The author rebuilt this AR pistol using a number of top-notch accessories, including the Sig Sauer SB15 Stabilizing Brace. But if you’d rather buy one ready to roll without any tinkering, keep scrolling.
American Tactical’s Omni Hybrid pistol uses a polymer lower with a patent-pending steel reinforcing plate molded into the receiver at the rear takedown pinhole. The pistol uses an aluminum upper receiver, and a quad-rail, free-floating handguard covers the 7.5-inch barrel. The pistol is offered without sights, with flip-up iron sights or with a red dot, and this accounts for the price differential. The Omni Hybrid is a lightweight, economical option for those looking for an AR pistol.
The Armalite M-15 6” has one of the shortest barrels currently on any AR-platform pistol, a mere 6 inches, for an overall length of just 24 inches. At the rear of the pistol is a Law Tactical Gen 3 Folding Stock Adapter that allows the Sig Sauer SB15 Stabilizing Brace to be folded, bringing the M-15 6” down to only 17 inches. The pistol’s double-lapped, chrome-lined, 1-in-7-inch-twist barrel is fitted with a compensator. The forged aluminum flattop upper receiver has a 12-inch Picatinny top rail, an AXTS Raptor ambidextrous charging handle and a KeyMod handguard. The lower features a Magpul MOE-K2 pistol grip, an ambidextrous safety and a two-stage precision trigger.
CMMG has three AR-platform pistols in its lineup: the Mk4 K in 5.56mm NATO, the Mk9 PDW in 9mm and the Mk4 PDW in 300 Blackout. All of the guns feature CMMG’s slim RKM7 free-floating KeyMod handguard, a Magpul MOE pistol grip and an ambidextrous rear sling mount. The 5.56mm NATO and 300 BLK pistols come with a Magpul 30-round magazine. To take full advantage of the 5.56mm NATO’s accuracy and velocity capabilities, CMMG outfits the larger Mk4 K with a 12.5-inch barrel. All three of these AR-platform pistols are covered by CMMG’s lifetime warranty.
Not too long ago, Daniel Defense dove into the AR-platform pistol world with its introduction of the DDM4 in 300 Blackout. This hard-hitting pistol comes complete with a 10.3-inch, cold -hammer-forged S2W (Strength to Weight) barrel, a pistol-length gas system, a pinned low-profile gas block and a 9-inch, quad-rail handguard with plenty of real estate for mounting accessories. The pistol grip is Daniel Defense’s own model with ergonomic Soft-Touch overmolding.
Diamondback Firearms produces the DB15 pistol series. Outfitted with 7.5-inch barrels, flattop receivers and railed, free-floating handguards, the DB15Ps vary in color and furniture options. Available in matte black, OD green and Flat Dark Earth, each DB15P is fitted with Diamondback’s distinctive, aggressive-looking Edge flash suppressor and a Stark Equipment pistol grip with a high beavertail tang for enhanced handling and control.
DoubleStar offers its Mini Dragon AR pistols in three different barrel lengths—7.5, 10.5 and 11.5 inches—and chambered in 5.56mm NATO and 300 Blackout. Each of these pistols uses the direct gas impingement operating system. DoubleStar offers a variety of options for each barrel length, from flattop receivers and chrome-lined barrels to quad-rail handguards and enhanced flash suppressors that help cut down on muzzle rise for fast follow-up shots.
This megapistol looks like a cross between an AR and an AK pistol, but it is neither—although it’s chambered in 5.56mm. It uses AR magazines and an AR pistol grip, but the operating system is different (it’s a short-stroke piston), and it has other features that some believe are superior.
Some AR-platform pistols, like the Mossberg 715P, are chambered in the economical .22 LR rimfire cartridge, making them a lot less expensive to shoot. But even though this Mossberg 715P fires a round that is not generally accepted as a self-defense cartridge, it can be used as a handy training or all-out fun gun. It comes with a quad-rail forend that makes it easy to mount accessories like lights and lasers, and Mossberg was wise to include a built-in hand stop to make sure your support hand never goes near the muzzle of the short 6-inch barrel. Adjustable front and rear sights are included, and Mossberg also offers the 715P with a red-dot sight that can easily be mounted on the long top rail for faster target acquisitions. The pistol is available in black or camo to blend into the backwoods.
Rock River Arms offers AR pistols in both 7- and 10.5-inch-barreled flattop configurations. Users have a variety of options to select from, including A2-style upper receivers, chromed bolt carriers, free-floating handguards and more. Both guns come equipped with Hogue rubber pistol grips with finger grooves that held absorb recoil. Rock River Arms also offers 9mm pistols with either 7- or 10.5-inch barrel lengths with many of the same options for more affordable training.
Sporting a 10-inch barrel and a flattop upper receiver, the complete P556xi SWAT from Sig Sauer is just 28.25 inches in overall length. The pistol is chambered for the 5.56mm NATO and 300 Blackout and is designed to accept standard AR magazines. Its muzzle is also threaded in the event you want to replace the A2-style flash suppressor with something more exotic like a sound suppressor.
The P516 is available with either a 7.5- or 10-inch barrel. This model uses a reliable gas piston operating system fitted with a four-position gas regulator that can be tuned for conditions, fouling, ammunition, etc. Chambered in 5.56mm NATO, the military-grade barrel features a standard A2-style flash suppressor and is surrounded by a railed, free-floating handguard. Sig Sauer also outfits this pistol with flip-up sights and an SB15 brace.
The Sig PM400 is the company’s pistol version of the military’s M4. It uses the direct impingement operating system. Outfitted with an 11.5-inch barrel, the overall length of the pistol is 28 inches, and it weighs 6 pounds. Sig equips the PM400 with a Magpul MOE grip and enhanced forend. You can even get the gun in Flat Dark Earth with the SB15 brace. There’s also a SWAT version with a railed handguard and yet another chambered for the increasingly popular 300 BLK with a 9-inch barrel.
Years ago I had taken an AR pistol on trade at a gun show. The owner was honest and told me up front that he couldn’t get the pistol to cycle and just wanted to get rid of it for a fraction of what he had invested in it. I gave it a good inspection and could see that most of its parts were of quality. Even if I couldn’t get it to work, I could sell the gun’s parts and still make a decent profit. I brought it home and it sat in the corner of my workshop for years untouched until I learned of Sig Sauer’s SB15 Stablizing Brace. I ordered one immediately, and while I waited for it to be delivered, I stripped my AR pistol down to its individual components. It was then I discovered a cracked gas tube that undoubtedly was the source of the gun’s problems.
I reassembled the gun using a Guntec USA low-profile gas block and a new gas tube. My rebuilt AR pistol has a 10.5-inch barrel, and I installed a free-floating handguard from Guntec USA as well as the company’s cone flash suppressor. I re-assembled the gun’s lower receiver with the new Tac-Con 3MR trigger, a Magpul MOE pistol grip and triggerguard, and a TAPCO single-point sling mount end cap.
Once my SB15 arrived, I slid it into place. To round out my Frankenstein pistol build, I mounted a set of Yankee Hill Machine Quick Deploy sights, an LMT Tactical Latch charging handle and an EOTech holographic sight. On the left side rail I attached an EOTech M6X light and laser.
I fell in love with this new build the first time I shot it. I set out my targets at 50 yards and co-witnessed my EOTech and iron sights. My first three-shot sighting group measured less than 0.75 inches with generic ball ammo. It didn’t surprise me that my build possessed this type of accuracy. What surprised me was that I was able to shoot so effectively with the SB15 brace. The other thing I was pleasantly surprised by was the crispness of the Tac-Con 3MR.
If you’re not interested in actually building your own AR pistol, feast your eyes on the following AR-platform pistols on the market—some with the SB15 Stabilizing Brace and some without.
For more information on the AR pistols featured in the gallery above, please visit the following sites.
