Archon Type B Gen 2
Archon Type B Gen 2 9mm Pistols
The Archon Type B Gen 2 is a striker-fired 9mm pistol built around Archon's AF-Speedlock operating system, a design that uses a separate locking block and a non-tilting barrel arrangement instead of the conventional tilting-barrel system found in many modern semi-automatic pistols.
That mechanical difference is the foundation of the Type B platform. It allows the barrel and slide to sit unusually low relative to the shooter's hand while giving the pistol a distinctly different internal layout from more conventional striker-fired designs.
Botach is an official Archon Firearms Premier Commercial Dealer and Law Enforcement Distributor, offering customers direct access to Archon Type B pistols and select configurations with competitive pricing, knowledgeable support, and dedicated service for commercial, law enforcement, and government customers.
Botach carries the Type B Gen 2 in multiple configurations, including standard, threaded-barrel, ported, RMR-cut, FDE-frame, and performance-trigger models. Understanding those differences is important because Type B pistols can look very similar while having meaningfully different barrel, slide, optic, and trigger configurations.
What Makes the Archon Type B Gen 2 Different?
The Type B Gen 2 is not simply a conventional polymer-frame pistol with different styling. Its barrel, slide, locking system, chassis, and grip architecture were designed around Archon's AF-Speedlock system.
Most modern locked-breech service pistols use a barrel that tilts as the slide moves rearward. The Type B instead uses a separate locking block beneath the barrel. This allows the barrel to travel a short distance rearward while remaining substantially level during the operating cycle.
For a prospective buyer, this matters because the low bore position often associated with the Type B comes from the pistol's underlying mechanical architecture rather than from a cosmetic change to the frame or slide.
How Does Archon AF-Speedlock Work?
AF-Speedlock is Archon's recoil-operated locking system. A locking block positioned beneath the barrel controls the locking and unlocking sequence between the barrel and slide. As the pistol cycles, the system allows the barrel to move rearward without the pronounced downward tilt used by many Browning-type locked-breech designs.
This arrangement allows Archon to place the reciprocating components low in the frame. It is one of the most important characteristics to understand when comparing the Type B with more familiar striker-fired pistols.
The practical result should not be reduced to claims that the system "eliminates recoil" or automatically makes the pistol easier to shoot. Ammunition, grip, shooter technique, pistol configuration, and other factors all influence recoil behavior. What AF-Speedlock changes is the mechanical layout through which those forces are transmitted.
What Changed From the Archon Type B Gen 1 to Gen 2?
The Type B Gen 2 retains the AF-Speedlock operating concept of the original Type B but substantially changes the grip architecture.
Gen 1 pistols use a fixed-length grip configuration. The Gen 2 introduces a modular grip system with interchangeable components that allow the grip's dimensions and effective length to be adjusted. This gives the shooter more flexibility in configuring the pistol around hand size, grip preference, and magazine configuration.
The Gen 2 has also been offered with dedicated optics-ready slide configurations. Because different Type B pistols have been produced for different optic footprints, buyers should verify the specific optic cut on the individual SKU rather than assuming every optics-ready Type B accepts the same sight.
How Does the Type B Gen 2 Modular Grip Work?
The Gen 2 grip system is designed to provide more adjustment than a conventional interchangeable backstrap alone. Its modular components can change how the grip fills the hand as well as its effective length.
This makes the Gen 2 designation important when shopping for a Type B. A Gen 1 and Gen 2 may share the same basic operating system, but their grip architecture and related components are not identical.
Magazine configuration and included grip components can also vary by individual package. Check the exact product listing rather than assuming every Type B Gen 2 includes the same magazines or accessory set.
Which Archon Type B Gen 2 Should You Choose?
The most important question is not simply which Type B costs more or has more features. It is which factory configuration matches how you intend to set up the pistol.
Standard Type B Gen 2
The standard configuration provides the core Type B Gen 2 platform without factory muzzle threading or barrel porting. It is the simplest choice for someone primarily interested in the AF-Speedlock system, modular Gen 2 grip, and optics-ready configuration without additional muzzle features.
Threaded Type B Gen 2
Threaded models use an extended factory threaded barrel intended to provide a threaded muzzle interface. This is the configuration to consider when muzzle-device compatibility is part of the intended setup.
Do not assume that every Type B threaded barrel uses the same thread specification or that every muzzle device is automatically compatible. Confirm the exact barrel threads on the individual SKU and follow the device manufacturer's compatibility requirements.
Ported Type B Gen 2
Ported Type B models use openings in the barrel together with corresponding openings in the slide. This is a factory barrel-and-slide configuration and is mechanically different from installing a compensator on a threaded barrel.
Porting redirects propellant gas through openings near the muzzle. Buyers should therefore expect a different blast and flash signature than the standard configuration, particularly depending on ammunition and shooting environment.
Type B Gen 2 With Performance Trigger
Selected Type B configurations are also offered with Archon's performance trigger. These models use their own manufacturer part numbers and should be distinguished from otherwise similar standard-trigger pistols.
If the trigger configuration is important to your purchase, use the MPN and UPC to verify the exact pistol instead of relying on photographs alone.
What Optics Fit the Archon Type B Gen 2?
Type B Gen 2 pistols have been offered with dedicated optic-cut configurations rather than one universal optic interface. Documented Gen 2 configurations have included RMR, RMS, and ACRO-pattern cuts.
The models in Botach's current Type B selection should be checked individually for their listed optic footprint. For example, an RMR-cut Type B should not automatically be assumed to accept an RMS- or ACRO-pattern optic.
This is one of the most important details to verify before purchasing a red-dot sight. Match the optic manufacturer's mounting footprint to the exact slide cut listed for the pistol.
Standard vs. Threaded vs. Ported: What Is the Actual Difference?
| Configuration | What Changes | What to Verify |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Standard barrel and slide configuration without factory threading or porting | Optic cut, frame color, magazines, included equipment |
| Threaded | Extended barrel with factory muzzle threads | Thread pitch, muzzle-device compatibility, optic cut |
| Ported | Factory ported barrel with corresponding slide openings | Exact barrel/slide configuration and trigger option |
| Ported + Performance Trigger | Ported barrel and slide plus performance-trigger configuration | Exact MPN and UPC to distinguish it from the standard ported model |
How Do You Identify the Correct Archon Type B Gen 2?
The Type B lineup contains multiple pistols with similar names and appearances. The manufacturer part number is therefore one of the most useful pieces of information on the product page.
- Generation: Confirm that the pistol is identified as a Type B Gen 2.
- Optic Cut: Verify the exact optic footprint rather than assuming all optics-ready Type B pistols are identical.
- Barrel Configuration: Determine whether the pistol is standard, threaded, or ported.
- Frame Color: Confirm whether the pistol is black or uses the black-slide/FDE-frame configuration.
- Trigger: Verify whether the SKU includes the standard or performance-trigger configuration.
- Package Contents: Confirm magazine count and included components on the individual product page.
- MPN and UPC: Use these identifiers when two Type B configurations appear otherwise similar.
What Should You Know Before Buying a Type B Gen 2?
The Type B Gen 2 is a relatively specialized platform compared with higher-volume pistol families. Buyers who already own holsters, optics, magazines, or other accessories should verify compatibility rather than assuming equipment designed around another striker-fired pistol will transfer directly to the Archon.
Optic footprint is particularly important because Type B pistols have been offered with different dedicated cuts. Barrel configuration also matters: a standard, threaded, and ported Type B may share the same basic platform while requiring different accessories and serving different setup requirements.
The safest approach is to choose the configuration first, then confirm the manufacturer part number, UPC, optic footprint, barrel type, magazines, and included components on the individual listing.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Archon Type B Gen 2
What is the Archon Type B Gen 2?
The Archon Type B Gen 2 is a striker-fired 9mm semi-automatic pistol built around Archon's AF-Speedlock system. It uses a separate locking block and non-tilting barrel arrangement and adds a modular grip architecture compared with the earlier Type B.
What is AF-Speedlock?
AF-Speedlock is Archon's recoil-operated locking system. Instead of using the pronounced barrel tilt common to many modern locked-breech pistols, the system uses a separate locking block and allows the barrel to remain substantially level during cycling.
Does the Archon Type B Gen 2 have a tilting barrel?
No. A non-tilting barrel arrangement is one of the defining mechanical characteristics of the Type B platform.
What is the main difference between the Type B Gen 1 and Gen 2?
The Gen 2 retains the Type B's AF-Speedlock operating system but introduces a substantially more modular grip architecture. Gen 2 pistols have also been offered in multiple dedicated optics-ready configurations.
Can the Type B Gen 2 grip size be changed?
Yes. The Gen 2 uses interchangeable grip components that allow the grip interface and effective grip length to be adjusted. The exact components included with a particular pistol should be confirmed on that product's listing.
Is the Archon Type B Gen 2 optics ready?
Optics-ready Type B Gen 2 models are available, but not every Type B uses the same optic footprint. Verify the dedicated cut listed for the individual pistol before selecting an optic.
What optic cuts are available for the Type B Gen 2?
Type B Gen 2 pistols have been documented with dedicated RMR, RMS, and ACRO-pattern optic configurations. Botach product listings identify the specific configuration being offered.
What is the difference between a threaded and ported Type B?
A threaded Type B uses an extended barrel with muzzle threads for compatible devices. A ported Type B instead uses openings in the barrel and slide to redirect propellant gas. They are separate factory configurations.
Is a ported Type B the same as a compensated Type B?
No. Barrel porting and an attached compensator are different mechanical approaches. A ported Type B uses openings incorporated into the barrel and slide rather than relying on a muzzle-mounted compensator.
Does Archon offer a Type B Gen 2 with a performance trigger?
Yes. Selected Type B configurations are offered with Archon's performance trigger. These pistols use distinct manufacturer part numbers, making the MPN and UPC useful for confirming the exact model.
Which Archon Type B Gen 2 should I choose?
Choose based on the configuration you actually need. The standard model keeps the setup straightforward, the threaded version provides a factory threaded muzzle, and the ported model incorporates barrel and slide porting. Performance-trigger and frame-color options provide additional distinctions within those configurations.
How do I make sure I am ordering the correct Type B?
Confirm the manufacturer part number and UPC along with the generation, optic cut, barrel configuration, frame color, trigger, magazine count, and included equipment shown on the individual product page.