto State Armory Jakl is more expensive than the usual PSA fare you can find down below. But this is new tech and the monolithic upper is compatible with any Mil-spec lower.

A short and fully contained pistol buffer tube, a long stroke piston and a tool less 4 position gas block are among the key features. You can strip the whole pistol without tools, too, which is cool.

Essentially this AR15 pistol borrows from the AK-47 as well as a variety of others. It just works in matte black or flat dark earth.

There’s an ambidextrous side charging handle and lots of other goodies. Crucially the PSA AR-15 pistol is one of the cheapest monolithic pistols you can buy. In these weird legal times, regarding the pistol brace that counts.

3. Rock River Arms LAR-15

• Regular Price: $689.99
• Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
• Barrel: 7 inch
• Total: 24.75 inch.
• Weight: 4.8lb
• Capacity: 25+1

The company supplies firearms to the DEA and FBI, among others. The AR15 rifles star in pretty much every price band is a great choice.

Now this semi-automatic pistol has an exposed buffer tube, so you’ll need a brace. But right now that’s not a major issue.

4. Maxim Defense SPS

• Regular Price: $2,065.99
• Caliber: 5.56 NATO
• Barrel: 5.5 inch
• Pistol Length: 18.75
• Weight: 5.9lb

Maxim Defense made its name with the PDW, but now it has worked with SOCOM to create military hardware that the world’s best fighting team believes is an improvement on the vast collection of weapons they already had.

Who are we to argue with that kind of endorsement?

5. American Tactical Imports Omni Hybrid Maxx P4

• Special Price: $545.99
• Caliber: 5.56 NATO Pistol
• Barrel length: 7.5 inch
• Pistol Length: 25 inch
• Weight: 5.11lb
• Capacity: 30+1

This ATI Omni Hybrid Max plastic AR-15 is cheap, lightweight and seemingly durable.

We love this plastic pistol, and we think you will too.

So it has made a big deal of 2,000 round torture tests and running over it with an 800lb f to prove the strength of the new age plastics. Truthfully, we’re more interested in the owner reviews.

And they’re outstanding. This is a good gun, with some innovative thinking that results in a super lightweight AR pistol.

Get some red dot sights up top and this is a serious weapon.

6. FN SCAR 15P

• Regular Price: 3,299.99
• Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO
• Barrel: 7.5 inch
• Total Length: 20 inch
• Weight: 5.65lb
• Capacity: 30+1

The FN SCAR is a legendary rifle that almost made it into mainstream military use, and now we have the FN SCAR 15P pistol.

OK this piston driven pistol is ludicrously expensive, but you always knew that was going to be the case with this high price, high spec pistol.

It is an amazing 5.56 NATO AR-15 pistol, though, and some of the gun reviews are calling it the best on the market.

Custom features include a picatinny rail on the rear with a sling mount, as well as a full length rail on the monolithic receiver and under the barrel. Reversible charging handles are part of the package too.

You get a two position adjustable gas regulator, too, for running with a suppressor.

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7. Palmetto State Armory Carbine Length

• Price: $519.99
• Caliber: 5.56 NATO
• Barrel: 7.5 inch
• Pistol length: 26.25 inch

Palmetto State Armory is just its own thing. So if you’re sneering right now, you’re just not one of the PSA crowd. That’s fine, they’ve got along just fine without you and will continue to do so.

This budget manufacturer has a devoted following for a reason. Palmetto State Armory produces basics that tend to work and super cheap parts kits and pistol build kits.

This also comes with a carbine length M-LOK Handguard, accessories and a Shockwave, so you got quality peripherals. You even get a choice of muzzle devices, buffer tube, charging handles and pistol braces.

Organize the price low to high and you can pick up bargains too.

8. Century Arms Micro Draco AK-47

• Price: $799.99
• Caliber: 7.62 x 39mm
• Barrels: 6.25 inch
• Pistol length: 14.5 inch.
• Weight: 4.85lb
• Capacity: 30+1/50+1 drum. 

We have said it before and we’ll say it again, the Century Arms Draco Gun is an absolute gem for your home firearms collection.

It’s a weapon of mass destruction that could easily form part of a budget defense kit if you prefer the black finish AK to an AR-15. It’s your life and I get the arguments, although 300BLK is there too you know?

This could be a concealed carry AR pistol, kind of, or a hidden truck gun. And the 6.25 inch barrel is one of several lengths on offer.

And you can strap drum magazines to this Centuiry Arms pistol and have 50 rounds of AK ammo, which is a potent force.

You can find a selection of AK-47s here. We like to cater to everybody…

9. Battle Arms Development Workhorse Defense

• Price: $917.99
• Cal: 5.56 NATO
• Barrel length: 10.5 inch barrel
• Weight: 5.8lb

Battle Arms Development makes some of our favorite custom rifles and lightweight AR-15s. The Workhorse is their volume seller, like BMW’s 3 Series, but it’s still really good.

You get a pistol length gas system, RACK ambidextrous charging handle and other assorted goodies. Basically it’s everything you would expect from a semi-auto pistol at this price point. Not much more, not much less.

There are plenty of options in this price bracket, but the BAD Workhorse Defense is right up there with the best of them. And we wouldn’t be surprised if it outperformed more expensive guns.

Honorable Mentions

Radical Firearms and Smith & Wesson could both be on the list, but we can never actually find the S&W M&P for sale. And we’re notg 100% convinced by the Radical.

The Kel Tec PLR-16 isn’t quite an AR pistol, but it fires the same ammo and more or less fits the same form.

It is compact, avoids all the pistol brace shenanigans and is a lot of fun.

We loved the Springfield Armory Saint battle rifle, and the shorter version. But Springfield Armory seems to have reacted to the new regs by pulling them from the shelves.

So they might come back, but for now the Springfield Armory pistol remains a footnote.

Can You Buy a California Legal AR15 Pistol?

Most these pistols are classed as an assault weapon under Draconian California laws and you just can’t buy them.

You can buy a Franklin Armory single shot AR pistol, which is on the approved California roster thanks to the lack of a gas tube that technically makes it a bolt action. Then modify it with a new upper to make a sort of California legal pistol.

Legally, that’s a minefield and you must magazine lock the firearm, remove the pistol brace and you can only have a vertical foregrip if the finished pistol exceeds 26 inches overall length and becomes an NFA item.

Also, you can create a single shot AR from parts to get the legal dimensions and a DROS registration. Then modify it Honestly, this California legal firearms legislation is a mess and it’s likely to change again before the metaphorical ink is dry on this page.

You can also private transfer older weapons, manufactured before the nightmarish labyrinth of laws and your pistol is California legal that way.

New York legal requires a fixed mag and other regs. Even buying a concealed carry handgun is kind of an ordeal in NY now, though, so a New York legal AR pistol is going to be a quest.

Maybe just move to Texas or Florida?

Gun Parts & Accessories

If you want spotting scopes or other handgun parts &accessories, muzzle brakes, lights, lasers, slings, swivels, eye protection, gun cleaning stuff, knives & tools, we can probably help you with partners and top picks from around the United States.

You might need to fix your adjustable gas system, you might just want a new armorer’s wrench. we can help.

Of course at some point you might need new upper receivers, parts, upper parts kits, lower parts & accessories, magazines, muzzle devices and more.

Get a Pistol Caliber Carbine Instead?

9mm Luger Pistol Caliber Carbines are increasingly popular guns & handguns as defensive weapons in the modern world.

Overpenetration is less of an issue and with 9mm Luger taking over as the personal defense round and more of us living in apartments, it makes sense.

If you can make do with blackout ammo, the Sig MCX Rattler is the classic military AR pistol and a much-loved veteran round these parts. In these new times of the short barreled rifle SBR, it’s still a great choice.

Check the 9mm pistol options here.

Where to Buy Ammo

We have a fair bit of experience when it comes to price shopping ammo, 9mm ammo, 223 ammo, handgun ammo, rifle ammo, 40 S&W ammo, 45 ACP ammo, gun cleaning kits, pistol cleaning tools, cleaning supplies and more for you guns, handguns and AR15 pistol.

So if you want to feed your best 9mm pistol, you’re looking for ammo, 300 Blackout ammo, shotgun ammo, rifle ammo. handgun ammo or you just want to 45 ACP ammo shop, try these stores.

• Sportsman’s Guide – Great ammo deals, rifle calibers, rifle ammunition, Rimfire ammo, shotgun ammo, cleaning kits etc.
• PSA – bulk deals when you buy ammo online and daily discounts on handgun ammunition, rimfire ammunition, shotgun ammunition, rifle calibers.

Other Firearms We Can Sell You

An AR is the lynchpin of your defensive set-up, but it’s not meant to do everything. You need a few extra things for a full firearms kit, and obviously gun cases for everything.

Start with a 308 bolt action rifle with some budget rifle scopes. Then there are pump action shotguns, semi auto shotguns, side by side shotguns, shotgun parts, red dots, and more.

For the Terms and Conditions, Shipping policy, return policy etc, please refer to the specific vendor who handles your sale.