10mm. CMMG. AR-15 pistol.
The project has been CIA-level secret for some time.
At the NRA show last Spring the CMMG guys pulled me into the booth to covertly show me the 10mm Banshee, and I was so energetic (think spastic) that they sent me one.
Caffeine for the win.
I got it out for a full range test and I’m going to tell you everything you need to know about the best millimeter Banshee.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
For the full video review, here it is from my channel:
Now, for the written review!
Table of Contents
Loading…
What Are The Banshees?
The Banshees are huge line of pistols and SBRs chambered in everything from .22LR to .458 SOCOM. But as of today, they have a new offering: the long-awaited 10mm.
There are three levels of Banshees: 100, 200, and (any guesses?) 300. I got the 300 with all the features.
But Most Importantly…
Yes, it takes Glock magazines.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Engineering And Stuff
This isn’t just another pistol caliber carbine in an AR package. The Banshee uses CMMG’s proprietary “radial delayed blowback” operating system.
The short version of what that means is when the big boom happens, the bolt carrier group is forced to rotate just a wiggle before traveling rearward.
This pause gets the gas down the barrel, lowers the pressure in the chamber, reduces felt recoil, and helps big time if you’re running the gun suppressed.
Bottom line, the radial delayed blowback does a bunch of stuff to make things better.
It’s Pretty!
The Banshee I got has a gorgeous bronze finish. Y’all know I like guns that look good, and this one is top shelf. The Cerakote is thick and even, and the CMMG branding is clean.
How It Ships
What it comes with is an OK cardboard box, and this part is really cool: it ships with a 30 round SMG magazine and 2 buffers. One buffer is for regular ammo, and the other is for lighter rounds.
CMMG also offers a third buffer option for running suppressed.
Range Time
I did a boatload of mag dumps to test functionality, and the Banshee runs like a scalded dog. I had zero problems.
It fed great, ejected great, and locked back on empty. Spoiler alert: I have absolutely nothing negative to report to you.
I ran Sellier & Bellot ammo and overall for accuracy I was able to stack rounds on torso steel from 10 to 75 yards.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Soft?
I don’t have any measurable way of explaining this to you, but the gun shoots soft. It absorbs the punch and the felt recoil is minimal. It’s a genuine pleasure to shoot.
I tested it head to head with another PCC 10mm and the Banshee was remarkably softer.
Range Report
Few numbers for you. The Banshee weighs in at about five and a half pounds before glass and ammo, and it’s 24” inches long.
It has an M-Lock hand guard, a Magpul grip, and an adjustable SB Tactical brace. It also features a threaded barrel for those of you who have suffered through the suppressor tax stamp nightmare.
As for price, as of this writing CMMG has not released an MSRP on this pistol, but the 9mm Banshees are between $1199 and $1399, and I suspect the 10mm will be in that ballpark.
What I Like
Five things I like. First, this charging handle is doggone perfect. I shoot ambi, and it felt great from both sides.
Second, I like the trigger. It’s crisp and even though I love trigger upgrades, this trigger is a keeper.
Third, the finish is gorgeous.
Fourth, I love the last round hold open. The system CMMG engineered to make this happen is proprietary and I don’t understand the science, but it works and I like it.
Finally, CMMG has a lifetime warranty which is a huge plus for me.
Concerns
No major negatives, just a couple things to consider.
First, I don’t like Velcro straps on braces, and I’d like to try an SBR version instead of a pistol. Kind of nit-picky I know, but I find straps to be tacky.
Second, I’m not sure how this one is going to be to maintain. I didn’t get ten thousand rounds through it to see how dirty it gets, and I didn’t run it suppressed.
So we’ll see down the road how it is in the carbon category.
By The Numbers
Reliability: 5/5
I could not make this gun fail. It runs.
Ergonomics: 4/5
I like the Magpul grip, the handguard feels good, and the adjustable brace let me dial in where I wanted it. The other ergonomics are standard AR fare.
Accuracy: 4/5
It will put rounds where you want them, but you’re only going to get 4/5 accuracy from a shoulder-fired pistol. It’s a fun range toy or back country bear gun, not a sniper rifle.
Customization: 5/5
Like all guns on the AR platform, mall ninjas can customize their Banshees to infinity and beyond.
Value: 5/5
None of CMMGs offerings are remotely budget-friendly, but for the price you do get a top-shelf pistol with all the features you would expect. No upgrades needed, just add an optic head to the range.
Overall: 4/5
The Banshee does everything it is supposed to do. I like it.
Parting Shots
Overall I had a blast with the 10mm Banshee.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Looks great.
Runs great.
And it’s fun to get 10mm freedom seeds planted all over East Tennessee.
One more time if you haven’t watched the video yet!
What is your go-to Pistol-Caliber Carbine? Have you tried 10mm in one yet? Let us know in the comments! Don’t forget to take a look at the Best Pistol-Caliber Carbines!
25 Leave a Reply
Hey guys! I wanted to warn you about one of the best firearms companies in the industry! I love them "BUT" as always there is one.......I recently purchased a CMMG 45ACP barrel and BCG combo set from Midway USA and its awesome!!!!! I love it in every way....."BUT" LOL It wont work with any other lowers/uppers other then CMMGs own? At the time of purchase i didnt realize it ,until i went threw the trouble to have a certified gunsmith put it together. IT was their own companies dedicated lower in 45ACP. So i was happy. I waited a bit and went back to get my gun and it wouldnt run with the redial delayed blowback BCG in it! LOL So im out a barrel as its still on my 45ACP AR15 and I had ot buy yet another forced blowback BCG and it still dosnt run!?!?!?! I didnt bother to take it back to the same place and just have it gathering dust in the back of my safe! :>/ It seems that the BCG is getting hung up "in" the buffer tube when i charge the weapon. I have ot literally pop the rear take down pin (but not all the way) and just jiggle it and the BCG slides forward as it should....BUT?LOL In any case i still have the CMMG R.D.B. BCG and can build a pistol caliber banshee later lol but would still like to get this carbine running? Its not CMMGs fault since it was up to me to notice its a proprietary system? :>/
Just wondering if any other bolt carrier group would work in a banshee I'm looking at a blue one
smiley faces and lols? come on man.
The Banshee looks amazing, but quality control sucks from my perspective. I purchased a Banshee MK17 9mm and from the first magazine, the trigger reset is garbage. In my first outing I fired 100 rounds….probably 40 times the trigger failed to reset and I had to screw around with the safety to get a round to fire. Not sure I got more than 2 or 3 rounds in a row to fire. The gunsmith at the range took it apart and fiddled around with the safety and the trigger, then lubricated everything. But no real improvement. I contacted CMMG and they basically said I can send the gun back for repair (would take several months due to back log) or they will send me parts and I can try to fix it myself. I am reasonably handy, but not a gun smith. This sucks for a $1600 gun….all these reviews are positive….but they sell me a lemon and will do nothing about it. Don’t waste your money.
My 9mm trigger was murder on my finger. CMMG sent me a new trigger and I just shot it today. Not the trigger does not slap back, because like yours, it hangs up. Guess I will have to call them again.
Sorry you are experiencing the same thing I did. Ultimately I got mine working and I really like it. But they need to improve customer service and quality control. I would not buy another CMMG product which is too bad. They make some really attractive stuff.
I almost went for the 10mm but after a bit of research I opted for the 45acp and its ability to safely discharge the 45 Super which is mighty close to properly loaded 10mm. So if being frugal burn some cheap aluminum case 45 stuff and for making cole slaw a JHP in 45 Super fits the bill with the added bonus of a very impressive fireball. Win Win!!
Forgot : 350 Legend gets 1900 fps with a 180 grain pointed boolit, and its a longer range rifle projectile effective out past 150-175 yards depending on the ammo.
Have heard about the ftf issues with the banshee. Everyone is in a hurry to get these out. I have tried a 350 legend AR pistol and it had a few ftf but it is but it is a Bear Creek pistol upper. It is getting better as far as the owner told me. He found debris in the gas system and is getting better results with the hunting ammo. I’m going with it instead of the 10 mm. For two main reasons. Accuracy. The accuracy he is getting from the 10 inch barrel and the velocity is much better than a pistol round. 1 inch at a100 yards with a 4 power scope. Also the price of the ammo is great. It simply blows a 10mm away with 147-180 grain boolits. i can get into 350 Legend for a fraction of the cost(250-450) for the upper. Lots of support as well. You can buy a 350 Legend bolt from at least 3 Manufacturers. It is an easy reloaders cartridge also
Glad it worked for you. I would not buy one. I got the Banshee 200 in 10mm and as far as I can tell it is good for 3 things. 1) Keeping your targets for blowing off the your shooting bench. 2) Practicing clearing jambs. 3) Destroying brass. The best feeding and ejecting ammo I found for it is the Armscor 180 light load with the middle weight buffer. I have tried Sig Ammo, Winchester, Fiocci, and Federal ammuntion, tried all 3 weighted buffers with multiple SGM magazines and glock factory magazines and best you can hope for is 1 failure to eject per mag. Do not plan on reloading any of the brass this POC manages to eject, as the chamber is not fully supported and makes a really significant bulge at the bottom of the case near the rim.
Mines doing the same, did you figure it out?
I just picked up my CMMG Banshee 300 MK10 from my local FFL. I got the same "Midnight Bronze" finish. It is absolutely beautiful. I can hardly wait to take it to the range and start "planting 10mm freedom seeds".
I feel lucky to walk out the front door and be able to do all my planting. Haven't been to a range in many years. I got mt Banshee in 45Acp since is is able to safely discharge 45 Super. So to really do some blaszting 45 Super does real well and to economize 45 acp alium case does werrmm
the factory mag is a 30 rnd unit from SGM.
Its designed to take GLOCK 10MM mags.
It looks like you were using an extended 10mm mag, Who makes that please.
SGM Tactical is a name that keeps popping up with these.
I just won a CMMG guard in a rafle, picking it up next week. Do these guns accept standard handguards for AR rifles? Just asking, some of them are pretty ugly, so I would consider replacing when I get the one I won if I don't like it. Just want to know my options.
Hey Johnny
Today I leaned something AMAZING!!! That you write for PewPew I had no idea! Keep killing it brotha!!! I was wondering if there is a forum you prefer (email, insta, FB, etc) where I can talk to you more directly? I want to somehow get into the industry but have no LE/Mil exp. just a love and passion for this stuff and was hoping to get some direction and/or mentorship. Thank you for all you do for us and the community!!
Thanks man. Hit me on IG.
I’ve been thinking about a Kriss 10mm rifle for a while and will have to consider the CMMG now. I like the size but wish it had a 10” barrel option. I feel like the 8” is leaving velocity on the table. That and the price has me a little iffy on the Banshee.
I just tested the 10mm Kriss the week before I did the Banshee. Depends on what you want to do with the gun, but all things being equal the Banshee is remarkably better in my opinion. Soft and that radial delayed blowback just eats the recoil. It's maybe $200 more or so...but worth at least considering. Good luck, brother.
Thanks - that’s the kind of info I’m looking for! It helps that they make the banshee in white, too. Enjoyed your review!
If you check out "Ballistics by the Inch", you will find that the difference between 8" and 10" in only 30 f/s for most rounds tested.
I’ll check it out - thanks @flydoc !