CMMG makes a wide variety of platforms, from crazy PDWs to super precise, accuracy-driven platforms. What I know them for is their series of awesome PCCs. Specifically, their radial delayed action PCC series. Today we have hands-on with the radial delayed Resolute MkGs rifle. What’s in a name? The Resolute series are their standard 16-inch AR-15 carbines with a series of fancy features we’ll talk more about later.
MkGs means it’s a PCC that accepts Glock magazines. When you put it all together, you have a fairly large PCC. Who needs a full-sized PCC? Well, everybody! They are quite fun. If you want a more specific answer, these are the type of guns that have become quite popular for the USPSA series of PCC competitions or rifle-based Steel Challenge.
The MkGs might be the best plug-and-play option for those looking to compete in a local match. CMMG sent us one to test out, and we’ve been blasting through all manner of 9mm ammo to see how this thing ticks.
The Resolute MkGs: Features and Specs
- Barrel Length: 16.1 inches
- Overall Length: 32.8 inches
- Weight: 6.4 pounds
- Caliber: 9mm
- Barrel Twist: 1:10
- MSRP: 1,799.95
The Resolute MkGs comes ready with all the little things you want in a high-end rifle. It has an M-LOK, free-floated rail paired with the CMMG Zeroed Muzzle Brake. The ambidextrous safety has a very short throw design with a nice click. It has a massive charging handle and a huge bolt release. CMMG furniture adorns the weapon, including a Rip Stock.
The Rip Stock series allow the user to set their preferred setting and length of pull and then secure with a set screw. When users want to deploy the stock, they grip and rip it, and it stops at the setting they’ve chosen. Deploying the stock doesn’t require you to press a button, just pull it and go. Oh, and don’t forget your choice of cerakote finish. Midnight Bronze is the option on my Resolute MkGs.
Unbeatable Ergos
What really impressed the hell out of me was the ergonomics of the gun. The ultra-light M-LOK rail is super thin and trimmed everywhere possible. Across the top, we lack any Picatinny, except where you want a front sight. It’s thin and light and keeps the weapon balanced and the M-LOK rail allows for plenty of accessory attachment. You can put anything anywhere and mount accessories right where you want them.
Let’s move back to the Resolute MkGs receivers. That bolt release is huge, easy to access, and quick to deploy after a reload.
Having a last-round bolt hold open available is already nice for a PCC using Glock magazines. The short throw safety is heavily textured and grabs your finger as you move the weapon from safe to fire and back again. A good loud click lets you know what’s what. The charging handle provided is obnoxious but in a good way.
The magwell is flared, which is a nice touch. CMMG provides an easy-access magazine release that’s huge and easy to hit with your trigger finger.
Let’s move to the rear of the gun. The stock is interesting. It’s minimalist, made of metal, and outside of being a little chilly at first, it’s supportive and comfy.
Best of all, the rifle is balanced. Due to the radial delayed system, there is no need for a big heavy buffer to make the ass end weighty. These ergonomics are great on any rifle but point the Resolute MkGs toward competition use. It reloads quickly, is easy to maneuver, and points naturally.
At the Range
With a half dozen different mags loaded with a half dozen different loads, I hit the range. The radial delayed system never fails to impress. Your normal straight blowback weapon can feel violent and rough, sometimes as rough as a 5.56 rifle, even though you are only firing 9mm. That’s not the case with the radial delayed system.
Mix the radial delayed system with the CMMG Zeroed Muzzle Brake, and you get an uber-controllable weapon. Recoil hits softly, and the muzzle rise won’t disrupt your sight picture. Watching the red dot barely move between shots is amusing. It’s more pew and less POW, which makes the weapon more controllable, and, ultimately, faster to get on target, stay on target, and move from target to target.
Let’s talk accuracy. Woo boy, does this thing drive bullets exactly where you want them. It’s super accurate and extremely precise. It’s amusingly so. The trigger isn’t fancy, and admittedly 9mm triggers are never ultra-light. Hard primers are a bit more common with pistol ammo than rifle ammo. Still, it’s smooth and capable.
I can make tight groups at close range and make sure my shots land close when I need them to. At 100 yards, I can drop round after round onto a gong, even with a red dot and a barely supported position. Hearing that ding over and over is something that never gets old. CMMG put together a very accurate firearm in the Resolute MkGs.
Does It Bang?
So how does it do in the reliability department? When you use Glock magazines, you have to factor in all the aftermarket options as well. I grabbed magazines from Glock, Magpul, ETS, KCI, and Amend2 for testing. Among the many magazines were some steel and brass-cased ammo and a few JHPs. I might have exaggerated when I said half a dozen different loads.
Regardless of the magazines and ammo, there weren’t any issues. The gun ate, fed, and went bang. The only problematic ammo came from Winchester Forged. Forged is very cheap and craptastic ammo, and I had three rounds that just wouldn’t fire. I tried over and over the stuff wouldn’t go bang. It’s likely old ammo, or the world’s hardest primer because even Tula went bang without complaint in the Resolute.
I’d say the Resolute is more than reliable.
The Ultimate Competition
The Resolute MkGs would be perfect for PCC competitions of any kind but could also be a great option for home defense. It’s not as capable as an intermediate-caliber rifle, but if the recoil of something in 5.56 is too much or the rifle is too heavy, the Resolute MkGs might be for you. Sure 9mm isn’t buckshot, or 5.56, but you put enough of them in the right spot, and the violent tendencies of home invaders tend to dissipate.
CMMG has a real winner with the Resolute MkGs series of rifles. If you are looking for a full-sized PCC, then it’s tough to beat the Resolute.
