I posted this over a gunboards but figured quite a few have a VZ over here and might like to see a review of the czechpoint Ace stock adapter over here as well.
I picked up the Ace AR folding stock mechanism at the last KCR shoot, then last week when I was placing an order with czechpoint I noticed they had a Ace adapter listed for the VZ so I figured why not give it a try and ordered one. I've gone back and forth about whether I really wanted it, even listing it for sale before I mounted it but I decided I ought to see how it looks and decided to mount it on one of my VZ's to see if it would "work" for me once it was together.
First impression wasn't too bad, the adapter is steel and looks to be well made. The receiver lock up is tight due to the unique duel allen screw they use to install the adapter to the rear of the rifle (thought that was a pretty ingenious solution). I noticed my adapter was slightly high when mounted by a fraction of an inch (maybe a 32th of an inch), I figure it could be the CAI made rifle or the adapter slightly out of spec but regardless it wasn't enough to keep it from working (was worried it might not allow the cover to close but it was fine) and really doesn't show (you have to look close to notice it). The next thing I noticed was as it comes the mount is not really drop in ready for the Ace folding stock mechanism I have. The folding mechanism from Ace has a keyway that mates up to a slot to help keep it from moving when installed, if I was to use the adapter it needed to go before it would mount up. Once more I thought about selling it and not messing with it but in the end I filed the keyway off then screwed it down to the adapter for it's 1st test fitting (first of about 5). Knowing the keyway was needed to keep the stock straight in use meant I'd have to work around it being missing but I figured I'd work on that later. Atleast now it was ready to mount up to the rifle.
The folding mechanism and adapter bolted right up with a set of stainless 10-32 screws I had laying around (when I bought the folding mechanism Ace promised they would send me the mounting parts but never did, this was lie #2 they've told me over the years but I digress ). With the stock and adapter properly mounted the first shouldering showed the stock was mounted straight back which for me mounted the stock way too high to get a sight picture on the iron sights (I guess with optics it would be fine). Since I wanted to use iron sights I made a small shim to cant the stock down so I could get a proper view of the sights. Once the shim was made and the stock set again the sight picture was perfect, I actually nailed it the first time, bringing the weapon up it shouldered perfectly.
So now with the shim in use there was a pretty nasty set of gaps between the adapter and the folder, so once more I took it apart and out came some JB steel weld. I figured with the folder mechanism keyway cut off and the gaps I had two problems to fix and figured the JB weld would fix them both at once. That is securing the folder to the adapter and filling in the ugly gaps. So I glued the folder to the adapter and waited the 24 hours the epoxy needed to cure. Once dry I was glad the downward cant hadn't changed and it still mounted up perfectly (as I climbed into bed that night it hit me I had no way to check to make sure I had set the correct cant I needed, but that's just me being the worrier I am).
Overall:
Truthfully I'm not sure who makes the adapter, they list it as a Ace adapter but there was no paperwork or instructions that came with it. It does bolt up tight and seems to work as intended. Lacking the slot for the keyway was a little disappointing although I've not used enough Ace products to know if they all have the keyway or not. There's also a built in sling attachment which is solidly attached to the adapter and is a nice touch, too bad the AR folder I have only closes to the left so it sort of crowds the sling on my set up (if used, I could just as easily use one of the stock sling attachment points). Over all quality is a 9, on design I'd rate alittle lower due to the keyway/slot issue (if it's a normal Ace feature) on instructions there was none but then again it's pretty simple to figure out (the duel allen screw does require some thought with some trial and error to figure out).
On the folder I will say right off the bat I'm not sold on Ace anymore due to the way I've felt they've treated over the years on a couple of deals but over all the folder mechanism seems to work fine, as with all Ace folders I've felt it locks up very tight with no wiggle. I will add it already has a few wear marks at the hinge but I've seen other Ace folders and they all seem to do that at the hinge, I know those other rifles have seen years of service so I think those marks are just normal wear in marks that don't get any worse then what they are. The folder itself isn't as smooth as many other types of folders I've used, but it's also smaller and doesn't have the foot print many other designs have. I guess thats a trade off in trying to get a solid lock in a small package. Overall I'd rate it a 8 due to the wear marks, a 10 on how tight it locks up and flunk them on their word. I like Ace and their products I just wish they would take customer service and their word alittle more seriously.
I doubt I will keep it, I'll probably stick it on GB or the trader as ready to use, the whole look doesn't quite agree with me and I'm not sure it offers that much more then what the factory folder offers me (yeah I'm more of a purist). One nice thing is it bolts up and off without any permanent mods so it can go back and forth without messing the weapon at it's core. I also had a set of black sporter HG's and a czechpoint tactical pistol grip I mounted to round out the weapon and give that total EBR look...
Now the pics...note I've used a std AR stock and a CAR type collapsible in the pictures. Between the two the std stock crowds my hand in left hand carry so I think the CAR stock works best overall, even if I think the std stock looks better
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