If the carbine stock is so much better, why would anyone want to use a rifle stock? Sometimes, lightweight and compact aren’t what you need for a specific rifle setup. Generally, AR15 stocks offer much more stability and durability at the expense of weight. This is great for those looking to get every bit of accuracy out of their rifle.
Where an adjustable stock will rattle—with the exception of a few really good stocks—and prevent a consistent cheek weld, a fixed rifle stock won’t move allowing you to position the rifle to your body the exact same way every time you present it. This is tremendously important for long range competition shooters, 3-gun competition shooters, and hunters alike where precision is key.
One of the most common reasons people choose fixed rifle length stocks is for long range competition shooting. While the standard A2 rifle stock is certainly capable and is even a requirement in certain military competitions, the market has grown significantly and added many features to their designs to meet the demands of serious competition shooters.
So, maybe it is time to upgrade. Enter, you guessed it, Magpul. The Magpul PRS Precision Rifle Stock has all the rock-solid stability that you need to be consistent, and all the adjustability that you need to ensure the rifle is perfectly tailored to your body shape and shooting position. And to top it off, the PRS can be used with both rifle length and carbine length buffer tubes, so you can easily throw it on your carbine with minimal effort.
However, the PRS isn’t the only AR15 fixed stock on the market designed for long range shooting. The Luth AR MBA-1 Modular Buttstock Assembly is popular with competition shooters because it offers a lot of the same adjustable features, but is much lighter, so you can carry it all day. The integrated castle nut and lock ring is a nice touch as well. Remember when I said that AR15 fixed stocks are generally heavier? I probably should have put more emphasis on “generally”. Check out this next rifle stock built for 3-gun competition.
If 3-gun competition is the end goal for your rifle and you are tired of the bone stock… stock, then we recommend the Odin Works Zulu 2.0 Stock. This rifle stock comes with its own rifle length buffer tube already attached, so it will require a little more work to get on your rifle. However, removing the buffer tube is quite easy and you can reuse your castle nut and end plate.
This AR15 fixed stock is actually not fixed as the rear butt pad section can be fine tuned to your perfect length of pull. This unique stock design that uses the buffer tube as the main body, is extremely lightweight and rigid, allowing you to get a consistent cheek weld and is easy to maneuver quickly through stages without weighing you down.
Guess what? AR15 fixed stocks can get even lighter. Because of the one-piece design and increased rigidity, companies like Lancer Systems can get away with using materials like carbon fiber that retain all the strength of polymer at half the weight.
This stock, like the Zulu 2.0, is better for 3-gun compared to long range, because of the weight factor combined with the consistent cheek weld perfect for fast and accurate shooting while on the move. It is the best of both worlds for close to medium range shooting while still being capable for those longer-range hits. Though, unlike the PRS and MBA-1, it lacks the adjustability that is almost a necessity for extremely long-range shooting.
If you are looking for an AR15 fixed stock that doesn’t need all those fancy adjustments and high-tech materials and is just built like a tank for your hunting rifle, we have the Magpul MOE Fixed Rifle Stock. I know, you are probably tired of hearing that name, but they really know what they are doing when it comes to AR15 stocks and have one for just about every scenario.
This Fixed rifle stock is built around the same design philosophy as the classic A2 rifle stock—Marine proof. No matter how many times you slam it against the ground to clear a stuck casing out of the chamber it won’t break. It even comes with modern improvements like 4 different QD sling attachment points and a standard sling loop, so carrying your rifle to your favorite hunting spot is less of a chore. The large internal storage compartment is a great spot to carry oil, replacement parts, or snacks to make sure you and your rifle are always operating at maximum performance.
On the complete opposite side of the spectrum are AR15 PDW stocks. PDW stands for personal defense weapon and are extremely compact weapon systems that are easy to carry in a bag or in your car while still being quick to deploy. Now you can adapt that philosophy to your very own AR-15 with these new unique designs that are even more compact than a standard AR 15 collapsible stock.