Experience the smoothest-shooting 9mm PDW on the market. Select your configuration below to view live pricing.
Overview
Designed by popular Croatian gunmaker HS Produkt, the Springfield Armory Kuna (Croatian for "Pine Marten," the national animal of that country) sub-gun first surfaced last October when it beat the top-shelf B&T APC40 and Steyr M40 for a contract with the PMESP, the Sao Paulo Military Police – the largest police force in Brazil. Chambered in .40 S&W, it also appeared at EnforceTac in Germany back in February with a promised 9mm variant inbound as well. The word was that the svelte little burp gun, using an advanced roller-locked system of operation, had been developed with international counter-terror teams in mind.
Now, it is available in a semi-auto pistol variant in the U.S., initially just in 9mm. It will be sold at launch in a standalone pistol variant (KN9069B) as well as a more deluxe version (KN9069B-FSA) sold with an installed Strike Industries side-folding stabilizing brace. The MSRP varies between $999 to $1,149 with the braced model running higher.
We have the latter option on hand for a review.
For full disclosure, Springfield Armory provided this Kuna pistol for review purposes. All testing was done on this one gun, which has been under evaluation since January.
The Specs
| Feature | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Action Type | Roller-Delayed Blowback |
| Barrel Length | 6.125" Cold Radial Hammer Forged (1:10 Twist) |
| Muzzle Thread | 1/2x28 TPI (Suppressor Ready) |
| Overall Length | 24.5" (Extended) | 15.5" (Folded) |
| Weight | 5 lbs 5 oz (Unloaded) |
| Capacity | 30+1 Rounds (Two Magazines Included) |
| MSRP | $999.00 – $1,149.00 (Model Dependent) |
Features
Trigger
The Kuna has a flat-faced aluminum trigger with a short travel, covering just under a third of an inch, until coming to a wall that broke clean at an average of 6.5 pounds. The reset was short and positive with an audible and tactile "click." It was easy to run fast, and it helped with accuracy.
A video of the trigger pull, break, and reset:
Reliability
We put just over 1,000 rounds through the Kuna in testing, running the gun right out of the box with no additional treatment or preparation. We kind of abused the gun a bit, running it most of the time with a suppressor mounted and with an unrealistic variety of ammo. To elaborate on the "unrealistic," besides a host of factory-fresh ammo from Federal/CCI/Speer in 115-, 124-, 147-, and 150-grain weights, I also ran a bunch of downright dated Remington, UMC, Winchester, Wolf, Tula, Fiocchi, and Nosler rounds of assorted bullet weights and types.
Despite the funky diet, we found the gun to be utterly dependable.
Below is a typical 30-round suppressed run, using more than 20 different types of ammo in the same magazine.
Accuracy
The Kuna leads to easy practical accuracy – almost like a cheat code. Little wonder, as it has outstanding iron sights in two different formats with a long sight radius of 11 inches compared to a 2011's 8 inches. Added to this is a super solid stabilizing brace, smooth roller-delayed action, and a large AR-style pistol grip with good ergos.
It was almost too simple to zap Alphas on IPSC targets offhand out to 25 yards in a fairly rapid double cadence, especially with the Crossfire installed.
Moving to the bench, groups ran from 4 to 8 inches at 50 yards (keep in mind you are still using a 6-inch barrel here with a 2-MOA red dot). Switching to Federal Premium 147-grain Action Match, we were able to drop that down to repeatable five-shot groups in the 1.5-inch range.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Springfield Kuna: The Verdict
What We Liked (Pros)
- Value: Highly affordable price point for a roller-delayed 9mm.
- Soft Shooting: Simple roller-delayed system offers superior recoil management.
- Ergonomics: Fully ambidextrous controls with a reversible charging handle.
- Out of the Box: Features a crisp trigger and excellent factory iron sights.
- Suppression: Threaded barrel is suppressor-ready and cycles mixed ammo reliably.
- Ready to Carry: Integrated QD sling sockets and a sturdy stabilizing brace.
The Trade-Offs (Cons)
- Magazines: Uses proprietary mags; not compatible with Glock or MP5 patterns.
- Aftermarket: Limited initial support for triggers, handguards, or specialized parts.
Conclusion
Nobody was looking for the Kuna to roll into 2025 and instantly turn heads. Well-made 9mm large-format handguns in the SMG/PCC style have been increasingly popular in recent years, and it is clear that the folks behind the Kuna did their homework and did it well. You get a smooth-shooting and reliable platform that allows easy use with suppressors, lights, and optics, for right around $1K. Taking notes from the Echelon, Hellcat, and Hellion when it comes to ergonomics and sights, Springfield is playing the hits here. It feels like a smoother and more updated version of the MP5K on the range.
About the closest competitor in the delayed blowback 9mm PCC space to the Kuna that isn't an MP5 is the Grand Power Stribog SP9 A3S, which is about $200 more.
The only complaint we can enumerate on the Kuna is that the mags are proprietary, as are most of the components other than the grip, which is an AR-15 pattern. While there is no support on the aftermarket for this gun, that will surely change so long as it remains in production.
And we bet that Springfield will soon be cranking them out to meet high demand.
