I love pistol caliber carbines (PCCs)…
They’re super fun to fire at the range, and they’re typically less expensive to shoot and train with than rifles like 5.56 AR-15s and AKs…
And it’s easy to see why the Stribog SP9A1 was a great success when it was released…
It’s a reliable pistol caliber carbine (I know it’s actually a pistol, not a carbine, but it’s kind of hard to characterize this gun that way), and it’s also a blast to shoot and fairly affordable…
Fast forward a little bit, and Grand Power has gradually improved the Stribog design into the SP9A3…
And in this Stribog SP9A3 review, we’re going to examine where the Stribog design is currently at by discussing all the major feature improvements that you get with this little gun…
By the end, you’ll know exactly what separates the SP9A3 from the SP9A1, and you should have all the information you need to determine if it’s the right PPC for you…
Let’s begin!
Stribog SP9A3 Review – Is It Right For You?
The Strigbog SP9A3 features a roller-delayed action which is similar to how an MP5 works. This action makes the SP9A3 smooth shooting and reliable, and it is noticeably softer shooting than the SP9A1 which is a simple blow black design…
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Stribog SP9A3 Roller-Delayed Action…
The most prominent feature that you get with the Stribog SP9A3 is the roller-delayed action…
This is the same type of action featured in the most renowned of all PPC/sub-guns, the MP5, and there are a few reasons why it’s so exciting that the SP9A3 has this roller-delayed action…
First of all, the roller-delayed action creates a smoother shooting firearm, and the Stribog SP9A3 is noticeably smoother shooting and recoils less than its older brother, the Stribog SP9A1 which features a simple blowback system (I should note that the SP9A1 is still easy and fun to shoot because these guns are only chambered in 9mm)…
In addition to that, the roller-delayed action is a very reliable action (just like the blowback system used in the SP9A1). So changing the action doesn’t take anything away from the Stribog’s reputation for reliability…
Last, the Stribog SP9A3 comes in at a very competitive price point considering that it features a roller-delayed action. The civilian version of the MP5 (which is called the SP5) is an extremely pricy gun…
And virtually all of the MP5 clones that are out there right now are also very expensive…
So as I said, I think it’s really cool that Grand Power made the SP9A3 with a roller-delayed action and still kept the price significantly lower than other PCCs featuring that same action.
Upper Receiver…
The upper receiver on the Stribog SP9A3 is smartly designed in a number of ways…
First of all, it’s constructed from extruded aluminum, so it’s made from a very rugged material that is going to hold up to pretty much any abuse you throw at it…
It also features a monolithic picatinny rail going across the top which makes mounting a red dot extremely simple and easy…
And it has integrated flip-up sights, so there’s no need for you to go out and buy BUIS (back up iron sights) for the Stribog as well…
Last, the handguard portion of the upper receiver includes picatinny rail on the bottom where you can include something like a hand stop (if you desire to)…
And it has M-LOK attachment slots on the sides, which makes mounting a weapon light super easy as well…
So as I said, Grand Power made a lot of smart choices when designing this upper, and with the included flip up sights and M-LOK slots, I think they’ve included a lot of useful features for you as the shooter.
Barrel…
If you’re unaware, the Stribog was originally designed as a true submachine gun, and because of that, the barrel has to be built to handle a high rate of fire…
So the barrel that you get on the Stribog SP9A3 is extremely high quality…
It’s a cold hammer forged barrel, which is a process used to make barrels extremely strong, and it offers you very good accuracy when shooting…
It also includes a 1/2×28 thread pitch. And this will allow you to change out the muzzle device if you’d like to or easily mount a suppressor (which makes for an awesome combination with this gun).
Trigger…
The trigger that comes with the Stribog SP9A3 is decent. There’s not much take up, and the break is very clean…
That being said, it is a fairly heavy trigger. I don’t think that’s too much of a problem on a PPC because you can still fire it very accurately and quickly…
…but there are trigger spring kits and upgrades you can do if you want to lighten up the Stribog’s trigger as well.
Charging Handle…
The charging handle on the Stribog SP9A3 is non-reciprocating. This is a really important improvement over older versions of the Stribog because it eliminates the potential for you to injure your hand while firing or to induce a malfunction…
In addition to that, the charging handle can be easily swapped to either side of the gun…
So if you’re a right-handed shooter, you’ll probably want to keep it on the left side of the gun, and if you’re a left-handed shooter, you’ll probably want to swap it over to the right side.
Grip…
I like the grip that you get with the Stribog SP9A3. It features good texturing all around it so you can get a good purchase when firing…
And it’s also ergonomic and fills your hand well without any finger grooves or finger ledges getting in the way (this is a problem I have with AR-15s featuring the A2 grip)…
In addition to that, the grip on the Stribog sits at a more vertical angle than the traditional angle found on AR-15s, and I find that on these smaller pistol versions of PCCs, this is a very comfortable angle to have when you’re shooting.
Safety…
The safety on the Stribog will be very familiar to you if you own an AR-15, and that’s a good thing because it sits in a very ergonomic position…
That being said, the Stribog’s safety is ambidextrous, and it’s also fairly low profile…
I like that it’s low profile because it’s easy to flick on or off when you need to, but at the same time, it doesn’t get in the way when you’re firing the gun.
Magazine Release…
The magazine release will also be very familiar to you if you own an AR-15. Again, it’s located in a very ergonomic place that is easy to reach with your trigger finger…
And it’s also made from steel rather than plastic like you find on some other guns.
Magazines…
Now, the 30-round magazines that you get with the SP9A3 are upgraded over earlier versions…
You see, earlier versions of the Stribog’s magazines were constructed completely of polymer, and there were some shooters who had problems with cracking feed lips…
With the upgraded mags, that’s not going to happen because they now feature steel feed lips which are extremely strong…
On top of that, the mag catch is also steel as opposed to polymer, and that’s another welcomed improvement in terms of durability…
Additionally, other parts of the Stribog’s mags have been redesigned to increase strength, reliability, and performance…
For example, the follower is a completely new shape and bright orange so you can clearly see when the mag runs dry, and there are other small changes here and there to make the magazines stronger and more reliable.
Bolt Release…
The bolt release sits just above the magazine release, and again, I think this is a good location for it…
It allows you to quickly and easily drop the bolt without removing your hand from the pistol grip.
Stribog SP9A3 Upgrades…
Because of the popularity of the design, there are a number of Stribog SP9A3 Upgrades that you can do…
Like I mentioned earlier, there are spring kits and ways that you can improve the trigger, but the most popular upgrade is to add a stabilizing brace…
Right now, the two most popular Stribog brace options are the SB Tactical Folding Brace, and the A3 Tactical Modular Folding Brace, but there are also picatinny rail adapters that will allow you to mount other braces onto your Stribog as well…
There are also things like folding charging handles that you can add, and of course, you’re going to want to mount a good quality red dot sight.
Stribog SP9A3 Vs SP9A1…
The Stribog SP9A3 and SP9A1 have a lot of similarities, but they are different in a couple of key areas…
First of all, they’re both reliable, accurate, and fun to shoot. They both feature the same fantastic ergonomics and controls, and they both take the same magazines…
The biggest difference is that the SP9A3 features the roller delayed action whereas the SP9A1 features a simple blowback action…
The roller delayed action makes the SP9A3 smoother shooting and softer in terms of recoil than the SP9A1, and it also makes it a more lightweight firearm as well…
That being said, the SP9A1 is still a very controllable gun to shoot because it’s only chambered in 9×19 Parabellum, and it’s typically a few hundred dollars less expensive than the SP9A3…
So all in all, if you like the Stribog design, and want to save a few hundred dollars, the SP9A1 is still a great gun that I Highly Recommend…
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Stribog SP9A3 Final Thoughts…
So to sum it all up, I think the Stribog SP9A3 is a fantastic little gun…
As I’ve said, the roller-delayed action makes it a super easy and fun gun to shoot…
And it’s also a reliable gun that’s built to an extremely high standard while still being priced well below most other guns in its class…
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I think it’s one of the best PCCs that you can currently get, and along with the CZ Scorpion, I think it’s at the top of the list when it comes to the value you get for your money.