There can be no doubting the popularity of Maruzen's APS2 sniper rifle within Airsoft these days. It has become the de facto sniper weapon of choice and owners are faced with a steadily increasing array of upgrade options with which to improve both the appearance and performance of their weapons.

Into this arena have entered Shoot & Scoot with their replacement stock based on the Accuracy International L96A1 sniper rifle, the current British Army sniper rifle.

Purely as a matter of personal opinion, I have always felt the standard APS2 stock was lacking in any character, being a composite of many stock designs, as indeed the rifle itself is a distillation of various rifle features. While there are a number of replacement stocks available, most notably the Orca, none of these, to my mind at least, gives the weapon a suitable sense of presence.

The S&S stock changes that. Constructed from laminated hardwood rather than ABS or resin-based materials, this is a stock which fills the hand and thrills the eye. Although of very square cross-section, it is remarkably comfortable.

History: But before I go into the detail of the stock, a brief history lesson.

The current army issue sniper rifle, the L96A1 was derived from a design by the British gun makers, Accuracy International. Their approach was to bed the rifle action in a very solid aluminium chassis to ensure rigidity and accuracy. In order to make the weapon more 'hand-friendly' side plates made from a resin material (plastic) are fixed onto the chassis using a number of Allen head bolts.

The stock is adjustable for reach and drop and is of a thumbhole design. This allows a secure yet comfortable grip. In addition to the usual sling swivels a folding bipod is normally fitted to the end of the foregrip. The AI rifle is available in a number of chamberings and can be bought commercially. The standard Army weapon is chambered for the 7.62 x 51 mm NATO round, however the Royal Marines have purchased 44 rifles chambered for the larger and more powerful Lapua .338 Magnum round (8.6 x 70 mm). This is reckoned to give an effective range of 1200 yards and first hit probability out to 1100 yards. The heavier bullet (250 grains as compared to 150 grains for the NATO round) also gives an enhanced anti materiel capability. In addition, AI has now added a rifle chambered for the .50 calibre BMG (Browning machine gun) round. The L96A1 is fed from a 10 round magazine positioned immediately in front of the trigger guard.

The S&S stock The photographs accompanying this review are of one of the prototype stocks, finish on the production examples being rather better. Additionally, the trigger guard is now constructed from a single piece of aluminium, which gives a far neater appearance.

As mentioned previously, Warren Reynolds of S&S has chosen to construct the stock from laminated hardwood rather than casting it in resin. There are a number of reasons for this, however the resulting stocks are extremely strong and each one is effectively hand-made to order. The stock itself is a copy of the AI AWM rifle. This is the weapon used by the Royal Marines chambered for the .338 round. It differs from the standard L96A1 only at the shoulder, where the stock is cut away behind the thumbhole to provide a better grip should the firer wish to use a two-handed hold on the butt when the weapon is resting on a bipod. The APS2 SV (sniper version) will drop straight into the stock without fuss and a well has been cut beneath the barrel to accept the Maruzen magazine. The fit is excellent and the action sits firmly in the new stock even without the fixing screws being fitted. Immediately ahead of the trigger guard sits a dummy 10 round magazine which is permanently attached. Warren had explored the option of using this to hold spare BBs, however the resulting rattling tended to compromise the snipers otherwise stealthy approach! Since each stock is made to order, they can be supplied in the colour and finish of the buyer's choice. The olive drab of the original has proved elusive, however Warren has managed to find an acceptable match. Alternatively the stock could be finished in black if required, or I suppose pink if that takes your fancy. Since I expect most users will promptly ghillie the entire gun, the actual stock colour may be a lesser consideration.

The original spacers and butt plates from the APS2 are retained to adjust the reach of the stock and these look very good against the green of the stock I tested. Warren had fitted a 4 X 32 scope and the APS2 being used had been upgraded with replacement piston, spring etc.

Despite its rather angular forend, the rifle is very comfortable to hold, aided by the thumbhole stock. Surprisingly, given the apparent flatness of the stock, both the gun and the scope fall very nicely to the eye when brought up to the shooting position. It is a remarkably comfortable weapon to use - I found the angle of the pistol grip exactly right, although this may be a matter or personal preference and the overall feeling of solidity is most reassuring.

With the action and scope in place, the all up weight is around 8 lbs. (3.5 kg). This is a nice compromise between accuracy and usability. While 12lbs of rifle might feel nice in the hand, it does become a pain if you're lugging it around for a whole day. It would be unfair to suggest that a stock alone will dramatically improve a rifle's accuracy, however the very fact that this stock sits so well and handles beautifully undoubtedly will improve overall performance. Gone is the slightly skinny feel of the original stock (to my mind anyway) to be replaced with a reassuring solidity. The rifle tested was not fitted with a bipod - this prototype is one that Warren uses for skirmishing and reflects his personal preferences - however this option is available if required.