DOWNSIZING

Sometimes Good Things Do Come in Small Packages

- Alexander Crown

We all know how it goes — you find that roll pin on the floor and now you have to build another gun. In this case, it was being gifted a really nice 9mm AR barrel that pushed everything over the edge to put this together. This build is something that had been pondering for considerable time. Now being “forced” to take action, some goals were identified: a compact 9mm, runs on Glock mags, and can be easily suppressed. This build is meant for fun ground squirrel hunting or occasional plinking when/if ammo prices even out.

The Rainier Arms Select Series Barrel was the perfect starting point for this little blaster. At 6 inches, it wasn’t so long that subsonic rounds would go supersonic, since this build is intended to be shot suppressed almost exclusively. The barrel came threaded ½-28mm, making the mating of the SilencerCo Omega 9K easy with a direct thread adapter. The bolt was purchased at a steep discount locally due to the product being discontinued. It’s from Primary Weapon Systems and features a removable carrier weight. The charging handle is the standard Bravo Company USA Gunfighter Medium, giving us increased surface area on the latch mechanism to help clear the sling QD swivel.