Innovation is exciting when we see a new product hit the market that addresses many needs in one design. Sometimes that means designing and innovating in-house, and sometimes it means collaboration with global design leaders. This is what Springfield has done again with the brand-new 9mm Kuna PCC, following a proven formula of product innovation through their ongoing relationship with Croatian HS Produkt (HSP). The Springfield Kuna PCC is yet another exceptionally designed and high quality product of that long relationship.
Notably, HS Produkt has manufactured many firearms for Springfield Armory, including the XD, XD Mod.2, XD-S, XD-E, XD-M, XD-M Elite, Hellcat, Hellcat Pro, Echelon, the Hellion, and now the Kuna, a roller-delayed 9mm PDW. Dennis Reese, CEO of Springfield Armory, noted, “When we go looking for a partner, we truly are looking for the best. One of the greatest relationships we have nurtured over the last 20 years is our partnership with HS Produkt.”
With Springfield’s top sellers coming from this relationship, it’s important to note the resume and pedigree of the Croatian-based HS Produkt. HSP is one of the biggest names in firearms manufacturing, though you’ll mostly see their work in the U.S. under the Springfield Armory brand. The company started back in 1991 under the name IM Metal, but it really took off when they released the HS2000 pistol — which Americans know better as the Springfield XD series. That success led to a full rebrand in 2001 as HS Produkt. Known for their engineering prowess, exceptional quality, reliability, and accuracy, HSP caught the eye of Springfield Armory, which has led to the very fruitful partnership.
HSP’s scale of their operation is impressive as a key manufacturer of military and law enforcement arms since the early 1990s. They have approximately 1,850 employees and produce up to 30,000 pistols every month. Nearly 90% of those end up Springfield branded in the U.S., making it their biggest market by far. What really sets them apart is that they build everything in-house — every part, every gun — which gives them tight control over quality and innovation. That quality, design and attention to detail is probably a reason why they’ve racked up more than 40 international awards, including multiple “Handgun of the Year” honors from NRA and Guns & Ammo.
Designed as an MP5 Replacement
The Kuna design goals were to deliver a military-grade replacement for the aging stockpiles of MP5s globally. The Springfield Kuna platform is not just another PCC — it was designed as a military-grade submachine gun with the ability to handle very challenging conditions and sustained fire. The build quality is exceptional, including very premium components such as radially hammer-forged barrel and melonited components. The design also targeted everything that global buyers wanted. That list includes: being up to 250% less expensive, lighter, modern, ergonomic, warranteed, military grade, roller delayed, highly accurate and reliable SMG with inexpensive magazines that fit the MP5 pouches. The HS Produkt Kuna is already seeing sales success in Europe, and Springfield is already seeing significant U.S. market interest for both semi-auto and potentially LEO and military versions.
When handling and shooting the Kuna, it is clear the design was intended to take on the market leaders with leading-edge quality. Innovative design elements make the Kuna potentially better than competitors in one or more ways, such as weight, price, features, and accuracy when comparing to other PCCs. For dealers, there is a good competitive story to tell about the Kina based on the features alone.
There is a lot to love about the Kuna. The Kuna is lighter, more feature-rich than its competitors and packed with leading-edge build quality. It also has a massive price advantage at the $999 MSRP. Springfield is distributing durable 30-rounds magazines at a price of only $29.99, complete with translucent polymer bodies and metal feed lips. The MSRP plus highly affordable magazines makes the Kuna one of the most financially attractive PCCs on the market for consumers and LEO departments with a strategy that is definitely going directly after CZ’s Scorpion market share. As one of the lightest PCCs available, the 4-pound, 10-ounc Kuna is up to 2 pounds lighter than similar PCCs like the 5-pound MPX, 6-pound Vector, and 6.7-pound APC9.
Though U.S. market PCCs usually include aftermarket sights, they are not elegantly integrated military-grade flip up sights like the Kuna, which also include integrated pistol-style low-profile sights when flipped down for a very slim non-optics profile option — an extremely well thought out design. The Kuna offers fully ambidextrous AR style controls and non-proprietary AR format grip, plus a full aluminum receiver instead of polymer. Side charge handles have become almost a standard in short-format PCCs. The Kuna has one of the best extended non-reciprocating charging handles that closely mimics the Kriss Vector’s self-folding design. The Kuna is shipped with a rear Picatinny rail for easy brace attachment, which is usually an optional accessory for other brands.
The handguard has limited MLOK rail space, but it offers more accessory adaptability than other PCCs. Other nice touches include the flat bladed trigger, captured takedown pin, and extremely intuitive and simple field stripping that prevents thumb-crushing opportunities or aerial spring acrobatics. The Kuna’s modernized roller delayed system delivers a smoother and more modern geometry for a softer impulse. Other benefits of the new roller delayed design are simplified field-stripping and bolt access and more balanced weight distribution than some competitors.
Smartly, the Kuna leverages a polymer lower receiver to reduce weight and cost. Notably, the Kuna platform was originally created in .40 S&W, so there is hope that the U.S. will see a .40 S&W or potentially a 10mm version in the future. Also expected are variations in shorter and longer barrel formats.
Precision Meets Comfort and Performance
Testing included more than 500 rounds of ammunition from Federal, Blazer, Winchester, and Hornady that spanned defensive-grade hollowpoints to FMJ in weights from 90 to 147 grains, plus hundreds of personal reloads, and the Kuna consumed everything without a hiccup. The reliably was perfect from round one right from the box. The accuracy was exceptional. One of my most accurate PCCs is my Kriss Vector, and the Kuna was matching the accuracy at 50 to 75 yards. This could be due to HS Produkt’s attention to detail, including a radial hammer-forged melonited barrel.
Another noticeable feature was comfort. Many PCCs can have some harsh edges or grip angles that are not well thought out until later releases; however, I was impressed with many details that prevented chafing or blisters after a long day of testing. For this type of platform, the Kuna’s somewhat long trigger take-up is notable when testing side-to-side with Kriss Vectors and Sig MPX with Timney triggers. The flat blade, final break, and shorter reset still allowed for fast follow-up shots and very fast shooting. Though the selector was a bit tight, it did loosen up a bit after testing and has a similar stiff Euro safety feel. Currently the Kuna is available in un-braced and braced models. Though the rear Picatinny rail opens the possibility to attach any brace option, our model included the Strike Industries folding brace, which was stable, deployed quickly, and functioned well during testing.
A nice touch was two included magazines, which proved both reliable and problem-free. One interesting note was the ability to manually hold a MagLula MPX loader for loading the Kuna magazines — not ideal; however, it was a workable solution to quickly reloading about 20 magazines during testing. Of note, the very fast-loading Magpump company informed me they are working on a loader for PCCs with potential options for the Kuna to support the millions of rounds expected to fly from Kuna ejection ports. The Kuna magazines carried well in both my MFT backpack and also during the range testing in my belt-mounted HSGI Taco pouches.
Another New Chapter in Firearm Innovation for Springfield
Springfield understands that new models sell guns for dealers. The Springfield Kuna is impressive with wide marketability for home defense, as a price-friendly range and training firearm, or just offering less expensive range time compared to rifle-caliber options. Obviously, Springfield has done well with the HSP partnership and only strengthened Springfield’s market position. The Kuna is another entirely new firearm that is well designed, elegant, and reliable with an industry-leading price point. The goal was to deliver a more refined MP5 shooting experience on a more modern platform, and it seems they have delivered on that goal well.
