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The Advantages of a 9 MM AR-15

AR-15 rifles have two primary sections: the upper and lower receiver. You can change the upper receiver, and in some cases, an upper of a different caliber will work with a standard 5.56 lower. This gives the AR-15 rifle extreme flexibility; different situations call for different calibers, and a 9 mm upper suits some situations. A 9 mm AR-15 upper enables users to fire the 9 mm Luger round from their rifle; there are definite advantages to this flexibility.

Range Comparisons
- A shouldered AR-15.
  
  For comparison, a 124-grain 9 mm Luger round fired out of a handgun has a muzzle velocity of 1,124 feet per second and a range of 2,400 yards, whereas the Springfield .223 round has a muzzle velocity of 3,240 feet per second and a range of 3,875 yards. The range is significantly decreased, and the ballistic performance of the 9 mm Luger round will be poorer than a .223 round. However, the 9 mm round has less recoil when fired from a heavier carbine, making the 9 mm round potentially effective at shorter ranges.
Penetration Issues
- Nine-millimeter ammunition has slightly less penetration in drywall than .223.
  
  According to R. K. Taubert in his book "Guns &Weapons For Law Enforcement," overpenetration concerns about the .223 round have been largely overestimated by civil authorities. Citing specific examples where officers responded to lethal force with .223 rifles, the .223 rifle does not penetrate more than the 9 mm rounds tested. However, this does not discount the 9 mm round as an effective home-defense caliber; both .223 and 9 mm penetrate drywall, but the .223 can penetrate up to three layers, whereas 9 mm will only penetrate two.
Affordability
- The cost of .223 ammunition can make constant training prohibitively expensive.
  
  Nine-millimeter ammunition is far more affordable than .223; Federal brand, for example, charges about 50 cents per round of .223, and only 20 cents for 9 mm. Practically speaking, the affordability of 9 mm in comparison to .223 makes 9 mm a better training round at close ranges than .223, in terms of cost. The 9 mm round can be used in your handgun, so both weapons can feed the same ammunition. When you want longer ranges, you can change the upper receiver of your AR-15 and load .223.
Considerations
- AR-15 upper receivers come in a variety of calibers, and some may fit your needs better than the 9 mm. For its range and affordability, the 9 mm upper makes for a capable short-range caliber, offering the user a firearm that handles well with light recoil on a flexible platform, perfect for varmint hunting. If you already own an AR-15, it may be worth your while to buy a 9 mm upper. If you only plan on buying a new upper for affordable training, consider buying a .22LR upper, which uses the most cost-effective training ammunition.

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