When the ATF surprised gun owners earlier this year with a rule change pertaining to AR-15 guns and other firearms with pistol braces, it caused me to delay a review of the CAA MCK Gen 2 Micro Conversion Kit. While the ATF’s pistol brace ban is still in effect, I moved forward with testing the kit by installing a TAC kit sling to avoid questions of legal compliance.

What Is a Mico Conversion Kit?

A micro-conversion kit (MCK) is a complete drop-in stock assembly. With its Tac Kit single-point sling, CAA’s MCK can turn any conventional handgun into a three-point stabilized carbine. An MCK does not require pistol disassembly. Order the proper kit to match your handgun(s) and simply drop the unloaded handgun in, load up, and you are ready to go. The MCKs from CAA do not accommodate exposed hammer pistols like the 1911 or Beretta 92. CAA sent me the MCK Gen 2, which will fit the Glock guns 17, 19, 19x, 22, 23, 25, 31, 32 and 45 without modification but not the Gen 5 22 and 23.

Once your pistol is mounted, the MCK’s ambidextrous rear-charging handles take over the slide operation for charging and clearing the pistol held in it. Empty cases are ejected from the pistol’s ejection port through the large opening on the right side of the MCK.

Why Convert a Pistol to the MCK?

Even without an actual stock, the MCK offers increased accuracy potential over what can be obtained by most shooters using a conventional handgun. Increased accuracy is due to two reasons.

  1. The kit offers two solid and separate points of hand contact when firing. Your support hand goes to the front portion of the frame in more of a left-leading fighting stance rather than the side-by-side position of hands when firing a conventional handgun. And the shooting hand grasps the encased pistol by its grip.
  2. When the single-point Tac Kit sling is looped over the head with the shooting-hand arm running through it, a third point of contact is created as the MCK is pushed forward away from the shooter. The push-pull tension created locks the MCK far more firmly in place than just holding it out in front of you with two hands. The single-point loop sling also makes for convenient carry and transitioning to a firing position.

Shooting With the CAA Micro-Conversion Kit

My only full-sized Glock pistol on hand is a family heirloom Gen 2 Glock 17, which won’t fit in the MCK conversion system. I tested CAA’s kit with a Gen 4 Glock 23 from a friend. The unloaded Glock 23 dropped right into place. I mounted a Crimson Trace CTS-1000 red-dot optic. With full co-witness height, the CTS-1000 was the perfect candidate for the MCK and aligned perfectly with the single-point sling shooting position.

We mounted a spare magazine into the forward mag carrier for extra firing stability and took turns firing using SIG Sauer Elite Ball 180-grain FMJ ammo as the test load. This particular load utilizes a flat-point truncated cone bullet that is more effective for self-defense use than a round-nose bullet. It leaves the muzzle at 985 feet per second, generating 388 foot-pounds of energy.

While firing the MCK using the single-point sling for stabilization is not the same as firing it using a stock, it certainly improves support. Learning to shoot required just a very short learning curve as you are still firing your own gun. The slide reciprocates within the housing with each shot. The trigger pull is still the same, as are the slide and mag release controls. Only the exterior charging handles and the sights are different.

Felt recoil of the MCK is non-existent even when firing the potent SIG .40 caliber ammo. Accuracy was quite good, and cycling was flawless.

You could also purchase the CAA Optional Advanced Kit, which includes flip-up AR-style iron sights, side thumb rests, sling and sling swivels, and a 500-lumen MCK tactical light that fits under the barrel. An optional glass breaking muzzle extension, green or red laser sights and even a compact MCK-mounted blowtorch and 4-inch aluminum spike bayonet are available as well. The CAA website also offers the similar Roni and Micro Roni conversion kits. There are a wide array of color schemes from which to choose.

Who Is the Conversion Kit For

If you are considering purchasing any CAA conversion kit, make sure you understand the laws in your area and are up-to-date on any ATF rule changes. CEO of CAA USA Mikey Hartman discusses the latest ATF ruling and its effects on the conversion kits in a video available on the website. NFA-stocked MCKs are also available. With a short pistol brace, the Gen 2 MCK is priced at $349. The Basic Tac Kit Bundle (with sling) is an additional $89.95.

Sources:

CAA USA: CAAGearUp.com
SIG Sauer: SIGSauer.com
Crimson Trace: CrimsonTrace.com