I recently fondled my friend’s MP5 (forgot how he acquired it, select-fire and everything), and its stock folded to the right. I was wondering when this feature is actually utilized in the professional world, not just limited to the MP5 but all folders like certain FALs, AKs and piston ARs. Is it folded during patrols? Transportation? Vehicles? Paratrooping? I see a lot of photos from Ukraine and Brazil to name a couple where stocks that look foldable are still deployed during times of apparent peace. It it just an unnecessary gimmick?
Transportation - space is tight in both fixed and rotary wing transport aircraft and in IFVs/APCs.
Storage - vehicle crews often need a shorter weapon, for the same reason you would issue folding stock weapons to mechanized and airmobile infantry and paratroopers. Plus, if you’re SWAT and the long guns live in the SWAT van, space again tends to be tight.
Concealment - more a civilian, special forces, and criminal thing than anything. But by folding the stock of a weapon, it can fit into a smaller space and therefore can fit more “covers”.
Folding stocks can also be popular with motorcycle reconnaissance troops, are not infrequently seen stowed on police motorcycles, &c.
You would pretty much never keep the stock folded while on patrol, unless you wanted to commit suicide. In fact, the stock is pretty much only ever going to be folded while the weapon is in storage or transport. (Concealment would really fall under those two categories 99% of the time.)
Airborne operations, jumping a gun with a stock folded can make life easier if you are going to ride it in (not drop your 1950) but I think it is most practical in vehicles
As a civie, I found collapsible CAR-15 rifles a little easier to hike with. There is little expectation you will need them along the way so slung against your backpack makes things easier. The important thing is that you have it at your destination were it “might” be something you need.
Other than that and concealing PDW type weapons, para folders are called para folders for a reason and they get in and out of vehicles a bit easier than full stocked versions of the same.
Pretty much all of this.
Vehicles. +1
Also roping out of helos is much less cumbersome with an easily secured rifle with folding stock.
Or best as a sidearm if your primary weapon is a 240/mk48. Something that tucks into the top flap of a ruck and can be used for rear security once you’ve got your gun fixed.
No gimmick.
Western militaries have always taught the use of rifle stocks for aimed fire. Not so much with the rest of the world. A friend of mine is a retired Marine and a detective for a large LEA. While he was contracting in Iraq he couldn’t get the Iraqi policemen under him to use the stocks on their AKs for shit. If the AK they had was a standard butt stock it was removed all together. They thought of them as big pistols and their marksmanship (or lack thereof for that matter) showed it. Any serious end user will have the folding stock deployed unless it is being stored, transported, and or exiting out of an aircraft/APC. Airborne and mechanized units used folding stock rifle variants heavily back in the day. For the civilian/LEO a folding stock affords concealment.