Advice on building a PCC $1000-1250 budget with Glock mags?

[Wrathen]

Hello everyone thank you in advance for your advice and shared wisdom. 

 

I'm semi-interested in doing some PCC shooting it isn't my main Division but its always nice to take a break and focus on other fundamentals. I first thought about getting an AR9 upper and putting it on one of my AR15 lowers but in talking to other local shooters I've heard horror stories and in once case seem a gun struggling multiple weeks/months getting one to work reliably... I would be running PCC mostly as a relaxing thing so last thing I want so tons of issues. Of the local shooters I have one guy that runs a pair of JP GMR15s and loves them, then 5-8 people who run Sig MPXs, few Rugers and other random ones, and a few custom built setups. 

 

I'm in Washington and before the silly mag ban bought a some Glock mags in preparation of at some point getting into PCC. So going the Sig route is out of the question for me since I can't get a hold of mags. I've considered going the JP GMR15 as those I've known that have them love them and say the run... BUT since its not my main division I don't really want to spend the $1800-2500 on one. I've been semi-watching for a used one to come up but haven't seen any at the time I've had funds. Additionally if I build one I can piece it out over time instead of laying out all at once.. Granted I could just save up and snag one in 6 months ... still torn. BUT going by the if you're going to build one WHAT is the route/pieces to go with? 

 

I have a Holosun 510C extra sitting in the safe and Glock mags to feed it. I have some AR15 parts like extra B5 Stock, Magpul MOE Grip, and handstop if I wanted one. I've built ARs before so building a PCC doesn't bother me. 

 

So I would need:

• Receiver Set
• BCG
• Small parts kit
• Trigger
• Barrel
• Handguard
• ?

 

I've had luck with Aero parts in the past and was thinking maybe get an Aero EPC9 receiver set unless someone has a better recommendation ($300-$325'ish of the budget). Past that not sure what to go with. I've read good things about Brekke CompBarrel/Hand guard combo that would be about half the budget there at $550. So with the receiver set and barrel/hand guard that would be $850-900 of the budget. OR should I go a different direction?

[Boomstick303]

3 minutes ago, Wrathen said:

Aero EPC9 receiver

 

A buddy of mine assembled an Area EPC9 and it ran great.  It would be the budget setup I would go with if I was my price point.

 

Other than that I a not familiar with anything other than JPs.  

 

Good Luck on your search.

Edited January 10, 2023 by Boomstick303

[zzt]

I wouldn't bother building one at that price point if I could buy this.  https://palmettostatearmory.com/lead-star-arms-barrage-16-skeletonized-9mm-rifle-competition-edition.html  $130 over your price point, but well worth it.

 

Or this.  https://www.stagezeroshooting.com/lead-star-arms-barrage-9mm-pcc-non-skeletonized.html  if you want a non-skeletonized receiver.

[dwzuspsa]

I would go with an Aero lower, sale priced $105, Unbrabde at lower parts kit, $35, Gorilla Machine 9mm upper, &55, Gorilla Machine barrel, $75, Delta Team Tactical Lokota arm butt stock assemble, $35 anc Tacfun free float hand guard $45.  Then google 9mm bcg should be around 74 to 90 dollars.....total around 400.00 !  Have built two of these and have had very good luck and they have been very reliable.

[Texaspaul]

AR-15 Discounts has Aero EPC9 lower - $89.99 plus NBS AR-9 Billet Upper Receiver for 9mm $59.99.  Barrel and Handguard - your preference - light front end or medium front end or heavy front end.  Like TACCOM barrels and handguards, there are several Super Feed barrels to choose from depending on weight - but they have upper and lower feed ramps that really help in feeding all sorts of ammo. TACCOM BCG cut for upper feed ramp - on sale $110.00 Trigger top pick Hiperfire Competition - budget CMC 9mm. Trigger very important in competition!  Safety selector - get 45 degree ambi.  KAK 9MM AR15 Configurable Buffer Kit. Make sure you buffer is dead blow type important for bolt bounce.  TACCOM makes MDRS - works like roller delay bolt - reduces dot bounce and recoil impulse. Standard or flat wire carbine buffer spring.  TACCOM MDRS does not need spring but still $100.00 more.  Some people like hydraulic buffer - do the research!  Quick my 2 cents - LOL

[WxGuy]

I went with a really good lower, Angstadt, and followed along with the Max build.  NBS uppers then all good parts.  They have been flawless.  I have two identical ones with Brekke barrels/handguards and a XLW Taccom barrel/handguard.  They run.

[SnipTheDog]

Building one myself.  Aero PCC upper, lower, parts kit, and buffer.  Odin Works stock and superlight barrel.  JP handguard.  Toolcraft bolt.  Since it's blowback, I'll have to figure out the buffer system.  Full build is around $900.

[cityofthesouth]

I think the Aero lower is probably a solid choice. I keep breaking stuff (picture) so the forged lower makes me feel better even though the exact cause of this is probably never going to be known. Wear and tear, a quality issue in that piece, dunno. Another problem I had with this old lower was the ejector. The first one lasted a long time but eventually was rounded off so I replaced it the second I had a failure to eject. But the replacement was really soft and started rounding off right away. The Aero ejector so far shows no wear at all. I also cracked a buffer tube. So I'm kinda of the opinion that the buffer matters the most not just because of how your gun/dot behave, but also for the lifespan of the gun. Been running the Taccom for a long time and considering either a stiffer spring, or a buffer system switch. I just recently shot the Kynshot kit that comes with the extra weight and orange Sprinco 308 carbine spring. The ejection distance was reduced in half, same with the "felt" recoil - pretty impressive to me and since you are starting from scratch ... it might make sense. Performance difference between the two not withstanding, I suspect it would reduce wear and tear over time. I only made it to roughly 15K on that lower before breaking things and I'm not sure that's reasonable. Maybe it is. I dunno. But my interest in not breaking things has gone up here in the last year or so. Hope that's helpful.

[Z-Chaos-Factor]

Buy the brekke complete upper. A kynshot 5015hd buffer and a magwell adaptor then put it on one of your Ar15 lowers with a compatible trigger.

 

If you goal isnt to to compete in Pcc regularly then you dont need the dedicated lower with magwell. I would rather spend the money on a the upper with a solid barrel for reliable feeding and a good buffer setup. 

 

Edited January 12, 2023 by Z-Chaos-Factor

[ysrracer]

On 1/11/2023 at 4:38 PM, Z-Chaos-Factor said:

Buy the brekke complete upper.

 

Pardon my ignorance, but what makes that upper worth a grand?

[Z-Chaos-Factor]

15 hours ago, ysrracer said:

 

Pardon my ignorance, but what makes that upper worth a grand?

Its a little over priced because Max Leograndis helped develop it and put his name on it. 

But its become very popular due to high lightweight it is and how well it works. Its like 3Lbs complete and arguably the best complete upper on the market. 

But if you piece it out, then the price isnt bad piece for piece. 

So its a shortened barrel that has a hand polished feed ramp built into it. On the end of the barrel is the extended length comp. It has 3 vertical ports on it to maximize the little gas and then thin metal tines to extend it out to the 16inches. That alone requires alot of machine time to produce those parts. 

Then its a smoke composites carbon fiber handguard. 

So if you figure barrel is $200 extended comp is $150, feed ramp work, pin / weld service, assembly is probably another $200. Your at $600

The handguard is about $260 if you order directly from smoke composites. 

Generic upper is $100

Stern bolt is $150

Next level charging handle is $75

So your at just over 1,100 for total parts. Without tax and shipping if you bought stuff individually. 
 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Z-Chaos-Factor

[ysrracer]

I'm way too cheap to buy something like that, but thanks for the info.

[ItsKirby]

I just built mine…. I started with whatever parts i had laying around but eventually started to do upgrades with mentioned above. My issue was finding a trigger and bcg that worked (i built it when PCC was new) but now i hear a lot of drop in triggers made specific for PCC so that makes it easier and cost effective. To me trigger was important 

[Revolution]

17 hours ago, Z-Chaos-Factor said:

Its a little over priced because Max Leograndis helped develop it and put his name on it. 

 

Yet he shoots a Jp5

[Z-Chaos-Factor]

6 hours ago, Revolution said:

Yet he shoots a Jp5

With the brekke handguard. He wanted the brekke comp too 

[Arcrunner]

22 hours ago, ysrracer said:

I'm way too cheap to buy something like that, but thanks for the info.

 

I just bought the comp, that's pretty much it. Stern Defense BCG not that expensive

 

8 hours ago, Revolution said:

Yet he shoots a Jp5

After years of shooting the previous one.

[Z-Chaos-Factor]

1 hour ago, Arcrunner said:

 

I just bought the comp, that's pretty much it. Stern Defense BCG not that expensive

 

After years of shooting the previous one.

Exactly, trying to compare a true roller delayed system to direct blowback is just silly. 

[Texaspaul]

I am making a guess Max got a good deal on the JP5 .  Help Warthen with good information with his budget of $1,200.00.  Not something three times his price range. 

[Z-Chaos-Factor]

24 minutes ago, Texaspaul said:

I am making a guess Max got a good deal on the JP5 .  Help Warthen with good information with his budget of $1,200.00.  Not something three times his price range. 

No one suggested he buy a JP5. What you smoking Willits?

[Texaspaul]

- just gun smoke out of the JP5 - gets you hallucinating you can be just like Max if you buy a JP5.

[dmshozer1]

14 hours ago, Arcrunner said:

 

I just bought the comp, that's pretty much it. Stern Defense BCG not that expensive

 

After years of shooting the previous one.

And winning almost every big match with an out of date blow back gun.

[DwightSchrute]

13 minutes ago, dmshozer1 said:

And winning almost every big match with an out of date blow back gun.

That should tell you something about how good the JP-5 is.  If Batman were ever to decide to trade in his Batmobile for a new car, it would have to be for a very good reason.

[dmshozer1]

4 hours ago, DwightSchrute said:

That should tell you something about how good the JP-5 is.  If Batman were ever to decide to trade in his Batmobile for a new car, it would have to be for a very good reason.

I,m sure it was hard for Max to turn down a free 4,000 gun and sponsorship.

Just guessing but with his record of winning big matches I doubt that a softer

shooting gun will change his winning ways.

 

[Dirty_J]

4 hours ago, DwightSchrute said:

That should tell you something about how good the JP-5 is.  If Batman were ever to decide to trade in his Batmobile for a new car, it would have to be for a very good reason.

For the same reason he started with home builds, then that Limecat Tron thing, back to home builds with the Brekke upper.. then to JP5. 

Sponsorship dollars. The reason is sponsorship dollars. 
 

You can take a $700 Foxtrot mike factory gun and drop in a hiperfire and a hydraulic buffer and you’ve got a very competitive PCC. Heck… it’s pretty much what the new Taran TR9 is… for $2000 less. 

Edited January 18, 2023 by Dirty_J

[Boomstick303]

Max shoots a $7,000 TTI Sand Viper for a pistol in many shooting disciplines.  Does this mean he is gun sponsored by TTI?  TTI sells their new PCC, why is Max not shooting that PCC?  

 

What I do think is TTI and JP are giving guns/sponsoring a guy they know will finish at the top, which is for marketing purposes obviously.

 

Are we sure the sponsorship in shooting that particular gun is a part of that deal?  It would not seem so.  From my understanding Max does not like Gun Sponsorships so he can shoot what he wants.  While it does seem he gets benefits from both of those companies it would seem he can shoot whatever he wants.  Currently it seems he wants to shoot the JP over the TTI TR-9 and TTI does not have an issue with this.  This would seem to indicate his sponsorships do not have terms in what guns he uses for whatever.