It’s no secret, I’ve been a fan of the Saint line of AR-15s since the first introduction. I’ve spent time shooting and reviewing the entire line, from the entry-level Saint to the Saint Edge. Each of which, I’ve been impressed with given their respective price points.
The Saint Victor builds off the base model and adds premium components such as a free-float M-Lok handguard, upgraded trigger, and forward blast diverter — to name a few. What’s nice is that the price point only jumps by a couple hundred dollars. You’d be hard-pressed to stay under that, even if you were adding the components yourself.
I doubt I’m the only one, but I’ve been waiting for a pistol caliber carbine (PCC) to join the Saint family… and now it’s here!
Unboxing and First Impressions
You almost have to do a double take as you open the Springfield branded soft rifle case, as the 9mm Victor is almost identical to the 5.56 Victor. The weight is also extremely close, to the point you likely wouldn’t notice without a full magazine inserted in each. Keeping that in mind, you can tell from picking it up just how sturdy and well-built it is. The long free-float handguard makes a world of difference in feel compared to the shorter standard polymer ones.
In addition to the gun itself, you’ll find a 32-round Colt pattern magazine, disassembly/assembly tool, and the typical lock and literature inside of the case. The PVC Saint patch that comes on the rifle case is always a nice bonus, especially for those of us who collect patches.
The Good Stuff: Features and Furniture
Not many things irritate me as much as spending several hundred dollars on a new gun and feeling the need to change a bunch of the furniture. Thankfully, that’s not the case here, since the Springfield included almost all B5 Systems furniture. The grip, trigger guard, and stock are all B5 Systems and flow together nicely. They are an appreciated upgrade.
Upgraded furniture is fun and can improve certain aspects of your shooting, but the most important features are the ones that contribute to your gun going bang! Being that this is a 9mm, the bolt carrier group is direct blowback design, which is heavier to compensate for the lack of gas system parts. Then, when you add the 16-inch CMV barrel with a 1:10 twist to pair with it, you wind up with a smooth and reliable setup optimized for 9mm.
The Springfield iron sights are some of my favorite “stock” sights. I’ve historically gone with the standard, polymer Magpul flip-up sights on other non-Springfield builds. I haven’t had any issues with them, but these aluminum, Springfield flip-up sights feel significantly more durable and seem like they’ll withstand more of a beating if it came down to it.
These days, I expect to see most rifles/carbines coming standard with ambidextrous controls. The Saint Victor does come with an ambidextrous safety, but not charging handle. It may seem like I have nothing negative to say, or only want to hype up this gun. While there are many great things about it, it’s not without a few cons (in my book). With so many of the other components seeming to get attention, I’m surprised the charging handle isn’t ambidextrous. Charging handles are inexpensive and simple parts, I would expect to have seen an ambidextrous one on the entire Saint line.
Specifications
Caliber: 9mm
Magazine Capacity: 32 rounds
Length: 31.75–35 inches
Sights: Spring-loaded, adjustable, flip-up
Safety: Ambidextrous
Barrel: 16 inches, 1:10 twist
Trigger: Nickel boron coated, flat
Upper and Lower Receiver: Forged 7075 T6 aluminum
Weight: 6 pounds, 15 ounces
500 Rounds of Fun — Reliable and Accurate
Look, I get it, 500 rounds isn’t enough to definitively say a gun is 100% reliable. In reality, no amount is enough to say that. But, out of the close to 500 rounds I’ve ran through it, I could count on one hand the number of failures I had. I ran a mix of 115-grain Winchester White Box FMJs, 124-grain Blazer Brass FMJs, and 124-grain Speer Gold Dot JHPs, none of which happened to claim all the failures.
Due to bad weather, I’ve only had the chance to shoot it indoors and within 25 yards. Within that distance, it shot beautifully to where I was able to maintain couple-inch groupings, with the exception of a few high shots at 25 yards. Once I adjusted my aim though, I was able to land three or four shots as close as I was at 7–10 yards. I completed all shooting with the stock flip-up sights and never wound up mounting an optic.
Final Thoughts
Even if I didn’t already own a Saint chambered in 5.56, this 9mm Victor would be high on my Christmas list. With the enhanced internals, upgraded features, and the reliability you’d expect from Springfield, you can easily see the value in adding one of these to your collection. Even if PCCs aren’t necessarily your style, I would find it very difficult to believe you wouldn’t have a ton of fun with one of these Saint Victor 9mm Carbines at the range.
Pistol caliber carbines have become increasingly more popular over the last couple of years. How would a Springfield Saint Victor fit in your collection or home defense plan? Share your answers in the comment section.