Yep, the two painted stocks are the standard "plywood painted with truck bed coating" Boyds sells as the standard Pro Varmint. The normal plywood is probably fine. I haven't run into any trouble with it, though all of mine are pillared and bedded. The colored laminates just seem sturdier. I actually would prefer Boyds didn't charge extra for NOT spraying the stocks with truck bed coating, as I have some other textured sprays I would like to use. But that's just Boyds for you!