Best AR For Women

Ronald Reagan once said that “the gun has been called the great equalizer, meaning that a small person with a gun is equal to a large person...” and of course he went on to refer to how important our 2nd Amendment right is to ensuring that liberty lives on in America.

But today we'd like to really hone in on the first part of that quote in how a gun becomes an equalizing force - namely, in the case of when a woman is armed with a gun because of the chief example in how that can protect her against bad male actors.

In this article, we’ll present a case for what we believe to be the most ergonomic, easy-to-use and female-friendly weapon on the planet in just about every scenario - the AR9.

What is the best AR-15 for a woman?

Wilson Combat AR9 pistol. Photo Credit: Wilson Combat

Well, what if the answer to this question isn't any AR-15? When you consider every type of firearm platform, there really is only one that seems to be the best answer and that's the AR-9.

The reason for this is that if you take skills and a person's physique off the table, the AR-9 is going to be most maneuverable and capable weapon platform that will allow the shooter to engage targets at close and far distances. If you disregard handguns, it may even be the lightest. 

Handguns are the most challenging weapon system by far to use. When a new shooter picks up a gun for the first time, regardless of sex, it's much like learning golf for the first time. There's an optimal stance, an ideal grip, body mechanics and a wide variety of fundamentals that you have to keep in mind while swinging that club - or in our case, when firing a pistol. 

Using an AR-9 takes away a lot of the difficulties that handguns present. Say your AR-9 has a well-zeroed optic on it and a good trigger that isn't obscenely heavy. In most cases, it's going to be as simple as telling the new shooter to put the reticle on the target and gently press the trigger. Boom. Impact, every time up to even 100 yards. Can you say the same for handguns and heavy AR-15's?

If you actually wanted an AR-15 setup for a woman it would depend on two main factors: their intended use and strength capability.

The 9mm AR or AR9 is exactly what it sounds like - an AR15 chambered in 9mm. The main advantage being extremely low recoil in a very potent caliber for self-defense. The AR15 is already a fairly easy weapon to control, chambered in 5.56mm, but the 9mm AR takes it to an entirely different level in ease of shooting!

Why is the AR9 the best choice for a female shooter?

AR9 lower + Flat Dark Earth furniture = incredibly good looking! Photo Credit: DoubleTap303 via Reddit

The main reasons of light weight, lower price than AR15, and low recoil aside - the AR9 is the best choice for introducing women and new shooters a like to the AR platform without scaring them away.

Speaking from a strictly anecdotal experience, my wife was actually very nervous to shoot guns initially but it became the gateway for her to get comfortable and familiar with the AR platform as a manual of arms. And now, well, just last month I bought her a case of 9mm for Valentine's Day just because she loves shooting the AR9 so much. She'd tell you that it's manageable, not intimidating and easy to use.

That's not to say there aren't some seriously badass women out there who have no problems wielding AR-15's for a variety of purposes - but the reality is that those awesome women are not the norm. 

What recoil?

It really can’t be understated how easy the AR9 is on the old shoulder. Recoil hesitation is a very real thing and no one likes getting smacked by a gun if it feels like we’ve been hit by a sledgehammer. The 9mm AR has a light enough recoil to be managed by just about anyone and can be wonderful at longer range sessions.

With a well built setup (good muzzle device, good trigger, and buffer system) the AR-9's recoil should feel no different than a gas blow back airsoft gun. 

Modular Customization

AR15s are the most highly customizable weapons on the planet and the AR9 is no exception! One of the best features of the AR-9 is that it can use virtually any mil-spec part or accessory that will work for an AR-15 (buffer system and bolt carrier group aside)! When customizing the AR9 build for a female shooter, take note of her arm length when choosing barrel and handguard lengths (barrel length laws aside). An adjustable AR9 stock is a must have as well. Keeping the AR9 fit properly is one key to having a weapon that can be handled properly, confidently and with ease.

AR9 for Home Defense

This goes for any shooter when we say that the AR 9 pistol is an excellent choice for home defense. Its ability to wield 9mm in a braced AR 9 pistol or even with a rifle AR9 stock addition can allow the weapon to be fired more accurately than a standard 9mm pistol. The maneuverability of the smaller weapon system is important to consider so you're not bumping into doorways or walls. Not to mention, if you were woken up in the middle of the night and needed to grab your nightstick weapon option - the chances of you missing while trying to wake up and readjust your eyes with a handgun is much higher than when using an AR9.

Price

We've priced out multiple builds and personally built enough AR-15's to know that the AR9 can't be outpriced either. From the AR-9 parts that we carry on the 5D Tactical sites, combined with complete uppers on other sites we've found that you can build a basic, mil-spec level AR-9 for as little as $685. If you increase your budget to $1000 flat it's even possible to have some upgraded furniture, a better muzzle device, and even an optic. For those deal hunters and builders okay with second hand parts you could even have a high end trigger with all the aforementioned parts and multiple magazines for under $1k. 

For the level of quality and performance you get out of an AR-9 at that price point, it's simply not possible to achieve with the AR-15 as it requires more money spent on parts in order to create a flatter shooting experience while maintaining consistent reliability if not increasing it (AR-15s that won't last longer than 10k rounds do not count).

Building an AR9

Photo Credit: 5D Tactical

An AR9 build can be a great way to build the perfect gun to fit the lady in question. Every aspect of the AR9 Build can be tweaked: Length of pull, the AR9 stock, barrel length, handguard - everything can be exactly right. An AR9 build kit can eliminate all the hassle of finding individual parts and make our AR9 build an easy and rewarding process that can be done right at home!

If you want to go the extra mile, consider an AR9 80 lower! After getting the lower parts kit, buffer tube kit, buttstock simply find an AR9 complete upper and an optic for a full package. All that will be left is assembly and it's a breeze. Heck, you can choose a specific colorways for an even more unique touch to the AR9 build as well.

Learning to shoot with an AR9

We want our friends and loved ones to be comfortable with the gun more than anything else. If there is an innate fear of the weapon, it simply won’t be shot as often as necessary to become proficient with it. When we introduce newer shooters to these weapons, it’s important to make the process fun and to understand some people might be intimidated by the weapon, loud noise or recoil. This is one reason I recommend an AR9 for a newer shooter, recoil is manageable, the weapon is not nearly as “scary”, and it makes the newer shooter more comfortable learning about safety and weapon proficiency. It’s truly hard to beat an AR 9 pistol for the first range day!

Build the perfect AR9 with 5D Tactical

That about wraps up our case for the AR9 being the perfect gun for female shooters. In summary, the customization ability for smaller frames, ease of shooting, lightweightness and lack of recoil truly makes the AR9 a great option for ANY newer shooters, but especially good for lady shooters!