PCCs – Must-Have Guns or Overblown Hype?

Pistol Caliber Carbines (PCCs) Are All the Rage Lately, But Are They Really Worth the Hype?

by Richard Baimbridge

Pistol Caliber Carbines (PCCs) have been one of the hottest trends in the firearms industry over the past few years, and it’s easy to see why. They fill a much-needed niche of marrying the AR platform with smaller, cheaper and quieter rounds, with significantly less recoil. And they’re often quite affordable, too – both in terms of purchase price and ammunition.

That’s great news for people who find the power of a typical AR-15 intimidating, particularly kids or those with less firearms experience. It’s also a good way to enjoy cheaper plinking and target practice, as 9mm ammo goes for about .30 cents/round on average these days, vs. 5.56/.223 rounds, which cost roughly twice as much.

PCCs have gained significant popularity as home defense weapons, as well, given the above-mentioned recoil benefits and lack of over-penetration. The ability to swap out ammo between handguns and rifles is another big draw, including for law enforcement agencies and security companies. The idea of seamlessly dropping a Glock mag into a compact, lightweight AR has some obvious benefits.  

But the question remains: Are PCCs worth the hype? Or are they just trendy toys that quickly lose their appeal, then gather dust in the gun closet? And do they have any significant advantages over, say, an AR-15 chambered in 300 Blackout that can fire both supersonic and subsonic rounds?

From Frontier Days to MSR PCCs

Pistol Caliber Carbines are firearms designed to shoot pistol cartridges—typically 9mm, 10mm, .40 S&W, or .45 ACP—from a carbine-length barrel (for more on carbines, see my previous article). Popular models include the Ruger PC Carbine, CZ Scorpion, SIG MPX, and the KelTec Sub2000, to name a few.

Their appeal lies in their simplicity, affordability, and ease of use. They’re often lighter, have less recoil, and can share ammo and magazines with a shooter’s sidearm. But despite what many people think, that’s actually not such a new idea.

As far back as the Old West, Winchester Model 1873 Carbines were designed to be paired with Colt Frontier Revolvers, as both are chambered in .44-40. This combination was immensely popular and practical for calvary forces and settlers on the wild frontier, favored by the likes of The Texas Rangers.

Fast forward to the 1950s, Eugene Stoner began tinkering with the idea of 9mm ARs (AR-9) while refining his original AR-15 design. But it was Hank Tatro that made the biggest advancements on 9mm ARs while working at Colt in the 1980s. Marlin Firearms also produced a 9mm and .45 ACP PCC from 1985 to 1999, when it was discontinued.  

More recently, DDLE (which later became Quarter Circle 10) designed the first dedicated 9mm lower receivers. Ruger also reintroduced its PC Carbine in 2017 after discontinuing the “Police Carbine” in 2007. The “Ruger PC” (a nod to the original name) was thus rechristened the “Pistol-Caliber” Carbine for the civilian consumer market.

This upgraded version was a 9mm takedown using Glock mags in addition to Ruger SR9 magazines. In 2019, Ruger added M-Lok handguards, and basically ever since then PCCs have been one of the hottest things in the gun world since Spicy Doritos. And they’ve also become extremely popular amongst competitive shooting circles.

Advantages of a PCC Over an AR-15?

When it comes to ballistics, an AR-15 in 300 Blackout outperforms most PCCs by offering greater range, better penetration, and higher velocity, while also providing subsonic versatility for home defense use.

From a cost-perspective, .300 BLK can certainly be more expensive than 9mm. But when compared to some of the other pistol calibers such as 10mm and .45 ACP, the savings gap starts to get much narrower.

If the goal is just to save money, you might consider a .22LR PCC. I bought one a few years ago, and what I liked about it was cheap and plentiful ammo (under .10 cents/round), high-capacity mag (30 rounds), whisper-quiet with a suppressor, and almost zero recoil – ideal for teaching young kids to shoot on an AR platform.  

It’s a fun little toy. But to be honest, PCCs aren’t very interesting for me until they reach the 10mm mark -- great for plinking with a bit more oomf! and viable for personal defense, whether at home or in the car. Ruger’s LC10 10mm Carbine is a prime example. The “LC” stands for “Light Compact” (weighing-in at 7 pounds) with a folding stock. And with an MSRP of about $1000 it isn’t too rough on the wallet.

The LC10 takes Glock mags and has a much higher capacity (30+1) compared to the .45 model (13 rounds). I’ve seen YouTube videos of guys shooting the LC10 accurately out to ranges of 400 yards, which is pretty darned impressive.   

Whether or not PCCs really live up to their hype is still open to debate. Some people love them. Others see their advantages, but think they’re overrated. It’s hard to know how much of the enthusiasm for PCCs is real and how much is manufactured. But in my experience, they’re great fun and definitely worth having as part of your collection.  

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