Firearms

Best upgrades for the Ruger PC Carbine

MCARBO makes some of the best firearm performance and accuracy parts in the industry. Any time I receive a new firearm, I always check to see what MCARBO has to offer in terms of upgraded parts — and what they may be in the process of developing. For the Ruger PC Carbine, MCARBO offers several important upgrades that will positively impact the weapon’s performance and life.

When companies like Ruger make certain parts for a firearm, savings of only a few cents per polymer part versus a metal one can translate to millions of dollars when you consider their manufacturing scale. So, it is no wonder that several parts on the Ruger PC Carbine are made of polymer. Does that mean that they are bad parts? No, but the life of those parts will be significantly shorter. As you’ll see in the photos below, the wear and tear on certain parts is very visible even after only a few hundred rounds. Even some factory metal parts are made of softer metals, therefore upgrading those parts is also recommended.

One of the many things that I like about MCARBO is that they inspect each part before shipping it out. If you purchase one of their parts, you’ll notice on the back of the packing the initials of the employee who inspected it.

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MCARBO makes some of the best firearm performance and accuracy parts in the industry. Any time I receive a new firearm, I always check to see what MCARBO has to offer in terms of upgraded parts — and what they may be in the process of developing. For the Ruger PC Carbine, MCARBO offers several important upgrades that will positively impact the weapon’s performance and life.

When companies like Ruger make certain parts for a firearm, savings of only a few cents per polymer part versus a metal one can translate to millions of dollars when you consider their manufacturing scale. So, it is no wonder that several parts on the Ruger PC Carbine are made of polymer. Does that mean that they are bad parts? No, but the life of those parts will be significantly shorter. As you’ll see in the photos below, the wear and tear on certain parts is very visible even after only a few hundred rounds. Even some factory metal parts are made of softer metals, therefore upgrading those parts is also recommended.

One of the many things that I like about MCARBO is that they inspect each part before shipping it out. If you purchase one of their parts, you’ll notice on the back of the packing the initials of the employee who inspected it.

Let’s take a look at several affordable MCARBO upgrades that will give your PC Carbine an extended life, increase functionality, and boost performance and accuracy.

Pre-installation shot of MCARBO parts and Ruger PC Carbine.

Extended Charging Handle – $19.95

MCARBO charging handle (left) next to the factory part (right).

The factory charging handle has a great feature that allows you to attach it to either side of the bolt. However, it is on the smaller side, thus one-finger operation can be inconsistent. The MCARBO extended charging handle is approximately 1/2″ longer and 1/8″ wider with a spiraled grip; this ensures that your hand does not slip off when charging the bolt. The upgrade includes a carbon steel socket screw to replace the weaker factory screw. Affordable, easy to install, and incredibly functional.

MCARBO charging handle installed.

Extended Magazine Release – $29.95

Factory magazine release.
Comparison of factory (left) and MCARBO (right) magazine releases.

When Ruger designed its plastic factory magazine release, it felt the need to overprotect it by making it flush with unnecessary guards on both sides. As a result, the release is fairly difficult to locate unless you take your eyes off the target. MCARBO’s solution is a 6061 Aircraft Grade Aluminum magazine release that is raised so that you can perform faster, more efficient magazine changes. If saving time on magazine changes is important to you, this upgrade is an easy choice.

MCARBO magazine release installed.

Flat Trigger – $39.95

MCARBO flat trigger (left) next to the factory trigger (right).

Ruger’s plastic factory trigger is not the worst stock trigger I’ve encountered, but the MCARBO CNC machined 6061 aluminum flat trigger has a significantly cleaner travel thanks to the pre-travel design and post-travel screw. The flat trigger provides better leverage on the trigger for a straighter and more consistent pull, and thus gives the feeling of a lighter trigger pull. This is a great-looking, durable, and consistent trigger upgrade.

MCARBO flat trigger installed with MCARBO polished trigger group pins.

Exact Edge Extractor – $29.95

Notice the wear on the factory extractor edge (left) compared to the MCARBO exact edge extractor.

Rule out a failure to extract cases with a replacement for the factor stamped extractor by installing this hardened (Rc 58-60) wire EDM cut extractor made from A2 tool steel. In the picture above, the wear and tear on the factory extractor is very clear to see. This upgrade will ensure longer life and ultra-reliability for your PC Carbine’s case extraction. This extractor works for the 9mm and .40 Cal versions.

MCARBO exact edge extractor installed.

Shock Buffer – $19.95

Factory plastic buffer (left) next to the MCARBO shock buffer (right).

This custom-molded shock buffer from MCARBO not only reduces felt recoil, but it also reduces the shock and vibration on the internal parts of the PC Carbine. The factory shock buffer is nothing more than a piece of plastic that will inevitably break after repeated hits from the bolt against the receiver. The MCARBO shock buffer is made from over-molded rubber and glass-filled nylon — a significant upgrade for the life of your PC Carbine.

MCARBO shock buffer installed.

Stainless Steel Recoil Spring Retainer – $14.95

Metal MCARBO retainer (left) next to the plastic factory retainer (right).

While you’re in the process of replacing the factory plastic shock buffer, you should also consider replacing the factory plastic recoil spring retainer. MCARBO’s 304 stainless steel recoil spring retainer takes seconds to install and will give you more peace of mind that your PC Carbine will keep firing without failure.

MCARBO retainer installed.

A2 Tool Steel Bolt Head Pins & Extractor Pin Kit – $16.95

The factory mild steel pins show significant wear and tear after only moderate use. As time goes on, a catastrophic failure could occur. Thankfully with the MCARBO A2 Tool Steel Bolt Head Pins and Extractor Pin Kit, you can be confident that your PC Carbine can be counted on for a long time to come. This is a very inexpensive upgrade that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Notice the wear on the factory headpins (right) compared to the MCARBO pins (left).

Stainless Steel Trigger Group Pin Kit – $7.95

Mild steel is generally not your friend when you’re talking firearm parts. In the case of the factory trigger group pins, they have a tendency to fall out during weapon maintenance. For a better fit, MCARBO has introduced its Stainless Steel Trigger Group Pin Kit. Made from polished 303 stainless steel, the Hammer Hinge pin, Bolt Stop pin, and Trigger Hinge pin are a great purchase for less than eight bucks.

MCARBO stainless steel pins installed with the factory pins displayed underneath.

Muzzle Brake – $67.95

The MCARBO precision-machined A311 Stress-proof Carbon Steel Ruger PC Carbine Muzzle Brake was created to reduce felt recoil and muzzle rise. The 9mm version (1/2″-28) of the PC Carbine comes with a crush washer to ensure a permanent fit (particularly with Rocksett). But if you like to shoot the PC Carbine with a suppressor, the MCARBO muzzle brake can still be swapped out and reused as long as the washer isn’t fully crushed.

MCARBO muzzle brake and crush washer shown next to Ruger 1/2″-28 thread protector.

Neoprene Adhesive Recoil Cheek Pad – $12.95

Cheek pad shown on Ruger factory fixed butt stock receiver.

The MCARBO recoil cheek pad is certainly optional, but if the impact of the recoil bothers you it offers a solution. Whether you have a fixed buttstock receiver or a MAGPUL MOE or CTR stock, MCARBO offers cheek pads that provide comfort and a 1/4″ lift for a better cheek-to-stock weld.

And there you have it, the best MCARBO upgrades for the Ruger PC Carbine.

About SOFREP News Team View All Posts

The SOFREP News Team is a collective of professional military journalists. Brandon Tyler Webb is the SOFREP News Team's Editor-in-Chief. Guy D. McCardle is the SOFREP News Team's Managing Editor. Brandon and Guy both manage the SOFREP News Team.

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