Embrace The Law
[dcs_img_center desc=”Law Tactical Gen II Folding Stock Adapter | Photo by Jody Lewis, Crossfire Photography”
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[dcs_fancy_header bgcolor=”#ffffff” color=”#000000″ fweight=”bold”]Guns & Tactics presents Steve Coulston’s review of the Gen II Folding Stock Adapter from Law Tactical.[/dcs_fancy_header]
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I think most of us can agree that the M16/M4 has made an impact on our nation. It has served the United States and our allies in many conflicts around the globe and the similar AR15 modern sporting rifle is an all-time favorite for the American shooting community. It is a rifle millions of Americans use for hunting, home defense, competition and recreation. It has served us well for over half a century. During that time it has gone through a few changes as the gun has matured and evolved, however, most of the mechanics of the firearm have stayed the same. This remains true for the extension tube and buffer assembly. As most of you know, this portion of the firearm is responsible for returning the bolt carrier group back into battery during the firing sequence. It is also needed to attach a stock to the rifle in order to be fired from the shoulder. Without the extension tube, buffer and buffer spring, the M16/M4/AR15 will not cycle. It is an inherent part of the gun’s design and functionality.
For the most part, this isn’t an issue. With the inception of the telescoping stock and the vast amounts of different styles to choose from, the AR is easily tailored to each individual shooter. There are some shooters, however, that require a more compact firearm. This may apply to security teams, special military units, law enforcement, air crews, etc. SBRs will make the rifle more compact, however there is no getting around the fact the stock mounted extension tube adds extra length, even when fully collapsed.
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Enter LAW TACTICAL, LLC. The company was founded in 2010 by Zachary Law with the sole purpose to develop and market tactical equipment and accessories for the AR15 and M16 series of rifles. They developed an ingenious little device called the Gen II Folding Stock Adapter. This product effectively solves the problem of folding the stock on the AR. So how does it work?
The adapter I received came with an assembled hinge assembly, bolt carrier extension, proprietary buffer retaining pin and spring, a couple of packets of Vibra-Tite and installation instructions. Upon examination it was evident the adapter was a solid piece of equipment. It is has a hardened anodized aluminum housing with hardened steel locking lug, hinge, bolt carrier extension and latch. It has some weight to it and feels very substantial. So far, so good.
Prior to install, it is very important to first read the instructions. The instructions that come with the adapter are very detailed and have easy to understand schematics. The hinge actually needs to be partially disassembled prior to attaching it to your lower receiver. Once disassembled, the adapter can be installed to your lower once you have your old stock removed. The adapter is secured to the lower with a threaded flange that will need to be coated with the Vibra-Tite fifteen minutes prior to installation. A word to the wise, use gloves or a brush to apply the Vibra-Tite to the flange. That stuff sticks to the skin and is a pain to get off. Once the Vibra-Tite has dried, use the flange to secure the adapter to the lower receiver. You will need to use an armorer’s stock wrench handle to tighten the flange. The receiver plate of a carbine stock assembly can also be used to tighten the flange, which was the approach I took. Once secured, the extension tube can be installed the same way it would normally be installed on a lower receiver. Make sure you use the proprietary buffer retaining pin and spring! You will then need to install the bolt carrier extension. This is a fairly straight forward process, however you will need to remove this part before you can separate the upper and lower for maintenance. This requires a flat head screw driver so make sure you have one on your multi tool or in your range bag. This is pretty much the only drawback to the adapter; however it is something I can live with as the functionality of the adapter overshadows the inconvenience of removing the bolt carrier extension from time to time. Once all the parts are fully installed according the manufactures instructions, function check the rifle to make sure all the gun cycles properly.
[dcs_img_center desc=”Law Tactical Gen II Folding Stock Adapter | Photo by Jody Lewis, Crossfire Photography”
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The folding stock adapter will not affect the function of the firearm in the unfolded/deployed position. It can be used on both direct impingement and piston operated ARs. The adapter is compatible with both milspec and commercial extension tubes and works with both semi and full auto bolt carrier groups for both 5.56 (AR15) and .308 (AR10) rifle variants. Once installed, I was very pleased to find that the stock locked up really tight. No wiggle or play. The stock is held in the folded position by hinge tension which can be adjusted. I made mine fairly snug in order to keep the stock from flopping open inadvertently. It should be noted the stock folds along the left hand side of the gun and more importantly, was not designed to be fired when folded. Let me say this another way, “DO NOT FIRE THE GUN WITH THE STOCK FOLDED!” If you do you will have a serious malfunction and can damage you or the firearm. When the stock is folded, you can read the words, “Do not fire.” There is also a bolt carrier block that is deployed to prevent the carrier from ending up in your face or other body parts.
At the range, the adapter worked flawlessly. We had two adapters on hand. One was mated with a Magpul CTR stock and the other gun had a Magpul UBR stock installed. The CTR, due to its profile, folded flat, while the UBR couldn’t quite close all the way due to the larger profile of the extension tube. Deploying the stock is very simple and it locks in place with an audible click. Folding the stock can be done by pushing a single button located on the right side of the adapter. We also mated it to an ARAK-21 upper with a 12.5” barrel. This put a smile on everyone’s faces when folded because of how compact it was. Also, as the ARAK-21 doesn’t need an extension tube and buffer like a traditional AR, the bolt carrier extension is not needed and it can be fired with the stock folded. The adapter made storing the rifle in a back pack, patrol car, or aircraft much easier and it didn’t affect the time it took to deploy the rifle. As a bonus it also has a QD sling point machined into the housing at the 6 o’clock position.
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Over all, I think LAW TACTICAL, LLC has a winner on their hands. It is a very well-made part that solves the folding stock dilemma. I plan on keeping the adapter on my lower for sure. The adapters can be ordered direct from LAW TACTICAL, LLC for $199.00 here: http://www.lawtactical.com/product_p/2012201.htm
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