Gun Review: JP Enterprises JP-5 Roller Delayed 9mm Carbine

I have recently started to look into the competition world. I’ve been unsure what discipline I want to shoot, but PCC competition has really appealed to me. I love PCCs. I mean, I love them a ton.

I looked into USPSA PCC comp, and that led me to JP Enterprises who makes the GMR-15. The GMR-15 is the top-tier competition PCC, but it’s likely to be unseated by the JP-5. This isn’t something you can homebrew with an AR build kit. The JP-5 from JP Enterprises mixes the best features of Stoner’s rifles with the roller delayed system we all know and love from the MP5.

I reached out, and JP Enterprises sent me a JP-5 on loan to review. The JP-5 comes in three configurations, including the All-Purpose, the Competition, and the Steel Challenge model. Mine is the Competition model. It appears that JP Enterprises has a custom order option to include NFA variants. What’s critical to remember is that these are high-level competition rifles and are not cheap. My configuration has an MSRP of $3,269. It’s not cheap, but boy, oh boy, it’s easy to fall in love with.

JP-5 and the Roller Delay

A roller delay system eliminates the need for heavy buffers and buffer springs in blowback AR systems. This makes the gun lighter, better balanced, reduces recoil, and makes the charging handle almost resistance-free. The rollers are built into the bolt and stay put, unlike a similar design by Garrow arms. It’s simple but effective and maintains the AR design and AR ergonomics without the recoil necessitated by a straight blowback system.

JP Enterprises designed the JP5 to use some parts and pieces as the most famous roller delayed 9mm, the MP5. According to the company, this includes MP5 locking pieces. These locking pieces will have different locking pieces to accommodate different rifle setups. The difference will be the angle of the roller-bearing shoulders. Ninety degrees is the standard. The 100 and 100-degree models are for short barrels and 80-degree pieces for suppressor use.

Speaking of ergonomics, the JP-5 goes above and beyond your typical AR platform. Every control is faithfully represented on both sides of the rifle, giving you a truly ambidextrous AR platform. Everything is replicated on each side of the gun to accommodate lefties, shoulder swapping, or other weird situations shooters find themselves in.

From Front to Rear

The JP5 Competition model comes with a 14.5-inch barrel with a pinned and welded muzzle device to bring the barrel to a little over 16 inches overall. PCC competitions do not allow braced pistols, and not everyone wants to do the NFA mumbo jumbo for an SBR. The massive compensator has three huge vents to drive the barrel downwards and resist muzzle rise.

Around the JP5 barrel sits a massive handguard. It’s M-LOK compatible and highly textured for a nice solid little grip. The rail design seems to be all about resisting heat and keeping the shooter’s hands comfortable even during high round count competitions. The oversize design keeps your hands further from the barrel, and the handguard is heavily ventilated.

Yes, it takes Glock mags, and JP Enterprises installed a unique last-round bolt hold-open device. This integral device sits in the lower and allows the bolt to lock without having to modify the bolt lock and release. The LRBHO works brilliantly and allows for quick and flawless reloads. To help, the flared magwell makes it easy to guide magazines in place.

At The Range

Boy, oh boy, does that massive compensator and roller delayed system makes this a smooth shooter. The JP5 moves about as much as a 22 Magnum every time it’s fired. It’s ridiculously easy to control and makes it super easy to score fast follow-up shots. I watched as my little red dot moved between shots, and it just barely jumps.

PCC competitions are all about speed, and I can see why the JP5 would be so valuable to a competition shooter. With barely any recoil or movement, follow-up shots are extremely easy to make. This includes hitting small targets rapidly or hitting targets at range.

We also get five-star accuracy with the gun. JP Enterprises uses a very crisp 3.5 to 4-pound trigger that is absolutely brilliant. It’s clean, crisp, and resets very positively. At 100 yards, I had zero issues hitting a 10-inch gong repeatedly in an off-hand position. Hearing that ‘ding’ over and over at that range with a 9mm PCC is a ton of fun.

If I was going to keep the JP5, I would invest in something like a 2.5X or 3X fixed prism sight. I think it could benefit from a little magnification. Accuracy plus control equals a very competent close quarters rifle. Shooting combative drills like the VTAC 1-5, failure to stop drills, box drills, and similar revealed a gun that is super easy to control. I’ve never scored a faster VTAC 1-5 with any other weapon.

Roller-delayed blowback might be the second most proven PCC operating system. It’s worked incredibly well in the JP5, and the end result is a gun that eats whatever ammo I toss in it. From standard 115-grain range fodder to 147-grain subsonic and hot 124-grain +P loads. The gun digested it all, and I had not a single malfunction. This includes using a multitude of Glock magazines from Glock, KCI, ETS, and 2nd Amendment magazines. They all dropped free and fed the gun flawlessly.

Specifications: 

Barrel Length – 14.5 inches (pin/weld muzzle device to 16 inches)
Overall Length – 31.5 inches
Weight – 6.1 pounds
Caliber – 9mm
MSRP – $3,269.00

Ratings (Out of 5 Stars):

Reliability: * * * * *
It chugged through not only a multitude of different ammo types and several hundred rounds, but it had zero issues with a variety of magazines. It’s not going to fail when you need it most.

Ergonomics: * * * * *
Completely ambidextrous controls, a massive charging handle, LRBHO, a comfy handguard, and a light 6.1 round rifle is very ergonomically sound.

Accuracy: * * * * *
Without a doubt, this is the most accurate pistol carbine I’ve ever fired. At 100 yards, 9mm can really suck, but the JP5’s stainless steel barrel, outstanding trigger, and rock-solid construction make it surprisingly easy to hit targets at this range repeatedly.

Overall: * * * * *
The price might be a butt-kicker, and it’s not for everyone. However, the JP5 performs well. It’s extremely accurate, easy to handle, fun to shoot, and features a very well-made roller delayed system.