Product Review: CAA Stock Saddle
This Month’s product review focuses on Command Arms Accessories’ Stock Saddle for the M16 family of weapons:
Having owned a civilian version of the M4 carbine for many years, I found myself asking more of the standard stock configurations. Up until the past few years, the un-modified M16 family of weapons offered either a fixed stock, collapsable Type 1 stock, or collapsable Type 2 stock. The fixed stock is the standard for the 20″ barreled rifles, with the Type 1 (CAR stock) and Type 2 (current M4) collapsable stocks being used on the shorter 16″ and 14.5″ barreled carbines. I’ve found that while the standard fixed stock M16/AR15 offers great stability and a repeatable cheek weld for long distance shots, it lacks the versatility and manueverability of a collapsable stock for close-quarters applications. The Type 1 and Type 2 collapsable stocks allow for more precise adjustments, but tend to lack a solid and consistent cheek weld due to the fact that your face is resting against the relatively skinny buffer tube of the rifle. Up until now, the only solution to my dilemma was discarding traditional stocks and upgrading to a solution costing between $150 and $300. Notice I said “Up until now!”
Command Arms Accessories designed a product that provided a solution to the cheek-weld problem of collapsable stocks. This Stock Saddle attaches to the Type 1 or Type 2 stock, provides water-proof provisions for battery storage (mandated by today’s optics platforms and light/laser attachments), increases the surface area of the cheek-weld, and provides sling attachment points. At a price point of around $22, the CAA Stock Saddle is an attractive solution to someone who finds the traditional stock options lacking in the ergonomics department. Replacement stock solutions cost several times more, yet they provide the same end result.
Enough talk for now, how about some pics! You don’t need to tell Erik of RHP that a picture is worth a thousand words!
The Good: The saddle makes the cheek weld 100x better when in the closed down ore “one out” position, stores batteries, and provides sling loops
The Bad: The Type 1 CAR stock required modification. I had to dremel off the sling loop on top of the CAR stock. The M4 (Type 2) stock doesn’t have this loop, but the design of the original CAR stock (Type 1) incorporates the loop which locks the sling strap in position. The screw-to-nut arrangement is lacking! I wound up using Elmer’s glue to get the nuts to stay put so they wouldn’t fall out of place while I screwed the saddle down into the stock body.
The Ugly: It makes the stock look like the LMT “Crane” stock. Probably not everyone’s spot of tea, but I kinda like it. Now that the stock has been modified, if I ever decide to leave this configuration, I better be prepared to buy a whole new stock. To me it was worth it, as the skinny CAR stock didn’t feel comfy with regards to the cheek weld. If I wasn’t happy with it as it was, there would’ve been no sense keeping it anyways. This was my last ditch solution to not spending $150-$300 for a different stock.
You can pick up this accessory at On Point Firearms at a reduced price!
-Erik @ On Point