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Posted: 3/17/2003 4:15:40 AM EDT
| Several of the new stocks work only on Colt buffer tubes. What tubes are currently available (3 pos, 4 pos, 6 pos, 7 pos)? Where? Best price? Will my bushmaster buffer and spring work? |
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Just for the record, all Colt tubes, from the earlist SP1 types to the present, are the same diameter, and are slightly smaller than all the aftermarket tubes. Buffers and springs are all the same size, give or take a couple of thousanths[:D]. By the same token, all aftermarket tubes are a bit larger than all the Colts, though they all seem to be the same size; at least the Bushie, Rock River, J&T, and no name units I've checked out are. Do you already have a Colt butt stock that you want to put on a Colt reciever extension? That's the only reason I can see for buying the extension only, since I'm not aware of any other manufacturer that uses that dimension for their stocks. |
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Quoted: Just for the record, all Colt tubes, from the earlist SP1 types to the present, are the same diameter, and are slightly smaller than all the aftermarket tubes. Buffers and springs are all the same size, give or take a couple of thousanths[:D]. By the same token, all aftermarket tubes are a bit larger than all the Colts, though they all seem to be the same size; at least the Bushie, Rock River, J&T, and no name units I've checked out are. Do you already have a Colt butt stock that you want to put on a Colt reciever extension? That's the only reason I can see for buying the extension only, since I'm not aware of any other manufacturer that uses that dimension for their stocks. Quite so, shamayim. We're all probably trying to use our new Vltor collapsible stocks, which are made to fit the Colt collapsible tubes. The one I used for testing wasn't mine, so I'm in the same boat... J. |
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Not only the Voltor, which just became available, but the Crane, which although there a few out there, is fabled to be "about to become" commercially available. I have an old purple Bushmaster 3 pos tube and plastic car stock on my PWA preban, and am looking to upgrade. I was about to go RRA 6 pos when the "new wave" started rolling in. Now I'm weighing my options, but two of the front runners need this very specific piece of aluminum tube. I'm a little put out, as the Bushmaster fans always bang the "we're more milspec than you" drum. |
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Quoted: Not only the Voltor, which just became available, but the Crane, which although there a few out there, is fabled to be "about to become" commercially available. I have an old purple Bushmaster 3 pos tube and plastic car stock on my PWA preban, and am looking to upgrade. I was about to go RRA 6 pos when the "new wave" started rolling in. Now I'm weighing my options, but two of the front runners need this very specific piece of aluminum tube. I'm a little put out, as the Bushmaster fans always bang the "we're more milspec than you" drum. Agreed that it's a bit upsetting, Though I'm not sure who started the trend of making these buffer tubes larger than Colt, and when? Oly, back in the 70's? Eagle Arms back in the 80's? Bushmaster in the 90's? If all the aftermarket tubes are too big, who's ass do we go kick for starting this?[:D] J. |
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Agreed that it's a bit upsetting, Though I'm not sure who started the trend of making these buffer tubes larger than Colt, and when? Oly, back in the 70's? Eagle Arms back in the 80's? Bushmaster in the 90's? If all the aftermarket tubes are too big, who's ass do we go kick for starting this?[:D] I think the first person to do it was Jerry Drasen owner of Sendra, Nesard. He was the first manufacturer to make an Aftermarket Collapsible stock, which were the crappest ones ever made. The reason for the larger tube diameter is because they use a Extrusion of aluminum with that outer dimensions. The outer tube diameter 1.875, which is the same as the thread 1 3/16" - 16 UN. Colt/Military Spec tubes use the same thread, but with a tube size of 1.150". Colt doesn't use an conventional extrusion, they're formed in a different way called an Impact Extrusion. Conventional extrusion is made like Spaghetti and impact extrusion is formed similar to that of a cartridge casing. So, Jerry Drasen made the stock fit around the extrusion, which is somewhat dimensionally inconsistent to manufacture and Colt wanted to fit the buffer tube to the stock, which they could keep consistent by machining them to an exact tolerance. After that, everyone followed. LS |
| I'd suggest looking on the Equipment Exchange for authentic, but used Colt collapsable stocks. You could probably find the whole thing for the same price as you would pay for a new Colt tube from sawsales. This way, you will have the tube that fits, plus the buffer and spring, AND! a spare stock unit. Just an idea. |
| Interesting info on how the tube dimensions got to be the way they are. If these two new boy stock makers are going to only use the Colt dimensions for their pieces, it seems to me that they're needlessly restricting their market. Maybe someone should suggest that they offer both tube sizes---because you have to believe that if Colt starts getting a buying run on just the tubes, all of a sudden you're not going to be able to get a Colt tube any more[:D] |
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Quoted: Interesting info on how the tube dimensions got to be the way they are. If these two new boy stock makers are going to only use the Colt dimensions for their pieces, it seems to me that they're needlessly restricting their market. Maybe someone should suggest that they offer both tube sizes---because you have to believe that if Colt starts getting a buying run on just the tubes, all of a sudden you're not going to be able to get a Colt tube any more[:D] Well, the Crane stock is a Military requested item. The military will use what they have, which is MilSpec/Colt buffer tubes. The Vltor may or may not directly compete with the Crane stock, I'm not aware, but if they do, then making it to MilSpec makes sense... Also, Eric Kinckel, of Vltor, did mention to me the future possibility of making or having made new production Colt/Milspec buffer tubes...(I don't THINK I wasn't supposed to tell that[:D]). If that happens, it'd make me happy as hell. J. |
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