Lightweight Chassis

[Ruger0701]

Working on putting together a lightweight nighttime hunting rifle. Wanting it to be the lightest possible to offset the weight of my thermal and use a chassis with a vertical grip. I already have the savage 12 action and a carbon barrel. What’s the best bang for your buck with weight in mind? I’ve been looking at the MDT LSS but want some opinions from someone who has owned a few.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

I do have a Savage 10 in an XRS chassis, which I'm very pleased with. Works far better than the Oryx and functions well with AICS mags. Doesn't have the AR style grip - but is vertical - but I shoot prone or bench, so.... I have a Howa in an LSS - 6,5 Grendel - and that works well too. But being a Mini, uses it's own mag.
Bang for buck - the XRS, if you can live with it and it fits -I'm never sure which chassis will fit which Savage.

 

[Ruger0701]

I do have a Savage 10 in an XRS chassis, which I'm very pleased with. Works far better than the Oryx and functions well with AICS mags. Doesn't have the AR style grip - but is vertical - but I shoot prone or bench, so.... I have a Howa in an LSS - 6,5 Grendel - and that works well too. But being a Mini, uses it's own mag.
Bang for buck - the XRS, if you can live with it and it fits -I'm never sure which chassis will fit which Savage.

Savage 12 short action will work same as the 10 in most cases. Mine is the 4.4” bolt spacing. What is the weight difference between the two?

 

[Walt Krafft]

A Sig Cross will be about as light a chassie rifle will be. I put a wrapped barrel in 6XC on mine.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Savage 12 short action will work same as the 10 in most cases. Mine is the 4.4” bolt spacing. What is the weight difference between the two?

To be honest, I'm not sure - the XRS is a complete stock/chassis and does not need a rear stock. I have a Palma weight barrel in it - so the complete gun is heavy. Probably on the MDT web site though. My 12 is a 4.4 too.

 

[ELR LVR]

I built a Rifle on the MDT HNT26 Carbon chassis and really liked it
I did not like how tricky it was to bed with all the lightend drilled out pockets and such but
I also seen Christensen makes one similar that I actually like the looks of better, is $200 cheaper
and uses 7075 (A much better material)
My first venture into using MDT was very frustrating and their stuff looked like Walmart crap and turned me off from them for years, which was the LSS chassis whose fore end is as flimsy as a wet noodle.
I hate when ppl use 6061 and charge the same as if they would have used 7075.
I talked to one Mfgr of chassis and asked why they dont use 7075...when others do?,
their response was because its harder on tooling....Which is a lame ass pansy excuse since I have machined steel with Carbide End Mills and Aluminium dont come close to the wear factor of steel, and you are not suppose to re use your tooling forever in a high production environment anyway, you replace it every run. So that excuse didn't add up. Especially when other Mfgr's can machine 7075 just fine.
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So Maybe MDT finally listened to the people and stepped it up offering the Carbon.
That 1 experience with MDT pissed me off so much I said "F" it..... quit screwing around trying to price shop and just buy the best and be done with it and went straight to an Accuracy International.
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But the MDT Carbon Chassis is great with good stiffness in the fore end which is important, even though the less experienced shooters will disagree with that, (Including MDT when I confronted them with that problem in their LSS chassis, they did not seem to take into account that some people like to put a heavy barrel on their rifle, even a varmint barrel will cause that thing to bounce and twist and roll over .060" ...
I measured it with an indicator )
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The only aspect I think is kind of goofy on the Carbon HNT26 is the way it folds up, a double hinged type of arrangement, which is not quickly deployable because you have to move one arm before the other first or it wont fold up, but it locks up well.
The Christensen looks to have a one pin hinge. (Why not make it easy like Christensen MDT?)
I would vote for the Christensen MPR Chassis more if I were to do it again

 

[Ruger0701]

Somehow I have overlooked that I have a bergara lrp that came factory in a XLR chassis. It seems to be a very solid chassis and after taking it off the bergara action the whole assembly is only 3.5 lbs. that’s the chassis, stock, magazine, and full length arca rail. May be hard to beat for their price.

 

[dantiff2]

On paper, the Outlier Chassis looks to be very light weight. No first hand experience but I'm considering one for my next build.

Modular Chassis - OUTLIER USA

www.getoutlier.com

 

[Vandelayindustries]

XLR Elment mg 4.0.
I wouldn’t go with a MDT HNT26. They have some know issues. Has to do with too much flex in the carbon foreend if I am remembering right. They are supposed to be coming out with a gen 2 version in the next 18 months though.

 

[Relic]

XLR's magnesium chassis is an excellent option! I have this one on my 6.5 prc and love it. Bill

 

[Larryh128]

MDT HNT26 carbon/magnesium chassis, 26 oz and absolutely NO NEED to bed it. I have 3, all shoot sub 1.5 inch groups at 500 yards. NO BEDDING, it doesn't need it. All have folders and a great feature for a hunting rifle. They lock up solid.