Brügger & Thomet APC9

APC series was designed to answer the need for a state-of-the-art 9x19mm submachine gun/police carbine in response to military trends of the 2000s. World armies started to favour intermediate cartridge assault carbines, for its all-around diversity in battle situations, offering compact carrying dimensions and mobility for its users, as well as the intermediate cartridge for power and range for any type of combat.

However, despite diversity of intermediate cartridge assault carbines, it would become apparent that this sort of design was not fully ideal nor economical for every type of circumstance. Costs, as well as over-penetration of intermediate cartridge was concern for certain elements, such as law enforcement agencies that didn't deal with military-level threats.

Brügger & Thomet sought to create a submachine gun that was competitive in price point, but as well as delivering necessary performance required by costumers. The platform was to run pistol cartridges that were diverse, cheap and used by various international military and law enforcement outfits. B&T has sold the B&T MP9 and had experience in submachine gun making, as well as years of feedback from customers on possible enhancements.[1] The production and sales of the B&T APC would being in 2011.

In March 2019, B&T released its APC9 Pro model, an improvement with a non-reciprocating charging handle and a replaceable pistol grip compatible with grips for the AR-15 style rifle family of firearms. The APC9 Pro will feature an optional lower receiver capable of using Glock magazines.[2]

On March 29, 2019, B&T was awarded a contract in the U.S. Army's Sub Compact Weapon Production-Other Transaction Agreement (P-OTA) competition for its APC9K submachine gun. The $2.6 million contract includes an initial 350 subcompact weapons (SCW) with an option for additional quantities of up to 1,000 SCWs, with slings, manuals, accessories, and spare parts.[3]

The APC is a Straight Blowback firearm. The addition of a proprietary hydraulic buffer system in the receiver back plate helps control recoil.[4]

Like all modern light weapons, APC uses a large number of modern engineering materials, such as aerospace-grade alloy upper receiver and polymer lower receiver/pistol grips, magazines and butt stocks.[5]

APC's mechanical sight is composed of an adjustable ghost ring type rear sight and a cylindrical sight. Sights can be folded in the base when not in use, and will pop out quickly when in use. The APC has H&K MP5 style lock lugs-style barrel and can be equipped with quick-release suppressor or flash hider. The barrel of APC45 comes preset with flash hider.

APC9 uses the same translucent, high-strength polymer magazines as MP9.[6]

The APC shares a polymer stock with the B&T GL-06 grenade launcher, and can be folded to the right side very similar to the H&K UMP submachine gun. Operational controls/trigger assembly is effectively same as AR-15/M16 rifle, and accepts many after-market replacement parts. All the controls are ambidextrous and the charging handle can be interchanged on the left and right sides of the receiver according to the user's preference.[7]

The APC9/APC45 is offered in several variants.[8] The standard has a barrel length of 175mm (≈ 7 inches) and a polymer stock very similar to an H&K UMP's which folds to the right side, the assault variant with an adjustable B&T Foldable Visor Helmet stock and the carbine variant with a 406mm (16 inch) barrel for the civilian market.[9] All variants are available in 9×19mm (APC9) and .45 ACP (APC45) calibers. There are also -SD variants available, with integrated suppressor muffler.

• APC9 - The basic model adopts a free-gun automatic mode, a polymer receiver and a magazine, and a folding stock. The magazine has four ammunition capacities of 15, 20, 25, and 30 rounds, and fires 9×19 mm caliber pistol bullets. Can be fired in semi-automatic or fully automatic.[10]
• APC9 G - same as above, but with a lower receiver to switch to use Glock pistol magazines, such as Glock's 9x19mm 33-round extended magazine.
• APC9K - short barrel version of the APC9 submachine gun.
• APC9 Carbine - civilian version of the APC9 submachine gun, can only be fired in semi-auto.[11]
• APC9-P Carbine - police version of the APC9 carbine. Comes with longer handguards and long barrel.
• APC9 Sports Carbine - sporting version of the APC9 carbine. Comes with longer handguards and long barrel.
• APC40 - .40 S&W version of the APC9 submachine gun.
• APC10 - 10mm Auto version of the APC9 submachine gun.
• APC45 - .45 ACP version of the APC9 submachine gun. Firing mechanism is altered to accommodate the .45 ACP round and can only be fired in fully automatic. Uses non-transparent steel magazine for the .45 ACP ammo. Otherwise same as APC9 submachine gun.

• Brügger & Thomet MP9 - Brügger & Thomet's earlier submachine gun, originally produced by Steyr as Steyr TMP.
• Heckler & Koch UMP - Similar design to APC and offered in various same calibers.
• CZ Scorpion EVO 3
• SIG MPX
• FAMAE SAF