Jet City Specialties
 

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Signature Series Folding Stock
From Jet City Specialties
By Bill Mills - January 2004

Jet City Specialties is a custom machine shop, which produces parts for paintball as well as for street motorcycles.

The JCS Signature Series (SS) is one of several folding stocks they produce for paintball – each being different in the shape of the stock as well as the way it mounts to the paintgun.  The common feature between the different models is the billet machined aluminum hinge and locking mechanism.

The Signature Series stock has a bottom line style mount.  A pair of screws can be used to attach it to the grip of a paintgun.  Two recessed screw holes allow it to be mounted to a grip frame with a pair of standard, inline 10-32 screws.  The mount screw holes are recessed on both sides, which allows the stock to be flipped over so that it can fold to the left or the right.  Four more unthreaded holes are positioned to allow mounting with diagonally aligned grip frame screws which are standard to Kingman’s Spyder semi-autos, also allowing for right or left handed configuration.  Another pair of threaded holes give the option of mounting a drop forward or other accessory to the stock’s mount so that the stock is sandwiched in to the configuration.

The stock is of a simple design.  A telescoping aluminum tube extends from the hinge out to a curved butt piece.  Inside the tube section is a spring-loaded button that locks in to one of a series of four holes.  This allows the stock to be adjusted from ten inches to twelve and a half inches, much like an adjustable height tent pole.

A spring loaded brass button in the hinge locks the stock in either the folded or the open position.  Its edges are beveled so that the stock can freely swing and then effortlessly pop into the locked position.  When the stock is folded, the button is accessible.  Pressing it in unlocks the stock for unfolding.  When the stock is folded the button is concealed, but a small brass extension button presses through the hinge to actuate the locking button.

When unfolded, the stock lines up naturally against the shooter’s shoulder while most paintguns will line up in line with the shooter’s eye.  Field testing of the folding stock was done on an AGD Automag with Centerflag electronic grip frame, and on a Tippmann Pneumatics A-5 with electronic grip frame.  On the Automag, a drop forward was attached to the stock reverse mounting an AGD Flatline air system so that the set-up was compact with the stock folded.  On the A-5, the stock bottom-line gas fittings were removed and a Psychoballistics bottom line mount adapter was installed in the grip frame.  The adapter provides a standard flat surface with two screw holes for bottom line and drop forward accessories.  A 12 ounce CO2 tank screwed into the A5’s vertical ASA provided gas while keeping the folded configuration compact, and the vertical tank placement prevented liquid CO2 from feeding to the paintgun’s valve.

The Signature Series Folding Stock does not fold forward completely parallel to the receiver, instead it angles outward at about 10 degrees.  This provided room for the vertical CO2 tank when the tank was locked.  

On the field, the arrangement on both paintguns was compact enough for easy use in tight situations environments, like door to door play between buildings and large bunkers.  The A5 set up was light enough for one handed pistol style shooting.  With very little practice, folding or unfolding the stock took approximately one half of a second.  In the folded position the stock’s butt also worked as a foregrip.  Unfolded, the stock provided significant stability.  Combined with using the air tank on the Automag, and the A5’s stock foregrip as a grip for the off-hand the stock resting against the shooter’s shoulder allowed easy and rapid fanning of the trigger while keeping stable shot groupings.

The JCS Signature Series and other models of folding stock provide versatility in paintgun configuration.  For scenario and big game play where the same game may roam between buildings, huts and tight spaces, out into clearings and woods, these folding stocks allow the paintgun to adapt quickly to its environment.