ARC Raiders 1.36.0: Lightweight vs Stable Stock III (200% ADS)
Since Live Update 1.36.0, stock blueprints like Lightweight and Stable Stock III are spiking because dropped weapons now show their mods. Here's which stock wins, why, and how to farm the blueprints.
If you only unlock one stock blueprint this season, make it Stable Stock III for burst and semi-auto guns, and grab a Lightweight Stock for anything you want to snap-aim — the two cover almost every loadout in ARC Raiders right now. Since Live Update 1.36.0 dropped on July 7, 2026 alongside the Fourth Expedition and Trials Season 5, stock mods have quietly become one of the most-requested equipment categories, and there's a concrete reason why.
What changed, and when
As of Live Update 1.36.0, a small UI tweak had an outsized effect on the mod economy. Live Update 1.36.0 ships alongside the Fourth Expedition and Trials Season 5, and weapons now display installed mods when dropped. That means when you kill a Raider and loot their gun, you can see exactly what stock, grip, and barrel they were running before you commit to keeping it.
The knock-on effect is that players now notice good stocks constantly — and they want to replicate the setups they keep dying to. Stocks are the slot people historically ignored, and 1.36.0 dragged them into the light.
Field note: After enough runs you learn the loot screen tells a story. When every third Renegade you pick up is running Stable Stock III, that's not coincidence — that's the meta showing you its homework.
The Fourth Expedition adds fuel to the fire. The Fourth Expedition overhauls Skill Point rewards again — the Expedition Challenge no longer grants Skill Points directly. Instead, you earn Blueprints and Raider Tokens across five damage thresholds from 5,000 to 100,000 total damage, with duplicate protection on Blueprint rewards. More blueprints in circulation means more players actually crafting mods instead of hoarding — and stocks are top of the list.
Quick-start checklist
- Pick your gun's problem — is it loose follow-up shots (Stable) or slow aim-in (Lightweight)?
- Farm during Night Raid for the blueprint — drop rates are noticeably higher.
- Hit Raider caches and weapon cases, not random drawers.
- Extract, then "consume and learn" the blueprint back in Speranza — it's gone if you die first.
- Craft at the Gunsmith once your station tier is high enough.
- Bring a green backup stock so you're never running bare while you grind.
Why the two stocks matter
Stocks are the sleeper slot because at higher rarities each one is genuinely distinct. Each stock of Rare quality or higher is unique. They have the most significant impact on your playstyle. They offer very different trade-offs. This isn't a case of "just take the highest number" — the two most-demanded stocks do opposite jobs.
Stable Stock III — the precision pick
Stable Stock III improves your recoil and dispersion recovery rate. This means your reticle returns to its pre-firing state faster. It's very important for semi-automatic guns, as it allows them to reset before firing the next shot, making them extremely accurate. The catch is real, though: the trade-off is that you spend more time switching between your weapons.
It shines on burst and gapped-fire weapons. The Stable Stock absolutely transforms burst-fire weapons like the Arpeggio. That gap between bursts becomes almost imperceptible when your crosshair snaps back to center immediately. Combined with Extended Barrel for bullet velocity, you're essentially running a hit-scan weapon at range.
Lightweight Stock — the snap pick
The Lightweight Stock trades precision for speed. Lightweight Stock improves aiming and switching speed. If you play reactive, close-to-mid range gunfights where the first person to aim wins, this is your stock. The Lightweight Stock allows the player to do accurate no-scope shots with Osprey because it improves ADS. It's also the go-to on already-fast guns like the Bobcat where you don't want to waste a slot on velocity you don't need.
Side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Stable Stock III | Lightweight Stock |
|---|---|---|
| Core benefit | Faster recoil/dispersion recovery | Faster ADS and weapon swap |
| Best on | Semi-auto, burst, DMR-style guns | SMGs, snappy CQB guns, no-scopes |
| Main drawback | Slower weapon switching | Less recoil control |
| Skill floor | Rewards trigger discipline | Forgiving, reactive playstyle |
| Example guns | Arpeggio, Renegade, Torrente | Bobcat, Osprey no-scope builds |
A reliable rule from repetition: if your gun fires in gaps or bursts, Stable Stock III. If your gun already kills fast and you just need to be first on target, Lightweight. For a fuller picture of how these pair with barrels and grips, our team's breakdown of why grips and barrels spiked this season covers the muzzle and underbarrel side.
How to get the blueprints
Stock blueprints are random drops from containers, and where you look matters far more than how long you look. You want to focus on weapon cases, raider containers (those black boxes with a ticking sound), and breach room containers. These have a much higher blueprint drop rate than anything else you will find in the open.
The single biggest lever is the map condition. Night Raid is the best condition for farming blueprints. Drop rates are noticeably higher during Night Raid on every map. If you see Night Raid active, drop whatever you are doing and go farm. Higher-tier stock blueprints in particular tend to want stacked conditions — Night Raid plus a locked-gate or storm event pushes the odds up meaningfully.
Once you extract with one, the process is simple but unforgiving. You need to make sure you extract safely with it still in your inventory and get it back to Speranza. Once back at home, go into your inventory and find the blueprint. There'll be an option when you select it to "consume and learn." The blueprint will be destroyed, but you'll permanently learn the crafting recipe that it teaches you. Bank it in a safe slot before any risky raid — losing an unlearned stock blueprint to a bad extract stings.
What to bring: a silenced primary to stay off ARC radar, a cheap green stock so you're never running bare, and enough stamina headroom — remember some Tier 3 stocks add weight, so don't overload a loot run.
Is it worth grinding for?
Honestly, yes — but pick your targets. A single Stable Stock III can be the difference between a Renegade that feels loose and one that headshots on repeat. That said, be realistic about the drought: grinding and relying on luck to get the blueprint you're looking for can easily take dozens of hours depending on drop rates. A common trap is chasing every stock — focus your unlocks on the guns you actually run and skip the rest.
What to expect next
With 1.36.0 making mods visible on drop and the Fourth Expedition funneling blueprints to players through July, expect stock demand to stay hot through Trials Season 5. If Embark keeps tuning durability and ADS interactions the way recent patches have, the Stable-vs-Lightweight decision will only get more situational — which is exactly why understanding both now pays off.
Farming a specific stock blueprint the honest way can eat dozens of hours of Night Raids and clean extracts, and there's no guarantee the RNG cooperates. If you'd rather spend that time actually raiding, our ARC Raiders Coinsfrom $0.80 keep your loadouts and crafting funded so you're always ready to slot the mod you want the moment you unlock it.
