Critical Locking Feedneck
For Ion and Impulse

By Bill Mills - Photos by Dawn Mills

Clamping feednecks are usually in the top three common “first upgrades” players put on a marker, forming the upgrade triad with an aftermarket barrel and compressed air system. Because of this, many manufacturers have jumped on the locking feedneck bandwagon with everything from quick-release collets to twist-locks and lever systems.

Critical's feedneck for the Ion and Impulse is a lever locking design that has almost every unnecessary bit of aluminum milled away.

Weighing in at just 0.7 ounces, this low-profile feedneck is 0.4 inches shorter than stock. In testing for review, the stock Ion feedneck was removed. While full disassembly of the Ion in order to heat the body breech and break the grip of the factory applied Red Loctite 271 may sometimes be necessary, a good grip with a strap wrench can do the job with the marker still assembled. The Critical feedneck screwed right in, also secured by Loctite 271.

The clamping band around the side top of the feedneck is symmetrical left to right, and has a cut-out into which the locking lever fits. Opposite the latching lever is an adjustment screw that can be used to set just how tight the feedneck grips when it is latched. The interior faces of the neck are knurled to get a solid grip into a hopper neck, and in testing all major brands of hoppers were able to fit without requiring sanding.