ORION 9mm AR-15
It always excites me to learn of new players and products in the field of AR-15 rifles, carbines and pistols. The latest to catch my interest is the Orion 9mm AR-15 product lineup. It’s common knowledge here on AR-15 TACTICAL that I completely embrace pistol caliber AR-15 carbines, especially those chambered in 9mm.
The 9mm cartridge is standard issue to many law enforcement for use with duty sidearms, the United States Military M9 pistol and probably the most popular centerfire pistol cartridge in the world. This commonality guarantees easy to locate and inexpensive ammunition for shooters everywhere.
ORION 9mm AR-15 Product Lineup
Orion Guns offers a full line of 9mm AR-15 products that include complete 9mm AR-15 rifles, complete 9mm AR-15 upper receivers, complete and stripped 9mm AR-15 lower receivers and 9mm AR-15 barrels. What is not clear about Orion Guns is whether they actually manufacture any 9mm AR-15 hardware themselves or assemble hardware from other manufacturers. I suspect the answer is somewhere in the middle. The pictures on the Orion Guns website as well as the website appear to be home brew.
Judging from the pictures on the website I suspect Orion is producing 9mm AR barrels and combining them with hardware from other manufacturers as necessary. Nothing wrong with any of this. In fact I praise and encourage them for recognizing a void and diving in. Orion Guns must be doing something right because I learned of them from Brownells. Click here for more information and ordering.
ORION 9mm AR-15 Barrels
The Orion AR-15 Barrels Chambered in 9mm are available in 5″, 8″, 10.5″ & 16″. Made of 4140 Chrome Moly Steel and black nitride finished, these barrels are heat treated and stress relieved. They are stress relieved once again after the button rifling process. All barrels threaded 5/8-24 with a 1-10 twist.
ORION 9mm AR-15 Upper Receivers
Orion offers 9mm AR-15 uppers with the following barrel lengths, 3-inch, 5-inch, 8-inch, 10.5-inch and 16-inch. The uppers are available with knurled tubular, quad-rail and standard two piece A2 style handguards.
5U-1-9mmK
- 5″ 9mm Orion Barrel
- 1-10 Twist
- Black Nitride
- A2 Flash Hider
- 4″ Ridged Free Float Tube
8U-3-9mm-7K
- 8″ 9mm Orion Barrel
- 1-10 Twist
- Black Nitride
- A2 Flash Hider
- 7″ Ridged Free Float Tube
16U-2-9mmK
- 16″ 9mm Orion Barrel
- 1-10 Twist
- A2 Flash Hider
- Ridged Mid-Length Free Float Handguard
ORION 9mm Lower Receivers
The Orion 9mm lowers appear to be assembled to a price point. My preference would be a Hahn 9mm magazine block and KNS anti-rotation pins installed on the lower. Note use the KNS anti-rotation pins on all 9mm AR rifles. Visit our 9mm rifle project that closely resembles the Orion offerings
ORION 9mm AR Lower Specifications
- Anderson milspec Lower
- Promag 9mm Magazine Block
- Made of 7075 T6 Aluminum
- M4 6 position Stocked lower
- Installed CMMG Lower mil spec parts kit
- Buffer & buffer spring installed
- Add $18.00 each for every 9mm 32 rd mag you want
- Uses Colt pattern 32 round 9mm magazines (We use Bushmaster colt pattern Metal mags)
ORION 9mm AR-15 Bolt Carrier Group
Orion Guns offers a black nitride coated, standard Colt 9mm AR-15 bolt carrier group. The bolt carrier works with standard AR-15 hammers. The carrier is also Glock compatible. The bolt carrier appears to be CMMG brand.