THE ADVANTAGES OF A FOLDING STOCK

The beauty of a chassis rifle stock system is that the design lends itself to folding stocks. Folding stocks have a lot of advantages. Besides making rifles easy to transport, they can make cleaning a rifle bore a breeze and help when initially bore sighting a rifle. Let's dive into some of the benefits of folding stocks.

FOLDING STOCKS AID IN CLEANING

There are two areas of the bore that can get damaged from improper cleaning, the crown at the muzzle and the rifle's chamber. Being mindful of cleaning rod composition and attachments can mitigate damage to the crown, but it is easy to damage the chamber if you don't have a bore guide or are driving the cleaning rod at an angle.

Rifle stock systems with adjustable combs or butt pads require that you lower or remove them to push a rod through the bore while keeping the rod straight. A folding stock allows you to keep your comb and butt pad settings while simply folding the stock to the side for easy access to the bore. Having the stock out of the way allows you to pass the cleaning rod through the bore without the risk of damaging the chamber.

A FOLDING STOCK CAN MAKE BORE SIGHTING EASIER

After mounting your scope, the easiest way to get on paper is to remove your bolt, find your target through your bore, and adjust your reticle till it is on the target. This is commonly called bore sighting. Bore sighting can be hard if you have a built-up comb or butt pad. A folding stock allows you to simply swing the stock to the side, remove the bolt, and look down your bore. A folding stock is excellent if you are constantly swapping out stocks.

FOLDING STOCKS TURN YOUR RIFLE INTO A COMPACT PACKAGE

Precision rifles, especially rifles with chassis systems, can be long and bulky. If you add a suppressor, the system as a whole gets even longer. A folding stock can decrease the overall length of the rifle and make it easier to carry.

An area where folding stocks shine is on hunting rifles. A folding stock makes it easy to carry in the woods or tuck into a pack to keep the rifle from being exposed to snow or rain.

A FEW THINGS TO NOTE ABOUT FOLDING STOCKS

Folding stocks rely on a hinge which can be a mechanical weak point. When your rifle stock is folded, be mindful of how it is stored and carried.

The hinge or folding stock attachment point can add to the overall length-of-pull on the rifle. Study product literature, and make sure that your stock isn't too long.