Anyone who’s a fan of roller-delayed actions who is also interested in adding a PCC, or pistol caliber carbine to their collection, should look into our MRDS, or modern roller delayed system, as the perfect solution.
Here’s your primer on our modern roller delayed PCC.
Why a Pistol Caliber Carbine (PCC)?
In a nutshell, a pistol caliber carbine (PCC) is a carbine-length platform in a pistol caliber. This differs from most carbines that are chambered in rifle calibers like 5.56 or 7.62. By contrast, pistol-calibers like 9mm and 10mm Auto are common in pistol caliber carbines.
There are numerous excellent reasons to choose a pistol caliber carbine over a full-length rifle build or just a rifle-caliber carbine or an ARP.
One of these is lower recoil. Handgun-caliber cartridges like 9mm produce less recoil across the board than pretty much all rifle cartridges. Even hard-kicking cartridges like 10mm don’t produce that much more recoil than light cartridges like 5.56, and with a PCC platform that is heavier and which can be shouldered, recoil is more manageable.
Price and availability are also positive considerations. Popular handgun cartridges like 9mm are widely available and most gun shops carry them in bulk at very affordable prices. In most cases they will be more affordable than rifle-caliber cartridges as well.
Many handgun cartridges are lighter and more compact than rifle cartridges, making it easier to carry more firepower even given limited space for loadout.
Another is the stopping power up close. Many handgun cartridges are designed to hit hard up close and dump their energy up close. Big, heavy bullets like those loaded into 9mm and 10mm offer solid stopping power at close ranges but a relatively low risk of overpenetration when loaded with appropriate bullets.
One strong selling point of a pistol caliber carbine has to do with the size of the build and not the cartridge itself. Carbines are lighter and more compact than full-size rifles (regardless of caliber) making them more maneuverable and therefore better in tight quarters.
All of that being the case, here’s what our modern roller delayed PCC platform offers prospective shooters.
What Our (Modern Roller Delayed System) MRDS Offers
With a rich history in precision engineering and manufacturing roller-delayed platforms, Zenith Firearms is proud to announce the release of the MRDS PDW, or modern roller delayed system pistol caliber carbine.
Available in two calibers, 9mm and 10mm, our roller delayed PCC features precision-machined aluminum upper and lower receivers that offer high strength and along with corrosion and wear resistance in a lightweight package. They perform even under extreme conditions.
Outfitted with a full-length Picatinny rail and end plate, these roller delayed PCCs are ripe for customization, with plenty of real estate for mounting shooting attachments like optics such as red dots or scopes, along with slings, lights, lasers, and other shooting accessories.
Thanks to the Picatinny end plate, a stock can easily be attached or removed from the platform as desired, enabling it to perform as either a shoulder-mounted PCC or as a much more compact, ARP-adjacent platform. This significantly improves the modularity and versatility of the platform.
They also come complete with modular, free-floating M-LOK handguards that streamline the attachment of accessories like lights and lasers around the barrel. The M-LOK handguard is also smooth, comfortable to grip, lightweight, and much less prone to snagging than its Pic rail counterparts, improving the ergonomics and control of the platform.
This modern roller delayed PCC also sports a fully ambidextrous design to accommodate both right and left-handed shooters, with right and left-friendly controls such as an ambi safety, bolt release, mag release, and a non-reciprocating charging handle that is easy to manipulate from both sides of the platform.
The platform also encapsulates a variety of other shooter friendly features, such as a last round bolt hold open system that tips you off that you’re out of ammo and which facilitates faster, more streamlined reloads, and a trigger grip that is AR compatible.
The design also supports standard AR triggers and upgrades, so you can drop in an AR trigger that is crisp, precise, reliable, and which upholds a high degree of accuracy.
Finally, let’s take a closer look at the heart of the system, which is one of its biggest selling points: the modern roller delayed blowback action.
Unlike direct blowback, which produces a lot of recoil and port pop, and which is not suitable for higher-pressure cartridges, roller delayed blowback operation is reliable, smoother shooting, and produces far less recoil. It can also be used more reliably with higher pressure cartridges like 10mm Auto.
And, unlike direct gas impingement, no buffer system is required for a roller delayed blowback action, which preserves the smooth shooting of impingement. Therefore, these roller delayed PCCs can result in even more compact, even lighter overall platforms that are better in cramped quarters.
In addition to the fact that our modern roller delayed blowback system is reliable with high pressure cartridges, smoother shooting, and produces lower recoil, it also produces less port pop, has long-lasting action components, and is suppressor-friendly.
Given the recent relaxation of regulations associated with suppressors, this is good news if you want to configure or customize a PCC platform with a can. These roller delayed PCCs are perfect for that, and embody the future of roller delayed firearms.
Those of you reading this who are interested in buying or customizing a pistol caliber carbine are in the right place.
Learn More About the ZF-9 and ZF-10
Smooth-shooting, lightweight, compact, responsive, expandable; these qualifiers only provide a brief snapshot into the value provided by our modern roller delayed PCC platforms. For more information, see the previous page or get in touch with us directly and we will be more than happy to go over the specifications and other details.
You can reach us at 434-202-7790 or by email at [email protected].