Review
A simple stock enhancement that will easily improve the ergonomics of your AK pattern
rifle.
Background:
The RDAK-M-4 Stock Adapter offers the unique ability to totally transform your favorite AR-15 stock set up into a more user friendly and ergonomic stock set on your AK-47/74 type rifle. For most of us, the standard length AK stock sets are a little too short and uncomfortable. Rifle Dynamics fixed that issue by bring their stock adapter to the market, which utilizes all the parts of your standard M4 stock set up attach to an AK. The stock adapter was in testing by Travis Haley of Haley Strategic (formerly Magpul) and was recently made available for purchase by Jim Fuller (owner of Rifle Dynamics) after it proved itself worthy in many of Travis’ Disruptive Environment courses.
Review:
If you know me, you know I’m normally an AR guy. I’m always looking for ways to adapt AR products to my AKs to make them more ergonomic. I’ve been trying different stock options out on my AKs to find something that was comfortable, consistent with my other guns, and gave me a proper cheek weld and eye relief when running a red dot on my AKs. I was previously using the stock adapters from Vltor and Command Arms Accessories. The problem with the Vltor system is that one, they are pretty expensive, two they are SUPER hard to find. Vltor concentrates more on AR accessories than AK, so it’s understandable why whenever they make a run of their tubes, they sell out fast, and they can get top dollar for them. Command Arms has 2 kinds, a plastic tube, which I’ve never use and wouldn’t, and an aluminum one which I have used and is comparable to the Vltor. I opted for a few Command Arms ones in lieu of the Vltor tubes. They were cheaper, and decent, but the way the M4 stock fits on them just doesn’t sit well with me. It’s usually a tighter fit, and therefore requires a little more force to extend or collapse the stock. I prefer something that moves as smooth and freely as my standard AR stocks do.
I had the opportunity to meet Jim Fuller of Rifle Dynamics during a Combat Focus Shooting class I was teaching in Pahrump, NV, and we talked about some projects he had coming out. If you don’t know who Jim is, Google him, not only is he an AK guru, but he’s an all around awesome dude! We had talked about different accessories for the AKs, why he preferred to focus on them instead of AR-15s, and his thoughts on accessories. We talked back and forth over things we’d seen that worked, and things that didn’t. Jim had told me about the RDAK-M-4 Stock Adapter, and how excited he was for its release. At the time, there was no release date, so I of course waited, impatiently, until it was released.
As soon as I learned of the release, I scooped up 2 sets of the RDAK-M-4 Stock Adapters. They are pretty affordable at $65 per set, and with the super fast shipping, a few days later; I had the parts in hand. In the interim, I had contacted Jim asking him if it was easy to install, (I’m not the most mechanically inclined dude) and he assured me it was, and it was true. I think I probably had the old stock off and new RDAK-M-4 Stock Adapter installed in about 7 minutes. I screwed on a standard milspec AR buffer tube, with Magpul ASAP sling plate, castle nut and Magpul CTR stock. Boom! Match made in heaven. The RDAK-M-4 Stock Adapter works with both commercial and milspec buffer tubes, and whatever AR type lock plate you choose to use. It’s simplistic and solid, and like all Rifle Dynamics products, has had extreme attention paid to detail to make sure it fits the guns properly. The adapter is super easy to install, and requires zero modification to the rifle, and no need to cut off the stock tang, since it sits inside the receiver itself. Since it will accept end plates like the Magpul ASAP, it also makes it a lot easier to use a single point sling, without the gun dragging on the ground.
Final Thoughts:
Rifle Dynamics is always coming up with new ways to revolutionize the AK system, and Jim Fuller is a mad scientist when it comes to thinking up innovative ideas that work. The fit and finish on the RDAK-M-4 Stock Adapter is exceptional, as with all Rifle Dynamics products. Its ease of installation makes it almost idiot proof, and it locks up solid. Some other stock adapters are sloppy and leave a gap between the receiver and adapter. The RDAK-M-4 Stock Adapter sits flush and solid with the receiver. If you’ve been thinking of customizing your AK to make it more like an AR, go with the RDAK-M-4 Stock Adapter, you won’t be disappointed.
