FORM CR2 TARGET STOCK - Pushing the Limits

Oh, my word! Just look at what we have here. I first saw the CR2 Target Stock up at this year’s Great British Shooting Show at the NEC, and it truly stopped me in my tracks. Peter McGregor, who runs Form Rifle Stocks, was holding court, and the buzz from the crowd was tangible. Take a close look at the finish and configuration of what’s on offer here, and it’s not difficult to see why.

Made in Britain
The CR2 is best described as a no-compromise custom stock configuration that’s aimed at the serious competition shooter who demands full adjustment and support in every area. Made by Form, here in good old Blighty, this stock is designed to elevate performance in just about every area.
Form Rifle Stocks is based in Devon, and they use some of the finest hardwood laminate from Finland.1.5mm birch veneers are individually pressure treated with natural wood dyes. They are then layered and pressed together with hot resin, to create the base material. Laminate remains the most stable form of wood, resistant to warping in extreme changes of temperature, so it’s no surprise that it has become so popular as a gun stock medium. Form stocks are created on ultra-precise CNC machinery, but there is a hand sanding process before state-of-the-art timber finishes are applied.
There’s a choice of wood available, as you would expect. These include blue and black laminate, ebony classic, red and black, walnut classic (laminate), forest, and green and black. For customers who prefer the grain of natural wood, stocks can also be made from American black walnut. All bases covered then!

Transformers
My review stock from Form has been sent with a Daystate Huntsman Revere action in place, and this is a perfect example of when a custom stock may be needed. Don’t get me wrong, the factory Revere models come with excellent slimline sporter stocks, designed specifically for the hunter who wants to handle the gun all day without getting tired. However, imagine the scenario where you own such a rifle, you’re well aware it’s incredibly accurate, and you suddenly get the bug for shooting HFT or FT. You don’t want to change the gun because you know it’s a scorcher, but switching to a custom stock can be the perfect solution. Fit the CR2 as shown here, and handling will be transformed out of all recognition.
This CR2 Target Stock is a specialist item, so it’s not cheap. However, handle it for two seconds and the pin-perfect quality, precision, and sheer level of finish soon becomes apparent. £695 gets you the stock and the butt mounting block assembly, complete with an extender rod. However, you will then need to add the cost of a butt hook/pad, and a hamster up front, if required. Form quite rightly takes the view that FT and HFT shooters want to decide for themselves what sort of butt hook/pad assembly they use, so this approach gives them that chance.

Elements
Each element of this stock has been designed to maximise performance, and that starts at the fore-end, where a full-length UIT accessory rail has been recessed into the underside. Many will find the fore-end deep enough already, but the trend in both FT and HFT is for an ultra-deep raiser block to tackle high shots, so the rail means a custom hamster can be added further down the line. Form currently offers its own hamster as an optional extra here, and it will be made from the same wood as the main stock, and chequered on the underside, as per the review gun stock here. 
Both sides of the CR2’s fore-end have laser-cut grip panels, with the CR2 name proudly incorporated. The result is both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional. I love the way the wood forms the integral trigger guard, and finger groves also feature just forward of the trigger.

Full target grip
This stock is all about control, and this is maximised by being dedicated either right hand or left. Bearing in mind that the majority of guns these days now offer ambidextrous configurations, it can be a shock to the system when a full-blown dedicated stock is handled, and that’s the case with the CR2. Just offer the hand up and it naturally mates with the gun here, supported and accommodated in style. The 90-degree drop-down pistol grip allows the hand to sit perfectly, with a generous ‘bowl’ for the palm and the luxury of the twin thumb shelves, with one at the back and the other on the side, similar to the Air Arms FTP900/XTi-50 configuration. If you relax the hand totally, the thumb falls naturally, and that side shelf comes into its own for sublime, relaxed trigger control. The icing on this exquisite cake is the fully adjustable (and removable) palm shelf.
Overall, it’s all very impressive. Oh, and get this - there’s no extra charge for those that specify a left-handed configuration either.

Technical adjustment
And so, to the cheekpiece. The cheek section itself gets a small indent for comfortable contact, and the entire assembly is mounted on a riser rod and ball joint, which means every which way adjustment in terms of height and angle required. One Allen bolt on the right-hand side controls height, whilst a series of bolts inside the cheek panel allows it to be cast and offset. In short, we’re talking about total adjustment.
Look to the butt section and similarly, we have one main bolt accessed on the right/rear side of the stock. This is used to tighten/slacken the extension rod. As mentioned earlier, the customer goes their own way to select the type of butt hook or butt pad that they want, and this can then connect directly onto the waiting dovetail rail of the carrier block (supplied). The dovetail rail means the hook/pad can then be slid up or down to the desired height. The ball joint incorporated into the block means an offset angle can be set to suit, and then the length of pull can also be finely tweaked with the extender.

Stay disciplined
All told, there’s an incredible level of adjustment, but if it’s all starting to fry the brain, then relax! The best approach is to not be in a rush and to just enjoy the journey. Deal with one element of the stock at a time and make small adjustments over a series of shooting sessions. When you assume the main shooting position, the sight picture falls effortlessly into place, and the hand blends with the grip, free from any strain, you’re getting close.
Discipline shots are often the bane of the competition shooter, and this CR2 stock is designed to offer support and backup for those trickiest of shots. By utilising the full range of adjustment, it’s possible to arrive at a configuration where a more ‘head up’ approach can be taken. Kneeling and the dreaded compulsory standing shots are just so much easier when the stock guides the hand and offers full support. It’s all about body position, hand position for the ultimate trigger release, and total control in the aim, and here, Form’s CR2 excels.
The review stock features the tapered, bulkier fore-end, but the CR2 can also be specified with a flat, parallel fore-end that’s suitable for bench rest shooting. Form makes this stock to fit various airguns, including the Air Arms S400/410, S500/510, and the TX200s. You can also get one for the Anschutz 9015, Weihrauch’s HW100 models, the HW77/97, the Daystate Revere/Huntsman, and the FX Dreamline Classic. Other options will appear in the future, including the Air Arms Pro Sport, as Form has had a fair bit of interest from owners of this classic airgun.

Ultimate add-on
So, Form’s CR2 is a thing of beauty for sure. It’s superbly crafted, brilliantly executed, and all but guaranteed to elevate our performance where and when it matters.