Quote Originally Posted by JohnnyEgo View Post
When I stepped away from it about two years ago, I had started to find the short barrel to not be a competitive advantage. While I could keep pace with most folks, talented folks with full length carbines routinely cleaned my clock. It came down to the splits. Whatever added maneuverability I had from the short barrel was offset by their faster shot-to-shot time, by virtue of the fact that their carbines had next to no recoil with the added weight. So if it is truly USPSA PCC you are after, I wouldn't go out of my way to build a shorty.
I have been shooting USPSA for 20+ years and I started shooting PCC division as soon as it was made official.

After shooting both 16 inch and 8-10 inch guns, I much prefer short barrels and a good muzzle brake over longer barrels.

A lighter/shorter barrel swings faster and is easier to move with.

Blowback guns like a AR-9 kick a lot more than I like, even with a brake and playing with ammo/powder and springs. Give me a MPX or a Guard anyday. And they dont eat firing pins like blowback guns.

If you do build an AR-9 of sorts, be sure you get one that uses Glock mags.