Elftmann Tactical | ELF Ultralight Aluminum AR15 Stock Review

Read our related article on What Makes a Good AR 15 Stock for an SBR?

U.S.A. –-(Ammoland.com)- While I was at The NSSF SHOT Show in Las Vegas, I was checking out some new AR triggers. I wandered into the Elftmann Tactical booth to see what they had coming out in AR15 triggers. They did have some pretty cool triggers on display, but what they wanted to show me more than their triggers was the new ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock that they were introducing into the AR marketplace.

The people from Elftmann Tactical asked me if I would like to take the ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock home back to Virginia to run it through its paces at the range. I carefully looked at the stock and thought about it for a bit. I almost passed on the review since I wasn’t planning on reviewing this stock. I was looking at Elftmann Tactical triggers, but it did seem interesting to me with how light it was with and how it attached to the buffer tube, so I figured I would take it home and see how it would hold up. I had my doubts if it would be as rock solid as Elftmann Tactical claimed it was.

The ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock is an all aluminum AR15 adjustable stock that comes in at a very light weight of 5.2oz. The weight makes it the lightest AR15 stock currently on the market today. It feels like it weighs almost nothing when holding the unmounted stock in my hands. It is even lighter than the polymer stocks that are currently on the market. The lightweight of the stock concerned me at first, but I must admit, it did feel pretty solid the more I played with it. I also tried as hard as I could to bend it, but it wouldn’t give in the slightest.

What drew me to the stock is the adjustability that Elftmann Tactical built into this stock. Other stocks use detent holes on the buffer tubes to allow for the change in position to different lengths. The ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock uses a different method to select a position. It uses a knob to tighten a screw that holds the stock to the buffer tube of the rifle.

The innovative way that the ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock is attached to the buffer tube allows for a broader range of adjustment than that of a standard six position stock that most shooters are using. The stock can be pushed in all the way into the castle nut. In this position the butt of the stock rest against the of the buffer tube where the stock becomes the shortest possible stock for an AR15. The stock can also slide out to the very end of the buffer tube giving the shooter a very long stock.

The shooter can adjust the ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock to an unlimited number of lengths allowing them to find the perfect length for their shooting style. This level of customization is the real strength that Elftmann Tactical has built into their stock. Also when adjusting the stock, it doesn’t make a sound. The usual clicking sound of an adjustable stock is entirely absent which would be a significant advantage in a tactical situation.

One of the things I was concerned about with the ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock is that since it didn’t use the detent holes that the stock would be easy to pull off. Elftmann Tactical put some great engineering into the stock because even with two people pulling as hard as we could on the stock it wouldn’t budge an inch. The knob was hand tightened. We did not tighten it with any tools of any kind, and it still held.

The Elftmann Tactical ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock is attached so tight to the buffer tube that there is absolutely no rattle at all. It doesn’t move. For being so light, this stock extremely sturdy. I was worried I would over tighten the knob, and it would snap. The knob on the stock is built just as sturdy as the rest of the stock so my worry might have been for nothing. It will be interesting to see how it holds up over months of use.

The butt of the ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock has a waffle-like pattern which is excellent for gripping and stopping the stock from moving around, but I was concerned that it would not be comfortable when shouldering my rifle. After I put the first magazine of ammunition through my AR15, my concerns were alleviated. Not only was the stock comfortable, but it was one of the most comfortable stocks that I have used. This revelation was a shock to me.

One drawback to the ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock is the time it takes to adjust it to a different length. It only takes a few seconds to loosen the stock by turning the knob, repositioning the stock, and then re-tightening the knob which holds the stock in place. That is still slower than squeezing a lever and pulling or pushing in on other stocks that are currently on the market. The shooter trades a few extra seconds to adjust the ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock to achieve all the other advantages that come with it.

The other big drawback to Elftmann Tactical ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock is the price. It isn’t a cheap stock by any measurement. At the time of this writing, the stock goes for $199. The price range might be a little out of reach for someone doing a budget build, but for a high-end build, I would definitely recommend this one.

The ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock is a fabulous stock that uses a unique attachment system that works. Elftmann Tactical built this stock sturdy, and I can’t wait to see how it holds up over the next year or so.

The Elftmann Tactical sells their ELF Ultralight Aluminum Stock from their website.

About John Crump

John is an NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on the history of the patriot movement and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss or at www.crumpy.com.