One of the fun toys we got to spend some time with this year at SHOT Show 2017 was the RONI Pistol Carbine by CAA. The folks from CAA are led by 19 year Israeli Defense Force, Moshe Oz and were gracious enough to take time out of their busy range session to give us a first hand look and a short explanation of the RONI Pistol Carbine and how easy the kit was to install and use. All you need is the RONI kit, some spare time and either a Generation 3 or Generation 4 Glock Model 17 pistol and you can have an affordable pistol caliber carbine that can revert back to a pistol in no time at all.
Why would you want a RONI ?
The RONI may or may not appeal to many shooters, but for some the allure of a pistol caliber carbine is a hard thing to shake. As we have covered in past articles a pistol caliber carbine is something that has a limited field of use but as a range gun it can be a lot of fun for shooters of all ages, especially younger ones. Younger shooters are sometimes more sensitive to the effects of recoil and tend to be more intimidated when first starting out in the shooting sports. A set up like the RONI will allow a parent to quickly yet temporarily convert their pistol to a rifle for the purpose of training sessions and allowing a child or new shooter to step their way through calibers, gradually moving upwards in terms of recoil and rapport. Not only is this effective in building a shooters confidence, it allows an instructor to be able to use cheaper pistol ammunition in the process. Building up a new shooter skill set is all about making them comfortable and exposing the shooter to more recoil at their pace.
Specifications
Name: RONI Pistol Carbine
Manufacturer: CAA
Barrel Length: 16″
Overall Length: 18.5″
Height: 5.5″
Width: 2.55″
Weight: 3.54 lbs
Base Pistol: Generation 3 or 4 Glock 17
Features:
- Picatinny rails
- Detachable fore grip
- Extra magazine holder
- Ambidextrous charging handle
- Ambidextrous trigger guard safety
- Polymer & Aluminum construction
- Adjustable stock
- Adjustable cheek well
- Comes with 16″barrel
MSRP: $592.00
Fellow The Arms Guide writer Travis Pike and I had a chance to put a few magazines worth of 9mm full metal jacket ammunition through the various models of RONI Pistol Carbine that were on display during Industry Day at the Range as part of SHOT Show 2017. I will say that the RONI has a ton of potential but unfortunately there are some things about it that might end up hurting its appeal to shooters in the market for a pistol caliber carbine.
The Bad
- Cost: It’s more expensive than a new gun, and that’s a problem
- Test model jammed-: I know its not uncommon for guns to jam, especially at range day, but the rounds seemed to keep getting caught up in the polymer housing during ejection.
- Weight: at over 3.5 lbs is a bit much for an add on housing. I understand the production behind it, nothing can be done to change it
- 16″ Glock barrel not supported like a traditional rifle: I know its not a traditional rifle but a 16″ barrel handing out of a regular length Glock slide might make slide wear an issue.
The Good:
- Fun to shoot: It’s expensive but its a blast to shoot.
- Compact size: Perfect for an ATV or truck gun
- Magazines: Allows a shooter to use one of the millions of Glock 17 magazines on the market including the 33 round version
- Picatinny Rail: Full length rail allows the mounting of inexpensive optics like Bushnell TRS 25 or Primary Arms red dots
This RONI Pistol Carbine from CAA is a great idea but unfortunately in my opinion it just wont take off like it should. I think its mostly because of the cost of the unit added to the price of any Glock 17 that kills the deal. When you add the cost of the two together a person can easily go purchase any number of rifles to fill the roll the RONI is trying to fill. It’s really too bad for both shooters and the shareholders of CAA. We want to know what our readers think of the RONI Pistol Carbine, is it a viable option for a truck gun or a range toy ?
Rick
Feature Photo Courtesy: www.usacaagearup.com
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