Stocks & Forends

AR-15 Collapsible Stocks: Upgrades Over Mil-Spec

The standard mil-spec collapsible stock provides six length-of-pull positions but has noticeable wobble on the buffer tube. Magpul’s CTR and STR stocks eliminate this wobble with friction locks, providing solid lockup at any position. The CTR is the most popular AR stock upgrade for its simplicity. For a precision-oriented build, Luth-AR’s MBA-1 provides independent cheek height and length-of-pull adjustment. For the complete AR-15 stock selection, see: AR-15 Stocks.

Precision Rifle Chassis Systems

Precision rifle chassis replace a traditional stock with an aluminum chassis accepting AICS-pattern detachable box magazines and providing fully adjustable length of pull and cheek height. MDT and Kinetic Research Group produce chassis for Remington 700, Ruger American, and Savage actions. A chassis is the single most transformative upgrade for a bolt-action rifle being moved to precision competition—providing magazine capacity, adjustability, and rail mounting points a traditional stock cannot. See also: Bolt-Action Rifles and Long Range.

Hunting Rifle Replacement Stocks

Traditional bolt-action hunting rifles use fixed stocks in wood, laminate, or synthetic configurations. Synthetic stocks (Bell & Carlson, McMillan, HS Precision) maintain consistent point of impact across temperature and humidity changes better than wood. Replacement stocks for Remington 700, Winchester Model 70, and Savage rifles allow ergonomic upgrades without replacing the action. For most hunting applications, a quality synthetic stock paired with a reliable scope is the most practical accuracy upgrade. See also: Hunting Rifles.