Hi All!

I've been thinking of getting an M&P-15, but have recently been thinking of getting a 9m carbine instead mainly because of cheaper ammo (I already have a decent stockpile.) Also, the outdoor range that I shoot at only goes to 50 yards so I'm not sure if I need more power and distance at this point. I don't plan on using it for home defense...just a range toy. Also, I only want to spend less than $1000 out the door. Here in CT, our pre-ban ARs are minimum $1500-ish from what I've researched, but I've also heard that ARs is a good investment. Soooo...I'm wondering if I should really considering the MP15 or find a 9m carbine to satisfy my needs. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks.

If it's just going to be a range toy, I say go for the 9 carbine. Take a look at the g9. Lots to choose from but the g9 seems to be right in your price range, and it's a nice pistol carbine in my opinion. Lone Wolf G9 Glock Carbine - YouTube

Let me check them out. Thanks for the info and link.

No, hope it helps.

If you can't have both, I also vote for the 9MM carbine. Get something that does not use proprietary magazines if you can. There are several that use Glock magazines, so you are not forced to buy over priced, hard to find magazines. Fun to shoot and relatively cheap ammo.

I personally have a Kel-Tec, Gen 2, Sub 2K, in 9MM, Glock mags. I love it. I know there are Kel-Tec haters out there, most of whom are simply parroting what others have posted or said. I am not suggesting this is the gun for you. You need to look and decide for yourself. I do love my Sub 2K however.

I am also not too sure about your comment regarding ARs as being a good investment. I certainly wouldn't purchase one with that in mind.

Pick whatever you want for a range toy. For anything else 223/556 will do anything a 9 will and then some

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Great info, especially about the glock mags. When I spoke about ARs being a good investment, from the advise I received I was under the impression they were talking about its multi-use for HD, range, SHTF, unlimited accessories, more power, and being fairly cheap (not for CT folks, however). I guess with the 9m it's kind of limited, but I'm not sure-that's why I'm asking, but again thanks for your input. Really helpful.

I can recommend the Beretta CX-4 9mm Carbine.........

it uses the Beretta 92/M9 magazines from 15 to 30 rd factory and Mec-gar are great/ cheap after market magazines 10- 30 rounds.

So magazines are not an issue and if you have a Beretta 92...... well you are GTG.

I will tell you that IMO and experience (I have both) shooting paper with either at 50 yds will get boring very quickly.

Thanks for the info. And this is one of my fears, but they're not many options where I live. I'd love to get out and shoot some steel targets and move around a bit, but I simply don't know where I can go besides the 50 yd outdoor range and the 25 yrd indoor range. Bummer!

do a online search for Rifle Ranges in your area .. you might find one you didn't know about .. 75 feet was the longest indoor range in my area but then found a outdoor range 42 miles away that has a 400 yard range so joined it .. a little bit of a drive but we go up for an afternoon and shoot on 1 of 5 pistol ranges .. now since I just bought an AR-15 it will turn into an all day shooting using the 200 and 400 yard rifle ranges too ..

The outdoor range I researched is about is 35 min away and it's 50 yds. The next one is 1 hour out and it's 100 yds, but doesn't offer the benefits of the 50 yds range (membership, free targets, closer distance, and volunteer services.)

Not a great gun state from what I hear.... are there any Sportsman's Clubs.... there are 5-8 within 25 miles of my house in W. Pa.


50yds is typical .22lr country........ if your "stuck" with shooting paper..... the goal should be small groups ......ok; teeny tiny groups....... so a bolt action .22lr might be a better gun.......prone, sitting,knelling and standing...... along with bench shooting ... get the groups down under a half inch........ the skill sets you will learn; breathing and trigger control translate to centerfire.......................

Tricked out Ruger 10/22 will do the job........ but so will a CZ rimfire rifle for between $300-500. off the bench mine will do sub .3 groups at 50. For the record I shot on both High School and College rifle teams.............

Good luck

Thank you. Plenty of guys go out there with their 223/.308/shotguns, etc. but I think because there isn't any place else to go in the region without driving a couple of hours. It's not worth it for me, anyway. But thank you for the tips. We can bring our own targets, which I have a couple that I like so hopefully it won't be TOO boring, but I'm sure after a while it will be. Thanks for the input!

I've been close to taking the plunge on a CX4 on a few occasions, but always heard the triggers in them sucked. Never shot one, but that one still lingers on the list of prospects.

Ahhh ****. Whittakers has that CX4 at $599. Man thats tempting. But I'd be in divorce court within the month if I did.

Totally up to you of course, but if you don't already have a .223/5.56 carbine, IMO, that's what you should be getting. That "range toy" could quickly be needed for something else.

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The Penetration Channel

The CX-4 doesn't have a target trigger...... it's not designed to be a target gun..........I have 2 early guns (one new and one I found used at a price too low to leave) with Bushnell TRS-25 red dots both will give me rapid fire "fist size" groups at 50yds.

You can up grade the Beretta like a AR....... if you want to put the $$$$$s into it..............................

I view the CX4 as a personal defense weapon to pair up with my Beretta 92s.......magazines are interchangeable, it's shorter than a AR (with the stock fully retracted).IIRC lighter at 5.5 lbs./ with the red dot and Streamlight it's still under 6lbs ........... with a 50-75yd effective range........ a poor man's MP-5

I have a variety of 5.56 AR's ,and a 9mm AR, a CMMG MK 9LE. If you just want a range toy to shoot 50 yards and less and have a lot of fun, go with the 9mm. Mine takes Colt style mags. I also have a Beretta CX4 carbine in 9mm that shares magazines with my Beretta 92 FS. If I could only have one, I would probably pick the CX4, they are very handy, well made and designed, I do not think that I have ever had a problem with it.

I have a Zenith MKE Z 5RS(HK MP 5 clone)that as a SBR I would pick over the CX4. Life is about choices, it is good that we have multiple options!

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Life NRA, Life TSRA, C&R FFL

Have a look at the Just Right Carbine. I recently bought one in 9mm and it is great. It was under $500 shipped and it takes Glock mags.

As I already have 9mm Glocks it works good for me.

Russ

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Thanks everyone for your input. I still haven't decided, but this information is very helpful. @ Tenn2, I recently stumbled upon them and have been thinking about this as my choice, but there is a shop about an hours away that builds 9m carbine for a little more. I'm going to check them out this weekend to get some more information because I pull the trigger. But again, like bloodlord77 said, I never know when I'd need a 5.56/.223. Ugh! Decisions, decisions!! And ammo is crazy high (for me, anyway) for this caliber. Again, thanks for the info!

Do you have a self defense handgun? If so a good choice in 9mm Carbine is one that uses the same magazines as your handgun.

Me too, fun gun to shoot and pretty accurate. I can consistently hit a 9" steel plate at 50 yards with the stock sights on it.

Yes. My M&P9 fs is my HD gun. But I'm not sure how many of the carbines take M&P mags. I know a lot take glock mags and I don't own a glock, but of course I can purchase mags since they're cheaper and plentiful.

The Sub 2000 comes with M&P mags as an option. I love mine.

Consider a .22LR too, if you want cheap range fun.

I have been wanting a 9mm AR15 for a while but they can be a bit pricey as not as many are being manufactured,
While 5.56 might arguably be the better choice in the field a 9mm carbine is just plain fun (and cheap) to shoot with the added advantage of reduced muzzle blast !
(BTW I was at the local indoor range recently and the guy to the left of me was shooting an 11" SBR in .5.56,
had to move over several lanes due to the excessive muzzle blast, well that and his casings were bouncing off the ceiling and hitting me )

What is baffling is why with so much competition in the .556 carbine market and prices being so low why S&W hasnt offered a 9mm version of their M&P Sport II AR15 yet ?

If they were on the ball they would sell it with two 30 round magazines that interchange with their 9mm M&P handgun line and at the same price point as the Sport II ... a version in .45ACP and .40 S&W would be nice too !

PS besides less competition in the marketplace there is ikely more profit in a 9mm AR since the design is so much simpler to make,
The bolt is simple blowback in operation which means no gas system is necessary pictured below , notice no rotating bolt or locking lugs :



By adding a shell deflector to a standard upper and pinning a magazine well adapter into the lower Colt was able to use a standard AR15 upper and lower so no new forgings were required :

I'm glad to here that you all have had good luck with your Sub 2k's.
But as you know there is a good & bad side to everything.
I purchased a new Kel-Tec Gen 2 Sub 2000, it never once emptied a mag without having one or multiple failure to feed, even after I sent it back to Kel-Tec.

32icon, have you looked at the CZ Scorpion 9mm?
I have a Scorpion Evo 3 S1 pistol, they also have one with a 16" barrel.
It's great fun to shoot & I have never had a issue with it.
It's accurate out to 50 yards and 30 round mags can also be had for $20 or less.

I would then look to find private gun clubs and see if any offer what your looking for .. might cost a bit more but there isn't much challenge to shoot at 50 yards .. when what your shooting is capable of so much more ..

you might check wheretoshoot.org for ranges in your area ..

I couldn't agree more. I went to their website first just to make sure they didn't have one before I posted this thread. I'm not sure what they're thinking. Thanks for the pics too, btw.

You read my mind!!!!!!!! This IS THE ONE I WANT, but it's illegal in CT. I called my LGS a few days ago and asked about it and sure enough, it's illegal. That's when I went back to the drawing board and decided to ask around for more info. This is a beauty! You're LUCKY!!!!!

Hey there! I have a 15-22 and 22 Victory so I'm good with that. I was hoping I could add a M&P AR-9 carbine to the mix. Lol.

As an alternative to a 9mm AR15, consider a .223/5/56 AR15, plus a CMMG .22 LR conversion upper.

Unlike the Chiappa .22 LR upper, the CMMG uses a regular AR15 upper receiver.

The barrels are .222" 1:16" twist specifically for .22 LR and are Melonlited.

There are six uppers offered. Five are 16" carbines in various patterns and one is a 20" rifle. One of the carbines is a dead ringer for the Sport II upper.

Note all the barrels have a threaded muzzle and a flash hider. If this is an issue, work with a gunsmith to purchase one and have it neutered with either a pinned muzzle brake or removing the threads completely on the 20" rifle.

Black Dog has mags that are fairly inexpensive for standard AR15 magwells that work well with the CMMG upper.

AR9 Carbine = permagrin

Just yesterday I finished a AR9 8.5 inch pistol build. I say build your own if you have some spare parts laying around, or just buy a complete lower and hybrid upper from Palmetto State Armory, these are really good quality for the price. The only other cost you would have would be for an optic or sights.

I bought the PSA (actually New Frontier) billet stripped Glock mag lower and built a higher end build from there using mostly Kaw Valley Precision components. If you build out a lower the PSA MOE + EPT lower parts kit really gives you a nice trigger and grip for the $. ETS 31 round Glock mags are inexpensive and work perfectly with the PSA lowers BTW.

It would have been more cost effective for me to just buy a complete upper and lower from PSA but I wanted a buffer and spring that is designed specifically for 9mm blowback platforms as well as some other features but read the reviews, the PSA AR9's get some pretty high marks, especially given the price point which right now would still be under $600 with shipping and transfer fee for a 16 inch upper and Glock mag complete billet lower from PSA.