B&T APC9
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Barrel
- 175 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.50 kg
- Introduced
- 2011
About
What it is, and why it matters
The B&T APC9 is a Swiss blowback-operated, closed-bolt submachine gun chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum, the flagship 9mm member of B&T's Advanced Police Carbine (APC) family introduced in 2011. It uses a hydraulic buffer system to smooth its cyclic action, a telescoping folding stock, fully ambidextrous controls, Picatinny rails, and a 3-lug muzzle for quick-detachable suppressors. Its compact APC9K PRO variant was selected by the U.S. Army as its Sub Compact Weapon in 2019.
In 2019 the U.S. Army selected B&T's compact APC9K PRO as the winner of its Sub Compact Weapon (SCW) competition, beating out entries from SIG Sauer and others to arm Personal Security Details.
Rate of fire is cited around 1,080 rounds per minute. Magazines are offered in 15, 20, 25 and 30-round capacities. The APC9K is a shorter-barreled compact model; the PRO models add improved ergonomics and a Glock-magazine option.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- B&T AG (Brügger & Thomet)
- Category
- Submachine Gun
- Country
- Switzerland
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2011
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 175 mm
- Overall length
- 597 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.50 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single action
- Capacity
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 400 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 596 J
- Effective range
- 100 m
- Rate of fire
- 1080 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Hydraulic buffer system
Telescoping folding stock
Ambidextrous controls
Reversible charging handle
Picatinny rail
3 lug suppressor mount
Flip up sights
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 201 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 2.50 kg | 3.18 kg | Lighter than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 200 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 597 mm | 723 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 202 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 175 mm | 213 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 204 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns | 30 | 32 | Holds fewer rounds than about 70% |
Answers
Questions about the B&T APC9
How much does the B&T APC9 weigh?
The B&T APC9 weighs 2.50 kg (5.51 lb) empty.
What caliber is the B&T APC9?
The B&T APC9 is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the B&T APC9 hold?
The B&T APC9 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the B&T APC9?
The B&T APC9 is 597 mm (23.5 in) long overall, with a 175 mm (6.89 in) barrel.
Who makes the B&T APC9?
The B&T APC9 is made by B&T AG (Brügger & Thomet) (Switzerland). It was designed by B&T AG.
When was the B&T APC9 introduced?
The B&T APC9 was introduced in 2011.
How does the B&T APC9 operate?
The B&T APC9 uses a blowback action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- United States Army
- 2019
Provenance
Confidence in this record
82%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/b-and-t-apc9' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "b-and-t-apc9", "name": "B&T APC9", "manufacturer": { "id": "bt-ag", "name": "B&T AG (Brügger & Thomet)", "countryCode": "CH", "foundedYear": 1991, "website": "https://www.bt-ag.ch", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:43", "version": "92f8fc30d4932021beec6d4bd0c3f6f32f1a53e6214fbb44fd5ad17bb6b08494" }, "category": { "id": "submachine-gun", "name": "Submachine Gun", "description": "Automatic firearms chambered in pistol calibers" }, "country_of_origin": "CH", "year_introduced": 2011, "barrel_length_mm": 175, "weight_empty_g": 2500, "action_type": "blowback"}