First Look: the NEA Compact Carbine Stock

Mail call! The PDW style stock that slides on two rails has become all the rage these days.  Almost every second gun I see on Instagram these days has one brand or another on it.  Very few people know that a Canadian company was actually one of the first to market with this style of stock.  I received my new North Eastern Arms PDW in the mail a bit over a month ago and it came equipped with a NEA CCS.  Here are some of my initial thoughts on the CCS with a full review coming after the new year. I just need a little time to put more rounds downrange with it.

The NEA CCS has two positions open and closed.

The NEA CCS is a AR stock replacement.  It uses a proprietary bolt carrier that combines a mini buffer with the bolt carrier.  Unfortunately this makes tear down slightly different then a normal AR15.  Instead of popping the rear pin and tilting the receiver forward to pull the bolt group out you now have to pop both bins.  Then you lift the front up and out and away which frees the bolt from the stubby buffer tube of the CCS.

The closed stop on the CCS stops the arms from contacting your bolt release pivot point.

The locking mechanism on the NEA CCS should be quite noticeable to any AR user.  The button is a magazine release on the bottom left side of the stock.  This makes collapsing the stock a bit awkward for the lefties out there.  However most firearms are awkward for you guys.  When the stock is closed the button does not need to be depressed the stock just needs to be pulled out.  This allows the rifle to go from compact to ready very fast.

At first the cheek weld of the CCS feels strange, however you quickly get used to it. I don't really notice a difference now other then metal being a lot colder then polymer in the Canadian winter.

So far I am enjoying using the CCS with this tiny little fire breather.  I think it makes for an excellent truck gun if your in a free country where that sort of thing can happen.  Sadly my AR is only allowed at the range.  Before anyone asks, that is two 10 round pistol magazines attached by a wedge.  They fit better in mag pouches and allows me to have a bit more ammo close by.  It does force me to not drop my magazines free though.

You can pick one up from Brownells in the States or if your north of the border Canada Ammo.  They no longer have the grey color shown in the Brownells picture and will match your black AR upper better.  You can check out some of North Eastern Arms other gear here or check them out on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.  Remember these are Made In Canada so they don't fall under ITAR. People outside of the United States can actually order these and North Eastern Arms other parts.  Check RECOIL a month or two into the new year and we will have a full write up on this stock along with some pictures of the bolt and maybe some video.

NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Target Pack from RECOIL

For years, RECOIL magazine has treated its readers to a full-size (sometimes full color!) shooting target tucked into each big issue. Now we've compiled over 50 of our most popular targets into this one digital PDF download. From handgun drills to AR-15 practice, these 50+ targets have you covered. Print off as many as you like (ammo not included).

Get your pack of 50 Print-at-Home targets when you subscribe to the RECOIL email newsletter. We'll send you weekly updates on guns, gear, industry news, and special offers from leading manufacturers - your guide to the firearms lifestyle.

You want this. Trust Us.