Colt A2 Stock Storage Door Variations

I recently picked up a new in box ban era (barrel date is January 1998) MT6530 Match Target Lightweight rifle. I noticed that this rifle had a stock storage door with a plastic latch and no hinge. This is the first time that I have seen one of these completely plastic door assemblies.

Rear of MT6530 stock with storage door open. A lack of hinge keeps the door mostly closed even when open.

I did these two quick shots (below) of the stock storage doors. When looking at the head-on stock view, you can see the differences in hinge configurations and latches…the all plastic/no hinge door on the MT6530 compared to the more substantial door on my AR15A4 that has a metal latch and a hinge with metal internal pin.

The door on the MT6530 stock storage door is being pulled open to make the door profile visible. Without the tension from the knife blade opening the door, the rigidity of the plastic on the door causes it close but not latch.

I don’t believe the plastic latch/no hinge door would have much durability. Colt probably counted on the fact that these stock storage compartments aren’t often used in the civilian market.

One thought on “Colt A2 Stock Storage Door Variations”

Bret says:

March 14, 2021 at 8:30 pm

The plastic/no hinge storage door is a feature often (but not always) found concurrently with a molded nylon rifle length buffer with a length of flat stamped steel inserted and retained by a roll pin.

I owned that very model depicted above with both features mentioned above.

I am curious if yours has that type of buffer as well.

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