Anyone try an M1A in a VLTOR stock? compared to Sage EBR?

[MrRob]

I have a springfield M1A scout in the standard black synthetic stock that I enjoy a great deal and am looking to upgrade to make it easier to mount optics to and more stable/accurate...and Im looking into the VLTOR M1A Stock and also the Sage EBR stock set up and wonder if its worth the $.

Also I do understand I'll still need some type of scope mount, maybe something like a Sadlak or Smith Enterprises scope mount as well. Right now its just Irons. I mostly use the rifle at the range now, some hunting. Im generally ok with the roughly ''2 MOA it could do, but Id like to have the option to scope it.

Does anybody have any first hand experience with either the VLTOR or EBR?

I know the Sage EBR chassis is heavier, but is it noticably heavier than the VLTOR? Is the Sage EBR harder to order/on backorder compared to the VLTOR? Any other thoughts or experience is appreciated?>

 

[henschman]

I have had a Vltor Modstock, and my good shooting buddy has a Scout in a Sage EBR (the original kind with the telescoping stock). Of the two, I like the Vltor better. It is quite a bit lighter weight, and I like how the entire stock adjusts for height. The cheek pad on the EBR doesn't extend far enough forward for me when I am turkey-necked out on it... my cheek is always wanting to hang off the front of the cheek rest on my buddy's rifle. And I am only 5'9", and don't have a particularly long neck. It seems like it was designed more for the head position you would have for shooting off a bench, more so than field positions.

But for my own rifle, I just ended up going back to the plain old plastic Springfield stock with a kydex cheek riser. As much lighter as the Vltor is than the Sage, the Springfield plastic is lighter still. Call me a wuss, but for a rifle I take into the field, I like it to be nice and light. That said, my buddy and I both competed in a 2.5 mile run n' gun a couple weeks ago, and he actually ran a better time than I did, even humping that 15+ pound beast in the EBR stock. I guess he's used to lugging around heavy equipment, since he carried 240B in the Army. I did better on the shooting though, so I came out on top on the total score! The guy who won the whole event was also running an M-14, just a plain old iron sighted one in a fiberglass stock. That dude is a beast.

One thing about the Vltor Modstock is that it doesn't have a whole ton of elevation adjustment in the stock. Back then I had an ACOG, which sat fairly high, and it didn't have enough adjustment. Currently I have a 1-4x mounted as low as a scope can possibly be mounted over the receiver on one of these rifles (about 1/16" over the rear sight with it adjusted all the way down), and the Vltor has JUST enough adjustment to give proper cheek weld for it. FYI.

 

[MrRob]

Thanks henchman, that's exactly the type of comparason I'm looking for.

That's interesting that you ended up going back to the lighter Springfield plastic stock. I prefer lighter rifles too, and wonder if maybe the $ for a vltor or sage chassis might be better spent elsewhere.

Just wondering, which kyndex cheek riser did you go with and would you recommend it?

Also, which scope mount I'd you use? I had a secong generation springfield mount they were giving away with the rifle, that could seem to stay attached that well; then later a utg mount I got for sale at a gun show that had the same problem. I've looked into the sadlak mounts, both the aluminum and the airborne, but wondered what type of mounts others were running.

Thanks again, your comments and experience is appreciated.

 

[Driftertank]

Have a friend with an M1A. He was looking at the Vltor stock. The CASV-14 monolithic rail/handguard looks nice too...

Anyway, one thought we had on the Modstock, was that, in theory at least, you should be able to put an A2 buffer tube and a Magpul PRS for an AR on it, could you not? THAT would offer a lot of adjustment...

 

[henschman]

I used a DWP cheek rest, but it came with big heavy knobs that I didn't like, so I switched them out for the same kind that is used on the Karsten and Tacpro cheek rests. If I were getting another one, I would probably go with the Tacpro, since it has a contoured top that puts your head more in line with the optic.

As for the scope mount, I have an ARMS #18. I like it because it sits so low that I can see my full iron sight picture over the top of it, when the optic is removed. Along with the Sadlak that you mentioned, the Bassett Low mount is another quality one. I will post a pic of my current setup as soon as I get a chance.

 

[henschman]

Here is how my rifle looks in it's current setup.

 

[henschman]

FYI it weighs 8.5 lbs. without the scope and cheek rest, and 11 lbs. with. Even with the scope setup it is very manageable for toting through the woods. I imagine a Scout with the same setup would be another pound or so lighter.

 

[boricua9mm]

The VLTOR stock is actually slightly lighter than a USGI fiberglass stock. The new plastic Springfield stocks may be lighter, but they also seem to flex a lot more, which is less than ideal especially when it comes to front band tension. The eMod buttstock is very nice and as previously mentioned, it is adjustable for height. The tube is dovetailed for the aluminum block, so another extension tube cannot be used, but anything that will fit a MilSpec diameter carbine tube will be compatible. The extension tube offers waterproof storage, as does the pistol grip and the eMod buttstock. Personally, I prefer the ergos to that of the traditional stock.

The VLTOR does not offer any sort of bedding as an integral part of the design. If you want bedding, this would have to be done separately. The EBR and JAE stocks offer bedding that is integral to the stock system themselves.

I like the VLTOR M14 Modstock a lot, but others may not see the benefits to justify the $500 price tag.