Troy announced the arrival of their M5 9mm Rifle at SHOT Show this year. The M5 is a combination of the highly popular AR-15 platform, and the incredibly popular and versatile 9mm cartridge. In fact, the 9mm has seen such impressive improvements in design and terminal characteristics that many police agencies, including the FBI, are moving back to this time-honored cartridge. Always looking to improve on a good idea, the Troy M5 is packed with some of the best Troy accessories that will no doubt make the M5 a powerful contender in the 9mm carbine/rifle market.
Troy has established a solid footprint in the firearms industry. When Troy produces a firearm or accessory, it seems everyone takes note and for good reason. Troy produces amazing firearms, and their innovative accessories are trend setters and often become industry leaders.
Troy M5 9mm Rifle
Troy calls their M5 a 9mm rifle. The M5 comes with a 16″, pre-threaded barrel, similar features of the AR-15, and with the Troy BattleAx CQB stock fully extended the M5 is most definitely rifle length. However, that same BattleAx CQB stock is capable of collapsing in tight allowing the M5 to take on a very near carbine look and size.
Regardless of name, the Troy M5 is packed with the excellent features we’ve come to expect from Troy. There isn’t much literature on the M5 yet, so all of the specifications were not available on the SHOT Show floor. Here are the Troy accessories that come standard on the M5 9mm Rifle:
- Troy TRX3 Revolution BattleRail
- Troy BattleAx CQB Stock
- Troy Standard Rear Folding Round BattleSight
- Troy M4 Front Folding BattleSight
- Troy Control Grip.
The Troy TRX3 Revolution BattleRail appears to be made from carbon fiber, making the rail incredibly strong yet very lightweight. The Revolution has a full length Picatinny rail on top, providing plenty of space for optics, lights or other accessories. The large vent hole design on the Revolution provides ample heat dissipation, and appear they would allow M-Lok rail sections to be added as needed.
The Troy BattleAx CQB Stock is a fine selection. The BattleAx has multiple positions to fit the shooter’s desired length of pull and fit. There is a large storage compartment inside the rear of the stock, and the BattleAx CQB comes with a QD attachment and sling mount.
For some reason Troy had a M7A1 PDW stock on the display model, instead of the BattleAx CQB. I’m glad they did because it opens up a really nice option to the end-user, and the PDW stock collapses even closer. The ability to reduce the size of your primary weapon when in tight spots cannot be understated. Whether stacked inside a crowded BearCat, or maneuvering in tight hallways, the ability to “get small” is a very important feature.
The Standard Troy BattleSights easily come on target, and are foldable when not needed. These sights take up a standard front post with round rear aperture. This is a perfect set-up for attaching a reflex sight of choice with the BattleSights as co-witnessing back-ups. However, the M5 BattleSights were not the Tritium versions Troy offers, though they would obviously be an option.
The Troy Control Grip has aggressive scales that provide an absolute grip, but is still very comfortable to hold. The locking door at the bottom allows the shooter to store small items like batteries.
The Trigger guard is enlarged, with a noticeable dip towards the front, intended to improve the effectiveness of shooting while wearing gloves.
The Troy M5 9mm Rifle barely made the 2016 catalogue, but was marked to have an MSRP of $1299.
Law Enforcement, Carbines, and AR-15’s
American law enforcement has seen a huge move towards the AR-15 in the last decade or more. The dominant primary weapons of choice for many tactical teams in the past was the Heckler & Koch MP-5 in 9mm. For many reasons, including inconsistent performance of 9mm 10-20 years ago, many of those law enforcement agencies and teams turned to the AR-15 chambered in 5.56mm/.223 caliber to provide better results in critical incidents.
As mentioned before, the last 10 years has seen amazing advancements in bullets and cartridge technology, and the 9mm has been the recipient of some of the best improvements. Troy looks to combine the best of both worlds. Maintaining the AR-15 platform that has become so familiar, but incorporating the 9mm, Troy has paired a great primary weapon platform.
The Troy M5 9mm Rifle is tailored towards the law enforcement market, especially considering Glock still dominates over 50% of that market. Being keenly aware of this fact, and recognizing the benefit of matching long-gun and pistol magazines, the Troy M5 could make a strong case to return law enforcement to a sub-gun.
