Looking to build/buy a AR-9

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  • Robert1955

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 25, 2012
    1,614
    Glen Burnie
    Hey there. I have decided to add a 9mm to my AR collection. I am thinking of buying a glock lower from PSA, they have them for ~280 but they say you need to use one of their uppers which is not a problem but they are all out of stock currently. Any other suggestions on buying one? local would be a bonus. Also a Glock lower is almost a must as I plenty of std G17 mags. Thanks.
     

    Drmsparks

    Old School Rifleman
    Jun 26, 2007
    8,441
    PG county
    I just got an 8" PSA. They dont' stay out of stock long. Sign up for a notification and you should hear back PDQ.

    What's the deal with the having to use their uppers on their lowers? I was going to be running mine on an Engage colt.
     

    powderhunter

    Active Member
    May 29, 2011
    108
    Germantown, MD
    I assembled mine for around $550. Palmetto Glock Lower $100, 9mm Upper with BGC $350, LPK $40 & 9mm buffer spacer $18.

    The stock & buffer tube assemblies are leftover from previous project. I think it turned out OK.
     

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    StantonCree

    Watch your beer
    Jan 23, 2011
    23,932
    A1 has YHM colt pattern in stock plus they MAY still have one complete colt upper in stock. I know they have a pistols/SBR upper in stock.
     

    shooterhyde

    Active Member
    Sep 9, 2013
    197
    I built mine on a Quarter Circle 10 Glock lower with CQ10 bolt. Picked the lower up from the Gun Connection
     

    photoracer

    Competition Shooter
    Oct 22, 2010
    3,318
    West Virginia
    Just watch out for the PSA 9mm barrels. Like a lot of 9mm carbine barrels the rifling is cut short. Meaning that the last round you chamber might not want to come out and when you do manage to open the bolt you might get the brass and the powder with the bullet staying in the chamber stuck in the rifling. How I know this is because both the first and second barrel I bought from PSA both did this. Sort of simple fix is buy a 9mm chamber reamer from Brownells. Find some long and short OAL 9mm rounds and turn the reamer until even the long rounds go plop and cycle out OK. Or you can just load rounds short. Barrels shoot good so I did not return them as other makers do the same thing, but not all do.
     

    Silverlode

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 16, 2010
    4,797
    Frederick
    A1 has YHM colt pattern in stock plus they MAY still have one complete colt upper in stock. I know they have a pistols/SBR upper in stock.

    I contacted YHM about two years ago asking when a particular upper would be back in stock and the guy I talked to said if they had the parts available they would build me whatever configuration I wanted, it would take a couple weeks and there wouldn't be any kind of custom upcharge added.

    Edit: Sorry, I just noticed you said in stock at A1, not YHM. Kind of makes the above pointless perhaps.

    I know the OP wants to go Glock, but I am quite happy with the two Colt pattern guns I have. I don't know anything about the Glock compatible guns, but for the Colt pattern I built myself I found it easiest because you basically only need 3 9mm specific parts (barrel, Hahn precision block, magazines) if you use the correct CMMG bolt. And there are a ton of good quality hi-cap magazines available for reasonable cost if you look around.
     

    Robert1955

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 25, 2012
    1,614
    Glen Burnie
    I think I am going to go the PSA route. I want to go Glock because I have a bunch of Std. cap G17 mags, and would use them mostly but I will pick up some 33 round G18 mags when I get a chance.
     

    ecampo

    Active Member
    Mar 3, 2008
    162
    You can use any 9mm upper with the PSA glock lowers as long as you have a Glock cut bolt. They just use that disclaimer because all of their uppers include the hybrid cut bolt.
     

    OnTarget

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 29, 2009
    3,154
    WV
    I assembled mine for around $550. Palmetto Glock Lower $100, 9mm Upper with BGC $350, LPK $40 & 9mm buffer spacer $18.

    The stock & buffer tube assemblies are leftover from previous project. I think it turned out OK.

    Okay, if one already has the PSA complete 16" 9mm upper with their hybrid BCG and a PSA stripped 9mm forged lower (for Glock mags), what other parts do I need?

    Would all the parts for the 9mm stripped lower be the same exact parts as used in a AR15 .556/.223? I want to make sure I have this right. If not, what do I need?
     

    shovel1966

    Member
    May 14, 2016
    88
    Springfield, VA
    Okay, if one already has the PSA complete 16" 9mm upper with their hybrid BCG and a PSA stripped 9mm forged lower (for Glock mags), what other parts do I need?

    Would all the parts for the 9mm stripped lower be the same exact parts as used in a AR15 .556/.223? I want to make sure I have this right. If not, what do I need?

    Yes, with PSA they don't require a modified 9mm hammer with their carbines.

    I built two PSA 9mm carbines in 16". The first one was back when they offered "Magwell inserts" to accept Colt style magazines into a standard AR lower. Later I built one around their Glock mag lower.

    If you have the upper with BCG and stripped lower for Glock mags, then all you would need is the following:

    1.) 9mm buffer (much heavier than standard 5.56 buffer),
    2.) ANY standard Lower Parts Kits (some AR9s require a modified hammer, but not PSA)
    3.) Mil-Spec or Commercial buffer tube, spring and stock.
    4.) Sights of your choice.

    Good luck and have fun.
     

    OnTarget

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 29, 2009
    3,154
    WV
    Yes, with PSA they don't require a modified 9mm hammer with their carbines.

    I built two PSA 9mm carbines in 16". The first one was back when they offered "Magwell inserts" to accept Colt style magazines into a standard AR lower. Later I built one around their Glock mag lower.

    If you have the upper with BCG and stripped lower for Glock mags, then all you would need is the following:

    1.) 9mm buffer (much heavier than standard 5.56 buffer),
    2.) ANY standard Lower Parts Kits (some AR9s require a modified hammer, but not PSA)
    3.) Mil-Spec or Commercial buffer tube, spring and stock.
    4.) Sights of your choice.

    Good luck and have fun.

    Thank you shovel1966 for your thorough reply. One question: Do you have a particular 9mm buffer that you would recommend?
     

    OnTarget

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 29, 2009
    3,154
    WV
    Does anybody know whether the PSA 9mm complete lowers (for Glock mags) that use the hybrid PSA upper use a heavy buffer and spring in the buffer tube? Or, do they just use a standard AR15 type? Do they use anything akin to the Spikes heavy buffer and Wolff heavy spring?
     
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    shovel1966

    Member
    May 14, 2016
    88
    Springfield, VA
    Thank you shovel1966 for your thorough reply. One question: Do you have a particular 9mm buffer that you would recommend?

    I just used the PSA buffer for 9mm. It is the correct weight for 9mm and cheaper than the heavier buffers from other companies. I also just used the standard AR15 Carbine spring in a standard Mil-Spec buffer tube. Both my Colt style and Glock style have been flawless.
     

    shovel1966

    Member
    May 14, 2016
    88
    Springfield, VA
    Will the PSA uppers work with standard lowers? Or only PSA lowers?

    I don't believe there is a "standard" 9mm lower. But to answer your question, the PSA uppers will "fit" a standard AR style lower. I guess it would depend on which lower you pin your PSA upper to whether it will work or not.

    AR9s are similar to the AR308 (AR10) platform with respect to ensuring each part used is compatible with all others in the build. This is a completely different concept than an AR-15 style rifle. The reason is because the AR-15 has a Mil-Spec and the parts made to fit Mil-Spec are all completely interchangeable.
     
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