You are correct the oal would be to short if the break came off. I have it permanatly mounted on the barrel and checked over by the local police to make sure it was above grade. While i do like the archangel stock. Due to the way it mounts and fits the top rail it is prone to movement due to the plastic expanding and contracting from heat cycles. It have verify my zero each time i head out to the range or after each detailed cleaning. I am moving to a tapco stock to try out and will put a stock action and barrel into the archangel stock. As its just a blast to shoot.