9mm or .223 AR

T

tbooker

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
45   0   0
I am thinking of buying one of the RRA AR pistols and am wondering should I get it in 9mm or .223 what are the pro and cons of each.
 
I was wondering the same thing. I am leaning towards the 9mm though so I can shoot it at the indoor range that only allows pistol calibres. Also ammo is cheaper which helps a bit.
 
I just bought a Bushmaster Carbon 15 - 9mm. Came with 2 stick mags (5/30) and 1 10 rounder, and a Fab sports quadrail, and only paid $1000 bucks. I have since put $200 rounds through her without a hitch. Only been shooting at the indoor 50 foot range but I love it. And I reload 9mm so it is super cheap. Just waiting on a riser to mount a red dot.
 
I have one of each, and I like them both. Although they are both "ARs", 9mm and .223/5.56 ARs really shoot and feel like totally different guns. The .223/5.56 is a "rifle": Big boom, way flatter shooting, much better at longer range. It shoots and feels like a rifle. The 9mm is something else. It's a big shoulder-fired pistol really. The 9mm is fantastically accurate inside 50m, and very useable out to 100m. I shoot a 230 yard gong with mine sometimes, but you have to "lob" the rounds on target by aiming about 3 feet high. On the .223/5.56, point of aim isn't really any different the way I have it set up, out to 230 - which is as far as we can shoot at our range.

Get both if you can. Two of the best, most rewarding, things you will ever own! :)

If you are thinking about a 7" or 10.5" .223/5.56 AR, try one before you buy. Very loud. Different than other ARs.

Here are mine. One is an all milspec CMMG M4-type gun (14.5" barrel) with 3x ACOG Compact, and the other is a RRA 9mm "pistol", "9mm NATO"/"Pistol Only" marked (7" barrel) with EOtech.
CMMG8.jpg
 
If your range will let you shoot 223, go with the 223 first then ad the 9mm. If i could only every have one it would be the 223 as it will do all the 9mm does and more.
 
Pros of 9mm:

- cheaper to feed
- almost non-existent recoil makes it great for teaching newbies
- can be shot on indoor/pistol cal only ranges (big plus for GTA folks)

Pros of .223:

- can be shot out to 300m+ if you have access to such facilities
- it's the "real" service rifle AR

Bottom line: get both!
 
I have a two ARs in .223 one in a 7.5" pistol config. the other a 16" carbine.

I really like shooting the short AR in .223 config. It does feel like a rifle.
A very compact rifle. ;)

The arguments about Short barrel .223 ballistics having low velocities and sucky fragmentation don't mean much for my paper shooting.

I shoot .22lr out of both as an alternate calibre and it is great for practice.

If I want to shoot a 9mm "SBR" type firearm I'd put a stock on my Glock.

ARs are meant to go BOOM!!!.

So if I want to shoot the AR on the cheap. I can get 500 rounds or .22lr for the price of 100 9mm.

In the end it doesn't matter because of all the firearms I own the only one I'd consider having more than
one of is the AR.

It's like lego.
 
Last edited:
Unless you only plan on shooting at an indoor range or at distances under 50 M I would not recommend buying a 9mm. The .223 is more fun to shoot and you can use it out to much, much longer ranges. You will get bored of the 9mm AR quickly.
 
Cpt.Flan said:
Get the .223!

To shoot inside winter time get a .22Lr conversion and get back to .223 after.

At least you will have some fun at 200 yards + ranges whit it.

I think 9mm AR's are useless. IMHO!

Yea cheap ammo but no recoil ( Since no recoil why you don't just go for a 22 instead?!? ) and not what it takes for long range shooting fun.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

I disagree. I can shoot my 9mm at my indoor range and it is alot cheaper to feed. I had a remington .597 VTR and I will tell you it is like night and day between that and 9mm. There is a huge difference in recoil. I can put decent groups at 100 yarrds with my buddies RRA 9mm. I am very pleased with the 9mm, and if anything I don't see the point of a .223 AR. I have a .308 for shooting 100 yards that recoils harder than .223. (just going off your reasoning)
 
Well I have 3x .223 AR's and 2x .308 AR's and they are getting pretty hungery and pricey to shoot so I decided to build up a 9mm to try and cut down on some costs. I can use the 9mm to keep up with all of my drills and uch tha I will not loose the muscle memory. I would say buy both but this is my $.02.
 
I had an AR in .40 (the one and only Oly AR that used Glock mags that made it in to Canada)

Shooting pistol calibers in an AR sounds more fun than it is. I used it for IPSC 3 gun...and it was all but useless.

Zero it for 100 meters, it shoots high at 50 meters...right on at 100...low at 150 meters...and beyond that...forget it (the bottom just drops off) It was like calling in mortar fire

I much prefer the .223
 
Thanks for all the opinions. Just wondering if any of the above opinions woud change given that I am looking at a short barrel AR 10.5". Would that make any diffenece in the Pro's & Con's of the 9mm?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom