The present device is a shortened recoil system designed to replace the AR-15 type recoil system, comprising the standard recoil systems of many commonly used rifles including the AR-10, AR-15, M-16 and M-4. This shortened recoil system removes or replaces the parts of the traditional recoil system located in the stocks of these rifles and place the entire recoil system within the receiver, while maintaining the alignment of the recoil system with the barrel of the rifle. A major advantage of the present system is that it allows the rifle to be fired with a folded stock or even with no stock at all, as no part of the present recoil system is located within the stock.