Why doesn’t Magpul make any products in SOCOM-spec Flat Dark Earth (aka Coyote)?
SOCOM FDE is a superior color; the FDE Magpul and other makes is a good color, but too “tan”. SOCOM FDE is a bit darker, with a greenish tint. It works in more places, not just arid terranes.
B5 Systems and CavArms do make items in milspec FDE, but I vastly prefer Magpul-engineered products. I have a crap-load of Magpul furniture on my rifles, but would replace all of it with SOCOM FDE if it were available.
Think about it; the market is already saturated with aftermarket stocks, and producing items in SOCOM FDE would open a whole new niche!
Here you see the difference in colors on an AR. The buttstock is SOCOM FDE, while the magazine, rail covers and FVG are regular FDE:
I believe that sometime during the OIF, most of the furniture was being billed as either desert tan or desert sand. When the FDE requirement came out through SOPMOD, all the manufacturers ignored the actual true FDE, and rebranded/redesignated their Desert Tan/Sand colored furniture to “FDE” to save production cost. LMT FDE colored SOPMOD stocks came the closes, but the MAGPUL FDE became the default industry standard. I don’t think anyone produces furniture in the actual true Federal Standard 595 Color FS 30118 FDE. http://www.colorserver.net/showcolor.asp?fs=30118
I’m pretty sure the CavArms stuff is the correct FDE, as their C1 buttstocks and pistol grips are used on the M110 SASS.
I would prefer that colour as well, I like FDE a lot it seems like it would work in many environments.
This is my “Coyote” painted rifle:
That is from Brownells Aluma-Hyde II. I do not think it matches SOCOM FDE (Coyote.)
Cool rifle Zane! B5 Systems said they are going to do a run of Bravos in Coyote (the correct FDE) very soon…will you get one and switch your current one out?
Thanks!
And maybe, if I liked it enough and could sell my existing to make up part of the cost.
Does cerakote have an SOCOM FDE? I may just get mine redone eventually, depending on how it fits into my new environment in Wisconsin.
You have a sweet rifle too, by the way! I do like that stock color, and it seems more “earthy,” in my minde.
I had my DD MFR handguard refinished with H-265 Flat Dark Earth (Oven Cure) Cerakote to go with the CavArms C1 buttstock in Coyote 
Damage Industries also makes a few stock components in SOCOM FDE.
