Springfield Armory Saint Victor 9mm Review: A Saint of a PCC

Springfield Armory has done a great job at delivering a variety of offerings within its Saint line of rifles. Whether you want an affordable entry-level AR-15, a more expensive performance-driven AR-10, or a pistol-caliber carbine (PCC) like the one we’ll be looking at today, there’s likely a model for you.  

The Saint Victor in 9mm pleasantly surprised me—so much so that I wound up getting one in 5.56/.223 as well. I traded in my Saint Edge, which is much more upgraded than the Victor I may add, and never looked back.

So now that I have a Saint Victor in 9mm and 5.56, they make a great training pair and frequently accompany me at the range. With 2,000 or so rounds through the PCC, I’m more than ready to break down everything from my initial thoughts to my experience since the first round.

Features 

When you spend north of $1,200 on a 9mm rifle, you shouldn’t expect to have to do modify it much, and with this one, you don’t. 

First, it comes with everything you need out of the box—none of that no-backup-sight nonsense that so many manufacturers seem to be going with these days. It comes with spring-loaded flip-up sights, a rifle case, and a 32-round magazine. 

However, the magazines it accepts are one of my very few complaints. The Colt-pattern magazines are durable and reliable, but without having another firearm in my collection that accepts them, I’d much rather see it take Glock magazines if I’m being honest. The magazines and the non-ambidextrous charging handle are about my only complaints.

The free-float M-LOK handguard has plenty of room for accessories, and the gap in Picatinny is extremely comfortable if you shoot with a C-clamp style grip. Of course, if you need the extra rail space, this may not be the rifle for you. 

Working our way down the rifle, you’ll find an ambidextrous safety and a nice Nickel Boron-coated flat trigger. The trigger is nestled inside an enlarged trigger guard from B5 Systems, which matches the rest of the furniture. Brownie points to Springfield for including quality furniture.

Finally, you may notice a little something poking out from the end of the handguard. That, my friends, is Springfield’s Muzzle Blast Diverter. Instead of annoying the people in the shooting bays next to you with a typical muzzle brake, this blast diverter directs the concussion and sound forward, as opposed to the side. It’s hard to tell how much of a difference it makes truly makes, since I’m the one shooting it and not next to it, but I can attest to it not having an exorbitant amount of concussion or recoil.

Considering the features from an overall perspective, I’d say Springfield did a good job making the rifle appeal to a wide range of shooters. It has just enough upgrades to satisfy the more serious shooter but not so many that it places it at an outrageous price point for most. 

Specifications

Caliber	9mm
Capacity	32+1
Barrel Length	16 Inches
Overall Length	31.75 – 35 Inches
Weight	6 Pounds 15 Ounces

Reliability & Accuracy

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve put roughly 2,000 rounds through the gun, give or take, and I can count on two hands the number of failures I’ve had. Most of which, I may add, was from shooting some less-than-ideal ammunition. However, the rifle hasn’t been overly picky with one specific ammo, just a round here or there and then back to smooth operating. I’ve run it hard, too, in inclement weather and have barely cleaned it, but it keeps chugging along.

That trigger I briefly touched on is one of my favorite aspects of the gun. While it’s no Geissele trigger, it’s a huge step above your standard curved mil-spec. The pull and break are very clean and crisp, while the reset is quick and defined. And with the face being flat, you can quickly put shot after shot in the same place with ease. I don’t know if it’s a trigger I would seek out and put on a custom build, but I’ll take this one any day without complaint.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Reliable and accurate
• Tons of M-LOK space
• Backup iron sights and rifle case included
• Clean and crisp flat trigger
• Upgraded furniture
• Gap in Picatinny rail (pro if you use a C-clamp grip)

Cons

• Colt-pattern magazines limit compatibility
• Doesn’t come with an ambidextrous charging handle
• Gap in Picatinny rail (con if you don’t use a C-clamp grip or if you need extra rail space)

Parting Shots

At the end of the day, if you’re okay with running the Colt-pattern magazines, this is definitely a PCC worth checking out. It’s proved to be reliable, accurate, and a pleasure to shoot. 

The only thing I see myself eventually changing is the charging handle, but since I don’t have this Saint Victor reserved for SHTF or any serious scenarios, I’m in no rush. Thanks to its durable construction and quality components, I can see this gun lasting many more rounds. 

If any serious malfunctions or issues arise, I’ll be sure to come back and update the review.

As always, stay safe, train hard, and have fun.