A few months ago I was sent a couple of Boyds relatively new “At-One” laminate stocks to play with. I could have just written a fluff piece about how awesome they are, blah, blah, but I decided to actually take some time with them and run them a bit.

If you are not familiar with the At One Stock, it is a true fit replacement stock for your rifle. There are truly a staggering number of stocks that are available. When ordering you have to provide details including make, model, and action type. Seriously. For a Remington 700 alone there are twenty-five different actions to pick from.

For my demo stocks, I ordered a Ruger 10/22 (carbine barrel) and a Remington 700.

Construction

As with all Boyds gunstocks, the At-One adjustable gunstock is constructed of top-grade laminated hardwood (hard maple veneers) that is dried to exacting specifications to ensure rigidity and stability in your rifle. It’s also sealed with chemical-resistant finishes for long-lasting durability in all weather conditions.

• LENGTH OF PULL: 12-1/2” – 14”
• COMB TRAVEL: 9/16”
• OVERALL LENGTH: 30-1/4” BUTT RETRACTED, 31-3/4” BUTT EXTENDED
• FOREARM INSERT WIDTH: STANDARD: 1-3/4” AT REAR, 1-7/16” AT FRONT, TARGET STYLE: 2” AT REAR, 1-13/16” AT FRONT
• RECOIL PAD: 1/2” THICK, OVER-MOLDED RUBBER
• WEIGHT: Approximately 3 LBS

Observations

You are either going to love the look of the laminate stocks, or you are going to hate them. All of the people that I introduced the stocks to had pretty polarized reactions. Personally, I like them; “black rifles” are so ten years ago. The two stocks I ordered were in the color-ways “Applejack” (10/22) and “Zombie Hunter” (Remington 700).

Ruger 10/22 before installation into the Boyds At-One laminate gunstock.

Both rifles are known to shoot well before the modification of adding the stock, and these specific ones shot well after. The stocks both reduced felt recoil (I know, I know, how can you tell on a 10/22? Just seeing who is still reading…). The stocks are definitely heavier (than their OEM counterparts) which will aid in dampening recoil.

Boyds At-One Applejack Ruger 10/22 Carbine stock with target grip and traditional forend installed. (traditional grip and target forend displayed for contrast)

The ergonomic aids integrated into the stock, specifically the grip and forend, are well placed and can also be upgraded to suit your needs with either a “traditional” or “target” variant. The “traditional” forend and grip both possess very similar to the lines of the stock itself and look integrated. The “target” variants are overall larger, with the grip being a little longer, and the forend being fatter. In usage I found the “target” upgrades to be more comfortable, but like everything, this is more of a personal choice than an endorsement of either over the other.

Remington 700 prior to installing into the Boyds At-One laminate gunstock

Personally, I love the feel of the laminated wood (contrasted with any of the composite or metal chassis’ that I run on my other rifles). The stocks did not get unbearably hot in the New Mexico sun, and both have a nice smooth feel (they call it satin) while maintaining just enough texture to not be slippery.

I did not do any before and after comparisons with shooting, like accuracy tests, (within the same session; I had shot the .308 prior in its stock configuration) to see if the stock significantly changed the output of the rifle. In the case of the 10/22, it was brand new, and as you can see, I hadn’t even installed the scope. The Remington 700 continued to be a tack driver, but I had no comparative old targets to confirm.

Finis

Ruger 10/22 installed into the “Applejack” Boyds At-One gunstock with both comb and pull fully extended.

The stock is great, especially on my 10/22. It is easily adjustable, so everyone from yours truly to my grandkids can get good pull length and comb height without having to whip out the armorer kit. Simply press a couple of buttons and the rifle can be resized to the shooter.

Remington 700 installed into the “Zombie Hunter” Boyds At-One stock. This was initial install prior to repainting the barrel and scope.

With respect to the Remington 700, it is definitely eye-catching. But let’s be realistic, it is no match for highly customized (and personalized builds) like my other Remington 700 in an MDT TAC21 Chassis. In all fairness though, it is not meant to be. The use case for the At-One, in my opinion, is as a replacement stock you can place on a shared rifle, and which provides better ergonomics and stability than you get from a stock rifle. The fit of the rifle to the shooter is a very important factor and not something that you get with a standard OEM stock. Another factor, which you don’t get from a longer butt pad and cheek sleeve, is the ability to tweak the fit when transitioning from standing/sitting to prone. It really does shine at being able to adapt to multiple configurations very rapidly.

For $189 (at the time of writing), it is a good upgrade from an OEM rifle stock, especially if you are going to be sharing the rifle with friends and family. You can learn more at http://www.atonegunstocks.com/