Mech-TechCarbine Conversion Unit (CCU)

Range Report

Mech-Tech Carbine Conversion Unit Chambered for .45 ACP
Charles Daly 1911 Full Size Auto (Lower)
Sellier & Bellot .45 ACP 230 gr. FMJ 50 rds.
Chip McCormick 10 round Magazine

Well Mech-Tech lived up to the expectations and then some. First lets talk about the question I have seen batted around but never answered. Does it kick?
Yes, but not much.
If we look at this from the standpoint of how much kick as compared to the .45 1911 alone then I would say it feels like I lost about half the kick using the Mech-Tech CCU. Now I know there is no comparison between a carbine and a pistol even if they use the same caliber ammunition but given this is using the 1911 lower I feel its a fare means to assess the kick. (Video Coming Soon)

If you have never shot a 1911 or clone then we are looking at something between a .22 caliber target rifle with almost no kick and a large framed .38 caliber handgun with a moderate amount of kick. Basically I would put the Mech-Tech .45 cal. CCU on the low end of moderate.

The hard rubber buttplate on the Mech-Tech 4 position tele-stock that I feared might have a tendency to cut into the shoulder did not. It was quite comfortable in fact and I don't anticipate having to change it out in any way. Although I will always keep the eyes open for something that will enhance the appearance without compromising the performance.

Performance wise I was very pleased. I shot 50 rounds just to get the feel for the Mech-Tech. Beginning with two in the magazine for the first test fire. In the event of something like a breach or slam fire I wanted to have minimal ammunition in the Mech-Tech CCU on the first time out. However I also wanted to know how it handled chambering the next round so two in the mag seemed appropriate for the first test.

Quite simply it was excellent and after the first two shots I felt comfortable loading up the 10 round Chip McCormick Magazine. All ten shots went through flawlessly. In fact I was surprised how quickly I went through them. But now for a bit of bad news.

The cheap red dot sight I bought was useless. It seriously never made it past the first clip. Yes that first two round clip did it in. On the second shot it kicked it off the mount on the back right corner. I had tightened it down as far as I dared without stripping the screws out. Yet still it just would not hold on. I find this a shame because as I said the Mech-Tech CCU really did not have much kick to it at all. I suspect this red dot sight would fail on anything greater than an air gun. It goes in the closet with the other inferior firearms supplies I have bought over the years.

Which brings me to the 15 round mag. Well I must admit I gave up on it quickly. The second round caught on the edge of the mag and I could see the Mech-Tech bolt against the primer with the round still pointing down towards the trigger, AKA my finger, so I decided to take no further chances with it and unloaded the 14 remaining rounds right away. Maybe I will oil it as some of the reviewers mentioned and give it another try but somehow I suspect it will be little more than a decoration for future photos. Both of the 10 round Chip McCormick Magazines preformed exceptionally well and I think I will stick to them in the future.

Grouping
Well as I said I lost the sight from the start. This put a damper on my sighting in ideas but I must say just sighting down the Mech-Tech top rail was fairly accurate. Well after a few shots to get my bearings. OK a full clip but who's counting? By the last clip I was able to put out 10 rounds in very rapid succession and managed to keep a good 3” group at 50 feet. The weight of the Mech-Tech CCU keeps the barrel from jumping much and drops it right back again so rapid reacquisition of the target is easy to the point of being the natural tendency. I did not try to go out further for time reasons but this was not about perfecting, it was just about getting out there and feeling the Mech-Tech CCU out. It felt great.

One oddity I did notice. The Mech-Tech CCU definitely resonates after each shot. There is a decided hum that sort of creeps through your arm after the round is spent. I timed it roughly and if you don't take another shot it lasts for about two to three seconds. It's kind of a pleasant tuning fork tone, in an odd sort of way. "BANG!!!Hummmmmmmmmm....."
(This question has been answered.)

Last but not least is cleanup. Yes that task that is such a downer after an exhilarating day at the range must always be addressed. Actually I found myself spending more time making the shiny bits shine than actually having to clean anything. Granted it was only 50 rounds but still I had so little to clean that after about 10 minutes I found myself more polishing than cleaning. For those of us that don’t care for the aroma of “Eau Du Hops” this is a pleasant break from the routine. In contrast my M1 Garand is an hour at least of cleaning after every use. But then Im a bit overzealous with the Garand.

Love it or hate it looks. Yes lets face it, so many things in this world fall into that category. You either see the Mech-Tech CCU for the first time and cringe yelping “What the hell is that?” or you see the Mech-Tech CCU for the first time and your eyes light up as you exclaim “What the hell is that?” Either way when the Mech-Tech CCU is brought out of its case it is sure to get more than just a second look from all at the range with you. I even found myself giving an oh-so-quick demonstration, to a rather stunned audience, of how quickly and easily the 1911 lower is attached on the Mech-Tech CCU.

Over the next few weeks I will try to get some video to show what the Mech-Tech Carbine Conversion Unit can really do but unfortunately war and the paranoid masses have bought up all the ammunition in my area and what little is left is now priced way out of my budget. I will see what I can scrounge up and with any luck I will be seeing you at the range soon enough.

Remember to load your brain before your gun.