Gun Of The Week: Extar EP9 Carbine

Welcome to another American Rifleman Gun Of The Week video, and this time, we’re on the range with a pistol-caliber carbine chambered for the ubiquitous 9 mm Luger cartridge and it feeds from popular Glock-style magazines. Watch the clip above to see the Extar EP9 Carbine in use on the range.

The idea of the pistol-caliber carbine (PCC) goes back back more than 100 years, particularly back to the American West, when a long gun and handgun shared a single chambering. This was a time when frontiersmen carried the great lever-action in scabbards and classic single-actions on hips, and leather bandoliers were filled with ammunition used by both platforms. Today, the trend remains—pistol-caliber carbines are here stay—and companies such as Extar have ponied up to bring to market exciting examples of modern firearms to fill a specific niche.

Case in point is Extar’s EP9 Carbine, a true PCC built around Glock’s G19/G17 double-stack 9 mm magazines. With the EP9 Carbine, you get a gun that measures 35” long and weighs just over 5 lbs., unloaded. It features all the bells and whistles one should want in any tactically oriented carbine, features such as a threaded barrel, Picatinny rail for optics, M-Lok slots for accessories and an adjustable stock so that it can be used by shooters of all sizes, should the need arise.

The functionality of Extar’s EP9 is quite simple, too. It is blowback operated, which means the rearward inertia of the fired shell case is used to drive the bolt-carrier group rearward, initiating extraction, ejection, cocking and loading of a fresh cartridge. This operation is straightforward and is found in many of today’s PCCs. For Extar and its EP9, an additional weight is added. The company calls this design “mass-delayed blowback,” which is said to reduce bolt velocity to make for a softer shooting experience without effecting reliability. The company’s Dynamic Mass Bolt, with spring-loaded weight, is also designed to prevent bolt bounce, which is another nod toward reliability.

The EP9 Carbine comes with a few standard AR-15 features that enable folks to customize their carbine, too. But in its factory form, we found the AR-style grip, safety, trigger and stock to be welcome additions to the platform. A last-round bolt-hold-open paddle is offered as well, and resides on the polymer receiver’s left side between the upper and lower, similarly to that of the AR.

Our testers found the EP9 Carbine and its manual of arms to be easily mastered, thanks to its AR-like layout. One notable unique feature on the Extar is its reciprocating charging handle found on the receiver’s left side. On the range, it functioned flawlessly, chewing up round after round. Extar’s use of common pistol magazines bolsters its attractiveness as a PCC, considering the proliferation of Glock pistols in the market. We particularly appreciate that AR-style buttstock with sling appointments, as well as the provision of M-Lok slots along the handguard. In addition, the full-length span of Picatinny rail will serve useful for anyone looking to outfit the EP9 Carbine as either a home-defense tool, range plinker or even setup for use in entry-level competition shooting.

Extar EP9 Carbine Specifications
Manufacturer: Extar USA
Action Type: blowback-operated, semi-automatic, centerfire carbine
Chambering: 9 mm Luger
Barrel: 16.25" steel, black Nitride finish
Receivers: black polymer
Stock: six-position adjustable, Mission First Tactical
Sights: none; Picatinny rail
Trigger: single-stage 6-lb., 7-oz. pull
Magazine: 18-round detachable box
Overall Length: 35" (extended), 31.25" (collapsed)
Weight: 5 lbs., 2 ozs. (unloaded)
MSRP: $499