I’m a big fan of pistol-caliber carbines, subguns, submachine guns, and similar platforms. When SHOT Show comes around, I’m always looking for the long, thin pistol caliber magazines that signify a PCC, subgun, PDW, or submachine gun. With my eyes peeled, I searched high and low to bring you the very best PCCs, subguns, and other pistol-caliber offerings from SHOT Show 2025.
GFORCE Arms Jawbone
I know GFORCE Arms as a Turkish shotgun importer and, most recently, a Glock clone. Imagine my surprise as I mosied past their booth and ran into the Jawbone. At its core, the Jawbone is a large format, braced, AR-pistol with an MSRP of less than $450. That’s already good, but that’s not why it stands out.
Take that price point and factor in completely ambidextrous controls: the mag release, bolt release, and safety are replicated on both sides of the lower receiver. The charging handle has been moved above the barrel, and while it’s not ambidextrous, it’s reversible for lefties. The gun itself is super small and fits the PDW-type roll.
The Jawbone uses Glock mags, comes with a brace, and has an M-LOK handguard. That’s all pretty standard. The price and the ergonomics earned it a spot on the list. I’m curious to test the thing and see if the reliability is up to par.
Zev X Magpul FDP
The Zev X Magpul FDP has been a long time coming. It was like 2008 when this thing first premiered and went viral on YouTube. Here we are, more than a few years later, and the FDP is a reality. It’s changed a bit since the initial production idea. FDP stands for folding defensive platform, and it comes in both an SBR and a pistol.
The FDP now uses parts, pieces, and inspiration from the Glock-based modular OZ9 pistol. So it does take Glock mags. The FDP has an 8-inch barrel and can be flipped and folded with a 33-round magazine in place. When folded, it looks like an odd little rectangle. Most importantly, it doesn’t look like a gun.
With a slight press of the charging handle, the gun deploys and instantly becomes ready to fire. It’s safe to carry with a round chambered and does work suppressed. The carry handle on top hides a set of adjustable sights, but it can be swapped for an optic if desired. It’s just plain cool. The MSRP of $1,600 makes it a bit tough to swallow, but c’mon, look at it!
Rossi LWC
When you hear PCC you probably think 9mm, maybe 10mm, Glock mags, and a semi-auto action. Well, that’s not what the LWC is. It’s a Lightweight Carbine. Specifically, the one I’ve picked is a .44 Magnum Lightweight Carbine. This single shot, break action carbine caught my eye and I adored the idea, the simplicity, and overall usefulness.
The LWC is coming in rifle calibers, but last time I checked .44 Magnum is a pistol caliber, making this a pistol caliber carbine. The little .44 Magnum does quite well through rifle-length barrels, and the stock helps tame the recoil. The LWC is bound to be a capable little thumper for close-range hunting. (It’s also available in .357)
The LWC weighs about 5.25 pounds. Rossi threaded the barrel, and it would be an awesome suppressor host. Adding optics is easy due to the scope rail, and it’s bound to be an affordable option.
H&R DOE
PSA’s brand, H&R, showed the Colt DOE last year, and I was excited. This year, it was finalized, and the first few went out right before SHOT Show 2025 started. DOE stands for Department of Energy, and the DOE adopted the original Colt SMG for protecting nuclear weapons.
H&R painfully recreated the gun, and the HAR15 brace really sets it off. The DOE is an ultra-compact 9mm PCC with a carry handle and front folding sight, and it uses the classic Colt SMG magazine.
It’s not fancy, it’s not high-speed, but look how cool it is! It’s a neat part of AR history, and we can own it!
Nemo Arms Mongoose
Nemo Arms made its name by creating outstanding and well-made firearms in the AR world. Stretching into the world of PCCs, subguns, and more couldn’t have been too difficult. Just make an AR9, right? Nah, they went a different route to deliver the Mongoose. The Mongoose stands out amongst the pack due to its short recoil operation.
Most PCCs use direct blowback, which works but creates excessive recoil; it’s super gassy and requires heavy bolts and strong springs. The Mongoose and its use of short recoil operation makes it lighter, has softer recoiling, and is just as reliable.
The Mongoose is quite small and is a subgun that is just waiting for a brace. It’s optics and accessory-ready, and Nemo Arms did the smart thing and used the commonly available CZ Scorpion magazines instead of creating something expensive and hard to find. I’m excited about the gun, but the $2,699 price point is a tough one.
Hi-Point 995P
I know that Hi-Point makes cheap guns that hardly seem worthy of a spot on a best PCCs list, but I think they have a great sense of humor. They have awesome customer service, and while cheap, their guns tend to work. When they don’t, they’ll fix it. I have seen lots of 995s work and only one break. The 995P is Hi-Point’s entry into the world of large-format pistols.
Hi-Point chopped the barrel from 16 inches to 13.25 inches and attached a 1913 rail for braces. You can also remove the 1913 rail to reveal a slot for an AR buffer tube to attach a brace that way. The gun has rails for accessories, a threaded barrel for cans, and the standard iron sights Hi-Point has used for years.
At the show, they showed off some attached braces and even a shovel handle. Why not? These are just fun guns and provide an affordable entry-level option for home defense. The 2A needs options at all prices.
Tyrant CNC PDW Chassis
Last but not least was the Tyrant CNC PDW chassis. My last pick is my wildcard pick. It’s not a gun at all, but a pistol grip module that can accept fire control groups. Tyrant CNC is making one for the SIG P365 and another for the Springfield Echelon. As far as I know, this is the first PDW-type grip module for the Echelon.
This PDW chassis adds a folding brace that’s extremely compact. The system also comes with a spare mag holder on the front of the gun. The PDW Chassis keeps the gun super small, hardly bigger than the standard pistol, but expands its capabilities. You shoot further, faster, and straighter.
The price will vary based on production. The inclusive package for the P365 should be around $500 and should include a metal grip module. They are trying to produce a polymer module for the Echelon, which should bring the price point to $300 and make it the most affordable PDW-type chassis on the market.
The Big PCC Push
For years now, the PCC and the subgun have risen in popularity, with the PDWs now creating a third genre of these great big pistol-caliber weapons. SHOT Show 2025 showed us that the popularity of these firearms has yet to fade, and they will continue to innovate and expand.
