Two popular calibers for a common CQC weapon

When it comes to your home defense situations and close quarters combat, it is no surprise that handguns are a popular choice of weaponry. However, with the recent overturning of the pistol brace ban, the AR-style pistol is becoming more and more popular amongst gun owners for a close quarters weapon that they can quick grab and effectively defend their home with, if need be. When choosing an AR pistol, the choice amongst calibers will often fall between the beloved 9mm, and the standard 5.56.

Both of these beloved calibers have their pros and cons, and both are very different when it comes to a survival scenario. That being said, our team at Core Vision Training is going to break down the differences between a 9mm and 5.56 AR pistols.

What is an AR Pistol?

The first thing to cover is defining exactly what an AR pistol is. While it may look like a standard short barrel rifle (SBR), an AR pistol is a pistol-length (under 16 inch barrel) AR-15, and they have no stocks.

However, while the AR pistols are shorter in length, they are typically very attachment friendly, and you can put things like optics and slings on them, and even muzzle attachments such as a suppressor with no problem.

Where the stock would usually be on a rifle platform, an AR pistol will usually have a pistol buffer tube, a brace, or a similar piece that does not allow for the attachment of a traditional stock. In order to fall under the classification as a pistol, there must be no vertical foregrip, and the firearm must have a barrel shorter than 16 inches. If the barrel is 16 inches or over, it falls under the classification of a rifle.

Under the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA), it is defined that any rifle with a shoulder stock and barrel less than 16 inches in length and 26 inches in overall length is to be classified as a “short-barreled rifle” (SBR). In order to be in possession of a short barrel rifle, it requires a citizen to fill out ATF Form 4 and pay a $200 NFA Tax Stamp.

That being said, an AR pistol allows the shooter to have a similar size, accuracy, weight, and maneuverability to an SBR, but because it is classified as a pistol it avoids those NFA regulations. An AR pistol can be fired like a standard handgun, as the barrel size is usually 7 inches or 10.5 inches. This helps to give the shooter much better flexibility and maneuverability in close-quarters shooting, and for that reason, it is a very popular choice for a home defense weapon, but not so much for those long range engagements. Also, the AR-pistols are very easy to transport as they are pretty compact and lightweight, so you can throw them right in something like a duffel bag depending on how big it is.

Popular AR Pistol Calibers

When it comes to choosing an AR pistol, many times the caliber choices are between the standard 5.56 round (that you would get with a full sized AR-15) and the 9mm round (that is a very popular round amongst many handguns).

However, there also is the option for .300BLK in an AR pistol, but due to how expensive that is the 9mm and 5.56 rounds are typically the top choices. The reason these calibers are so popular amongst AR pistols is because they are lightweight, reliable, and have good stopping power in a close to medium range. Now, when it comes to comparing them, it is like comparing apples to oranges, but we will do our best to give you our most educated opinion.

9mm vs. 5.56 Explained

5.56 round (Left) compared to a 9mm round (right)

5.56

The 5.56 round is lightweight and fast and used in various firearms other than AR pistols, such as the United States primary weapon of the armed forces, the M4. It was also the ideal round for the M16, which was the standard weapon of the United States armed forces from Vietnam all the way up through the early 2000s in the Middle East. The 5.56 round is often compared to the 7.62 round, which is the go-to for the popular AK style rifles.

However, due to its lightweight nature, it enables someone to carry more rounds in their kit, whether that be on their chest rigs or duty belt, and even though they have more rounds on them, they still move around relatively comfortably. Everyone knows things like body armor and plate carriers, combined with heavy duty boots and all your other gear can weigh you down (This is why it is important to be in shape). The lightweight features of a 5.56 round also enables the shooter to fire more rounds (due to the larger quantity that can be held and transported). This makes it a top choice of caliber for AR pistols.

9mm

On the contrary, the compact cartridge of a 9mm will typically have less recoil (especially in a pistol platform) and allows for easy handling. The 9mm round is pretty lightweight, accurate (depending on various factors including the shooter’s training and skillset), and because of its small size, handguns chambered in 9mm hold significantly more cartridges than those in higher calibers. For example, the popular Glock 19 can usually hold 15 rounds, where something like a Desert Eagle chambered in .50AE typically holds 7 rounds in the standard magazine.

That being said, the AR pistols chambered in 9mm are climbing in popularity.

Comparing the Weight of 9mm and 5.56 rounds

When it comes to how much these rounds weigh, bullets in 9mm cartridges will typically weigh more than those in 5.56 cartridges. The two most common bullet weights for 9mm are 115 grains and 124 grains. Then for the 5.56, the two most popular weights are 55 grains and 62 grains.

What this means is that the heavier 9mm bullets will leave the barrel with more energy than a 5.56 bullet, but the 5.56 will have more speed behind it.

Material

There’s an unlimited number of materials to use in the creation of cartridges, which means there is a good bit of overlap between the two choices. For example, both types of rounds can be manufactured with steel or brass cartridge cases and both can be outfitted with bullets made from a variety of steel, copper, and lead alloys to fit certain purposes.

Sizing

The length of each round is the biggest visual difference between 5.56 and 9mm cartridges, and this is what may push some people to make their decision. However, size does not always matter, length in particular. Keep in mind that the 5.56 is designed for a rifle action and the 9mm is designed for a pistol action, which could give the 9mm AR pistol the upper hand in this particular comparison.

For the exact specs, the average length of a 9mm cartridge is 1.16″ overall. The average length of a 5.56 cartridge is 2.26″ overall.

Noise

When you are shooting your AR pistol in your home in a defensive situation, chances are you did not have time to put ear pro on, so you may want something that is a little quieter to avoid blowing out your eardrums. The 5.56 rifle cartridge is indeed a more powerful round than the 9mm pistol cartridge, so you may think that the 5.56 to be a lot louder than the 9mm. However, that is not the case, and these two rounds are actually pretty close to one another in terms of noise.

The 9mm cartridge averages about 166 decibels while the 5.56 cartridge averages about 169 decibels. A three decibel difference might not seem like a lot, but that means both rounds are loud and above the threshold of 140 decibels for hearing damage, so put your suppressor on.

Ammo

There can be many different types of ammo found in each caliber. For example, subsonic ammo is available for both calibers, which gets rid of the “crack” of a gunshot, as it breaks the sound barrier. Subsonic ammo can be useful in your AR pistol when defending your home, as it brings the decibels down a bit.

9mm vs. 5.56 Ballistics

When it comes to eliminating a threat, you will want to do it as quickly as possible. 9mm rounds and 5.56 rounds are popular for eliminating threats, as police and military around the world have adopted them for both rifles and pistols. Both rounds are lethal, and both are great options for an AR pistol.

A 9mm bullet has a little more weight than a 5.56 round, so at a close range, 9mm is going to pack a stronger punch while a 5.56 will pack a faster one. There are various factors on which will be better for stopping a target, such as the type of ammo you are using (hollow points, green tip, range training ammo, etc.), is your intruder wearing a bulletproof vest or ballistic helmet, how close you are, and so on.

That being said, it is crucial to train with different calibers, different types of ammo, and in different situations.

Training

Now that being said, there are a few different popular calibers for AR pistols and other factors such as different builds, attachments, and so on, but those are all useless if you don’t know how to operate them. Think of a professional athlete that has all the fanciest gear but doesn’t ever train, that gear does not do the work for them, does it?

The same goes with firearms and home defense training. You can have the most expensive things, but if you never train with them in different scenarios, they are useless.

That leads to the next point, check out Core Vision training for all of the training you can do. From close quarters to long range LPVO training, you can familiarize yourself with your night vision goggles, learn room clearing, and learn other essential skills like medical training as well. The point is, how will you react when SHTF? Will you be prepared and step up? Or will you cower?

AR Pistols for CQC Wrap Up

You may think that a standard handgun is enough for home defense, and it is true that having one weapon is better than no weapon, but an AR pistol may be better than your standard handgun when it comes to protecting your castle. Yes, a handgun or an AR pistol chambered in 9mm is the gun-caliber combo of choice for countless people. The pros of a standard handgun is that it can sit on the bedside table and be grabbed in a split second. On the contrary, a 9mm AR pistol can be grabbed quickly (make sure to train even as a civilian) and provide the benefit of a longer barrel and accuracy with the same cartridge.

When it comes to the AR-style pistols in 5.56 are also pretty common selections for plenty of people when it comes to home defense, and there are a plethora of reasons that we discussed above. An AR pistol chambered in this caliber gives you the power of the 5.56, just in a smaller package that is much easier to clear rooms with than a rifle that is 16” or greater in length. However, you may face more recoil with a 5.56 AR pistol than a 9mm one.

All of that being said, it truly comes down to what you are comfortable with using. You need to get out and train in order to make that decision. Shoot different calibers, different body styles, different lengths, and in different scenarios before making your decision.

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AR Pistols for Home Defense: 9mm vs. 5.56