The Best PCCs To Run with a Suppressor
Travis Pike
One of the best reasons to get a pistol caliber carbine is how well they take a suppressor. Ballistically speaking, PCCs, subguns, and similar weapons are giant handguns, and most handgun calibers are extremely easy to suppress. Subsonic ammo is widely available, relatively affordable, and won’t choke your semi-auto PCC.
That said, some PCCs suppress better than others. I’m a massive PCC fan, and as such, I’ve got piles of them. I’ve owned PCCs, subguns, and large-format pistols set up for everything from home defense to competition. I’ve suppressed most of them, and in my experience, these are my top five picks for suppressed PCCs.
Springfield Kuna
The Springfield Kuna was a delightful surprise. This 9mm subgun-style PCC hit the market hard and delivered something rare: a roller-delayed blowback firearm for less than $1,000. Historically, the addition of a roller-delayed mechanism would substantially increase the cost.
Roller-delayed blowback offers PCCs a ton of benefits. These guns are lightweight, have less recoil, and tend to have lighter recoil springs. Most importantly, they suppress incredibly well. Thanks to the roller-delayed action, there is no gas in your face. I’ve shot close to a thousand suppressed rounds through the Kuna, and the only time I noticed any gas was when the bolt locked back on the last round.
It’s a joy to shoot suppressed. The already low-recoil 9mm becomes a sewing machine that barely moves under your trigger finger. It’s smile-inducing to let loose half a magazine while the red dot barely moves, and you hear a steady stream of ding off your steel.
The Kuna’s short length keeps the suppressor from feeling like dead weight or throwing off maneuverability. The Springfield Kuna runs without an issue suppressed—and that suppressor transforms a good gun into a great one.
CMMG Banshee
From a purely biased and personal perspective, the CMMG Banshee might be my all-time favorite pistol caliber carbine. I own more than one, and my rifle variant is my go-to competition rifle. Unfortunately, SilencerCo suppressors are so quiet that shot timers won’t pick up the shots—so that one runs unsuppressed at competitions.
Luckily, my pistol variant, the Mk17, is a great suppressor host. The Banshee uses a radial delayed system rather than a straight blowback design, which already cuts down on gas. And since it’s an AR-based platform, if it ever does feel gassy, a SilencerCo Gas Defeating Charging Handle is an easy upgrade, but it’s honestly not needed.
The low recoil of the Banshee goes hand-in-hand with low volume. It’s pure joy to shoot the Banshee with the Spectre 9mm and some 147-grain subsonic ammo. It’s so quiet that the sound of bullets hitting steel is louder than the gun itself.
For that reason, this can be a great home defense platform. The familiar AR-like controls and ergonomics make it a great PCC for AR enthusiasts and, honestly, a fantastic PCC for any new shooter.
B&T APC9K
When the Army set out to purchase its first submachine gun since the days of the famed Grease Gun, they held a long competition. The winner? The Swiss-made B&T APC9K. The micro-sized Swiss gun is aimed at personal security details, and the big reason why they went with the ultra-short K model was so they could field a suppressor.
The short and sweet K model pairs brilliantly with the Spectre 9. That suppressor’s ultra-short, lightweight design keeps the APC9K firmly in subcompact territory. Together, they form a short, quiet, and thoroughly modern platform.
While the APC9K uses a direct blowback system—typically a recipe for gas in the face—that wasn’t my experience. The gun seems to be sealed tight, with no gas escaping between the upper and lower. The only place you’ll get any blowback is the ejection port, which could be annoying for left-handed shooters.
Suppressed, the APC9K runs beautifully. The hydraulic buffer does a great job soaking up typical blowback recoil, and the gun handles fast and flat with subsonic ammo. Of all the PCCs on this list, it’s the smallest and most compact, and it’s well-suited for home defense, even when suppressed.
Ruger PC Charger
The Ruger PC Charger is an interesting gun. This large-format pistol version of the PC Carbine maintains its breakdown design, making it ridiculously compact and easy to store. Unlike a lot of guns, you can toss a suppressor on it without losing that easy packability—it still fits neatly into a bug-out bag.
The Ruger PC Charger works splendidly with the ultra-light Spectre 9. That short, featherweight can keeps things compact when the gun is broken down, and the two go together like peanut butter and jelly.
The PC Charger uses a dead blow blowback system that combines straight blowback with an internal weight that helps reduce felt recoil and keeps the bolt from slamming rearward. That makes it pleasant to shoot—and it also keeps gas out of your face. The tradeoff is the bolt clack. It’s a bit loud, and lots of noise is let out of the ejection port.
While it’s not the quietest platform, it’s extremely reliable. It eats up hefty subsonic ammo with ease and shoots perfectly while suppressed. The dead blow system helps manage the added pressure a suppressor can introduce, keeping everything in check.
KelTec Sub2000
My last pick is a wildcard, and I’m breaking a few rules and swapping suppressors to make it work. The Sub2000 is traditionally a PCC, but KelTec recently released a 5.7x28mm model. Technically, 5.7 isn’t a standard pistol round, and it’s not exactly a rifle round either. It sits in that weird in-between space.
A 5.7x28mm doesn’t suppress well with a 9mm can, so I swapped to a Velos 556K. That combo works perfectly. The 5.7 has far less pressure than 5.56, so the can handles it without issue. Plus, the Sub2000’s direct blowback system is notoriously gassy, especially when suppressed.
The Velos is designed to reduce back pressure, and it keeps gas from blowing back in my face. The result is a clean, quiet, and comfortable shooting experience. With subsonic 5.7x28mm ammo, suppression gets even better. Suddenly, my ear-splitting rifle starts sounding more like a .22LR.
The can reduces noise, recoil, and muzzle rise on a gun that was already super easy and fun to shoot. That turns it into an excellent home defense weapon for those who despise recoil. It also makes a great kit gun since it folds in half, and with a can, it’s hearing-safe and even viable for small game.
The 5.7x28mm round is getting cheaper, and it suppresses well. The Sub2000 is already short, so you barely notice the added length of the Velos 556K—especially one this compact and efficient.
Keep It Quiet
Pistol caliber carbines keep growing in popularity, with new models hitting the market every year. And while PCCs run just fine unsuppressed, the real magic happens when you pair one with a can and some subsonic ammo. It’s one of the easiest and most affordable ways to enjoy a “plug and play” semi-auto suppressed platform.
Be sure to check out SilencerCo’s pistol suppressors. Which one works with your PCC?
Travis Pike
