Magpul ACS Stock Review

[Stickman]

MAGPUL ACS


www.magpul.com


Magpul is well known for their stocks, as well as other equipment that they make for the AR15/ M16 family of weapons. I've been using a prototype Magpul ACS stock since the later portion of 2008. What follows are my thoughts on the stock, and I'll try to answer some of the more common questions I've been asked.



Starting with an overview, the Magpul Adaptive Carbine Storage Stock (ACS) is a carbine stock, and is medium weight at .75lbs. For comparison, the Magpul CTR weighs in at .57lbs, and the Magpul UBR comes in at a more hefty 1.25lbs. The stock is polymer, and similar in material to other Magpul stocks, which should make for a stock which can hold up to more than its fair share of abuse. It also has multiple compartments for storage, more about that a little later. The Magpul ACS continues in the CTR tradition in that is uses a cam lever which locks the stock to the carbine receiver extension (buffer tube).

[Stickman]

Starting from the shooters left side of the stock, the Magpul ACS has clean smooth lines. While that may seem more like a nicety, or simply to look good, the ergonomics are highly function, and the stock has a snag free overall feel to it. When deploying from inside a vehicle, especially a police cruiser or military vehicle loaded with troops and equipment, the last thing anyone needs is a sharp edge getting caught up or snagged. Most LEO are deploying carbines to high threat situations, and speed is often of the essence. There is no point in having equipment hang up as you are trying to pull your weapon out of your overhead rack, which is already awkward in the best of situations.

Moving along its lines, we can also see that the Magpul ACS is available with QD sockets, which are useful for those people who enjoy a sling mounted to their stock. A standard sling mount is also built in for shooters who prefer a more permanent mounting point.

[Stickman]

Moving over to the other side, we can immediately see a storage compartment.

This compartment is easily accessible, and can be used for many things, to include earplugs, bore snake, lube or any other small items you can think of. The inside is hard polymer, and will rattle if hard items are dropped inside without cushion, so an easy fix that I've seen people use is to throw in a few foam ear plugs. These will silence any rattle, and are always useful at the range for when your shooting partner forgot theirs.

QD mounts are ambi, and are also removable for those who see no need for them. Battery storage continues on both sides as well.

The locking cam integrates smoothly into the body when locked into position.

[Stickman]

The rear of the ACS continues with the same rubber pad that the CTR and UBR use. This gives nice traction, especially when in heavy armor or when shooting in nylon jackets. The ACS will be able to wear the upcoming Magpul enhanced stock pad, which will slightly increase the length of pull, and will decrease felt recoil. While felt recoil may not be a large issue for most shooters with the .223/ 5.56 calibers, this stock will also work nicely with its heavier caliber siblings like the 6.5, 6.8, and .308.

[Stickman]

While the above features are all nice, its the battery compartments that give the ACS its solid cheekweld, and all of the LEO and MIL who have used this stock for dryfire or live shooting have liked the feel when pulled up to their face.

The ACS will hold three of the 3 volt 123A batteries in each side, or two of the standard 1.5 volt AA batteries. Storage is simple, and the multiple ridges ensure a waterproof and positive seal. The angled end is a nice touch, and show that Magpul wanted to make sure that the caps wouldn't be snagged on anything. The caps face to the rear of the stock, and there is no need to remove the stock from the receiver extension (buffer tube) to gain access.

[Stickman]

The Magpul ACS stock has now replaced the early model CTR that I've carried on my duty weapon since the CTR was a prototype stock. The timing is convenient as I've also recently changed out my duty weapon. The CTR will stay on the old weapon, and the ACS sits on the new one.

As we get to the end of this review, I want to take a moment and answer a few of the questions that I have been asked on various boards and in email.

One of the most common question I get is about how it feels. I realize that is a very subjective question, and its also one that varies depending on the configuration of the weapon. With that in mind, I've made it a point to run live fire, or at a minimum do dry fire drills with this lower on various uppers.



I'll start out with a heavy carbine. While a team member in Desert Storm, from time to time I carried the M203. The weapon was heavy, and long. While the below picture is obviously much shorter than the 20" M16 I carried, it is much closer to what troops are carrying now (obviously minus the LMT piston upper). As anyone who has humped a 203 around knows, the firepower is nice, but the weight when shooting is unbalanced to say the least. The Magpul ACS stock is NOT heavy enough to offset that balance, but the cheekweld makes a large difference to me when compared to a standard M4 stock while firing the carbine. I've not live fired this 203, so I'll with hold comment on that until I do.

Overall, a heavy carbine feels better to me with the ACS.