Battle Arms Xiphos 9P 9mm 8.5in Combat Grey — Superb Glock Mag Pistol

Description

The Battle Arms Xiphos 9P is a dedicated 9mm AR pistol rather than a 5.56 gun converted to pistol caliber, and the difference shows in the details. The lower is cut specifically for Glock pattern magazines, the buffer system is Battle Arms’ own patented 9mm design rather than a rifle buffer with a heavier weight in it, and the whole thing is built on billet 7075-T6 lightweight upper and lower receivers finished in combat grey. That matters because most pistol caliber ARs are compromises.

A blowback 9mm running a rifle buffer is heavier and harsher than it needs to be, and a magazine well adapted with a block rather than machined for the magazine is a common source of feeding complaints. The Xiphos 9P was designed around the cartridge from the start.

What Sets the Battle Arms Xiphos 9P Apart

Glock pattern magazines are the sensible choice for a pistol caliber carbine. They are cheap, available everywhere, and if you already carry a Glock your spare magazines feed both guns. The magazine well on this lower is machined for them rather than adapted with an insert.

The handguard is a free float M-LOK unit with attachment points at three, six and nine o’clock and a full length Picatinny rail along the top. On a pistol caliber gun that is more useful than it sounds, because a light and a hand stop are the two accessories almost everyone fits.

The trigger is a smooth nickel Teflon unit, the charging handle is a BAD ambidextrous monolithic design, and the controls include an extended magazine release, an enhanced bolt catch and a three position adjustable grip. These are the parts Battle Arms built its reputation on, fitted from the factory rather than bought separately.

Practical Notes on a 9mm AR Pistol

Blowback 9mm ARs are simple and reliable and they do recoil differently to a gas gun. The bolt is heavy and it moves fast, so the impulse is more of a shove than a snap. Battle Arms’ 9mm buffer system takes a good deal of that out, but it will never feel like a 5.56 carbine and it is not supposed to.

Nine millimeter out of an 8.5 inch barrel gains a useful amount of velocity over a handgun, typically a few hundred feet per second depending on the load, which flattens trajectory and improves terminal performance from defensive ammunition. It is also considerably cheaper to feed than any centerfire rifle cartridge, which is the main reason people own one.

This ships as a pistol with an adjustable brace rather than as a short barreled rifle. Rules around braces have changed more than once and state law varies, so confirm what is legal where you live before ordering. Magazine capacity is also restricted in several states.

Battle Arms Xiphos 9P Specifications

• Manufacturer: Battle Arms Development
• Model: XIPHOS 9P, XIPHOS-004
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Barrel: 8.5 inches, lightweight profile, black nitride
• Operating system: blowback with Battle Arms 9mm buffer system
• Receivers: billet 7075-T6 lightweight upper and lower, Glock magazine pattern
• Handguard: free float M-LOK with full length top rail
• Trigger: smooth nickel Teflon
• Charging handle: ambidextrous monolithic
• Controls: extended magazine release, enhanced bolt catch, three position adjustable grip
• Brace: adjustable pistol brace
• Muzzle: A2 style 9mm comp
• Magazine: Glock pattern
• Finish: combat grey

Why it is worth considering

• A dedicated 9mm platform rather than a 5.56 receiver adapted to pistol caliber
• Machined for Glock pattern magazines, which are cheap and available everywhere
• Battle Arms patented 9mm buffer system, lighter and smoother than a rifle buffer
• Billet 7075-T6 lightweight receivers with BAD ambidextrous controls fitted as standard
• Considerably cheaper to shoot than any centerfire rifle cartridge

Who it suits

This suits the shooter who wants a compact, cheap to feed range gun that shares magazines with a Glock, and anyone building a pistol caliber setup for competition or home use. It is not a long range tool and it does not pretend to be.

Ammunition and Transfer Notes for the Battle Arms Xiphos 9P

Nine millimeter is the cheapest centerfire cartridge to shoot in volume, and that is most of the argument for a pistol caliber carbine. Practice ammunition costs a fraction of 5.56, recoil is mild enough for new shooters, and most indoor ranges that restrict rifle cartridges will happily let you shoot 9mm. Cartridge and chamber standards are published by SAAMI.

A blowback gun is sensitive to ammunition power level in a way a gas gun is not. Very light target loads can short stroke and heavy plus P loads will batter the buffer over time, so standard pressure 115 to 147 grain ammunition is the sweet spot. If you plan to shoot subsonic 147 grain loads exclusively, expect to tune the recoil spring.

Keep it clean. Blowback actions run dirtier than gas guns because unburnt powder is blown straight back into the receiver, and a 9mm AR will need the bolt and buffer tube wiped down more often than a 5.56 carbine. If you would rather have a rifle cartridge, our Barrett REC7 DI carbine is the 5.56 option, and our Battle Arms Tanker in 300 BLK is the other short Battle Arms pistol we carry. More stock is on the MAG5 Firearms shop page. The Battle Arms Xiphos 9P ships to a licensed dealer of your choosing, where you will complete a 4473 and a NICS check.