#EP9

9mm PCCs have been one of the fastest-growing sub-sections of the firearms industry and with so many offerings out there already, it’s hard to stand out. When I first heard about Extar USA and their virtually all-polymer firearms, I was almost certain that they had to be cheaply made import guns. To my surprise, it was the exact opposite and it’s the first reason why I really like the EP9 for what it is. Extar USA was founded in 1995 and was one of the first manufacturers of molded polymer rifle caliber receiver sets. The Extar EP9 was released just a short while ago, and the much anticipated and desired EP9 Carbine followed shortly afterward. With the recent release of the EP9 Carbine, I thought it was finally time to give you all my review of the EP9 “large format pistol” that I’ve been shooting for the last several months. Today I’ll give you some insight into where the platform excels, what I think it’s good for, and where it might fall short for some shooters with specific shooting tastes.

The term “pistol caliber carbine” (PCC) refers to a short rifle chambered in a cartridge usually seen in pistols. So why not take a pistol, add a longer barrel and stock, and call it a job well done? That’s what the Extar EP9 Carbine is. On the market now at an affordable price, this PCC should be familiar to many shooters because of its family history.

The successful launch of the Extar USA EP9 was simultaneously met with a demand for a .45 ACP version of the large-format pistol. Extar USA has listened to its customers and is happy to announce the release of the new EP45 featuring a similar recoil system to the one found in the EP9. Extar USA is also heavily emphasizing that their new EP45 will run hollow point ammunition, which has often been a struggle for other firearms chambered in .45 ACP.