Best PCC: Top Pistol-Caliber Carbines Ranked!

Weird and unexpected things sometimes happen in the gun world. An example of unexpected is how the P36, Hellcat, and other handguns changed the concealed carry world by increasing sub-compact mag capacity. An example of weird, and in my mind the weirdest, development lately is how the popularity of pistol caliber carbines (PCCs) took off over the last couple of years. And not just the 9mm carbine, but all manner of pistol caliber long gun (well, long~ish) models and calibers.

PCCs have been around for a long time, but they were typically a small category of guns that people enjoyed, but they were niche – including PCCs that were designed as Personal Defense Weapons (PDWs) like the M1 Carbine of 1942.

From 2010 to now, though, the PCC category has absolutely exploded in popularity, and not just in the 9mm carbine/AR9 group either.

We’ve created a comprehensive guide for those with more than a passing interest in the PCC. After reading this, you should be more prepared to pick and choose your first (or tenth) long gun chambered in a pistol caliber. However, if you have unanswered questions, hit us in the comments!

What is a PCC?

PCC stands for pistol caliber carbine. It’s a long gun designed to fire a pistol cartridge, i.e. a handgun caliber round. That round can be anything from a 32 ACP to a 500 S&W. Today the term PCC also alludes to SMG-based pistols.

We here at Gun University usually restrict the PCC title to something in a common production ammunition caliber; 5.7 and 4.6, for instance, we usually call a PDW. More on that later – and we’ll talk about subguns, too.

Here’s an example. Size is often an advantage but isn’t always a determining factor. An MPX Copperhead is relatively tiny (albeit not next to a Glock 17). It’s a foot long without a brace or stock, but some call it PCCs. A Ruger PC charger is 34″ long with a 16″ barrel, in 9mm. It’s definitely a PCC. The Kel-Tec Sub 2000 is 30.5” and is a 9mm; it’s a PCC, right?

But the CMMG Dissent, by contrast, averages around two feet long – and is chambered in 9mm, 10mm, 5.7, 4.6, and all sorts of other calibers. All PCCs? Some are PDWs? Going back to the Copperhead, when does it become a subgun?

Appearances to the contrary, I’m not bringing this up to confuse or distract you. I just want you to know there is no hard and fast definition of “pistol caliber carbine.”

For simplicity’s sake, when we say PCC below, we mean one of two things: Either a long gun (carbine or SBR, for instance) that is chambered in a common, traditional handgun cartridge or a subgun/SMG-type weapon that is larger than a handgun.

I’ll warn you up front – this list will probably change over the next few months as pistol brace laws change and drive weapon evolution. So check back when you can and definitely let us know what you think (or find out) in the comments below.

Best PCCs

Our Top PCCs

Author’s choice Ruger PC Carbine		Ambi charging handle Magazine module allows Ruger 9 or Glock mags Excellent (protected and adjustable) iron sights	Check Price
TOP FOR COMPETITION SIG MPX PCC		Modern replacement for guns like the MP5 AR-like safety-selector Steeply beveled mag well	Check Price
Better for competition? $$$ JP GMR-15		Silent capture spring JP Supermatch (cryogenically treated) barrel Extremely popular with competitive shooters	Check price
Best AR9 CMMG Banshee		Radial Delayed Blowback operating system 6o-90 reversible center barrel safety Uses standard AR mags with a 9mm insert	Check Price
Most portable Kel Tec SUB		Simple as a modern Sten gun Folds up stupid small Clunker of a trigger	Check Price
Best lever action Henry Big Boy X		21st century tech in a a 19th century design Buckhorns replaced by fiber-optics Side gate load but retained removable mag liner	Check Price
Top budget choice Hi-Point Carbine		Extremely budget-friendly Functional but fugly By no means the choice of Tier One units	Check Price
MOST UNIQUE (AND COOLEST) Kriss Vector CRB		Among the least felt recoil EVER KRISS Super V System Benefits more obvious in full-auto	Check price
Editor’s Choice Stribog SP9A3		What the first Stribog should have been Glock-mad fed side-charger Folds up extremely small	Check price

Pistol Caliber Carbine Reviews

Ruger PC Carbine Review

I took this 9mm carbine (and later the Charger variant) as an interesting development from a company that rarely strays from its “standard” firearm catalog. I’ve never thought of Ruger as edgy…probably nobody has. And I don’t mean that as a bad thing.

Actually, Ruger actually has a history with PCCs. Their previous one was the Police

The current version is not too different from the older-school predecessor.

But this 9mm carbine uses what Ruger refers to as a Dead Blow blowback system. The Dead blow system uses a tungsten weight attached to the bolt to limit bolt travel and reduce recoil. It’s weird, yeah, but it works. It works really well.

The Carbine and Charger series are outfitted with simple controls that are all easily accessible, and the reversible charging handle is genius. The former sports a pretty great trigger, a threaded barrel, and optic’s ready compatibility. The latter variant is the same, except it’s a pistol variant that lacks a stock.

Ane we all know the current issue s with braces vs. stocks.

Two features that really make this design stand out is the takedown design and magwell. The takedown design allows you to remove the barrel from the receiver and cut the weapon’s length in half. The second feature is an interchangeable magwell that allows you to use either a Ruger magazine or Glock magazine.

Here’s what I’m hoping. I hope Ruger really embraces this and gives users more options for magazine compatibility.

Check out our full review here!

Pros and Cons

Sig MPX Review

The SIG Sauer MPX is a runner for HK MP5 replacement among the civilized world. (Cue a hope they remake 1990’s Navy SEALs movie with Dale Hawkins running a suppressed MPX.) It’s a really well-designed platform; the biggest thing it has going for it, IMHO, is that it uses a short-stroke gas piston system over a blowback design. Controllability for the win.

The MPX utilizes AR 15-like controls with a lot of focus on ambidextrous design. Anyone who’s used a AR 15 will be at home with the MPX. The trigger is fantastic for a PCC, and SIG makes the gun in various configurations, including rifles, SBRs, and pistol variants.

Unfortunately, the MPX magazine is a proprietary one, and while high quality, they carry a high price tag. Up to 50 bucks a pop for each 30-round mag. As of this writing, no one – that I am aware of – is producing aftermarket alternatives either.

The SIG MPX is no budget blaster, but it is one of the few PCCs to use a short-stroke gas system over some type of blowback design. That’ll go a long way toward making it worth the money.

Sig MPX PCC Pros and Cons

GMR-15 9mm Carbine Review

JP’s GMR-15 9mm carbine is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, pistol caliber long guns in the competition world. That’s not to say it wouldn’t be a great home defense gun, or that it’s only good for recreational shooting. It would be, and it’s not – but it’s predominance in sport shooting should inform you about its value.

You’ll have to let all those competitive shooters convince you. I haven’t personally run the thing. I just know several people whose opinion I respect sing its praises.

The JP “9mm Silent Capture Spring” helps mitigate (if not eliminate) the already light recoil generated by 9mm rounds. It also utilizes the JP Supermatch (cryogenically treated) barrel, the “Enhanced Reliability” fire control package, and a slew of high end accessories.

Oh, and let’s don’t forget that dual-charging system. That’s a unique feature that a lot of people like.

GMR-15 9mm Carbine: Pros and Cons

CMMG Banshee Review

The Banshee line by CMMG is a massive line of long guns available in both rifle and pistol calibers. We are focusing on the PCC line, and it’s still a broad one.

It includes your everyday 9mm Luger round, but also .45, 10mm, and even 5.7x28mm. Different series have varying features.

The 300 Series is the top of the line and implements lots of cool upgrades, including an M-LOK rail, ambi safety, and charging handle, as well as cerakote options to die for.

The Banshee uses a radial delayed system that eliminates the need for heavy bolts, buffers, or springs.

The 9mm variants can weigh as little as 4 pounds 10 ounces and be as short as 18.9 inches.

The Banshee series makes use of established pistols magazines from Glock, SIG, and FN to provide commonality between pistols and easy to find magazine options. The Banshee is a robust and capable AR-type wea[pm that offers you many options you don’t see with other PCCs regarding features, calibers, and magazine types.

Check out our full review on the CMMG Banshee here!

CMMG Banshee Pros and Cons

Kel Tec SUB 2000 Review

The Gen 1 Kel Tec Sub 2000 was one of the first big boys in the PCC world and set a hard-to-beat standard.

The Sub 2000 is far from fancy and features a simple blowback action and tube-style design.

What sets the Sub 2000 apart is that it can fold completely in half. Well, that’s one of the things that sets it apart.

This thing is perfect for easy storage and transportation needs. Especially if you don’t have the budget of an Upper Class or Upper Middle-Class gray man. The ergonomics are somewhat odd, and the trigger is nothing to write home about, but the weapon works.

Listen, there are people who rank Kel Tec as being just barely above Hi-Point on the food chain. You can think waht you want, but I love this gun. And so do a lot of other people.

As a pure blowback gun, you get a heavy bolt and spring that make cocking and racking the weapon a challenge, so be aware of that.

The Sub 2000 makes use of common pistol magazines, and you can choose between various options to include Glock, SIG, S&W, and more. Caliber wise you get a choice between 9mm and 40 S&W. The Sub 2000 is also remarkably affordable but can be tricky to find at times.

Check out our full review on the KelTec SUB 2000 here!

KelTec SUB 2000 Pros and Cons

HENRY BIG BOY X MODEL REVIEW

The term tactical lever gun might sound terrible. I mean, Mossberg proved with their Zombie series years ago, so yeah, the concept of a tactical lever gun can be a steamer.

Modernized lever guns are getting more and more popular all the time, though, and Henry is putting in some good work to help make that happen.

They’re mostly doing that with the Henry X series. This line of guns takes a more refined approach to the (lever) tactical carbine and aims at folks in restrictive states looking for a competent home defense gun.

The Big Boy X is a pistol-caliber variant in the easy series.

It comes in 38 Special/357 Magnum, 45 Colt, and 44 Magnum. Regardless of caliber, each gun can hold 7 rounds and is tapped for a variety of modern tactical features.

This includes a rail for lights, an optics rail for red dots, high visibility sights, and a threaded barrel. The furniture is polymer for durability and weight-saving design, and the Big Boy X is a very modern lever gun.

The side-loading gate allows you to top off your lever gun as you fire and gives you the ability to keep the gun going well beyond the initial seven rounds. The X series presents a PCC in an old-school-cool approach. It’s not for everyone, but we’d be remiss not to include something as cool as a lever gun on this list.

Henry Big Boy Pros and Cons

Hi-Point Carbine Review

Yep, a Hi-Point made this list. I know it’s tough to digest on a list full of excellent weapons.

However, the Hi-Point carbine has always been a simple but reliable multi-caliber option at a rock-bottom price.

The Hi-Point carbine series is a standard blowback design and only comes in a rifle configuration.

The gun comes complete and ready to fire with a set of sights, as well as an optic’s rail.

There are plenty of accessory rails for adding lights, lasers, and more. The stock sports a built-in recoil buffer too.

It’s a very simple long gun that’s always kind of ugly. That being said, it works, and it costs less than 300 bucks.

I would choose this carbine over a dirt-cheap AR 15 because I trust it to work.

The Hi-Point series comes in various calibers, including 9mm, 40 S&W, .45, 10mm, and even 380. These weapons use the same magazines as the pistols and are plenty cheap. The Hi-Point series doesn’t excel in most categories, but at the end of the day, it’s functional, reliable, and affordable.

Hi-Point Carbine Pros and Cons

Kriss Vector Review

The Vector is definitely one of the most unique (and immediately recognizable) of all modern guns. That’s not the reason it’s in our choices for Best PCC.

The Vector is not at all just a pretty face, and if you’ve never shot one – well, even if you’re not looking to buy, go check one out sometime. They are smooth and fun, and it feels like they “kick” less than a .22lr. Seriously.

The Vector’s sci-fi shape is the result of its “Super V System,” which takes the normal recoil-impulse and directs it downward. Add this to a low bore axis and you get an imminently controllable weapon.

Stribog SP9A3 Review

First off, stipulated: many people will call this a PDW, not a PCC. Many people would also describe it as a subgun. However, Many People aren’t writing this article. We’ll call what we think is appropriate.

The SP9A3 is what the original Stribog should have been – meaning it has all the good qualities of its predecessors and it takes Glock mags. The first ‘bogs used a proprietary straight magazine that had less than a sterling reputation for reputation. The next generation used curved magazines, but they were still proprietary. Now though? Now it feeds from a Glock magazine!

Another improvement is the non-reciprocating charging handle. It not only makes a nice place to throw your support thumb, but it’s also reconfigurable. You can swap it from left- to right-handed simply and quickly.

The only reason the editor rated this above the Kriss Vector is the familiarity of the STribog’s manual of arms. Take out that factor, and they’re tied up in both the badass and go-buy categories.

Stribog SP9A3 Pros and Cons

PCC Buyers Guide

PCCs are some of my favorite firearms. They’re cheap and fun to shoot, and I own more than I need. They might not be for everyone, but they are an excellent option for many.

Why Do You Want a PCC?

Maybe you are not specifically shopping for a PCC. Perhaps you are considering all of your firearm options. Maybe you don’t know the benefits of a 9mm carbine or other PCC. Whatever the reason is, we’re going to give you the info you need to make an informed decision.

Cheaper Ammo and (Sometimes) Easier Logistics

Pistol ammo is almost universally cheaper than rifle ammo. Magnum calibers exceed that, but mostly the price difference is significant. 9mm Luger can be half the price of 5.56.

Some PCCs use standard pistol magazines. Glock is the most popular, but SIG, Ruger, and S&W magazines in PCCs aren’t unheard of. This simplifies your logistics in numerous ways. First, if you own a pistol that uses the same magazines, you already have a source to draw from.

Second, the magazines are not proprietary. These are often easier to find and usually cheaper. That eases the $$$ sting of buying a new platform.

Super Short and Light

PCCs have the ability to be lighter and shorter than traditional long guns like the AR15 and AR10. Even full-sized PCCs with 16-inch barrels tend to be lighter than rifle-caliber weapons. Look at subguns and you can go even shorter and even lighter.

The Banshee Mk17 weighs 4 pounds and 10 ounces and is 18.9 inches long. PCCs can have super short barrels without a loss of ballistic performance. A 9mm-chambered PCC with a 5-inch barrel is much more comfortable to handle and shoot than a 5.56 AR 15 with a 5-inch barrel.

This creates a very small and competent firearm that’s easy to handle for most shooters. Smaller shooters or shooters without a ton of strength benefit greatly from lighter and shorter weapons. PCCs are often a favorite of shooters with arthritis or limb injuries in general.

Pleasant to Shoot

Because they are so much bigger than a standard pistol, PCCs tend to be incredibly comfortable to shoot and handle. Recoil is minimal, as is the concussion. The bigger calibers become very loud when used with short barrels, producing a massive concussion and muzzle blast that’s not present in short-barreled PCCs or subguns.

The mild impulse, noise, and concussion make them a lot less scary if you are a new shooter and much more attractive to those looking for an easy-handling and fun gun.

Easy to Suppress

PCCs are excellent candidates for noise suppression!

First, pistol calibers are very easy to make subsonic, so ammo is widely available without paying a high price or having issues hunting it down. Supersonic ammo leaves a telltale crack even when the gun is suppressed. Subsonic ammo keeps things quieter.

Second, pistol-caliber cans are often more affordable than their rifle caliber counterparts.

Lastly, if you take the subgun or the SBR route, a PCC can have a short barrel with a relatively short can. This creates a combination that can still be shorter than any standard long gun.

Allowed At Pistol Ranges

You may live in an area where the only local ranges are indoor ranges. Most indoor ranges only allow pistol calibers due to relatively short ranges, the confined space, and how much more powerful a rifle round is than a pistol.

These ranges will still allow you to use a PCC and get your training in. Another significant benefit is the fact you can use pistol-rated steel targets. These are a fair bit cheaper than most rifle-rated steel, which is nice.

The Downsides of a PCC

Like anything in the gun world, there are always compromises. With all the benefits of PCCs come a few downsides worth noting.

Still Only a Pistol Caliber

The biggest downside is that you are still just shooting a pistol caliber. Pistol calibers are nowhere near as powerful as rifle or shotgun rounds. Pistol-chambered long guns have all the advantages of their brawnier cousins, but their rounds lacks substantial power and range – although this may of offset by the fact that sometimes you’ll be able to cross load magazines into your concealed carry magazines.

At 50 yards and in the PCC can rule. From 50 to 100 yards, you start to deal with some substantial problems with bullet drop and a loss of energy from most pistol calibers. Even the most powerful pistol rounds can’t touch a rifle round. You can’t get the same penetration from a pistol round, and all-around ballistically, they are significantly weaker.

Proprietary Magazines

Remember that “sometimes” I mentioned when regarding easier logistics? Well, sometimes, they are harder. Some PCCs use proprietary magazines, which can be expensive. Not always, of course – the CZ has many affordable magazine options. But that isn’t always the case.

However, guns like the MPX and the various MP5 clones have magazines that cost upwards of 50 bucks a pop. Proprietary magazines also remove some of the compatibility options you might have with your concealed carry pistol.

Caliber, Caliber Caliber

Which caliber to use is always a big question with a long answer full of nuance. What caliber should your PCC be chambered in? If you just want an affordable, capable, and easy-to-find caliber, 9mm is the way to go. 9mm is plenty cheap, and the defensive loadings are very capable. Subsonic 9mm is also quite common for use with cans.

If you want a caliber that can take advantage of a PCC’s longer barrel and ability to be more accurate, then the 10mm might be the pistol cartridge for you. The 10mm has good power out to 100 yards and is relatively flat shooting.

If you take a slightly different route and utilize a cowboy-style lever gun, the 357 Magnum guns can shoot the cheaper 38 Special for more affordable target practice. While the word Magnum sounds intense, in a rifle, it’s rather pleasant and soft shooting.

There are some niche calibers you could argue walk the line between PCC and rifle round like the 5.7X28. They can be pretty neat but pricey and difficult to find. If you take this route, just keep that in mind.

If your round of choice isn’t mentioned here, don’t feel left out. Most common pistol rounds will work fine in PCCs and function well for defensive shooting. Rounds like the 40 S&W and 45 ACP simply don’t do anything special worth mentioning. They are functional, potent, and capable, but more expensive than 9mm and weaker performers compared to 10mm.

If you have handguns in a particular caliber, then you may want to match your PCC caliber to your handgun caliber for simpler logistics.

From a Defensive Perspective

Many may wonder, is a 9mm carbine or other PCC a good choice for home defense? Well, yeah, as with any gun, they need to be a quality gun before they are trusted as a home defense tool. However, I do believe PCCs are an excellent choice for home defense.

They are lighter and easier to handle than rifles, typically more comfortable, and produce less concussion. If you’ve never fired a 5.56 rifle inside a building, you’ll be absolutely shocked at how loud and forceful it is. The blast is brutal, as is the noise. When you’re in a fight, it doesn’t matter much, but preserving your hearing is nice.

This leads us back to cans, which can be equipped to a short PCC without making the gun overtly long. You can use easily suppressed subsonic ammo in defensive loadings that are perfect for home defense.

Pistol rounds don’t hit like rifle rounds, but with proper ammo selection, they are still capable and effective defensive rounds. For people with reduced strength, a PCC they can fire accurately and easily multiple times is better than a rifle they can fire once.

Inside a PCC – Operating Systems

Rifles, shotguns, and handguns all have various systems they operate on. These systems vary from manual action to semi-automatic, and inside, both of those are sub-categories. PCCs seem to have more operating systems than any other platform, and they are typically interesting and worth knowing about because they affect how the weapon functions and how it handles.

Straight Blowback 

Straight blowback is the most type of operation of function for a PCC. It’s very simple, affordable, and reliable. The system is used in most SMGs and has been around for as long as automatic weapons have. Blowback operation is what occurs when the rapidly expanding gasses push the shell from the chamber. This is caveman-style simplicity. 

With straight blowback systems, you have to find a way to delay the bolt from opening until the pressure is at a safe level to do so, and the projectile has cleared the barrel. To do so, you need a heavy bolt or a heavy spring compressing that bolt. The downside is that straight blowback weapons often have increased recoil (often referred to “kick” or “kickback”) compared to other systems.

Also, the heavier bolts make the weapon heavier and can create more “kick” due to increased mass moving rearward. A heavy spring makes the weapon harder to operate from an ergonomic standpoint. 

Radial Delayed Blowback 

Radial-delayed systems were created by CMMG for the Banshee series of PCCs. The radial delayed system utilizes a bolt with angular lugs that lock into a chamber cut to accommodate the lugs. The angular lugs rotate to unlock, and the time it takes to rotate allows the projectile to leave the barrel and for pressure to drop in the chamber. 

This system eliminates the need for heavy springs, bolts, and buffers. This allows you to have a carbine with lower “kick” and less weight than most. CMMG is the only producer of this blowback operation, but they do sell barrel and bolt systems to allow you to create your own AR-type PCC platform with the radial delayed action. 

Dead Blow Blowback 

Dead blow blowback is a variation of straight blowback designed and utilized by Ruger. This system is used on both their Carbine and Charger series. The name comes from a dead blow hammer, which is a tool utilized to prevent damage to a surface and to control strike force. They do this through the addition of a tungsten weight attached to their bolts. 

This limits bolt travel and improves controllability. It retains the simplicity of straight blowback without the recoil. The downside is the heavy bolt is still very present in this system. 

Roller Delayed Blowback 

Roller delayed blowback goes all the way back to World War 2 era machine guns. The famed German design has been modified for use in one of the most popular SMG platforms in the world, the MP5. The roller delayed system typically uses two rollers installed on the bolt to delay movement of the bolt by allowing the bolt carrier to move rearward before the bolt head.

This system varies by design but is relatively simple and allows for a lightweight system. They can be used by lightweight and stamped guns like the MP5. The system does help control “kick” and limits the need for massive bolts and heavy springs. The downsides are a relatively dirty system that isn’t known for playing well with suppressors. 

Short Stroke Gas System 

Short-stroke gas systems are common on rifle-caliber rifles but seem to be rarer in the available PCC lineup. A short-stroke gas piston system utilizes a piston mounted to the barrel with a gas port leading from the barrel to the gas piston. 

The gas strikes the piston, and the piston is driven rearward and strikes a bolt. The bolt cycles rearward and allows the weapon to operate. Short-stroke recoil systems are more complicated and costly than regular systems, but they have softer “kickback” and a high degree of reliability. The only downside to this system is accuracy over long ranges. However, PCCs are not used at the ranges where this is an issue. 

Lever Actions 

The last system is the only popular manual action long gun for PCC, and that is lever actions. Lever actions require the user to activate a lever between each shot. This lever manipulation extracts, ejects, and loads the next round into the gun. This system is 100% reliable because it’s used by hand and the only chance for a malfunction is from the user or a broken gun. 

Lever actions are simple but do require more practice and training compared to a semi-auto action. Lever action rifles are still quite fast in trained hands and can be easier to obtain in states with restrictive gun laws. Lever actions also allow for magnum caliber rounds to be safely and efficiently used. 

Additional Relevant Reading

• Learn about 9mm carry ammo options.

• Brush up on how to use a rifle sling.

• Read about the PCC that never was.