It is a great feeling when the delivery man pulls into your driveway with a package from Palmetto State Armory. This was the last of the parts I needed to complete my AR 15 pistol build. I wanted to build this project for a while. Christmas had come early as I opened the box that contained the upper and parts kit.
I had purchased an Anderson lower earlier from a local gun dealer friend of mine. Getting the PSA 10.5 upper and parts kit was the only thing between me and the completed pistol. You can see the build video on my website.
Palmetto State Armory 10.5 Pistol Kit
The Palmetto State Armory 10.5 is the right length for an AR pistol because you are still able to use a carbine gas system. The longer barrel will also stabilize the 5.56 round much better.
This AR pistol kit came with a stainless steel hammer and trigger group. It also came with the SBA3 adjustable pistol brace.
I considered using the 300 blackout build kit but didn’t want to spent the extra money on ammo. I build this project to shoot and didn’t want to spend the extra money on ammo.
After completing building my AR 15 pistol i was able to get out and shoot it for the first time. Building my own AR pistol was a lot of fun and I can easily see why so many people enjoy doing it. The reward for all the work is getting the gun out on the range.
AR 15 Pistol Optics
The first thing I did was install my Vortex Strikefire 2 onto the AR 15 pistol. I haven’t decided on the type of optic I want to use on it. The Strikefire 2 is a great optic and would work well on my pistol but I want to keep it on my Smith & Wesson Sport 2. I will be installing a set of Magpul backup sights to go along with any optic.
I think it is a good idea to install a set of backup sights on any AR 15 in the event of your primary optic failing. You may not have time to change the battery in your optic if you’re in the middle of a fight.
It is important for you to train yourself how to use your backup sights as well. If you don’t know how to use them they will not be any use to you.
Shooting the AR Pistol
The real test of any AR 15 pistol build is making sure the gun functions reliably and doesn’t have any issues. I started off shooting by putting a single round in the magazine to make sure the gun will fire correctly. The bold locked back after the first round and I reloaded the magazine with more ammo.
My AR 15 pistol is a lot of fun to shoot but is noticeably louder than a full-length rifle. However, it will still become one of my bedside home defense guns.