Battlelink Minimalist Stock Review

I received a few new items in the mail today, among them the relatively new to the market Mission First Tactical Battlelink Minimalist Stock.

While there aren’t as many options for trimming weight off your M4 AEG as there are real steel, furniture selection can make a distinct difference in feel, weight, and handling. The BMS, as it is known, is advertised
as the “lightest stock on the market” – one of its primary selling features amongst an ultra-low-profile design and of course an overall ‘minimalist’ design.

Features and Specifications

  • 5.8 oz. total weight.
  • Reinforced DuPont Polyamid construction.
  • Angled non-slip rubberized buttpad.
  • Quick Detach Sling mounting point incorporated for optimum
    usage with ambidextrous shooters.
  • Offered for Mil-Spec and Commercial buffer tube diameters (most AEG’s use Mil-Spec diamters, but it pays heed to check before purchasing.)
  • Made in the USA.
  • Average retail price of $59.99
Besides being incredibly lightweight, the other immediately noticeable feature of this stock is the fact that it doesn’t have a traditional triangular design. Instead it is more “L” shaped, which may be a point of criticism

for some; i.e. “it’s not going to be as strong as a traditional stock design.” In other words don’t try to break a door down with it. I do not feel this is a claim with much merit, though, as an M4 is hardly suited for this task to begin with (that’s how I destroyed a buffer tube once.) Get an AK if you want to be in the business of breaking doors.

The minimalist design extends to the release latch, which is a flush-fitting design that doesn’t protrude into places it shouldn’t. Fitment of the stock to the buffer tube is quite tight. It does not rattle or wiggle much, which is a nice feature for the noise conscious. The top of the stock features a witness whole for those who might have
buffer tubes with numbered positions. Just forward of the stock latch is a QD socket for Quick-Detach sling swivels. It is non-rotational limited, which is a plus in my book, but may be a negative for those who prefer rotational-limited sockets. The angled buttplate is made of a hard rubberized material that is quite grippy. I definitely appreciate the angle of the bottom toe on the stock as it allows for faster presentation from the low-ready position. It just seems to clear the shoulder better than a Magpul CTR stock, or even the standard A2 style.

Size-wise, this stock is nearly the same size as the Magpul CTR stock in length and buttpad height, minus the extra support arm. It is, however, lighter than the CTR stock.

Some have mentioned that the L shaped design might snag more on your gear, clothing, etc. Through my testing, I have yet to snag the stock on my load bearing gear or my clothing. Mission First Tactical is now offering a paracord “cobra braid” for those who are concerned. Whether or not you need this is up to individual preference. I personally do not feel it is a necessary item.

The BMS stock is offered in the following colors:

  • Black
  • Flat Dark Earth (discontinued – and actually this is a very light tan color, not true FDE)
  • Foliage Green
  • Grey
  • Scorched Dark Earth (exact color match to Magpul FDE)

For my build I selected Foliage Green colorway. It doesn’t quite match the shade of Foliage as used by Magpul in their MIAD grip, nor does it quite match the VLTOR CASV-M (however, the Magpul grip and the CASV color shades are near identical). It’s just a bit lighter, but still recognizable as Foliage. For the color purists who need everything to absolutely match, you will likely have a nervous breakdown. I suggest you speed-dial your Cerakote refinisher before ordering this stock.

Conclusions

I’m pretty happy with this stock and would have no problems recommending it to someone who’s looking for an ultra-lightweight package. I do not feel it is a weakly designed part – rather the contrary; it feels very rigid and sturdy. I also feel that it comes off the low-ready faster than any other stock out there, mostly due to the angled in toe on the bottom of the buttplate.Coupled with weight loss treatments to the front-end, or perhaps nylon / plastic (forgive me, but eeeeeew) receivers you could have yourself a really lightweight build.

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