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So I want to try a chassis

Jigstick

“What’s the matter colonel sanders….chicken?”
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Jul 21, 2017
    2,253
    2,973
    Pittsburgh PA
    I want to build a short lightweight rifle for when hunting with my boys. Western PA and WV mountains. Most shots 300yds or less. Mostly tree stand or box blind hunting.

    Whitetail
    Coyote
    Woodchucks
    Coons
    Fox

    6.5x47 Lapua and 6.5CM probably. I’m already set up to load for both. Have multiple rifles chambered in both.

    I’ve always used Manners and McMillan stocks. But with my kids being young and growing, the adjustability of the chassis have tweaked my interest. LOP and eye relief being a priority. No bedding / inlet work needed will reduce cost. And lack of bottom metal / bedding dam nears gets some of the chassis I’m looking at to the same weight or less than my carbon fiber EH4 Manners stocks.

    I’m looking at the MPA BA Ultralite chassis. Defiance Anti action. Proof CF 20in barrel. Triggertech trigger. Threaded for my TBAC suppressors.

    Anybody here have experience hunting with a chassis rifle? Experience with kids shooting a chassis rifle?
     
    The min length of pull on the ultra lite is still 13.5.
    If you want shorter I would look into an xlr element. You can slide the sucker all the way up and then extend as they grow.
    Other than that an old wood stock and a hacksaw is a good cheap standby. With the parts you listed that’s not on the table though.
    A magnesium element makes it even lighter which normally I would say to retain sooome weight for recoil etc but with the can it should be good.
     
    I have a whiskey chassis couldn’t be happier with it. I’m still a big fan of my A5 Mcmillian tho
     
    The XLR can get a really short LOP. It’s a great way to go for kids to grow in to.

    And if you go magnesium it’s damn light too
     
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    My XLR evolution carbon was very light and handy
     
    Since you like manners you could get a mcs-cs with mini chassis. Everything you want from a chassis with that old familiar manners quality and feel.
     
    I think there’s an XLR Envy in the PX for cheap. My daughter started shooting and shot her first few matches on an XLR chassis because it was light and short enough for her. It’s hard to beat them for hunting setups. My only suggestion is to pick an action and chassis that are patterned around the r700 so you have the full range of options.
     
    Hunted for several years with this setup. Trued 700 action, WTO Switchlug , proof CF 6.5 Creedmoor @ 22” and AICS AX chassis. Downside it was heavy.
    B6969BFA-2209-4B57-A2C3-65E4DCE4E6AF.jpeg

    Switched the barrel action to a PDC chassis and made it a few pounds lighter.
    534DB28E-6CEF-413F-93A7-C89BF177B7B3.jpeg
     
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    I've got a Manners CS-2 with mini-chassis and CF shell... right around 2.7 lbs. LOP goes short enough for my sons to achieve appropriate LOP and eye relief and goes out quickly and easily enough for me to do the same (or near enough) in a couple seconds. Built with a 20" Proof CF and an ARC Nuc G2, the bare rifle weight is right around 7.5 lbs in 6.5 Creed.
     
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    For hunting, get something without a ton of exposed aluminum. It gets cold.

    Something like the Bravo isnt a bad way to go.

    Or carbon fiber like a HNT 26.
     
    I've got a Manners CS-2 with mini-chassis and CF shell... right around 2.7 lbs. LOP goes short enough for my sons to achieve appropriate LOP and eye relief and goes out quickly and easily enough for me to do the same (or near enough) in a couple seconds. Built with a 20" Proof CF and an ARC Nuc G2, the bare rifle weight is right around 7.5 lbs in 6.5 Creed.
    Pic?
     
    Bravo is the chassis gateway drug. All I have now are chassis...
     
    What makes this Bravo so nice? I honestly don’t like it cosmetically. What am I missing?
     
    What makes this Bravo so nice? I honestly don’t like it cosmetically. What am I missing?
    It isn’t. I’ve had one. It is affordable and modular - that’s it. It is a good stock for the price for an adult. Depending on how small your children are it won’t have a short enough LOP.

    The Manners recommended or the XLR element is the better choice.

    It’s the common denominator here on the Hide to recommend the Bravo. It is not a one size fits all, and IMO is not a good choice for hunting because it is too blocky IMO.

    I hunt similar terrain as you, and I would pick the element first due to the extreme adjustable LOP.

    Good luck and I hope you enjoy the hunts with your children.
     
    What makes this Bravo so nice? I honestly don’t like it cosmetically. What am I missing?

    Its comfortable, cheap, light, and options for it are almost endless. There's a reason its the go to suggestion on here. It's pretty awesome.

    You will find an overwhelming amount more of people who like vs dont like it. Hunting with it is probably more personal preference, i agree. I find it great because the polymer doesnt get cold like a metal chassis and I still have all the features for my hunting rifle as I do for my target rifles.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Jigstick
    I want to build a short lightweight rifle for when hunting with my boys. Western PA and WV mountains. Most shots 300yds or less. Mostly tree stand or box blind hunting.

    Whitetail
    Coyote
    Woodchucks
    Coons
    Fox

    6.5x47 Lapua and 6.5CM probably. I’m already set up to load for both. Have multiple rifles chambered in both.

    I’ve always used Manners and McMillan stocks. But with my kids being young and growing, the adjustability of the chassis have tweaked my interest. LOP and eye relief being a priority. No bedding / inlet work needed will reduce cost. And lack of bottom metal / bedding dam nears gets some of the chassis I’m looking at to the same weight or less than my carbon fiber EH4 Manners stocks.

    I’m looking at the MPA BA Ultralite chassis. Defiance Anti action. Proof CF 20in barrel. Triggertech trigger. Threaded for my TBAC suppressors.

    Anybody here have experience hunting with a chassis rifle? Experience with kids shooting a chassis rifle?


    Check out the XLR Element, it's also a great option :)
     
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    It's personal fit and ergonomics as far as chassis systems go. Most of my rifles are McMillan A5,with a few Manners T2-A thrown in.

    I've owned AICS, XLR Element, and Magpul Pro 700 with the later being my favorite for a chassis.

    Have had a love/hate relationship with chassis systems over the years. Still own an AICS 2.0 and Magpul, which have their pros/cons, but living in the Rocky Mountains, all the chassis systems are a cold system that transfers the cold to your hands easily, so keep that in mind.
     
    Bravo works great. Xlr element and a side chick also would work well. Clip ons do not work on element fwiw
     
    I want to build a short lightweight rifle for when hunting with my boys. Western PA and WV mountains. Most shots 300yds or less. Mostly tree stand or box blind hunting.

    Whitetail
    Coyote
    Woodchucks
    Coons
    Fox

    6.5x47 Lapua and 6.5CM probably. I’m already set up to load for both. Have multiple rifles chambered in both.

    I’ve always used Manners and McMillan stocks. But with my kids being young and growing, the adjustability of the chassis have tweaked my interest. LOP and eye relief being a priority. No bedding / inlet work needed will reduce cost. And lack of bottom metal / bedding dam nears gets some of the chassis I’m looking at to the same weight or less than my carbon fiber EH4 Manners stocks.

    I’m looking at the MPA BA Ultralite chassis. Defiance Anti action. Proof CF 20in barrel. Triggertech trigger. Threaded for my TBAC suppressors.

    Anybody here have experience hunting with a chassis rifle? Experience with kids shooting a chassis rifle?

    Or just buy a SIG Cross in 6.5 CM and it's ready to go out of the box, put on your suppressor attachment, stick a scope on, go out and enjoy hunting with a very light chassis rifle that is very accurate and folds down small. They go for $1600 or less on average, you'd be just a touch under 7 pounds for the rifle.

    then if you decide it's not for you, you can easily flip it for most of what you spent on it, just make sure to save the box.
     
    I hunt central PA for pretty much the same list of animals in probably the same terrain as you except I have a field that goes out to 600 yards. My choice was an ARC Archimedes in an MDT HNT26 chassis with a Nightforce NX8 2.5-20 with an 18” 6.5 PRC CF Barrel. Rifle weighs almost exactly 10 pounds with a Nomad Ti suppressor and an empty mag and the PRC exceeds the velocity of a 26” Creedmoor while still being shorter and suppressed.

    The HNT26 is probably the best chassis for your application, rifle season gets cold and the metal can be unpleasant to touch so the buttstock, grip and forend being carbon fiber help keep the rifle feeling warmer. Additionally it has one special advantage most chassis don’t
    21816E32-92EC-4A2F-8615-2CDA3214E54D.jpeg

    You can stuff a hand warmer in the grip to keep your hand nice and warm.
     
    I hunt central PA for pretty much the same list of animals in probably the same terrain as you except I have a field that goes out to 600 yards. My choice was an ARC Archimedes in an MDT HNT26 chassis with a Nightforce NX8 2.5-20 with an 18” 6.5 PRC CF Barrel. Rifle weighs almost exactly 10 pounds with a Nomad Ti suppressor and an empty mag and the PRC exceeds the velocity of a 26” Creedmoor while still being shorter and suppressed.

    The HNT26 is probably the best chassis for your application, rifle season gets cold and the metal can be unpleasant to touch so the buttstock, grip and forend being carbon fiber help keep the rifle feeling warmer. Additionally it has one special advantage most chassis don’t
    View attachment 7996874
    You can stuff a hand warmer in the grip to keep your hand nice and warm.
    Apparently been using that wrong. 🤣