Stock choice for precision AR. Not the PRS.

BenY 2013

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 23, 2012
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SW Arkansas
i am putting together my 1st AR. With the intent of precision shooting in mind. Prone, sitting, kneeling, standing, etc. shooting targets to hunting. I am using a POF USA hand guard which has the monolithic rail on it. I am also going to be using the lowest scope mount I can get on it. My plan was to use a MOE stock with the cheek riser on it. But recently I have taken a liking to the SOPMOD and VLTOR Emod type stocks. Especially the latter because of the price difference. How do these two stocks stack up for my purposes? Does Magpul make anything similar that will work better? Right now I am leaning towards the Vltor stock. Would love some feedback on this stock! Thanks

Ben
 
I am using a SOPMOD stock with the battleline industries SAPR. It is a great help in getting a consistent cheek weld with the higher monolithic rail.
 
I had the E-Mod for a couple years on my P-308 and didn't care for it. The zig-zag seam up against your cheek grabs and pulls beard hair which for me was an issue. The rail on the POF is also higher than other AR's so you will need a riser of some kind which other than a stock pack are not available for the Vltor stocks that I know of. If you're using a velcro on stock pack the hair grabbing is moot and other than that I couldn't complain about the Vltor, but a nylon cheek pad is hokey on an AR.

I ended up changing it out for a Magpul CTR because Magpul has clip on risers for it for around $20. The risers will get in the way of the charging handle if using the factory buffer tube though. Larue has a clip on riser for the CTR that swings out of the way of the CH, but it's pricey. I use a Vltor A5 buffer tube on my POF, which is longer than the regular carbine tube from the factory, and my normal length of pull for precision shooting is fully extended. Convenient because that's the only setting where the CH doesn't hit the Magpul cheek riser.

Good luck.
 
I am using a SOPMOD stock with the battleline industries SAPR. It is a great help in getting a consistent cheek weld with the higher monolithic rail.

I run the same, but wish I could do without the SAPR. Plainly, it isn't as comfortable as the PRS and doesn't afford the same purchase area to control with your support hand. If I were to go back I'd just get the PRS or get my scope lower so I didn't need the height/could use foam padding instead. The SOPMOD provides wonderful cheekweld that is just lost by the SAPR; it's no different than any other stock with a SAPR, but the SOPMOD costs a whole lot more than the other base stocks.
 
Been using the SOPMOD for over 10 years now, ever since I build my first SPR. The A2 stock is also a good choice if you want to go old school nose to charging handle.

The magpull shit is just a poor attempt at ripping off the best AR stock ever made (and its little brother the B5 Bravo)
 
Lancer just came out with their version of a EFX fixed stock. Lancer used carbon fiber on theirs though which makes it a little lighter. I run a EFX on my 3 gun rifle and like it so far, no adjustments though.
 
i am putting together my 1st AR. With the intent of precision shooting in mind. Prone, sitting, kneeling, standing, etc. shooting targets to hunting. I am using a POF USA hand guard which has the monolithic rail on it. I am also going to be using the lowest scope mount I can get on it. My plan was to use a MOE stock with the cheek riser on it. But recently I have taken a liking to the SOPMOD and VLTOR Emod type stocks. Especially the latter because of the price difference. How do these two stocks stack up for my purposes? Does Magpul make anything similar that will work better? Right now I am leaning towards the Vltor stock. Would love some feedback on this stock! Thanks

Ben
Are you firm on a collapsible stock?
 
Been using the SOPMOD for over 10 years now, ever since I build my first SPR. The A2 stock is also a good choice if you want to go old school nose to charging handle.

///The magpull shit/// is just a poor attempt at ripping off the best AR stock ever made (and its little brother the B5 Bravo)



RFA for those in Rio Linda.

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BUTT!!! I do understand and respect loyalty.
 
For collapsible stocks: Magpul ACS
For fixed stocks: Magpul MOE Rifle

I started my .308 with the PRS, then LMT SOPMOD, then ACS, and now it has the MOE rifle stock.
Collapsible stocks did nothing for me and I prefer the solid feel and design of the MOE Rifle.
 
I use a standard A2. I can easily shoot from any position with proper butt to shoulder, stockweld, any eye relief. After all that was the intent of the design. I perceive some "improved" butt stocks do not have any meaningful benefit unless an optic requires reorientation of the head for line of sight which prevents the shooter from resting the full weight of his head on a standard stock.
 
I'm not as experienced as others such as sterling shooter, but I may agree with him for some of the same reasons the over-hype the benefits of the expensive adjustable stocks.

If you are shooting only f-class/high-power or similar events that repeat the same position, the adjustable stock may be useful for getting exactly the length of pull that fits you best if the fixed stock positions do not. You have the privilege to make your position perfect.

Practical/sniper/tactical whatever you want to call them events all require different body positions and have other stressors such as time that take this privilege away from you by making you choose how you prioritize your set up and engagement.

If you are shooting in events that have multiple shooting postions, you may not want stop and adjust your buttstock. I just fit myself into the rifle as best as I can. I devote my time to getting your to finding and or ranging targets, setting dope, and other stability enhancing aspects such as adjusting bipod/backpack/other support or cramming your arms and legs into whatever balloon animal shape that enables you to find stability.

I use an A1 stock and optic is 2.55" above bore center.

For my long range AR with magnified optics I gave up the nose to charging handle setup because I can not get in the eyebox correctly in straight behind supported prone position. Even though this position is only a small part of matches, it is very important because it is also correlated with the smallest/distant targets where you often need to be able to see your misses to make your own correction calls.

I may try an adjustable stock again at some point, but as already mentioned, I'm not very likely to try to adjust it on the fly in a match, I feel it's just adding more opportunities to the fumble gremlins to trip me up. A quick adjust stock with only 2 or maybe at most 3 lengths would be nice, but I don't know of one that fits my needs.
 
Why do I need the centerline of the scope 2.6" above the centerline of the bore???

Also I am not dead set on a collapsible stock, I like the MOE rifle stock.

I just saw the B5 Sopmod, I love the looks on the Sopmod stocks on the SPR rifles. After I read some reviews this may be the one I get! Anybody have one?

Ben
 
Yeah, I've had 2 B5 stocks and 2 LMT's. The LMT stocks fit tighter but both are good quality stocks. I actually prefer the ACS to the SOPMOD as it has a little more room for a rear bag to sit and locks tight to the receiver extension.
 
Check out the TI-7 from EXOS Defense

Check weld like the SOPMOD stock, but battery compartments you can access without having to remove the stock from the extension and a protected release lever that's great with a rear bag. There is an anti-rattle mechanism to eliminate slop from variations in receiver extensions. Website has a couple teaser pics up of a new accessory for use with a rear bag. I've switched most of my carbines over.

RMSQ2014_AR_Ti-7_Stock.jpg

RMSQ2014_AR_Prone.jpg
 
I am using a SOPMOD stock with the battleline industries SAPR. It is a great help in getting a consistent cheek weld with the higher monolithic rail.

^^^THIS^^^ After trying many of the available options, its by-far the best option I've found for a precision AR.
 
I use a standard A2. I can easily shoot from any position with proper butt to shoulder, stockweld, any eye relief. After all that was the intent of the design. I perceive some "improved" butt stocks do not have any meaningful benefit unless an optic requires reorientation of the head for line of sight which prevents the shooter from resting the full weight of his head on a standard stock.

I also use and recommend the standard A2. It just works.