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Practical vs dream rig (chassis for hunting rifle)

drew_235

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
May 22, 2019
470
228
Minnesota
I built a suppressed 6.5 PRC hunting rifle using a Tikka T3x stainless receiver, 22" Proof carbon barrel, and a Vortex Razor HD LHT scope. I shot it today at the range for the first time and I'm very happy with the way it turned out. For today's range trip, the receiver was mounted in one of my (heavy) KRG Bravos with the spigot and steel LOP spacers. I have another rifle I use for hunting that is in a KRG Bravo and it's pretty bare bones with 2 of the plastic LOP spacers, the KRG supplied polymer pic rail up front, the shortest Arca rail Magpul makes, and a couple of QD sling cups. All in, that chassis weighs 55 oz. (~3 oz for the rails and QD cups)
Here's the question. The KRG Bravo stock for a Tikka is ~$370 and, as configured, weighs 55 oz. If I had a bunch of extra money sitting around, I'd buy an XLR Element in magnesium, with the folding stock adapter, an XLR stock (they have the normal and the carbon, the carbon is $150 more and weighs 10 oz less). The XLR magnesium with the same arca rail and pic section will weigh ~39 oz or ~49 oz depending on the stock and cost between $850 and $1000.

That's a lot of dough to save a pound.
The XLR would give me a folding stock for backpacking.
The KRG Bravo is less than half the price (and Sako green is pretty sexy).
This is going to be a western hiking rifle for elk and also used for bear.

I realize that nobody can make this decision for me, but what does the hide think of this choice? As much as my heart flutters at the idea of a magnesium XLR with a folding stock, my brain is telling me that I should get another KRG and increase the number of miles I run/bike each week to save a few more pounds in a different way.
 
True, but I've found that if I compromise on something, I've always got the thing I really wanted gnawing on me in the back of my mind... So then I inevitably end up with both... And saved NO money... So I don't do that anymore!
 
For me it comes down to my budget at the time. I was faced with a similar decision and went with the Bravo over a McMillan. Now if i wasn't in the middle of building the house and didn't have a 1 year old....