CA Stoner - Stock Replacement (56K not advised)
 

Goal: Replace the CA Stoner stock assembly with a M4 style stock - without having to modify the stoner's stock plate

Observations: while the original plan to not modify the stock plate was a good one, it is not practical to ensure that the buffer tube is secure and that there is no up and down or side to side movement. 2 nut/bolt assemblies were used to make sure that there was no movement - meaning that the stock plate needed to be modified.

Tools used: 2mm and 3mm Hey keys, dremel, power drill, 2 robertson bolts and nuts to match, doner M4 buffer tube and stock

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The start of the plan

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all projects should include coffee ...

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This is what we started with, a telescopic stock that had side to side movement (slight) and to be honest, just isn't comfortable for long periods of time.

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The donor M4 buffer tube and stock

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The original test, this shows that it's the threads that are preventing the buffer tube from fitting into the stock plate. Get rid of those and in theory it should fit ... that's the plan anyway

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the buffer tube threads, eliminated with a dremel. Not the cleanest job ever, I'll admit, but it worked like I had planned. I'm planning on re-painting the stock plate and buffer tube this summer, so scratches and dings on the surface are not a big deal.

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HOLY CRAP ... it fits ...

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the original Plan, allow the set screw (that was part of the original assembly) to hold the buffer tube in place.

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You can't really see it from the photo, but there was too much play at the top of the buffer tube, allowing for the stock to move back and forth and up and down ... felt rather flimsy ... so the Alternate plan had to come into play ... modification to the stock plate.

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The stock plate and buffer tube was drilled for a robertson headed bolt, used the original location of the set screw. The top of the stock plate and buffer tube was then drilled out for a matching robertson bolt

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The hex nuts that were used were tightened down to prevent the buffer tube from moving, the entire stock is now straight, tight and has zero wobble in any direction.
[Follow up comment] as a follow up project, I'm trying to figure out how to use the AEG buffer tube screw and washer set up (what we usually use to screw into the back of a V2 gearbox on a M4) and a straight bar to allow for the buffer tube screw to hold a retention piece across the stock plate. The purpose of this is to prevent the buffer tube from pulling out of the back plate should a bolt loosen off ... still working on finding a suitably strong bar to place across the inside of the stock plate to form the retention bar which would fit in the gap between the top and bottom of the stock plate

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The finished product. The stock has no movement in any direction, feels very solid and is much more comfortable. I love it when a plan comes together.

Thanks for looking through this, I know its not much of a tutorial, but hopefully it gives you a few ideas or just enough inspiration to finish that project that you've pushed to the end of your workbench... Thanks to Spike for giving me the inspiration to get this done, I saw his in the SAW gallery and fell in love, Thanks again!

Now I have to re-do mine so it doesn't look like balls.

I got the idea from Stealth, but thanks for the shout out :p

Well done sir! Looks good!

Yup, definitely need to do the same now.

NICE.

We need to form a user group for this platform...
Someone please start one in the Airsoft Media section.

What type of buffer tube did you use?

Mil-spec or commercial?

Thanks

Sorry, asking again as I'd like to know.

Thanks

Doesnt matter as you will have to grind the tube threads anyway.

well, there is a slight diameter difference between commercial and milspec, the fact that you are grinding down the threads though does negate that difference, as Steve already stated.
I used what I had kicking around, it's a VFC Buffer tube and stock off an E-Series SR-16.

Thanks for clearing that up!

Looks good. If I ever get around to it I'll do similar on my ares one. But with it, I have some random aeg buffer tube that threads onto the original threads (threads start on backside). Just need to dissolve what ever glue they used on the threads at the factory :-/ I think it will get an emod stock once I find one for a price I'm willing to pay

Rather than trying to add that reinforcement bar, why not simply add locking washers to the bolt prior to tightening?

I'm not too worried about the bolts loosening off, I'm more afraid that with hard and continued use that the metal that is remaining on the buffer tube, where the threads were removed, will eventually become so stressed that it would start to widen the holes where the bolts are placed. This would eventually lead to the thin metal of the buffer tube becoming so weak that the metal would just fail.
The horizontal bar/stock retaining screw combo would be able to take the stress of the stock being battered around and if anything would prevent the bolts from having to take all the stress - if nothing else then it would just be considered overkill, but would make me feel better about knowing that my stock isn't going to rip out when I go to shoulder or sling the LMG.

I've fielded the LMG now a few times, it's been slung (to pull a secondary) fairly frequently and battered around, so far nothing has loosened off (I have removed the stock a few times to ensure that the metal of the buffer tube hasn't started to show signs of stress yet). I'll be fielding it at Blacksheep @ Graylings this May, so I'll know for sure at the end of the game if the stock can take the stress with just the 2 bolts or if the retention bar is going to be required. I'll report back :)

Or you could just buy this *note doesnt work for the CA one, there is no screw hole*

http://www.redwolfairsoft.com/redwol...r_ARES_LMG.htm

Yeah for an ARES stoner I'd just buy the premade part. It'd be more solid.