Precision rifle build: buttstock w/ recoil pad vs stock w/ cheekweld?

[Hygienist]

Hey all,

I'm building a .308 AR that I'd like to serve a precision role. I'm trying to keep its weight just under 8 lbs, which limits my choice of buttstock. So far it seems to be between the Vltor IMOD w/ clubfoot (the cheekweld choice), vs a Magpul CTR w/ either the enhanced recoil pad or the new limbsaver pad for Magpul stocks (the recoil pad choice). Storage does not matter.

The .308 is going to have a MAMS compensator (once I get a hold of one), a rifle gas barrel, JP lightweight carrier, and an adjustable gas block. Therefore, I'm hoping even without a recoil pad, that recoil shouldn't be bad at all. However, I plan on trying to get a load developed for 208gr A-Max, which I'm guessing would be less pleasant to shoot than the usual 175gr.

So far, I've been thinking that due to the above measures taken against recoil, that perhaps I should go with the improved cheekweld of the IMod vs the CTR to which I can mount a limbsaver pad.

So basically, what should I go for? Cheekweld or a recoil pad? I'm thinking the recoil shouldn't be that bad which would make a recoil pad unnecessary, but then again I thought that maybe the IMod's cheekweld wouldn't cause a noticeable improvement over the CTR. Thoughts?

[Atticus_1354]

What about the Magpul STR?

[Hygienist]

That would actually be a great choice for me since it has both the cheekweld and recoil pad option, but unfortunately it's really pushing the rifle overweight at that point, which is something I'm really trying to avoid if I can.

A CTR with a limbsaver pad is just at the threshold of my weight limit (I'll admit it's an arbitrary limit). A STR without a big recoil pad is already just past the threshold, and with a limbsaver pad I'm going to guess it'll break my limit by perhaps .25lbs or so. I'm perhaps open to sucking it up and just dealing with the extra weight, but if either the IMod or the CTR can serve my needs without compromising much for the precision rifle role then I'd prefer that first probably.

[MistWolf]

Is 8 lbs a realistic target weight? The S&W M&P-10 is about the lightest AR 308 out there and it weighs in at 7.7 lbs.

For a light weight adjustable stock, I like the Magpul STR. For an adjustable stock for a precision rifle, I like the Magpul UBR. I know it's a heavier stock, but I like the cheek weld and it's very durable.

For me, having a good cheek weld is more important than the recoil pad on a self loading 308. I haven't tried anything heavier than 175 gr, but I find recoil is very manageable with the steel butt plate on a standard weight M14.

If you do go with the UBR, you'll have a good cheek weld and the option of installing a thicker butt pad

[Atticus_1354]

I'm perhaps open to sucking it up and just dealing with the extra weight, but if either the IMod or the CTR can serve my needs without compromising much for the precision rifle role then I'd prefer that first probably.

Well I have the EMOD on a precision .223 and I love the cheek weld and consider a recoil pad on any rifle to be unnecessary so I guess my vote would be the IMOD.

[ShootinRN]

A good brake goes far on mitigating recoil, I too would put emphasis on cheek weld and consistency.

[Troy9749]

My AR10 is a lightweight carbine with an a2 and the recoil is minimal. I shoot 40-60 rounds at a time, and I'm 5'10, 170. I would go with cheek weld. I've had groups go from 2 moa to under one by getting the right stock and scope ring height combo on a rifle.

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[Hygienist]

Thanks guys, at the minimum I'll be going for something with a great cheekweld.

@Mistwolf, I've been using and abusing the AR weight calc over at Vuurwarpen to get a feel for finished weight on my AR10. I have the stripped upper, stripped lower, and lightweight BCG in hand already, so I weighed those and added the additional oz over a AR15 to the finished weight. I also tried to account for everything else that'd be heavier going to the AR10, and it seems to be saying just under 8 lbs as long as I keep the stock reasonable (such as an IMod).

But anyway, now I'd suppose it's the IMod versus an STR with a limbsaver pad thrown on. I'm going to assume same cheekweld, and so to me the only benefit of going over to an STR is a limbsaver pad. For the sole benefit of a limbsaver pad I'll be adding approx 0.40lbs in total (a bit of a guess depending on how much the pad weighs). I calculated the total weight of the gun with everything thrown on including a light, 1-4x scope, and mag, and with an IMod it's a bit more than 10.8lbs; with the STR and limbsaver it'll be north of 11.2lbs.

So basically, would you take a fully loaded .308 10.8lb rifle, or a 11.2lb rifle with the only difference being a nice limbsaver pad? Bearing in mind there's a MAMS on the rifle, along with rifle length gas and a lightweight carrier tuned with adjustable gas. And for the sake of it, let's assume you're taking it to a very high round count carbine class that was tailored for people with 5.56 rifles. Weight diff might instead be 11.3lbs vs 11.7lbs w/ limbsaver if I opt for something like a US optic 1-8 in lieu of the TR24 I used to get the weight guesstimate with.

[justin_247]

The KAC SR-25 is a little over 9 lbs...

I assume you're going to use some kind of lightweight, non-SS barrel?

[Hygienist]

Compared to the KAC:

Upper is lighter (DPMS Lightweight Upper)
BCG is much lighter (JP Lightweight BCG @14.5oz total)
Stock is lighter (SOPMOD vs IMod)
Buffer is a bit lighter I'd assume (DPMS Carbine vs KAC's)
Rail is probably lighter (Troy slick rail)


The KAC M110K2 is apparently 7.7lbs with a lightweight barrel, so it's possible. Except I'll be using a lightweight carrier to get even less weight, and use that to be able to use a heavier barrel while meeting the same target weight.

Edit

Measured all the parts I had, referenced online for exact weights of parts I didn't. Missing locking ring/end plate, gas tube, ambi bolt release weights.

Currently sitting at 5.65bs excluding the bbl and extension (gas block was accounted for though), and the above. So I'll end up just over 8 lbs with something like a Rainier ultramatch 16" @ 2lb 7oz, or just under with something like a Proof Research 16" @ 2.1lbs