Matador Arms have always been pistol caliber carbine people in one way or another. I first discovered the company through their MAG-X blocks, which converted a MIL-SPEC AR lower to various pistol magazine formats. Over the years, the company grew and evolved, and this year is the first time they’ve released an entire firearm. These are large format pistols that fire 9mm and got by the name MAT-9 and MAT-9K.
The MAT-9 and MAT-9K – A New Type of Subgun
The MAT-9 and MAT-9K dances the AR-15 jig in their use of an upper and lower receiver design. The guns do not have a receiver extension or buffer and buffer spring like a normal AR platform. This ‘bufferless’ design results in very compact platforms that can utilize folding braces or stocks if you seek out a tax stamp. The MAT-9K features an uber-short five-inch barrel, and the standard MAT-9 uses an eight-inch barrel.
These are straight blowback-operated firearms and use Glock pattern magazines. The setup uses a buffer contained in the upper receiver, and the charging handle is pushed to the front of the gun, where it rides over the top of the barrel. The charging handle is reversible for left or right-handed shooters.
When we get to the lower receiver, we get fully ambidextrous controls that are very compact but super easy to reach and use. I had the gun in hand, and it was absolutely fantastic. My fingers grubbed their way to each control with absolute ease. They are AR-like and very functional. The gun does feature a last-round bolt hold open for those quick reloads.
The upper and lower are billet designs that look fantastic. I’m really excited about these little subguns. I think a folding 1913 brace and the MAT-9K would be a fantastic and fun little gun. The price isn’t too steep for a novel design. The complete gun will run $999.99.
