magpul's illusive moe sl commercial-spec buttstock

FOG HORN 2015

Twobirds Flying Publication

Copyright 2014, Towbirds Flying Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Magpul’s Illusive MOE SL Buttstock Commercial Spec.

FOG HORN 2015

Twobirds Flying Publication

Copyright 2014, Towbirds Flying Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Magpul’s Illusive MOE SL Buttstock Commercial Spec.

By: Sal Palma

Magpul Industries launched the MOE SL

buttstock for the AR patterned rifles back in

August of 2014. It rounds out the MOE SL

carbine furniture offering.

MOE (Magpul Original Equipment) SL (Slime

Line) departs from the original MOE buttstock

in a number of significant ways that I like a

great deal. Selecting a buttstock for your rifle is

akin to buying a pair of shoes; your selection is

ultimately based on what works for you;

however, within that criteria there are points

worth considering.

In this reviewer’s mind, the MOE SL buttstock

sits somewhere between the basic USGI M4

stock and the SOPMOD Crane variant and

improves on the Magpul MOE in several ways.

First, it provides a wider cheek weld without

adding much to its girth, which translates to a

slim profile, improved operator comfort and

more consistent sight alignment when

transitioning from the low ready to on target.

When used with hearing protection the slope

along the length of the stock is more forgiving.

My review sample is a commercial specification

variant and will only fit a receiver extension

tube of 1.17” diameter – the mil-spec tube is

1.15” in diameter; wall thickness between the

commercial receiver extension and the mil-spec

account for the 0.02” difference.

Magpul’s Illusive MOE SL Buttstock Commercial Spec. 2015

Copyright 2015, Twobirds Flying Publication, All Rights Reserved

Amid the AR community lives a phobia of

looseness. We freak out when upper and lower

receivers are not rock solid and for the longest

time we’ve had to put up with loosely fitting

carbine buttstocks. Magpul’s MOE SL

eliminates looseness freeing us from that

irrational fear. This stock is tight!

Magpul achieves its rock solid fit by using two

steel tabs, port and starboard, that ride on the

receiver extension tube eliminating rotational

looseness and longitudinal movement. After

installing the stock, I decided to use a little dab

of lithium grease on the steel inserts, a decision

that seems to be working out well so far.

Magpul specs list the MOE SL as weighing 9.6

oz. which was inconsistent with my results. I

weighed the stock using two different digital

scales and got the same results of 8.64 oz. So,

the only conclusion that I can reasonably come

to for the 1 oz. difference is packaging. When

compared to the basic USGI buttstock, the MOE

SL stock is 2.5 oz. heavier.

We’ve been conditioned to see weight as bad

and when your humping the weeds it’s hard to

rationalize heavier over lighter, but here’s my

attempt.

Over the years, we’ve accessorized the carbine

with lights, i.r. illuminators, vertical grips and

lasers all of which add more weight forward

towards the muzzle. The net of that weight

increase is a shift in the center of mass closer to

the muzzle. A slightly heavier buttstock

counteracts the forward weight and shifts the

carbine’s center of mass back and closer to the

shooter’s shoulder, which is generally desirable.

This stock also features a club foot that slopes

towards its toe, a design attribute that makes

purchasing the MOE SL desirable. The feature

makes shooting from the prone position, or a

barrier support, comfortable and closer to what

you would experience shooting a precision rifle.

MAGPUL added another touch to its MOE SL

design that makes shouldering the stock or



transitioning from a low ready to on target

more consistent.

Looking at the butt pad, you’ll notice that it rolls

in at the toe, this provides consistency in

shouldering the carbine and transitioning from

the various readiness positions. Magpul also

included a subtle rake at the butt pad that

makes the SL more comfortable to use with a

plate carrier or other load bearing vest.

Everything on the MOE SL buttstock is

ambidextrous so southpaws have nothing to

complain about.

I especially like the dual side-release latch, a

feature that has gotten a cold shoulder in some

of the press. I disagree with that assessment,

and having a side-release lever makes it

possible to use sandbags or other buttstock

support, under the MOE SL, without

inadvertently unlocking the stock. Great idea!

Last but not least, MOE SL comes standard with

two sling loops and two quick detach sockets

one port and one starboard. The sling loops

accommodate 1.25” webbing.

In conclusion, I like the MOE SL buttstock a

great deal. I found that it improved the

carbine’s balance, enhanced operator comfort,

and improved ergonomics when shooting from

the prone position or when using a barrier

surface for support. Least important is its snug

fit on the receiver extension tube. Is it worth

the $59.95 price tag? I certainly think so.

MAGPUL’s MOE SL stock is light years ahead of

the standard GI M4 buttstock and less bulky

than the SOPMOD variants.

-SP

Manufacturer Specifications

Features Mounts on commercial-spec

sized carbine receiver extension tube

(not included) from manufacturers such

as Bushmaster, DPMS, and others

(please see the note below)

Sloping cheek weld combines a slim

profile with user comfort.

Dual-side release latch provides easy

adjustment while remaining anti-snag.

Premium chrome-silicon lock spring

provides positive locking and long

service life.

Internal anti-rattle feature minimizes

wobble on receiver extension tube.

Rubber butt-pad offers an anti-slip

surface and increases impact

protection.

Rollover on the toe allows for easier

shoulder transitions and better fit when



using body armor • Compatible with

Magpul ASAP®, ASAP®-QD, and other

receiver-mount sling attachments.

Rear – Integral push-button QD swivel

sling mount accommodates up to 1.5"

swivels (ambidextrous).

Rear/Bottom - 1.25" sling loop

Specifications*

MOE SL, Commercial-Spec Weight: 9.6

oz.

Weight, w/ Rec. Extension: 14.9 oz.

Length, Maximum: 7.2 in.

LOP Adjustment Range: 3.8 in.

LOP, M4 Collapsed: 11.1 in.

LOP, M4 Extended: 14.9 in.

NOTE: There are two basic sizes of M4 Carbine

receiver extensions (buffer tubes): mil-spec and

commercial-spec. If you have a mil-spec size

extension on your rifle, make sure to order the

Mil-Spec MOE SL. * Specifications based on

extended-length (slant-back) commercial-spec

carbine receiver extension and may vary

depending on tube manufacturer.

Addendum:

When I decided to use the term “Illusive” in

connection with the MOE SL – Commercial-

spec, I was expressing a sense of frustration

with the reliability of MAGPUL’s product

availability notices.

One of the most difficult things for any business

to do is manage success, and Magpul Industries

is the classical example of that statement. In

fairness to the company and all of its

employees, they’ve moved operations out of

Colorado and managed to keep supplying

customers with a variety of products; however,

acquiring a MOE SL Commercial-spec buttstock,

after 6 months of reading, “Now shipping to

dealers and distributors”, turned out to be quite

the task hence “illusive” is appropriate.

When I finally managed to pick one up it was

cause for celebration!

magpul's illusive moe sl commercial-spec buttstock

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