Coal Creek Armory of Oak Ridge TN, recently received a most welcome email from Eric Kincel of Vltor Weapons Systems, LLC, asking if we wanted to test and evaluate a few of his new Vltor Modular Firearms Buttstocks, also known as “Modstocks”. CCA’s purchasing people have been watching the semi-mythical Crane stocks from afar, and the Magpul MSS stock from a bit closer up, so our reaction was an enthusiastic “not just yes, but Hell, yes”.

The description he gave, plus the information on his site, www.Vltor.com, gave me a very good idea of what it was that we were going to be playing with. Vltor offers two main types of Modstocks, in two different configurations, collapsible and fixed Modstocks, available in both standard and clubfoot styles. Any attempt to re-describe the Modstocks in full would be both time consuming and self defeating…a picture is worth a thousand words, and you encouraged to go and view the diagrams of the stocks at the Vltor website. My impression of the features these stocks offer is potentially more valuable than a rehash of their features, in any case.

The stocks arrived in nifty little padded boxes a few days after I sent my reply, with all the accessories neatly sealed in plastic, along with a most user friendly user manual. We pulled them out and went over them with a fine toothed comb, and I have to say, we liked what we came up with.

The biggest difference on first sight between a Modstock and a standard stock, is the upper profile of the stock. The top of the Modstock is a much gentler, wider curve than that of a regular AR15/M16 stock. The wide curvature of the stock lends itself directly to the next innovation these stocks have to offer…they’re modular, as the name would suggest. The sides of the stock have a “gap” below the cheek weld/tube area, allowing the user to snap on either a battery compartment (for Surefire 3volt and similarly sized batteries, or anything else you can put in there), or a cheek weld adapter. The notch and tab alignment of these parts allow them to be moved backward and forwards on the stock, as the user desires, and then the shooter simply tightens down the screws that hold either the battery compartment or cheek weld adapter in place. Elegantly simple for something with such a wide range of potential add-ons. I personally put both battery compartments all the way forward, and never looked back. The sleekness with which both of these accessories fit into the overall outline of the stock is excellent.



The buttstocks are injection molded from very tough and sturdy short glass nylon, currently offered in matte black and the seams and edges are all smooth and face friendly. The rifle length Modstock was mounted sans delay on an EA “test” lower, and it bolted down tight onto the gun without a hitch. I had the battery compartment on the left, the cheek weld adapter on the right. The cheek weld was nothing short of perfect, you just put your face to the stock, and your eyes, your face are right where they need to be. I picked up another rifle, with a standard A2 stock and shouldered it, the difference was enough to make my jaw drop. I never realized how unnatural of a fit an A2 stock is by comparison, until I shouldered a Modstock.

The collapsible stock took a bit more work for us to mount, as they require a Colt/MilSpec collapsible buffer tube, evinced by the fact that they would not go on my RRA buffer tubes, despite all my best efforts. Fortunately, we located a gun with a factory Colt collapsible stock, and the fit was good. Not immovably tight, not rattling loose, but just right. When mounted on my personal Preban carbine, there was not a hint of rattle or wiggle in it.

Enough of how they work in the office. We took these guns out where they belonged…the range.

We went out, loaded mags, stepped up to the line, savored that cheekweld, and touched off about 50 rounds each. I found followup shots to be just a touch faster, since I didn’t have to attempt to reorient my face with the stock. It simply didn’t require as much effort to keep my face in place, and my eyes in line while using the Modstock. The rifle length stock made the firearm a good bit lighter than the A2, and the slightly-over A2 length of it made felt fine, actually more comfortable to shoulder. I shot the collapsible stock in a few different positions, mostly fully extended, and the cheek weld was more consistent than that of my RRA 6 position stock. When fully extended, if the shooter cranes his neck overly far, it is possible to move partway off of the Modstok’s cheekpiece, but I didn’t find this  to be a problem, even with my nose quite close to the charging handle. Shooting with the Modstock is a pleasure. We took pictures, of course.

















At the end of the day, I am very pleased with the design, and the quality of the Vltor Modstocks. They are a quite an improvement over standard A2/M4 stocks, and at $120 for Rifle length, and $115 for the carbine length, they are quite competitive with existing stocks. I know I’m sold on them. Coal Creek Armory will be stocking them, count on it. Preorder now, and save 5% when they ship…

Trevor Putnam
(Juggernaut)
CCA

Yeah, as far as human contact goes, I wish we coulda shown pics of cross-shoulder transition drills, but we're just not high speed enough of operators to do that at a public range and get away with it.[:D] They got a good workout, though I'm thinking slinging up, and taking a nice long off-the-trail hike will let me know how they carry, and if they snag anywhere, which I don't expect them to. A good intensive 3 gun match would be another goood test of real life workability.

I'm not done working with them, not by a long shot.

The stocks were easy as pie to install, the only part I needed was an A2 spacer and buttstock screw, as I was replacing an A1 stock. Had I been replacing an a2 stock, these would have already been there.

BTW, rereading my article, I should make it clear that these Modstocks are replacement furniture, not complete stocks. They use your existing buffer tube, buffer, spring, and other stocks parts.

I'm seeing us possibly offering them complete as well as in their replacement form, once we place our order(and we will have them, be sure).

And yeah, he needs to re-duct tape that spoiler back up there.[:D]

J.

Actually, the technique of locking down and in on the magwell allows me to compensate for muzzle rise and recoil better than gripping the handguard with my support hand. For me, pulling the rifle down from muzzle rise is more easily accomplished with my support hand gripping the rifle vertically. A vertical foregrip would be good, but with an M500A on there, it wouldn't allow me to access the light easily. It works until I can get an M900, though.

That's just me, though, and it's surely not the most accurate method of shooting, but it's solid and quick.

Oh, and if you're referring to me pressing back on the clubfoot with my support hand, well, I wanted to see what that was all about, never tried that before. It would work well prone, but the ground was far too wet for that.

J.

Brand new clothes, actually. Didn't feel like getting mud on them.

I know, my dedication to my trade is so pathetic. I should probably be fired.

I'll show you a few fire making tricks with flint and steel though, next time we get the chance, though.

J.

NO. It won't. I tried.

Took me 20 minutes to get it back off, with brass hammer, rubber mallet, extra buffer tube and all. Don't even waste your time trying to get it on a non-Colt/MilSpec tube, it will just get stuck and piss you off. It won't move.

On the other hand, it was good test of the stock's durability, because it didn't break...

J.

Checking my IM's is against my religion.

[:D]

J.

I fixed the spoiler just the other day. Took about two seconds and a foot of duct tape.

Shameless Bump from "Funny Boy" to say that [url=http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=22&t=161904]WE GOT 'EM IN![/url]

That will be all...[:D]

J.

Following our enthusiastic [url=http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=12&t=153526&w=searchPop]review of the Vltor Modstocks[/url], we're proud to offer all 4 variations of the VLTOR Modular Riflestocks to AR15.com members, with Free Shipping!

[img]www.coalcreekarmory.com/images/misc/vltor22.jpg[/img]

[i]Standard Collapsible on PWA, w/ Battery compartments...[/i]

[img]www.coalcreekarmory.com/images/misc/vltor23.jpg[/img]
[i]Rifle Clubfoot and Standard Collapsible Stocks[/i]

These stocks represent the best available in secure storage and improved cheekweld on AR15/M16/SR25 riflesystems. Each Stock set comes complete with Ambi. Quick Detach Sling Swivel Mount point, a QD rotating sling swivel, two cheekpiece adapters/inserts, and two watertight battery compartments.

[img]http://www.coalcreekarmory.com/images/misc/rifle-clubfoot-k2.jpg[/img][img]http://www.coalcreekarmory.com/images/misc/carbine-standard-k3.jpg[/img]

These fully modular stocks come in two styles, Standard and Clubfoot, in both Fixed and Collapsible models.

[url=www.vltor.com/specifications.htm]For detailed specs and many more pictures, Check out the VLTOR website! [/url]

Rifle Stock, Standard Profile $119.95
Rifle Stock, Clubfoot Profile $119.95

Carbine Stock, Standard Profile $114.95
Carbine Stock, Clubfoot Profile $114.95

Shipping, again, is FREE for AR15.com members!

Call us with questions or orders at (865)220-0240, or email us at [email][email protected][/email].

It is the same length as those stocks as far as we can tell.

From the punishment we gave our tester, I would say it can stand tall against anything you put it through without even a little whimper.

Will someone in the Xanadau family take a picture of Juggernaut getting snatched bald headed?

Thanks.

Bushmaster extensions are aftermarket, only Colt and Mil Issue tubes will fit. We hope to have our hands on a batch of Colt-Spec tubes soon.

Havoc, thanks for clearing that up, I was just about to call Eric Kinckel at Vltor and get that answered...

J.

The post-ban stock will work on non-Colt tubes.

The pre-ban won't.

Yours will.

Order when ready. We have all parts needed to satisfy.

The original Vltor sling swivelswere 1", a bit small for many slings. The new Vltor sling swivels are 1-1/4", and the Vltors we have inbound to us will have them[:D]

J.