Springfield Kuna Pistol: Breaking with Convention

The 9mm defensive firearm market is crowded, but Springfield’s new Kuna 9mm stands out as one of the most innovative and practical 9mm guns on the market. The Kuna is a roller-delayed blowback 9mm pistol that’s available either with or without a brace, and it’s closely related to HS Produkt of Croatia’s submachine gun that is used by military and law enforcement agencies around the world.

The Kuna falls into the PDW (personal defense weapon) category of firearms, a catch-all term for firearms that aren’t as long and heavy as carbines yet offer better accuracy at extended ranges than most handguns. This includes guns like SIG’s MCX Rattler and CZ’s Scorpion EVO. With its 6-inch radial hammer-forged barrel, 30-round magazine and optional brace the Springfield certainly fits the bill as a PDW. Kuna pistols feature an injection-molded glass-filled polymer lower and a type III hardcoat anodized aluminum upper receiver.

The Springfield’s roller-delayed blowback operating system is fantastic. Many 9mm autoloading carbines utilize traditional blowback actions, but this requires a heavy bolt to keep the action closed while firing. The Springfield, by contrast, utilizes a locking roller that delays the cycling of the bolt for just an instant. This allows Springfield to use a lighter bolt, and a lighter bolt means faster follow-up shots and less muzzle rise. The Kuna is one of the smoothest-shooting PDWs available.

The design also means that there’s no need for a buffer tube as with an AR-15 rifle. At the rear of the Kuna’s receiver is a Picatinny rail section, and the Springfield is available with or without a Strike Industries FSA single side folding brace. The brace is fast to deploy and locks securely in place, allowing for easy transport.

Diverse Options

The Kuna’s full-length top Picatinny rail offers plenty of space to mount an optic, but Kuna comes with excellent hybrid flip-up sights. The standard rear sight features a characteristic Springfield U-notch design much like the sights on their other handguns. But the Kuna also offers a flip-up aperture sight that can be deployed instantly. The sights are rugged and there is almost an inch height difference between the U-notch sight and the aperture.

That matters because odds are that one auxiliary sighting system will function with an optic in place. Very low rail-mounted red dots work with the aperture sight. For testing I used a Viridian RFX45 on a see-through extended base and was able to use both sets of irons and the optic, which offers a backup to your backup sighting system.

The Kuna’s controls are ambidextrous. There’s an AR-style selector with a large paddle and very clear SAFE and FIRE settings. Both the bolt release and mag release are ambidextrous as well, and they are positioned similarly to an AR-style rifle and so will seem familiar to many shooters.

What may be less familiar, however, is the charging handle. Unlike most AR rifles the charging handle is side-mounted and folding. It’s also non-reciprocating which means it won’t give your thumb a nasty whack. The charging handle can be swapped from the left or right side and a spring snaps the charging handle flat in place against the firearm until needed.

Ergonomics

The Kuna’s oversized trigger guard accommodates gloved fingers and the flat-face trigger allows for consistent engagement through the 4.25-pound (average) break. The trigger pull is not as smooth as a bolt-action target rifle or quality 1911, but compared to other blowback 9mm pistols its very good.

Springfield Armory does a fantastic job with ergonomics, and the Kuna is a comfortable gun that’s easy to manage and control. The flared mag well and pistol grip features Springfield’s Adaptive Grip Texture. AGT offers a secure hold on the gun but, unlike some other grip textures, it doesn’t dig into the shooter’s hand and create discomfort. The included pistol grip narrows toward the top and features an undercut that allows for a high hand hold and complete control over the Kuna, even when firing several shots in rapid succession.

The aluminum upper receiver comes with an integral handguard and M-LOK slots at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions. A multi-port muzzle brake extends just beyond the handguard, and the threaded muzzle allows for the addition of a suppressor. With a tactical M-LOK light, a suppressor and an optic the Kuna is a superb PWD that is compact enough for easy transport yet capable of threat-stopping accuracy at 50-yards.

Kuna models are available with or without the Strike Industries brace. The pistol-only model carries and MSRP of $999 while the braced version costs $1,149. Both guns come in a zippered nylon carry case with internal hook and loop anchor points and exterior pockets to hold additional magazines. The pistol-only mode, weighs 4 pounds, 10 ounces while the version with the side-folding Strike Industries FSA brace weighs 5 pounds, 5 ounces.

Range Testing

With 30 rounds of 9mm on tap and virtually no recoil the Kuna is great fun for any shooter, but this gun is also practical. Overall length ranges from 15.5 to 24.5-inches so the Kuna is almost as maneuverable as a traditional pistol yet it offers better accuracy potential than most other 9mms. 25 yards averaged around 1.5-inches from the bench and many five-shot clusters were at or under one-inch. That’s better accuracy than you can expect from many custom 9mms pistols, and the Kuna is easy to shoot well. It’s also worth noting that the added barrel length boosted published factory velocities by around 100 feet per second, which increases kinetic energy.

The version of the Kuna I tested came with a Strike Industries brace. With the brace folded I was able to store the pistol as well as a couple spare magazines in a backpack and still have room for food, extra clothing, and a basic first-aid kit. The Kuna will invariably be viewed as a tool for home defense, but the reality is that this gun is great for on-the-go security as well.

The roller delayed blowback system is one of my favorite aspects of this gun. If you’ve shot many blowback 9mms you know that after a few hundred rounds you can feel the weight of that heavy bolt slamming back into your shoulder with every shot. The Kuna has a noticeably softer touch, though, and even the most recoil-sensitive shooter can handle this gun without any issues. The roller system also proved to be very reliable, which is essential for a self-defense firearm. I had no issues with any of the five test loads, which isn’t particularly surprising when you examine the Kuna’s beefy extractor and fixed ejector. This thing is built to withstand years of heavy use.

If you’re the type of buyer whose guns all have a specific purpose, you won’t be disappointed with the Kuna since it’s an ideal home defense firearm. If you simply want a cool gun that’s fun to shoot, you won’t regret purchasing the Springfield either because it’s a joy and you’ll smile until your 9mm ammo runs dry. Either way, you’ll be happy to have the Kuna as part of your collection.

Springfield Kuna Specs

• Action: Roller delayed blowback semiauto
• Caliber: 9mm
• Capacity: 30
• Barrel: 6 inches, 1/2x28 threads, 1:10 twist, Melonite finish
• Overall Length: 15.5 to 24.5 inches
• Weight: 5 pounds, 5 ounces
• Grips: Springfield Adaptive Grip Texture pistol grip
• Finish: Matte anodized
• Trigger: 4 pounds, 10 ounces
• Sights: U-notch rear/post front, flip up adjustable aperture sights, Pic rail
• Price: $1,173.00 (as tested)
• Manufacturer: Springfield Armory, springfield-armory.com

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