The Archangel M1A Precision stock VS JAE-100 GEN 3 Precision Rifle Stock for the M1A

Interesting thread found here

Hello this is Mike Ballard from Archangel. I'm the Director of R&D here. While ProMag is our parent company, and I do help with development of some of the newer ProMag items, everything that gets an Archangel logo comes out of my department, and all aspects of it's construction, materials, and design are specified by me.

You can see me showing off some of the Archangel products here.

http://www.youtube.com/archangeldevelopment

I have been in the shooting industry for over 20 years. I've designed products for Hogue, Knoxx/Blackhawk and others. I'm a competitive shooter, and every design I have ever produced has been done with the shooter in mind. In fact, every product I've designed is done so in the same way I would want to have it if I were going to be buying it myself. The last stock I designed for Knoxx before I left there was the Axiom for both the bolt guns and the Ruger 10/22. It won the 2008 NRA Golden Bullseye award for product accessory of the year.

The M1A Precision stock was 100% designed by me, and is manufactured in USA. The material used to mold the stock is 100% USA as well. The polymer is a Dupont Zytel based blend that is impact modified, infused with carbon fiber fill, and has been developed through extensive destructive testing to be extremely light weight, super durable, and thermally/dimensionally stable. Though I am biased being the designer of the stock, I find it to be the most comfortable, accurate, and lightweight stock for the M1A that I've ever shot.

For the people who keep saying that I simply knocked off the JAE stock...

I must say, I like the JAE stock. I like a gooseneck style buttstock. I like adjustability. It's a solid platform, and there will be people who find the JAE the stock for them and their particular use. But there is a lot that I don't like about their design too. This is where I have departed from the JAE design fully and completely. When I was given the go ahead for a new M1A stock, I was also given the ok to do whatever I wanted. First off, I didn't like the weight of the JAE. It was FAR to heavy. I didn't like that you had to remove the cheek riser to get to your iron sights. I certainly didn't like the $1800 price tag. I don't like the thermally unstable nature of aluminum. I don't like the fact that you need tools to remove the action from the stock in the field. I didn't like the feel of the grip in my hand. I didn't like that the length of pull must be adjusted with tools with the removal of or addition of plates. The patented "tension" adjustment is difficult to adjust for accuracy, and took me a long time to get it dialed into sub MOA accuracy. It needed to be readjusted when the action was removed from the stock. I didn't like that there was no storage area anywhere on the stock.

The Archangel M1A Precision stock was computer designed to use limited material where strength wasn't needed, and extra material where it would be required to keep the stock rigid and tough. The AAM1A stock has achieved 3 POUNDS of weight reduction from our friendly competitor. The grip area has been designed to be much more ergonomic and place the pad of your finger (or at least mine) right where it should be on the trigger. In fact, if you look carefully at the side profile of the stock, you will notice that it's COMPLETELY different. From the shape of the grip, the off hand hook under the cheek adjuster, and the included rail cover for the forend that puts an ergonomic palm rest right where it's comfortable. There is grip storage that can house a broken case extractor and a bore snake. The cheek riser can adjust quickly to iron sight height should you use a scope with a see through mount, rings, or a quick release lever. The length of pull can be adjusted by click so you can adjust for different shooters at the range easily. There are no tools required to remove the action in the field. There is a molded in 6 o'clock rail to be utilized for vertical grips, bi-pods, lights, or designators. It's got molded in QD sling swivel attachments on both sides, and it also features conventional sling swivel studs. The stock has been designed to automatically tension fit the action, we are getting sub MOA accuracy with stock barrels, NM sights, and Black Hills ammo.... And it has an MSRP of only $299.

As far as the web of hand thing goes, if I hang my hand off the side of a traditional riflestock grip area, I can get the web of my hand below where the trigger exits the stock and can still fire it... Does this make all riflestocks have a "conspicuous pistol grip"? I don't think the M1A Precision would be considered a conspicuous pistol grip, because it does not protrude like a pistol, and you can't grip it from the bottom... When you place your hand on the grip, the web of your hand is clearly higher than where the trigger exits the stock. It's a gooseneck not a pistol grip! There is also the "collapseable stock" issue as well. But considering that the M1A precision is 1/2" longer length of pull than the original stock in it's shortest adjustment, it's hardly a "colapseable stock" But I'm no lawyer, and we have not had a ruling from anyone of any authority yet. The moddled bridge piece mentioned in a post above and pinning the length of pull (or a bullet button BLECH!) is the safest bet until we know more. I will keep you posted.


Best Regards,

Mike Ballard
Director of Research & Development
Archangel Manufacturing