Gear Review: CAA Micro Roni Glock pistol to rifle converter kit

The Israeli-made Micro Roni pistol carbine conversion kit. (Photo: Eve Flanigan/Guns.com)

From Israel, perhaps with a touchdown in Austria, comes a solution to the yearnings of Glock lovers who’ve wished for a Glock rifle. CAA’s Micro Roni converts Glock pistols into a short-barreled rifle or, with the addition of an IGB barrel, a non-National Firearms Act -regulated carbine. There’s also a stabilizer version that’s not an NFA item.

The Micro Roni is the namesake of the daughter, of CAA Founder and CEO, Moshe Oz. It’s the latest descendant in the company’s Roni line of Glock converters. It arrives packaged in a gift-worthy, cardboard case with a carry handle. For those who go through the hassle and expense of acquiring an NFA permit, it takes mere seconds to insert a Glock into the polymer kit to create a handy, packable, and utterly cool SBR.

For the rest of us, replacing the Glock barrel with a 16-inch, Austria-made IGB one is necessary to keep range time legal. In the process of using the Micro Roni/IGB combo, I found a couple advantages over using the Micro Roni alone.  The barrel is deserving of its own review, and that will come as a follow-up article.

Each Micro Roni is designed to fit specific Glock models. The device in this review fits the Gen 4 17,22, and 34. An identical Roni fits the 19, 23, and 32 Gen 4s. Matching Glock model numbers are clearly marked on the muzzle collar, a good safety measure.

When completed, the Glock carbine is 5.7 inches tall, 23.75-31.75 inches long and weights 56 ounces. (Photo: Eve Flanigan/Guns.com)

The device is 2.5 inches wide, 5.7 inches at its tallest point, it’s 23.75 inches long folded, and 31.75 inches with the stock ready.  It weighs 56 ounces sans Glock and barrel. The complete assembly, sans mags and ammo, weighs in at a bit less than five pounds—my scale can’t give an exact weight without a little help from the handler, which skews results.

Assembly begins with the simple replacement of the stock barrel with the IGB, using the standard field strip/reassembly procedure. While inserting a pistol into a Micro Roni for use as an SBR is fast and easy, the process for inserting a long-barreled Glock is a little more involved. With the help of a demo video from the helpful dealer, YRS-Inc, assembly took about 15 minutes, including rooting in the range bag for tools.

Setting up the carbine requires a 2.5mm and 3mm Allen wrench and a 3mm punch. A pin is first pushed through the receiver to release the charging handle and open the gate that allows for insertion of the pistol. Two screws, on the left side and the rearmost one on the top rail, are then undone to remove the stock. Here is where a small spring comes out, making the process not recommended in windy or cluttered settings where pins and springs may roll away into oblivion.

The charging handle locks into place over the slide, and the pistol slides into the device.  The stock is then lined up with the receiver, and the left side screw is reinserted.  Here’s where we had some pause in the process. As the screw tightened down, snug but not super-tight, tendrils of polymer were shed from the threads, rising to the screw head as if sprouting. We undid the screw and repeated the process, it didn’t happen the second time. What looked like threads being stripped as the screw tightened, we decided, was only the offing of manufacturing-related waste from the process of tapping the holes.

With the stock looking reassembled, there are three parts—the small spring, a plastic block, and a swinging gate-type piece, to reinsert. The polymer components snapped back into place with firm pressure. Evenly spaced, level seams and a positive “click” made it easy to tell when parts were properly locked in place.

Generous rail space atop the device makes it easy to mount whatever sight system you choose. I pulled FAB Defense rear and front irons out of my AR gear pile, and they worked as well as iron sights can. For the barrel accuracy test, I’ll mount a magnifying scope. That may be overkill on a pistol-caliber carbine, but gives the best means to evaluate accuracy.

Shooting with the Micro Roni couldn’t be easier. The safety lever uncovers the trigger guard with a simple thumb sweep. Shoulder it, aim, and fire like any other Glock—but with a surprising new level of control.

The Micro Roni, Glock, and IGB barrel combo get a thumbs-up for fun and accuracy. (Photo: Eve Flanigan/Guns.com)

With proper sights, engagement is quick and varied distances are easily adjusted for. We started with a 25-yard paper target, established zero with BUIS, and then easily hit in the 7o percent success range on a 36-inch square target at 185 yards.  That’s a vast improvement over my usual 40 percent hits with a “naked” Glock. All tests were done using an unsupported, standing position.

It’s easy, and enjoyable, to shoot with the Micro Roni. For close quarters work, it offers a great deal of control and is ready to receive a full complement of accessories. CAA makes consumers feel a little boxed in where tactical lights are concerned, placing a sensible, good-looking, but brand-specific light mount front and center, just under where the muzzle would be on the SBR. Rails on the side offer other custom light options, but with a longer barrel, the likelihood of half the viewing area being in a shadow is motivation to purchase the CAA light. 

Slings and sling mounts are also offered, as is an excellent Hartman optic that mounts onto the rail. The Hartman looks like an EOTech but has a different reticle design, one I feel is easier and more intuitive to use than the EOTech.

I heard more than one wisecrack about the CAA thumb rest accessory that’s made to fit on one of the small lateral rail sections.  Having tried a Micro Roni at SHOT Show with one, and the test model without, I’ll say it’s a nice little convenience, but not necessary to shoot it well. 

The Micro Roni is $250 for just the device. For an additional $175, buyers can purchase an upgrade kit that includes a thumb rest, flashlight that fits inside the unit, a pushbutton sling swivel mount with a one-point sling, and flip-up front and rear iron sights.