Modified Aero Precision EPC-9 Carbine

:: Custom coated by Nevada Cerakote
:: Used for training and competition
:: Uses Glock 9mm mags

Pistol-caliber carbines (PCC) are currently the hot ticket in many disciplines of shooting. Training and competition would probably be among the most popular on that list of shooting specialties and it’s precisely why the rifle you see featured in this article was constructed.

Jonathan Milner is an auto mechanic by trade but a tactical training student and shooting competitor by obsession. He modified his latest rifle, an Aero Precision EPC-9 carbine, over the course of last year. Milner now runs the 9mm caliber AR at carbine classes and at local steel plate matches whenever he can. Although his work keeps him busy most of the time, when he does escape the garage we’re told that we can find him at any of a number of shooting ranges.

We asked Milner about his rifle, which we got an up-close look at recently. “It’s my current pride and joy,” he told us. “All my ARs are dear to me; this one is my latest and therefore currently sees the most action. I bought Aero Precision’s complete EPC-9 lower receiver as the jumping-off point for this build. The EPC-9 has such a nice design and I love looking at and even feeling its smooth contours.”

It’s easy to see why Milner chose the EPC-9 for his starting point. Aero Precision has built up a rabidly loyal following for their firearms and related components by never compromising quality. The company is known for its precision machining and painstaking design and engineering, of which the EPC-9 is a clear beneficiary. The forged 7075-T6 aluminum EPC-9 lower is compatible with standard-frame Glock magazines and is packed full of features including an integrated and enlarged trigger guard and flared magazine well for quick and easy reloads.

As much as he loves his EPC-9 lower, we did spot a few key upgrades. We’ll let Milner walk us through them. “I discovered a company that was making some really cool stuff called Driven Arms Co. (DAC),” he says. “They make all manner of add-on accessories for firearms and it was their EPC-9 Slip Fit Magwell (SFM) that initially caught my attention.

As an amateur competitive shooter, I know that generously flared magwells can help minimize a bobbled reload and I saw a lot of value in adding DAC’s SFM to my lower. I quickly added it to my DAC online shopping cart. Not long after, I added a few more things. I ended up also picking up DAC’s Ultralight Compact Grip (ULCG) for use on the lower and a few pieces for the upper. The ULCG has a nice contour and a great feel.”

Seeing the factory trigger still in place, we asked him why he didn’t change it for an aftermarket model. “I had an upgraded drop-in trigger in my initial plans, but after shooting it I felt that the no-frills trigger my EPC-9 came with was really smooth and had a nice reset, so I didn’t see a need to change it. I don’t know if other EPC-9 triggers feel as refined, but I’m glad mine is this good.”

We also spied Radian ambidextrous safety levers. The Radian Talon Ambidextrous Safety Selector can be installed with several different-length levers in 90- or 45-degree throws. Milner chose to place the full-length lever on the left and the medium-length lever on the right, each set to a 90-degree throw. We must admit, the combination of aftermarket parts he added do make his EPC-9 look even nicer.

The upper receiver and Mission First Tactical Battlelink minimalist stock feature a great-looking yet subdued camo Cerakote job. Milner tells us more about it: “I had this project coated by Nevada Cerakote. The owner, Russ Bacon, and the crew at Nevada Cerakote always hit a home run on any Cerakote job they do for me. For this one, I sent them my upper receiver, handguard, buttstock, and bam, just like that, they were done and shipped back to me in no time. I chose to keep the lower black so I could swap other uppers onto it without it looking funny. I like the two-tone look.”

The forged aluminum upper receiver houses both an Aero Precision 16-inch barrel and an Aero Precision EPC-9 bolt carrier group. Because the EPC-9 operates on a blowback system, a gas tube and gas block are not required. A SIG Sauer SRD556-QD taper-lok CQB flash hider is installed on the barrel’s tip. Mounting a muzzle device made for a 5.56 may sound peculiar (and dangerous), but Milner explains. “I went with this flash hider because I happened to have it from another upper,” he says.

“It has a crazy-big exit hole that allows a 9mm bullet to drop through with plenty of room. I’m supposing that since it’s made to interface with a SIG suppressor, the exit hole is giant for just that reason. Because it uses the same 1/2×28 thread pitch as my 9mm barrel, it slipped on perfectly. In any case, it fits just right, looks cool, and works well.” Also onboard the upper is a VLTOR extended-latch charging handle, Strike Industries Billet Ultimate Dust Cover, and a snazzy Northtech Defense titanium forward assist. Evidently Milner does like the nice stuff.

We noted a 15-inch-long Aero Precision ATLAS S-One handguard mounted forward of the upper receiver. The m-lok compatible free-float unit features five slots of Picatinny rail just forward of the upper receiver and another four slots at the muzzle end. The bridge in between both Picatinny segments has a ribbed contour and is free of rail slots. This rail reduction helps trim weight for those who don’t need to mount accessories on the extra length of rail and also provides a slimmer profile for those who like to shoot with a grip on the forward portion of the handguard.

Milner did add several accessories to the S-One, including a SureFire Mini Scout Light Pro, which is operated via a Modlite ModButton Lite remote switch. In order to allow him to mount the remote switch in an optimal position and location for use during training, he was delighted to find that DAC makes a remote switch mount called the AMS-MBL. This mount is designed specifically to mount a ModButton Lite to an Aero Precision ATLAS S-One handguard.

Keeping the remote switch wires in place is a couple of Emissary Development Micro Cable Clips. These compact m-lok mounted clips hold wires in position and present a very clean and elegant appearance. We really like the light and switch setup on this rifle. There’s also a DAC ShortStop hand stop on the handguard. The nylon polymer stop is made to be ultra light and features a reduced-drag design.

“The SureFire light comes in handy at both training events and at the steel plate matches that I attend,” Milner says. “Sometimes we do night matches, which are really fun. I recommend everyone learn how to shoot with a light and understand when and when not to use it. It’s not something most people learn, but I think it’s an important skill to have.”

This modified Aero Precision EPC-9 carbine relies on an Aimpoint Acro P-1 for aiming. The compact red dot was designed with pistol use in mind and has a shorter battery lifespan than its bigger Aimpoint brothers, but many rifle shooters who value weight savings over battery longevity have gravitated to this unit.

Milner mentioned that this isn’t his go-to defensive weapon, so he doesn’t mind if he has to change batteries every so often. He values the weight savings more for this AR. Milner’s Acro sits in a superb Scalarworks LEAP 03 mount. We’ve had experience with Scalarworks mounts in the past and find that they are tough, light, and give any rifle a decidedly modern look.

All said and done, this unassuming 9mm PCC is packed full of practical upgrades that make the already-great Aero Precision EPC-9 carbine an even more fun and easy-to-handle shooter. It looks damned sexy, too. Milner tells us that he has enjoyed assembling it and shooting it, and from what we can gather, he’s not looking to let it go from quite some time, if ever. That leaves us with only one option. We’re already looking at building one for ourselves.

Build Sheet

Modified Aero Precision
EPC-9 Carbine
Specifications
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 33+1
Minimum Length: 32.75 in.
Maximum Length: 36.0 in.
Weight Unloaded: 7 lbs, 3 oz. 
Barrel Length: 16.0 in. 
Coating: Nevada Cerakote

Featured Accessories
Optic: Aimpoint Acro P-1
Optic Mount: Scalarworks LEAP 03 (1.57”)
Handguard: 15” Aero Precision ATLAS S-One m-lok
Barrel: Aero Precision 16” 9mm CMV 
Weaponlight: SureFire Mini Scout Light Pro

Parts & Accessories: Aero Precision EPC-9 BCG, Driven Arms Co. AMS-MBL, Driven Arms Co. Ultralight Compact Grip (ULCG), Driven Arms Co. Aero Precision EPC-9 Slip Fit Magwell (SFM), Driven Arms Co. ShortStop hand stop, SIG Sauer SRD556-QD taper-lok CQB flash hider, SureFire Scout Light rear cap, Modlite ModButton Lite, Emissary Development Micro Cable Clip, Radian Talon ambidextrous safety selector, Strike Industries Billet Ultimate Dust Cover, Mission First Tactical Battlelink minimalist stock, Northtech Defense titanium forward assist, VLTOR 556 Mod 4 charging handle, SGM Tactical Glock-compatible 9mm 33-rd magazine