AR 15 pistols have become a lot more popular in recent years…
I love them because they’re lightweight, handy, and pack a pretty big punch considering just how compact they are…
And I think the reason why they’ve just exploded in terms of popularity is because of the invention of pistol braces…
And when it comes to AR 15 pistol braces, nobody does it better than SB Tactical…
Now, the two of the most popular AR pistol brace options that come from SB Tactical are…
- The SBA3 (Click Here To See Customer Reviews & To Get Best Pricing)
- The SBA4 (Click Here To See Customer Reviews & To Get Best Pricing)
So in this SBA3 vs SBA4 comparison, we’re going to examine how these two amazing pistol brace designs stack up against each other in a number of different areas…
In the end, I’ll share with you which of these two fantastic braces I prefer, and you should be able to determine which brace is going to work best for you…
Let’s begin!
SBA3 vs SBA4 – Which Is The Best Brace For You?
The SBA3 and the SBA4 are both fantastic AR pistol braces. Some of the major differences include that the SBA3 is more lightweight, shorter, and slimmer than the SBA4. In addition to that, the SBA4 is more rigid than the SBA3, and the QD swivels are placed in a different location…
The following will give you more detail regarding the differences between the SBA4 and the SBA3…
Materials…
The SBA3 and the SBA4 are made using the same high-quality materials…
To begin, they both use a very dense polymer for the construction of the upper portion of the brace…
This is the part of the brace that doesn’t need to be flexible at all, and the top section is very strong on both of these brace designs…
In addition to that, the lower portion on both of these braces is made from a heavy-duty rubber material…
I don’t know exactly what type of rubber it is, but I have found it to be very durable…
Last, both the SBA4 and the SBA3 have a strong nylon strap with velcro on it, and this is designed to help you secure the brace around your arm when firing an AR pistol with one hand.
Function And Design…
Both the SBA3 and the SBA4 are AR 15 pistol braces that are designed to help handicapped shooters (or anyone else) shoot an AR 15 pistol with one hand…
As of this time, they can be used to fire AR 15 pistols in other ways, but always check the current laws and ATF rulings to be sure that you’re staying within the bounds of the law…
Now, both of these braces are designed to fit around your arm to fire one-handed and they both have an adjustable length of pull…
But that being said, there are a lot of differences between these two brace designs…
First of all, the SBA3 is designed to be a more minimal option. It’s a little bit more lightweight than the SBA4, and the rubber strap portion is not as rigid as that found on the SBA4…
The adjustment lever on the SBA3 is manipulated from the forward position rather than the rear, which is typically found on AR 15 rifle stocks, but it’s very easy to adjust and not really a problem at all…
Additionally, the SBA3 has a QD (Quick Detach) sling swivel located near the rear of the brace, and you can attach your sling on either side as well…
Now, the SBA4 has more mass than the SBA3 and is designed to mimic an AR 15 rifle stock in appearance…
It has relief cuts in the polymer upper section which reduce its weight a little bit and look cool (in my opinion), and its adjustment lever is manipulated from the rear position the same way most AR 15 rifle stocks are today…
The rubber strap section of the SBA4 is much more rigid than that of the SBA3, and this could be useful, especially if you’re firing an AR pistol with a lot of recoil…
Last, the QD sling swivels on the SBA4 are located toward the front of the brace rather than toward the rear like they are on the SBA3, and just as with the SBA3, there are sling swivels on both sides of the brace.
Size Comparison…
The SBA3 and the SBA4 might look like they are similarly sized, but there are a few key differences between the two…
First of all, the SBA3 has a length that measures in at 6.75 inches whereas the SBA4 has an overall length of 7 inches…
That might not sound like a lot, but it can make a big difference depending on the length of pull that you personally find comfortable…
In addition to that, the weight of the SBA3 measures in at 6.75 ounces whereas the SBA4’s weight comes in at 8 ounces…
On top of that, the SBA3 has a width that measures in at 1.80 inches whereas the width on the SBA4 measures in at 2.25 inches…
So basically, the SBA3 is shorter, more lightweight, and more narrow than the SBA4…
But keep in mind that there are some benefits to the SBA4’s dimensions for some individuals…
…especially the extra length, which comes in handy for many shooters with large frames and/or long arms.
And the more wide body, which can make resting the brace on your cheek (when you’re shooting) a lot more comfortable (disclaimer: again, always keep up to date with the current laws and ATF rulings in regards to how AR pistol braces can be used).
What Comes With The Brace?
Both the SBA3 and the SBA4 come with a 6 position AR 15 receiver extension or buffer tube…
The receiver extension is Mil-Spec in terms of its sizing (as opposed to commercial), and it’s made from 7075 aluminum, which means it’s made from a strong material…
Both braces fit onto the receiver extension snugly, so there’s no rattle, and they can both be easily adjusted by manipulating the adjustment lever
Length Of Pull…
Like I mentioned above, both the SBA3 and the SBA4 come with a 6 position receiver extension, and they’re both adjustable for 5 lengths of pull…
The reason why they’re both adjustable for 5 positions rather than 6 is that neither brace locks in on the closest adjustment notch…
I don’t think that’s much of a problem because practically no one wants to have the brace closed in as short as possible when they’re firing because it’s simply not very comfortable…
In addition to that, this is where the extra quarter or half inch that you get with the SBA4’s longer length might be beneficial…
Again, this is probably going to be the case for larger individuals or people with long arms, but that little bit of extra length can end up being quite a bit more comfortable…
That being said, you still have a lot of adjustability with the SBA3 as well, and you’ll probably be just fine with it regardless of your size and arm length.
Installation…
The SBA3 and the SBA4 are both very easy to install, and if you’ve ever switched out the stock on an AR 15 rifle, you’ll find the process to be very familiar…
All you need to do is slide the brace onto the receiver extension until it stops…
From there, pull downward on the adjustment lever and continue pushing the brace forward onto the tube…
Once you do that, the brace with lock onto the receiver extension, and you’ll be able to adjust the length of pull in and out without the brace falling off the buffer tube.
Color Options…
Another cool feature of both the SBA3 and the SBA4 is that they come in different colors…
Now, Black is definitely the most popular option, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a black AR 15…
But you can also get these braces in Flat Dark Earth, OD Green, and Gray, so if you like adding accessories to your AR 15s (or other guns that take a brace) that add color and a little bit of personality, you’re covered with both of these pistol braces.
Price Comparison…
Unfortunately, I can’t give you exact prices in this section because the prices of these braces are known to change depending on a lot of factors…
But what I can tell you is that they are typically priced exactly the same…
So if you’re trying to use price as a way to try and determine which brace to go with (which is something that I do when trying to decide between two accessories)…
The SBA3 and the SBA4 are set at the same price point, so it’s not really a factor.
SBA4 Vs SBA3 – Final Thoughts…
So in the end, I think both the SBA3 and the SBA4 are fantastic AR 15 pistol braces, and it’s really hard for me to choose between them because I like them both…
BUT, I promised that I would tell you which one I personally prefer, and I prefer… drumroll please… the SBA4…
Click The Button Below To Learn More About The SBA4 Brace:
I prefer the SBA4 mainly because I like the way it looks. Even though it’s not a stock, it makes an AR 15 pistol look like it has a rifle stock, and I think that’s cool…
I don’t mind that it’s a little bit heavier than the SBA3, and I like that it’s a more rigid brace with a little bit of extra length built into it…
Last, it’s the same price point as the SBA3. So even though I feel like I’m getting a little bit extra, it’s not reflected in the price…
Now don’t get me wrong, I love the SBA3 as well and think it looks cool too…
Click The Button Below To Learn More About The SBA3 Brace:
And if you prefer the minimalist look and like the fact that it’s more lightweight (which is a huge selling point!), then you should go with the SBA3…
Whichever of these two amazing pistol braces you choose to go with, you won’t go wrong, and I think that, in the end, you’ll be very satisfied with the brace that you chose.
I hope this helped you out. Godspeed and stay safe!