Best Ruger PC Carbine Accessory List [Top Ten Accessories]

Over the past several years, the concept of the pistol caliber carbine has really taken off. These short, handy  weapons have a long historical legacy that we can take part in today. Basically, the pistol caliber carbine comes from the second world war realization that pistols are frankly not very good combat weapons. Pistols are hard to shoot well and even though they are really compact and really have a fire power necessary for most combat operations. There is a reason that most folks carry a full-size rifle into combat; pistols are, in a modern military sense, really more of a badge office then they are an effective combat weapon. But at the same time, not everyone needs a full-size rifle. Guards tank drivers or truck drivers for example are not necessarily Frontline combat troops but especially in a mobile warfare setting like that of the European theater in the second world war, they might like to have something easier to defend themselves with than the aforementioned pistols. That’s where we got the idea first of the M1 carbine. That handy little fire in our fire something between a pistol and a rifle round and fed from box magazines. Today we will discuss Rugers version, the Ruger PC Carbine as we go through this Ruger PC Carbine accessory list.

In much the same vein as the M1 carbine, Ruger has in recent years put out their own pistol caliber carbine. It is much like his predecessor easy to handle easy to shoot and it fits somewhere between a full-size rifle and a pistol in terms of size, weight, and stopping power. This handy firearm comes in a couple of configurations, including one that is a takedown model that would make it just about the perfect backpack gun. No matter which version you get, though, the Ruger PC carbine is an excellent entry into the category. In this list we’re going to explore 10 accessories that we think you would do well to add to your Ruger PC Carbine in order to make it the best pistol caliber carbine that it can possibly be. This would be a great firearm for either home defense or could be used in competitions as well, and we think it’s about the best truck gun that money can buy in terms of practicality.

Starting off with the easy stuff, magazines and ammo are an absolute must. Once you’ve gotten that taken care of, we think it makes sense to move on to things like sights, both electronic and analog, as well as lights to make sure you’re on target. From there you can think about ergonomics, whether it’s a sling, grip, or a full on chassis system to totally redo the gun. Finally, if you’re feeling up to the paperwork, time, and expense, you might also want to consider adding a suppressor. Overall, the Ruger PC Carbine is a fantastic option if you want a handy, light 9mm carbine for home defense, competition use, or, we think its best use, for backpacking when you need something capable at moderate range that is light enough to carry all day.

Holosun Paralow Red Dot Sight

For most pistol caliber carbines, intended for competition, we recommend a standard red dot sight. With the Ruger, PC Carbine on the other hand, we understand that this gun is meant at the very least for folks who are into the outdoors and backpacking. If this ends up the gun that you take into the field with you it is not inconceivable that you would end up making a much longer shot than you normally would with a pistol caliber carbine. With that said, a pistol caliber carbine is not by any means a long range hunting rifle nor do we think it would be terribly ethical to try to take large game at long-distance with this pistol caliber carbine. But if you should have to defend yourself or take small game at medium range this red dot sight is a great Ruger PC Carbine accessory.

This reticle is quite cool in that it has bullet drop indicator built right into the reticle. Once you get this thing zeroed at your preferred distance, we prefer 25 yards for the 9 mm round out of a pistol caliber carbine, you can then make for liable shots simply based on the rest of the radical assuming that you do your part as the shooter. So, we think this is a great all-around option in this one comes in at a price point that is also reasonable for this year quality of optic that you end up getting. Holosun makes great optics for a middle of the pack price, and we think that this one is is no different and is a great match to your backpacking carbine.

Outdoor Connection Razor Sling

Given how practical in handy pistol caliber carbines are, it only makes sense that you are probably going to end up carrying the thing a fair bit. In order to do that, what you were going to need is a sling. Now, for super tactical folks you can spend about as much as you would like on the latest greatest sling that, you will probably use in just about the same way that you got this one. This is a simple, black sling that attaches to the forward and rear points that are already on the gun. Not a lot of frills on this two point sling, but, then again, when you’re talking about a defensive or hunting carbine, you need reliable a lot more than you need frills. Besides, you can save some money for the other accessories that you’ll be adding to this great pistol caliber carbine. This sling is a reliable one that will do the job for years to come which is why we included it on this Ruger PC Carbine accessory list.

Ruger 9mm Magazine

One of the best things about pistol caliber carbines is that the vast majority of them take pistol magazines. The Ruger PC Carbine is no different, but there are some caveats here. We’re recommending the Ruger Security 9 magainzes, which do, indeed, fit the Ruger PC Carbine as well. With that said, Ruger also has an available magazine well change kit so that this takes Glock magazines. Basically, it’s worth considering which magazines you want to use and dial the carbine in accordingly. If you already have a Security Nine, go with these magazines. If, on the other hand, you’re playing for Team Glock then consider picking up that magazine well so that you don’t need to buy a whole new kind of magazines, and simple pick up some Glock magazines instead.

Nightstick Tactical Weapon Light

It gets terribly dark in the woods at night. The same can be said for your home. And we like to be able to generally see what we plan on shooting 9mm rounds at. So, we think it’s only reasonable that we recommend that you pick up a light like this one. This particular model, by Nightstick tactical, is a water resistant, all aluminum light that can last up to 50,000 hours on the low setting. Without breaking the bank in the same way as some of the fancier tactical lights out there, this one goes on your pistol caliber carbine and makes it a little more useful in low light situations, which are common in home defense and backpacking. This is a great Ruger PC Carbine accessory option.

Magpul Sight Set

In the vein of being able to see what we plan on shooting, we recognize that any electronic sight can eventually fail. With that in mind, we think it’s a great idea to add a set of irons that are a great backup. For a while, these Magpul MBUS sights have been the industry standard for back up iron sights, and we see why. They fold down nicely and out of the way, and, when you need them, they pop right up and into action. These are great sights and we not only endorse them, but I personally run them on my AR. These are the sights you want as a backup to a decent red dot sight making them a great Ruger PC Carbine accessory.

Fortis Angled Grip

Things get a little interesting in terms of the law with pistol caliber carbines. Some are rifles, while others are pistols. In the debate of Rifle V Pistol, there are a few things to keep in mind, and these next two accessories demonstrate the point nicely. With rifles, you can have a stock, which is how the Ruger PC Carbine comes. This means that you can also put any grip on it that you please. But, then the barrel has to be over a certain length to comply with the ATFs rules, and if you make it into a short barreled rifle, or an SBR, you need to file the paperwork, pay the taxes on that paperwork, and then, here’s the really annoying bit, file more paperwork every time you want to cross state lines with it.
This makes pistols attractive for people who want a short Ruger PC Carbine and would like to backpack or hunt in multiple states. In that case, you’d want to go with this grip, an angled one that makes a great Ruger PC Carbine accessory.

Bravo Company Vertical Grip

Now, if on the other hand you’ve gone with a rifle instead of a pistol, you can use any grip you darn well please. In this case, we’re recommending the short grip by BCM gunfighter. This grip installs easily and gives you a nice place to put your hand on the front of the gun, without making it too bulky, which we think is important since one of the main selling points of something like the Ruger PC Carbine for a backpacking gun is that it’s light and, especially with the takedown model, easy to stash in a backpack.

Torrent Suppressor

Take a careful look at the muzzle of the Ruger PC Carbine. Notice anything? Yup, that’s a thread protector. That means that we can easily mount a suppressor out of the box to this excellent carbine. Here, we’re recommending the Torrent T9C. We’re doing so for a few reasons.  First, they’ve tuned it especially for pistol caliber carbines: barrel length and such make a big difference in accuracy with the 9mm, and you want to maximize that with this great Ruger PC Carbine accessory.

Second, and we think this is important for any suppressor, it’s also good for anything from .22 to .300 Win Mag. Thus, it’s entirely possible to buy a single suppressor that you can run on a variety of guns, which we think really increases the value proposition given the sheer amount of time, money, and government paperwork it takes to get a suppressor in the first place. This would be a great addon to make the Ruger PC Carbine a great defensive carbine, as shooting indoors, well, it’s awful and you’d likely only hear ringing for a few days if you did it without ear protection or a suppressor.

Midwest Industries Side Folder Chassis 

Say you have a Ruger PC Carbine in the pistol configuration and think to yourself: what if this was a really slick tactical carbine? Well, say no more, friend. This chassis, by Midwest Industries, does just that. This aluminum frame takes the internals of your existing gun, and seats them in a really solid aluminum mount. From there, you can take advantage two especially cool features. First, it takes standard AR grips, which really opens up the options to further customize your pistol caliber carbine for either defense or competition. Also, the folding brace section has some 1913 rail on it, which means that, again, you get to choose what kind of brace you end up putting on the back of the gun, if you put one at all. Basically, this chassis lets you remade the Ruger PC Carbine any way you like to make it into a tactically inspired carbine that would be perfect for home defense or competition.

Winchester 124 Grain 9mm Ammo

Pistol caliber carbines like this one are seriously fun to shoot as they handle and shoot very well and, we think, punch well above their weight even at moderate ranges. Thus, you’re going to start running through a lot of 9mm ammo at the range. Pick up some now so you can enjoy shooting later.

Here we’re recommending the standard NATO 9mm in 124 grain, full metal jacket. This is one of the standard 9mm rounds, so a lot of firearms and accessories end up getting tested with it, adding to the overall reliability of the system you’ve put together. Also, it comes in nice ammo cans that we like to use for storage after the fact. This combo is a great Ruger PC Carbine accessory.

Parting Shots…

In this list, we’ve tried to show you a few ways in order to make the most out of your Ruger PC Carbine. Pretty easily, you can get some sights that will be more than capable of helping you make the most of the longer barrel and thus more accuracy afforded in these platforms when compared to a standard pistols. It also makes sense to make sure that you have backup sighting and light systems as well, to make sure you can always see what you plan on shooting. Of course, magazines and ammo are also a must to keep everything running. With a little more effort, you can add a grip to the firearm to make it handle the way you like. Now, if you have some serious time for tinkering, and perhaps for some paperwork,  a chassis or a suppressor can be a great way to finish out the best pistol caliber carbine for backpacking that we can think of. Ruger has really outdone themselves with this one, and with a few simple accessories it can be a truly excellent carbine.