Finding the best AR 15 stock to match your unique needs can be such a daunting experience, whether you’re a competitive shooter, a hunter, or a home defense enthusiast we will help you get the best stock for your rifle.
The ideal stock improves the rifle’s appearance and also impacts comfort, stability, and maneuverability during shooting.
In this article, we look at the AR-15 stocks, looking at the distinctive features and advantages, to help you make an informed choice that complements your shooting style and preferences.
What Makes the Best AR 15 Stock
When choosing the best AR-15 stock some of the must-have features include comfort and adjustability, enhanced stability and control, and durable Construction. It’s important to choose a stock that suits your shooting style, body type, and the specific purpose of your AR-15 platform.
Material and Construction
The best AR-15 stock should be constructed from durable materials such as reinforced polymer, aluminum, or other robust composites to help the stock withstand the rigors of firearm use.
Adjustability
Stocks that offer an adjustable length of pull (LOP) and comb height can be customized to fit different body types and shooting styles, ensuring comfort and proper eye alignment with the sights.
Stability and Recoil Reduction
The stock should provide stability and a secure cheek weld to improve accuracy and control during firing. This is particularly important for precision shooting. Some stocks are designed to help reduce recoil, making them more comfortable to shoot, especially during rapid fire or with larger caliber AR-15s.
Mounting Options
The stock should have provisions for mounting slings and other accessories. Look for stocks with sling attachment points or compatibility with quick-detach (QD) swivels if you plan to use a sling.
Compatibility
Ensure the stock is compatible with your specific AR-15 build, including the buffer tube size and type. Stocks come in both commercial and mil-spec sizes, so it’s important to match the stock to your buffer tube.
Weight and Ergonomics
Consider the weight of the stock, especially if you’re aiming for a lightweight build. A heavier stock can provide more stability, while a lighter one may be more suitable for maneuverability. A comfortable grip and a well-designed cheek rest are crucial for a stock’s overall ergonomic performance. This contributes to the shooter’s comfort and accuracy.
Aesthetics While not the most critical factor, the stock’s appearance and design should be appealing to the shooter, as aesthetics can be a personal preference.
Best AR 15 Stocks
1) Magpul Industries CTR Rifle Stock
The Magpul Industries CTR Rifle Stock is the best AR 15 stock, it is designed to enhance the performance of your AR 15 or M16. The A-frame design has a streamlined exterior for a compact and sleek profile for practicality and aesthetics.
Reinforced Polymer Construction
The CTR stock is built to last with a reinforced polymer construction, ensuring durability and resistance to harsh conditions.
Supplemental Friction Lock
This stock is engineered to minimize accuracy-robbing wobble by incorporating a supplemental friction lock. However, its performance may vary slightly based on the host receiver extension’s dimensional tolerances.
Sloping Cheek Weld
The sloping cheek weld is designed to combine a slim profile with user comfort, allowing for a natural and comfortable shooting position.
Streamlined A-Frame Profile
The A-frame profile is streamlined, reducing the risk of snagging, and the shielded release latch prevents accidental operation during critical moments.
Premium Chrome-Silicon Lock Spring
This stock features a premium chrome-silicon lock spring, ensuring positive locking and a long service life, even in demanding conditions.
Side Mounting Slots
Side mounting slots are included, which accept optional cheek risers for non-AR15/M16 applications, allowing you to customize the stock to your needs.
Removable Rubber Butt-Pad
The CTR stock comes with a 0.3-inch removable rubber butt-pad. This pad offers an anti-slip surface and increases impact protection, improving both comfort and stability.
Sling Mounts
The stock is designed with multiple sling mounting options. It features a rear push-button QD swivel sling mount that accommodates up to 1.5-inch swivels, and it also has rear/bottom 1.25-inch sling loops for versatile sling attachment options.
Toe Lanyard Hole
For added customization, the stock includes a lanyard hole in the toe, allowing you to create custom para-cord rigs for your specific needs.
Compatibility with Magpul ASAP and Other Sling Attachments
The CTR stock is compatible with Magpul ASAP and other receiver-mount sling attachments, offering flexibility in how you configure your rifle for various applications.
Overall, the Magpul Industries CTR Rifle Stock is a well-designed and adaptable stock that combines functionality, durability, and user comfort, making it a valuable addition to any AR-15 platform.
Highlights
- Designed for AR-15 and M16
- Weights 8.8 oz.
- Toe – Lanyard hole for custom para-cord rigs
- A-frame design
- length: 6.9 in.
- Reinforced polymer construction
- Removable 0.3-inch Rubber Butt-Pad
- Sling Mounts
2) B5 Systems Bravo Stock AR-15 Collapsible Buttstock
The B5 Systems Bravo Stock as one of the best AR 15 stocks combines ergonomic design, durable construction, and a variety of sling attachment options to create a versatile and reliable AR-15 stock.
Ergonomics
The B5 Systems Bravo Stock offers an ergonomic cheek weld that provides a comfortable and consistent cheek rest for improved shooting stability and accuracy. This feature ensures that your eye lines up naturally with your optics, making target acquisition quicker and more precise.
Color-Matched Steel Hardware
The Bravo Stock features color-matched steel hardware, creating a sleek and cohesive appearance that complements the aesthetics of your AR-15. This attention to detail enhances the overall look of the rifle.
QD Sling Mounts
The stock includes overmolded steel anti-rotational QD sling mounts. These mounts are designed for quick-detach (QD) sling attachments, offering a secure and reliable way to carry your rifle. They prevent unwanted rotation and ensure that your sling remains in the desired position.
Fixed Sling Mounts
In addition to the QD sling mounts, the Bravo Stock also provides fixed sling mounts for versatility in sling attachment options. This accommodates various shooting styles and preferences.
Cushioned Butt Pad
The Bravo Stock is equipped with a no-slip cushioned butt pad that helps maintain a stable and comfortable shoulder weld. This feature also minimizes recoil impact, enhancing your shooting experience.
Suregrip Stock Latch
The Suregrip stock latch is designed for ease of use, allowing for quick and secure adjustments to the stock’s length of pull. This makes it straightforward to adapt the stock to your specific shooting needs.
Made of Mil-Spec Materials and Finishes
The Bravo Stock is constructed from Mil-Spec materials and finishes, ensuring that it meets the quality and durability standards expected from AR-15 components. This robust construction ensures long-lasting performance.
Fits All Mil-Spec AR-15 Receiver Extensions
The Bravo Stock is compatible with all Mil-Spec AR-15 receiver extensions, providing broad compatibility and making it an ideal choice for a wide range of AR-15 builds.
The B5 Systems Bravo Stock is a versatile and feature-rich AR-15 collapsible buttstock designed to enhance the performance and comfort of your rifle.
Highlights
- Ambidextrous Hand
- Color-matched steel hardware
- Weighs 9.3 oz
- 7.2 in length
- Fixed sling mounts
- Fits all Milspec AR15 receiver extensions
- Overmolded steel anti-rotational QD sling mounts
3) Hogue AR-15/M16 OverMold Collapsible Buttstock
The Hogue AR-15/M16 OverMold Collapsible Buttstock combines Hogue’s reputation for quality and precision engineering with a variety of features that prioritize shooter comfort and adaptability.This buttstock delivers a reliable and comfortable platform for your AR-15.
Hogue OverMolded Grips and Forends Compatibility
The Hogue OverMold Collapsible Buttstock is seamlessly compatible with Hogue’s OverMolded grips and forends, ensuring a cohesive and ergonomic interface across your AR-15’s components. This compatibility promotes a consistent grip and feel, optimizing your shooting experience.
Lightweight Construction
Crafted from lightweight, skeletonized reinforced polymer, this buttstock is designed to maintain strength while minimizing unnecessary weight. This feature is ideal for shooters who value a lightweight build without compromising durability.
Design
Hogue’s thoughtful design incorporates an anti-rattle feature, minimizing any distracting noise during use. The beard-safe design ensures that your facial hair remains unharmed, even during rapid fire or intense shooting scenarios.
Collapses
The buttstock is fully adjustable and can be collapsed to the user’s preferred shoulder position. This adaptability accommodates various shooting styles, body sizes, and preferences, offering a custom fit for each shooter.
Snag-Free Shouldering
The stock features a polymer cap that offers a snag-free shouldering experience. This smooth and streamlined design ensures that your stock won’t catch on clothing or gear during quick rifle presentations.
Recoil resistant
To enhance comfort and reduce felt recoil, the Hogue Buttstock includes a rubber/polymer hybrid butt pad. This cushioned pad provides a comfortable and stable surface for shouldering your rifle.
Multiple Swivel Sleeve and Sling Mounting Positions
The stock offers multiple swivel sleeve and sling mounting positions, allowing you to attach your preferred sling for secure carrying and transport. This adaptability ensures that the stock can accommodate different carrying configurations and shooting scenarios.
Precision
The Hogue Buttstock is precision-engineered to fit military specification buffer tubes, which have a standard diameter of 1.15 inches and a length of 7.25 inches. This precise fit ensures a secure and stable connection to your AR-15’s lower receiver.
Highlights
- Designed for M16 and AR-15
- Reinforced Polymer and Overmolded Rubber materials
- Compatible with Hogue OverMolded grips and forends
- Snug anti-rattle friction fit
- Precision fit for military specification buffer tubes
4) Luth-AR MBA-3 Carbine Buttstock
Luth-AR MBA-3 Carbine Buttstock offers an ergonomic and adaptable design, making it a valuable addition to your AR-15. Whether you’re a right-handed or left-handed shooter, its features ensure comfort and stability, while its compatibility with commercial and Mil-Spec buffer tubes broadens its versatility for a variety of AR-15 configurations.
Ergonomic Design
The MBA-3 Carbine Buttstock is engineered with an ergonomic design that prioritizes comfort and user-friendliness. Its thoughtful construction enhances your overall shooting experience by providing a comfortable cheek weld, a stable platform, and adaptability to various body types and shooting preferences.
Commercial and Mil-Spec Buffer Tubes
This buttstock is versatile and adaptable, as it seamlessly fits both commercial and Mil-Spec buffer tubes. This compatibility ensures that it can be used with a wide range of AR-15 builds, offering flexibility for shooters with different setups.
It’s worth noting that while the MBA-3 accommodates most commercial and Mil-Spec buffer tubes, some aftermarket commercial buffer tubes with a diameter exceeding 1.172 inches may not be compatible. Careful consideration is advised to ensure a proper fit.
Color Options
The MBA-3 Carbine Buttstock is available in two color options: classic Black and the versatile Flat Dark Earth finish. These options allow you to choose a buttstock that suits your personal preferences or complements the aesthetics of your rifle.
Fixed Vertical Struts with Left-Handed Cheek Pad
The MBA-3 features fixed vertical struts, which provide robust structural support to the stock. While the cheek piece is not reversible like the MBA-1, it is designed with a cheek pad specifically for left-handed shooters. This consideration makes it a valuable option for southpaw shooters who need a comfortable and supportive cheek weld.
Highlights
- Weight: 18.5 oz
- Length: 8.75 in
- 6061-T6 Aluminum construction
- Ergonomic Design
- Compatible with Commercial and Mil-Spec Buffer Tubes
5) Daniel Defense Collapsible Buttstock
Daniel Defense Collapsible Buttstock is a versatile, high-quality stock option for your AR-15. It features a blend of durable materials, customizable buttpad options, ambidextrous sling attachment points, and Mil-Spec construction, ensuring reliability and adaptability for a wide range of shooting scenarios and preferences.
Durable Construction
This buttstock is crafted from a proprietary blend of glass-infused polymers, which enhances its durability and robustness. This construction ensures that it can withstand the rigors of demanding use in various shooting scenarios. Moreover, it’s finished off with soft-touch rubber over-molding strategically placed in areas where it counts. This rubber over-molding provides enhanced grip and comfort, ensuring a secure and ergonomic hold.
Customizable Buttpad
The Daniel Defense Collapsible Buttstock offers flexibility in its buttpad configuration. It includes two different buttpads and can also be used without any buttpads at all. This adaptability allows operators to customize the buttstock to fit their specific gear, body type, and shooting preferences, ensuring a comfortable and precise fit for each shooter.
QD Swivel Attachment Points
The buttstock incorporates limited rotation quick-detach (QD) swivel attachment points on both sides, making it an ideal choice for ambidextrous sling connections. This feature offers flexibility in sling attachment and facilitates quick transitions between carrying and shouldering the rifle.
Mil-Spec Quality
The Daniel Defense Collapsible Buttstock is built to meet military specifications, ensuring its quality and performance. Its use of glass-reinforced polymer material and precision engineering makes it a reliable and durable choice for AR-15 enthusiasts, tactical operators, and military personnel.
Ambidextrous Design
The buttstock is designed with ambidextrous considerations, making it suitable for both left-handed and right-handed shooters. The integrated QD swivel attachment points on both sides exemplify this ambidextrous design, accommodating different shooting styles and sling configurations.
Highlights
- AR-10 and AR-15 compatible
- Weight: 0.5 lb
- Length: 7 in
- Buffer Tube Size: Mil-Spec
- Glass Reinforced Polymer material
- Ambidextrous hand
6) FAB Defense GL-CORE AR-15/M4 Skeleton Style Buttstock
FAB Defense GL-CORE AR-15/M4 Skeleton Style Buttstock combines an ergonomic design, interchangeable buffer tube adapters, a compact profile, snag-free construction, and secure positioning.
Ergonomically Shaped Rubberized Butt-Pad
The GL-CORE buttstock is equipped with an ergonomically shaped, rubberized butt pad. This feature facilitates quick shouldering of the weapon and smooth maneuvering during shooting. The rubberized texture enhances grip and ensures a stable shoulder weld, improving both accuracy and comfort.
Interchangeable Buffer Tube Adapters
FAB Defense provides interchangeable buffer tube adapters with the GL-CORE buttstock. This feature allows for a secure and tight fit on both Mil-Spec and Commercial buffer tubes, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of AR-15 configurations.
Integrated Cheek Weld
The buttstock features an integrated cheek weld, contributing to a streamlined and compact design. This cheek weld optimizes shooter comfort and proper eye alignment with the sights, enhancing accuracy and control.
No Protruding Parts
The GL-CORE is engineered to have no protruding parts. This design ensures that the stock won’t catch on gear or webbing during movement or quick transitions, maintaining a snag-free and hassle-free shooting experience.
Inversed Positioning Lever
The positioning lever is strategically inverted, ensuring that it will not accidentally open. This added security feature is essential for maintaining a stable and reliable stock position during use.
Two Integrated Quick Detach Rear Sling Swivel Connectors
The buttstock incorporates two integrated quick detach rear sling swivel connectors, offering versatility in sling attachment options. This feature allows for easy and rapid transitioning between carrying and shouldering the rifle.
Construction
Constructed from a durable and lightweight fiberglass-reinforced polymer composite, the GL-CORE buttstock combines the best of both worlds. It provides strength and longevity while keeping overall weight to a minimum, making it a valuable choice for shooters who demand both durability and agility.
Highlights
- No protruding parts
- Fiberglass-reinforced polymer composite material
- Buffer Tube Size: Commercial or MIL-Spec
- Length: 7.09 in
- Gun Model: M4, AR-15
- Ergonomically designed
Read Also
- 6 Best AR 15 Handguards
- 8 Best Gun Safes for AR-15
- 5 Best Magpul Stocks
- 5 Best AR 15 Grips for Small, Medium, Large Hands
Best AR 15 Stock FAQs
What types of AR-15 stocks are available?
AR-15 stocks come in various types, including fixed, collapsible, and adjustable stocks. Some also have unique features like folding or PDW-style stocks.
What is the Difference between Mil-Spec and Commercial buffer tubes?
Mil-Spec and Commercial buffer tubes have different diameters and thread patterns. It’s important to choose a stock that matches your buffer tube type to ensure a proper fit.
Do adjustable stocks make a difference in shooting comfort and accuracy?
Yes, adjustable stocks allow you to customize the length of pull and cheek weld, enhancing comfort and improving accuracy by ensuring a proper fit for your body and shooting style.
Are there legal restrictions on certain AR-15 stocks?
Some stocks, like collapsible and folding stocks, may be subject to legal restrictions in certain jurisdictions. It’s essential to be aware of local firearm laws and regulations.
What’s the difference between a fixed stock and a collapsible stock?
A fixed stock remains in a single position, providing stability but less adaptability. A collapsible stock can be adjusted to different lengths, allowing for customization and ease of storage or transport.
What are some popular brands known for high-quality AR-15 stocks?
Several reputable brands offer high-quality AR-15 stocks, including Magpul, B5 Systems, Luth-AR, Daniel Defense, Hogue, and FAB Defense, among others.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the choice of the best AR 15 stock is a highly personal decision, influenced by your shooting style, intended use, and individual comfort. The perfect stock should provide a stable and ergonomic platform that complements your AR-15 and optimizes your shooting experience.
Ultimately, the best AR-15 stock is the one that enhances your accuracy, comfort, and overall satisfaction with your firearm, making each shot an enjoyable and precise experience.