I purchased a new lower awhile back and the 6 pos. stock cracked almost immediately. Would there be some benefit to using a aluminum stock instead of a "plastic" stock. Thank's in advance, Ray

Quoted: does anyone even make aluminum ones anymore? Get a synthetic stock, just get a good one. Rock River sells some very good standard ones that are not very expensive. But I really like the Vltor's more. If you're feeling spendy, the Magpul M93B and LMT SOCOM stocks are about as good as it gets. What lower/stock did you get. Can you post a pic of the stock?

The one company who makes the cast receivers does.

I really dont remember the name.

Olympic Arms makes cast recievers--or made--I don't know if the cast ones are still manufactured.

Believe it or not but the aluminum retractable stocks are weaker than composite.  The alum cracks very easily at colder temps.  

Yes, RRA makes very good composite stocks.  The one that came on my Colt is very good also.  You need to look for the renforcement ribbing on the stock.  The stocks that have the smooth sides are the CAR stocks.  Much cheaper and not near the quality of the ribbed 4 or 6 position stocks.

I will also agree that Vltor makes exceptional stocks and Magpul's is also top notch.  They are both a bit more expensive (Magpul's M93 being the most expensive) but the quality is definately there.  The Vltor and Magpul are not necessary to have a quality retractable stock.  Just look for the signs of quality on a standard retractable stock.

I would suggest a RRA 6pos stock. Cheap. Effective. Functional.

I got an aluminum 4pos CAR stock from M&A parts when I got my kit. I still have it (with a buggered up buffer tube, but that's another topic) but it was very uncomfortable. With my face fuzz, my eyes were watering every time I went shooting because the damn thing was pulling hairs. It also was uncomfortable when hunting in the winter.....whoodaa thunk that the aluminum could stick to bare skin like that..

OUCH!

The RRA stock is a drastic improvement, in my opinion.

WIZZO

Quoted: does anyone even make aluminum ones anymore? Get a synthetic stock, just get a good one. Rock River sells some very good standard ones that are not very expensive. But I really like the Vltor's more. If you're feeling spendy, the Magpul M93B and LMT SOCOM stocks are about as good as it gets. What lower/stock did you get. Can you post a pic of the stock?

The stock came installed on an LMT/Lauer lower. Manufacturer is unknown to me. I'm considering a RRA Car buttstock if I go with synthetic. It appears that the primary problems with aluminum stocks are cold-weather related. I suppose some type of coating on the stock/tube might keep ones face from sticking to it.
Uncle Sam's boy's must of found some way to deal with it, or there would be many reports of cheekless grunts. Balaclavas, etc.,. come to mind. Frankly, I'm more of an M1a kind of guy, but will be using an M4gery and probably some type of AK wannabe for training. I prefer equipment that will stand up to heavy use (Not abuse) and will save my pennies to buy it. My objective is work OCONUS,
where available weaponry will be M16/AK firearms. I truly appreciate your help. Ray

I had an aluminum stock once.  It rattled and when it was hot outside....it burned my face, when it was cold outside.....it froze my face (general terms here).  A local gunshop owner bought it from me for $175 because a customer HAD to have one, since it was what he was told to be the "cats-ass".  I'd stick with the plastic/synthetic stocks.

Aluminum stocks suck for the same reason that aluminum freefloat handguards can suck.

They suck in the heat during the summer and the cold during the winter.

Atleast with the handguard though you aren't putting your face right up against it, plus it is easier to address a cold or hot handguard by various means if you have to.

uglygun, thank's for your well thought out and informative post. Aluminum stocks suck, got it. Ray

Quoted: Olympic Arms makes cast recievers--or made--I don't know if the cast ones are still manufactured. Believe it or not but the aluminum retractable stocks are weaker than composite.  The alum cracks very easily at colder temps.   Yes, RRA makes very good composite stocks.  The one that came on my Colt is very good also.  You need to look for the renforcement ribbing on the stock.  The stocks that have the smooth sides are the CAR stocks.  Much cheaper and not near the quality of the ribbed 4 or 6 position stocks. I will also agree that Vltor makes exceptional stocks and Magpul's is also top notch.  They are both a bit more expensive (Magpul's M93 being the most expensive) but the quality is definately there.  The Vltor and Magpul are not necessary to have a quality retractable stock.  Just look for the signs of quality on a standard retractable stock.

I know Oly Arms has cast receivers, I finally remembered the other company, its Essential Arms.  They make an aluminum stock (and cast receviers)

www.essentialarms.com/alumstock.html

Dace, thank's for the link. Ray

Quoted: I had an aluminum stock once.  It rattled and when it was hot outside....it burned my face, when it was cold outside.....it froze my face (general terms here).  A local gunshop owner bought it from me for $175 because a customer HAD to have one, since it was what he was told to be the "cats-ass".  I'd stick with the plastic/synthetic stocks.

Wait a minute. The aluminum stock piece on my Colt SP1 XM177 clone is covered with plastic coating, and bothers me not at all in hot weather.  The tube, of course, is another story, but they all have aluminum tubes.

Thinking about it, the coated aluminum tube may get a bit warmer in hot weather than the plastic, but certainly not enough to be uncomfortable.

Rattle? They ALL rattle; plastic or aluminum. Yes, the metallic sound of the aluminum piece is different than the plastic piece, but it's no louder.  Just different. I've put a Colt plastic butt piece on my Colt, and had my wife rattle both of them while I walked away from the sound.  I could hear the plastic job just as far away as I could hear the metal.

And either type is likely to pull a hair or two off my full beard when I'm shooting.  Has nothing at all to do with the material. Hair gets caught just as easily by plastic against metal, as by metal against metal.

All that being said, plastic stocks from a major maker, especially Colt, is probably the way to go these days; simply because of availability.  Colt metal types are already collector's items, apparently, and bring too much money for what they're worth as shooting pieces. I'm told that Continantal stocks are essentially the same as Colt types, and are a lot less expensive; so you might want to check them out.

Quoted: uglygun, thank's for your well thought out and informative post. Aluminum stocks suck, got it. Ray

The aluminum stocks were developed in the '60s, when synthetics technology was still very new. Compare the A1 furniture that  would break or chip to the modern synthetic furniture that can be run over by a vehicle and still be fine.
Go with the "plastic".

Shamayim, I'm not familiar with Continental. Are they a company currently in business,
producing stocks ? Thank's all you guy's for your input. Ray

Quoted: Shamayim, I'm not familiar with Continental. Are they a company currently in business, producing stocks ? Thank's all you guy's for your input. Ray

Continental = Continental Machine and Tool = CMT = Stag Arms

They make stocks and are in business.

I saw a DSA add in shot gun news that said they sell fiberlite and "alloy". I would presume that alloy means aluminum.