AR-9 Pistol – Topographic M81
• Gibbz Arms G9 side-charging upper
• Dead Air Silencers suppressed
• Signature Ely Yerian Designs topo pattern & Cerakote
One pinnacle of any artistically inclined trade is an instantly recognizable design trait or motif. There are a great many talented firearms finishers out there, and we’ve seen our share of intricate, creative designs. Few, however, stand out as singularly as an Ely Yerian Design (EYD) topographic motif.
That was one of the main inspirational lines behind this build, an AR-9 pistol-caliber carbine (PCC) put together as yet another stunning portfolio piece for Violent Art Firearms (VAF).
“I have followed EYD’s social media for many years, and have even had the pleasure of photographing some builds he has Cerakoted, which were always fantastic,” says Violent Art principal and ace firearms photographer Jay Canter. “Popularizing the topographical map style on firearms was also another huge reason as to why I wanted to get this build done with him.”
The other driving force behind this build was the release of Gibbz Arms’ G9 (AR-9) Lite Weight receiver set. We featured Gibbz back in UN12 issue 008, where we learned that they are one of the premier manufacturers of side-charging AR platforms, meaning the action may be manually cycled from the side of the upper receiver using a proprietary charging system rather than from the rear as you’d find in the standard setup.
Gibbz offers receiver sets in a G4 configuration (standard AR profile for 5.56, 300 BLK and so on), G10 (LR308), and this set, G9, for PCC builds. Gibbz lower receivers are as high-end as you’d want, machined from billet with features like an integrated trigger guard, large magwell bevel, and threaded roll pin for the bolt catch.
It is designed to accept small-frame Glock magazines in 9mm or .40 S&W. The Lite Weight set features additional machine work that creates new lines and recesses to shed weight over the standard set; the lower weighs in right at 1.5 pounds.
VAF completed the lower with a 2A Armament lower parts kit and White Label Armory takedown and pivot pins. Fire control is facilitated by standard VAF hardware from Timney Triggers, in this case a 681 PCC unit with curved bow. The drop-in Timney PCC is mounted using White Label Armory trigger and hammer pins. Other controls include a Hera USA pistol grip, Radian Talon ambidextrous safety, and Gibbz Arms’ own integrated ambidextrous mag release mechanism.
An SB Tactical HBPDW pistol stabilizing brace ensures the PCC’s pistol classification. (Would that make it a PCP?) This is the company’s “Honey Badger” variant, not to be confused with the standard SBPDW, designed by Q and an adaptation of the iconic Honey Badger pistol brace. Possibly the lightest and overall shortest brace out there, it’s perfect for a compact build like this.
The Gibbz upper receiver is no less innovative that the lower, with lines and recessions complementary to the lower, as well as a shortened and beveled ejection port ideal for 9mm (which this build runs). It features a rear bolt carrier door for easy BCG removal while sealing gases in during operation, as well as a charging handle cover that serves the same function—both important for suppressed fire, for which this build is also assembled.
A 5-inch 9mm barrel from Odin Works is affixed to the upper’s business end. This was ordered in raw 416 stainless and finished in a DLC electroplating. The stubby barrel is mostly shrouded by a super-stubby NFA Gen 2 handguard from New Frontier Armory, at 3.5 inches the shortest guard available from the company.
Slots for m-lok attachments are present at 3, 9 and 6 o’clock and it features a full top Picatinny rail, but otherwise these rails are fashioned in an extreme lightweight presentation, with only the minimum amount of needed material present. A Sparrow Dynamics finger stop has been installed on the sole m-lok slot at 6 o’clock.
The barrel’s far end is affixed with a Dead Air Silencers Wolfman KeyMicro suppressor setup, which comprises the Wolfman suppressor, KeyMicro adapter, and KeyMicro muzzle brake, which serves as either a muzzle device running the gun unsuppressed and as a QD interface for easily adding or subtracting the suppressor itself.
An Iron City Rifle Works Red PCC BCG interfaces with the Timney fire control and sends 9mm projectiles down the barrel/suppressor amalgam. An identical design to the Red Mohawk carrier, ICRW’s standard pistol-caliber group so named for the red fin riding atop the carrier where you’d find the gas key on a direct-impingement system, this particular BCG is a “Raven” special edition featuring a “plasma-enhanced” DLC/Teflon composite for wear resistance, corrosion protection, and the reduced friction properties for which ICRW carrier groups have become well-known.
According to ICRW, it also costs less than a traditional DLC coating, putting its price point more in line with the company’s entry-level nitride options. So here the red mohawk is absent, the whole being coated in a stealthy matte gray.
The pistol feeds from Glock G17/34 magazines with a standard 17-round capacity; basepads have been fitted here to increase the count by five. The mag extensions are made by Warne, so if you thought they only made scope rings and mounts, well, now you know.
Speaking of scopes, targeting assistance on this build comes from a Primary Arms SLx 1X MicroPrism with red ACSS Cyclops Gen II reticle. It features 13 illumination settings, including three for night vision, and an integrated mount boasting eight different heights and configurations.
“This is the first time I have used a Primary Arms optic and it was quite shocking once I had it in hand as to WHY havent I used their stuff before,” Canter says. “Honestly, for the price point they have some of the best quality glass and solid construction I have used. Very light weight, but construction is very solid and does not feel ‘cheap’ in any way.”
In addition to representing another fine addition to VAF’s growing portfolio of finished builds, this one in particular is perhaps a taste of bigger things to come, as the brand looks to expand beyond strict rifle builds on the retail end and continues to push the boundaries of its consulting arm. But of course any stunning portfolio piece should wear an equally stunning finish and color scheme, which brings us back to the pistol at hand’s secondary raison d’etre.
“Very rarely do I come up with something ‘easy’ for any of the amazing Cerakoters I work with, and I knew Ely would have zero issues when I sent this to him,”Canter says. “I liked the woodland camo/M81 pattern but wanted to use some other colors. There were a few color concepts I was looking at and he was all about this one, so that is what he used.”
Personally I feel that all builds are personal one way or another, and honestly when something like this gets done they are hard to let go. Plus having some future dreams and plans of expanding the design and custom side of the company, there for sure is a large need to have lots of different custom builds for what is hopefully to come. But I knew on this build that it was going to get the topo treatment and let Ely decide on the colors to make that happen.
For his part, Yerian explains the process: “The topographical lines I paint first then I mask them off before laying the next color down. No specific place or location [for the topo pattern], I just start laying down lines that work with the firearm.”
He continues: “For this one I wanted to try to have a clear anodized feel on the lines and accessories but flow with the rest of the camo. Definitely one of a kind that will stand out as one of our designs.”
“Being an artist myself for a very long time, the more builds I look at creating the more difficult it becomes,” Canter says. “Especially when you are trying to do something different and unique every single time. So having the honor to work with so many other talented artists that I can bounce ideas off of is fantastic. Ely and his wife Brittany are awesome people who do a fantastic job with their coatings, so it was easy to work with them on this project.” Images by Jay Canter
Build Sheet
VAF Topo M81
AR-9 Pistol
Specifications
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 22 + 1
Barrel Length: 5.0 in.
Overall Length: 23.5 in. (max), 19.25 in. (min)
Weight Unloaded: 5 lbs, 10 oz. (unsuppressed)
Receiver Set: Gibbz Arms G9 Lite Weight
Finish: Ely Yerian Designs laser-etched topo pattern & custom M81 Cerakote
Featured Accessories
Barrel: Odin Works 5” 9mm 416R w/DLC electroplate
Suppressor: Dead Air Silencers Wolfman
Handguard: New Frontier Armory 3.5” NFA Gen 2
Optic: Primary Arms SLx MicroPrism w/ACSS Cyclops Gen II reticle (red)
Pistol Brace: SB Tactical HBPDW “Honey Badger”
Parts & Accessories: Dead Air Silencers KeyMicro muzzle brake, Sparrow Dynamics finger stop, ICRW Raven PCC BCG, Timney 681 PCC trigger, White Label Armory trigger & takedown pins, Radian Talon ambi safety selector, Hera USA pistol grip, 2A Armament LPK, OEM Glock G17 magazines w/+5 basepads
About the Builder
Violent Art Firearms
URL: violentartfirearms.com
Social (IG & FB): Violent Art Firearms
