JRC 9mm, the good and not so good

[nn3453]

Just a brief note to describe some of my good and not so good experiences with my 9mm Just Right Carbine. I have about 2700 rounds through it now so have a decent idea.

The good news is I love it. It goes with me to the range most times and I set up little 1MOA stickers at 25-30 yard and try to shoot em. I have a Aimpoint T1 on it so it is a bit of a challenge, especially in crappy light, but if I don't screw up, I can hit em. The gun is accurate enough.

This is a later generation carbine, so I haven't run into any issues feeding it factory or reloads. 115gr, 124gr, 147gr, it will pretty much eat it up. I haven't tried hollow points yet.

I haven't tried it long range.

I love the fact that it takes standard AR grips, stocks. I replaced the factory crap grip and stock with a CTR stock and a MOE+ grip. The buffer tube is commercial so you will need a commercial stock.

The factory trigger SUCKS. The good news is that it will take any standard trigger. I didn't want to spend $200 and buy a high end trigger for something I was basically going to plink with at short range.

So I cheaped out and got an ALG combat trigger ($60) and a JP spring kit ($15). This is where I learned a lesson. Trigger feels great. So I take it to the range and start getting light strikes with the JP kit...crap. So I replaced the JP hammer spring with the stock spring and kept the trigger spring. The low end ALG trigger with the JP trigger spring is a million times better than the crap trigger from the factory.

Next problem. The factor trigger and hammer springs on my carbine tend to walk out every 50 rounds or so. You pull the trigger and nothing happens...oops, the trigger pin walked out. Crap.

JRC has also been shipping newer guns with some random crappy 10 round magazine instead of a factory mag. I didn't have feed issues with it...for a while. I have a whole bunch of factory Glock mags which work just fine and haven't had a single issue.

So I just ordered some KNS pins. I always thought that anti walk pins are a bit of a gimmick, but on this gun I need em.

Cleaning it is a pain because you need a hex wrench to take it down and you need to take the stock off to take the bolt out. I have been running it kinda dirty because I don't have the patience for that and it has been running just fine.

The mag release/bullet button on the left side is also weird but you get used to it. I like the side charging design over a regular charging handle.

Overall, it is a good range firearm. After some upgrades, I wouldn't have a problem using this for home defense or whatever. But what some shops are charging for what you get is a bit steep in my opinion. This should be a $600-700 gun. I have seen stores asking $1050-1100 for one, which I wouldn't personally pay.

Hope this helps.

[TomReloaded]

Thanks for the review. Was curious about how it cleans up, good to know. The price went pretty crazy. I think JRC even intended it to be a $650 gun.

Even though its a ugly piece of junk, the recent JRC prices make me look at the high point carbine.

[UnknownShooter]

So I cheaped out and got an ALG combat trigger ($60) and a JP spring kit ($15). This is where I learned a lesson. Trigger feels great. So I take it to the range and start getting light strikes with the JP kit...crap. So I replaced the JP hammer spring with the stock spring and kept the trigger spring. The low end ALG trigger with the JP trigger spring is a million times better than the crap trigger from the factory.

Next problem. The factor trigger and hammer springs on my carbine tend to walk out every 50 rounds or so. You pull the trigger and nothing happens...oops, the trigger pin walked out. Crap.

JRC has also been shipping newer guns with some random crappy 10 round magazine instead of a factory mag. I didn't have feed issues with it...for a while. I have a whole bunch of factory Glock mags which work just fine and haven't had a single issue.

So I just ordered some KNS pins. I always thought that anti walk pins are a bit of a gimmick, but on this gun I need em.

Cleaning it is a pain because you need a hex wrench to take .

light strikes & walking pins is often an assembly issue - backward spring...

[CRTguns]

I just got done with a T&E for an article on 9mm carbines... looked at all of them.

TNW and Thureon win.
Thureon is insanely accurate for a 9mm. Makes 2" 100 yd with certain ammo. Less than 1% failure to function.
TNW is less accurate, but caliber convertible and handles wonderfully. less recoil that thureon too. And lighter. And smaller. Experienced over 2% malfunction though. Could be solved wth some tuning and tweaking.

[joelogic]

Good review but a couple of things. I did not think the stock trigger sucked, the parts are probably OEM from someone. I added some JP Yellow Springs and now the trigger is pretty good.

$1000?!?! Holy Cow. I think I paid ~$500 direct a couple of years ago. For $1000 I would save my pennies and buy a JP.

[UnknownShooter]

$1000?!?! Holy Cow. I think I paid ~$500 direct a couple of years ago. For $1000 I would save my pennies and buy a JP.

They're (JRC's) ~$700-ish on the web currently, depending on configuration/color.

The lower on a JP looks suspiciously like a Lone Wolf lower..

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

Good review, OP. I haven't experienced the pin walking that you have, but I'll be looking for it on mine. The trigger on mine is about the same as any stock AR. It is an absolute PITA to clean. Your price assessment is spot on and would be the case generally except that they seem to be pretty thin on the shelves at LGS. Ordering online makes sense.

[nn3453]

light strikes & walking pins is often an assembly issue - backward spring...

Yep, I made a rookie mistake. Not enough spring tension. Wasn't paying as much attention as I should have. Will try it again today. Thank you.

1st pic is wrong, 2nd is right.

wrong.jpg
right.jpg

Yeah, I called a couple Bay Area shops and cheapest I found was $1050 out the door. That is a bit nuts, but it is a fun gun.

[nn3453]

I just got done with a T&E for an article on 9mm carbines... looked at all of them.

TNW and Thureon win.
Thureon is insanely accurate for a 9mm. Makes 2" 100 yd with certain ammo. Less than 1% failure to function.
TNW is less accurate, but caliber convertible and handles wonderfully. less recoil that thureon too. And lighter. And smaller. Experienced over 2% malfunction though. Could be solved wth some tuning and tweaking.

I have heard good things about Thureon. Would love to get my hands on one. They are even more expensive though. People are selling used ones for $1200.

[CRTguns]

Good review but a couple of things. I did not think the stock trigger sucked, the parts are probably OEM from someone. I added some JP Yellow Springs and now the trigger is pretty good.

$1000?!?! Holy Cow. I think I paid ~$500 direct a couple of years ago. For $1000 I would save my pennies and buy a JP.

JRCs were realy cheap when they were distributed by EMF corp in socal. I used to retail them for $579 iirc.

Thureon is $960... but feeds blazer, wolf, gun show reloads, and every hollow point I put into it. Makes 2" groups at 100yards with 115 silvertips... 3" with 147 hydrashock. All fmj was about 5". And it will take any AR trigger pack. SO if JRC is a grand now... the choice is easy.

and you can order a thureon to use glock, sig, XD, M&P, or Uzi mags. in 5 calibers.

And it's fun to say "Thureon!"

[CRTguns]

I have heard good things about Thureon. Would love to get my hands on one. They are even more expensive though. People are selling used ones for $1200.

They have price controls for their dealers... should be a flat rate for a new gun... call them direct and find a place in your area. They might let you pay direct and ship to your dealer... but no oem installed bullet button as of yet. Could do featureless I suppose.

There are models that get up to 1600 with all the extras. I got the basic and love it. Already sent off the SBR app

[meaty-btz]

I've had my JRC in 9mm for about a year now I think. No walking, no problems with pins or anything. Super reliable. Super Accurate. I shoot out to 100 yards easy with it.

I do agree the factory trigger sucks bad but I shoot pretty well with it.

I paid about 750 for mine and found the price acceptable.

It is a good rifle that I would recommend to others just not in the 1K range..

Just a brief note to describe some of my good and not so good experiences with my 9mm Just Right Carbine. I have about 2700 rounds through it now so have a decent idea.

The good news is I love it. It goes with me to the range most times and I set up little 1MOA stickers at 25-30 yard and try to shoot em. I have a Aimpoint T1 on it so it is a bit of a challenge, especially in crappy light, but if I don't screw up, I can hit em. The gun is accurate enough.

This is a later generation carbine, so I haven't run into any issues feeding it factory or reloads. 115gr, 124gr, 147gr, it will pretty much eat it up. I haven't tried hollow points yet.

I haven't tried it long range.

I love the fact that it takes standard AR grips, stocks. I replaced the factory crap grip and stock with a CTR stock and a MOE+ grip. The buffer tube is commercial so you will need a commercial stock.

The factory trigger SUCKS. The good news is that it will take any standard trigger. I didn't want to spend $200 and buy a high end trigger for something I was basically going to plink with at short range.

So I cheaped out and got an ALG combat trigger ($60) and a JP spring kit ($15). This is where I learned a lesson. Trigger feels great. So I take it to the range and start getting light strikes with the JP kit...crap. So I replaced the JP hammer spring with the stock spring and kept the trigger spring. The low end ALG trigger with the JP trigger spring is a million times better than the crap trigger from the factory.

Next problem. The factor trigger and hammer springs on my carbine tend to walk out every 50 rounds or so. You pull the trigger and nothing happens...oops, the trigger pin walked out. Crap.

JRC has also been shipping newer guns with some random crappy 10 round magazine instead of a factory mag. I didn't have feed issues with it...for a while. I have a whole bunch of factory Glock mags which work just fine and haven't had a single issue.

So I just ordered some KNS pins. I always thought that anti walk pins are a bit of a gimmick, but on this gun I need em.

Cleaning it is a pain because you need a hex wrench to take it down and you need to take the stock off to take the bolt out. I have been running it kinda dirty because I don't have the patience for that and it has been running just fine.

The mag release/bullet button on the left side is also weird but you get used to it. I like the side charging design over a regular charging handle.

Overall, it is a good range firearm. After some upgrades, I wouldn't have a problem using this for home defense or whatever. But what some shops are charging for what you get is a bit steep in my opinion. This should be a $600-700 gun. I have seen stores asking $1050-1100 for one, which I wouldn't personally pay.

Hope this helps.