Thoughts on the Aero Precision SOLUS ?

FuhQ said:

I just ordered another box of Alpha 6.5CM SRP brass last night, so should have it by Friday. I don’t mix and match brass with barrels, unless I’ve completely burned the tube, and replaced it with another, then I FL size to get them back to SAAMI, then start neck-sizing again.

Also, I do have a really nice set of Manson Go/No-Go gauges that work for ALL the Creedmoor cases (which is genius on Dave’s part), and headspace was dead-on the new barrel, as well.

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Got my first round of loads to test in the new barrel. I didn't get to the range this weekend, as life got in the way, but I will be going this weekend. I loaded up 25 rounds the same exact load that my other Aero 22" 6.5CM factory barrel likes, same COAL, etc... since the chambers are only 0.001" difference. If it likes the same load, that will be cool. Main goal is find out of it likes that load, and also to break-in the barrel somewhat. We'll find out this weekend.

dk17hmr said:

I cut the stock back to match the ejection port on the action on the other side. About 5 minutes with a file and some touch up paint looks good enough

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I did the same to mine. I taped off the surrounding area and went slow with a dremel. Touched it up with a Q-tip and paint. I also had to add a relief cut in the stock to make room for the trigger hanger. It doesn’t take much here either.

FuhQ said:

I don't have a BS, but I probably do need to just breakdown and buy a Teslong. Which one do you run?

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This is the one I have, it’s a 26” fixed with WiFi so I can view on my phone or iPad.

Anyone else having trouble finding where the wrap ends and starts to open, so as to not tear the bubble wrap all up …brain Buster

The gang is all here…all arrived. No issues yet…

The 26” 6creed is looong!

Well, the new CarbonSix barrel showed up today... 1 week turnaround for a warrant claim, is impressive.

I did some measuring on it off the gun, since the action has that other spiral-fluted 6.5CM barrel on it right now. The 7 SAW-II chamber is noticeably longer than the Type-1, but not quite as far as the numbers suggest. After crunching the numbers before to make a guess on COAL, my estimate based on their freebore numbers on the website, show that it should have seated the 175 Elite Hunter to 2.311" base-to-ogive. But reality testing it was 2.300" on the dot. So, that means my jump after seating them deep enough to clear and feed from the AICS mag, will be anywhere from around 0.050" to 0.070"

I'm going to do the first round of testing on my other 6.5CM barrel first, since it's already spun on that action, and once I figure out how well it shoots, and get a quick load developed for it, then I'll spin the new 7 SAW barrel on, and restart load development. Probably in the next couple weeks (weekends).

Also, the barrel threads on this new CarbonSix barrel aren't 100% perfect (like a CNC cut barrel), but they're damn-sure MUCH straighter than the first barrel. This one is very close to center, so I'm not complaining, because it shouldn't affect anything, and it definitely won't get any baffle strikes like the first one had me worried about.

Took my 308 PVA barreled Solus out today. It seems to like a 155 Nosler CC with 45.9 TAC F210M seated .06 off. The suprise of the day was MEN 92 surplus. I’ve never gotten a group like that with surplus and it performed very well at 500 on steel. I also ditched the Mark IV 4.5-14 mix master for a Athlon Ares ETR 3-18.

KYAggie said:

Took my 308 PVA barreled Solus out today. It seems to like a 155 Nosler CC with 45.9 TAC F210M seated .06 off. The suprise of the day was MEN 92 surplus. I’ve never gotten a group like that with surplus and it performed very well at 500 on steel. I also ditched the Mark IV 4.5-14 mix master for a Athlon Ares ETR 3-18.




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I'm glad your .308 Win shoots good. It seems most of them either won't consistently produce equal results (like my .308 Win barrel), or just won't shoot good at all. Seems very few of the .308 Win barreled rifles are consistent shooters. I hope Aero/BA gets that issue figured out. I'm guessing they have, which is why all the .308 Win and .300 BLK Solus rifles are on backorder. I was told the .300BLK pistols had a barrel issue with the first batch, so they sent them all back, and are waiting on new ones, which is what is causing the huge delay (ordered it in July).

Also, I like the paint job. Looks good! Is it paint, or did you have it dipped? Also, leaving the action nitride, and only painting the stock and barrel is smart, leaves you room for upgrading later, where you might not want a camo receiver. Good forward thinking.

FuhQ said:

I'm glad your .308 Win shoots good. It seems most of them either won't consistently produce equal results (like my .308 Win barrel), or just won't shoot good at all. Seems very few of the .308 Win barreled rifles are consistent shooters. I hope Aero/BA gets that issue figured out. I'm guessing they have, which is why all the .308 Win and .300 BLK Solus rifles are on backorder. I was told the .300BLK pistols had a barrel issue with the first batch, so they sent them all back, and are waiting on new ones, which is what is causing the huge delay (ordered it in July).

Also, I like the paint job. Looks good! Is it paint, or did you have it dipped? Also, leaving the action nitride, and only painting the stock and barrel is smart, leaves you room for upgrading later, where you might not want a camo receiver. Good forward thinking.

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My 308 barrels is NOT an Aero barrel; it’s a PVA barrel. It’s a Wilson blank chambered by Josh.

Thanks! I did paint the stock. It was a blemish Aero 17” chassis that was an ugly two tone gold color. I used Rustoleum camo paint.

KYAggie said:

My 308 barrels is NOT an Aero barrel; it’s a PVA barrel. It’s a Wilson blank chambered by Josh.

Thanks! I did paint the stock. It was a blemish Aero 17” chassis that was an ugly two tone gold color. I used Rustoleum camo paint.

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My bad... My brain is on about 100 different things today, trying to deal with shit. I read that, but for some reason it didn't process...

Those blem sales they run are almost always the best buys out there. I picked up 2 "blemished" .300 BLK uppers from them for like $300 each a couple years back, one 10.5" and one 8", and I couldn't find anything blemished on them. They both also shoot lights-out with 220 subs, even out to 200 yards.

I’m headed to the gunsmith.
I stripped the action wrench attempting to remove the 20” MTU .308 barrel off my Solus action. It doesn’t appear as though I have damaged the receiver, but I don’t want to take any chances.

I have never had any problems like this with other actions/wrenches. More to follow, I guess.

FuhQ said:

Well, the new CarbonSix barrel showed up today... 1 week turnaround for a warrant claim, is impressive.


Also, the barrel threads on this new CarbonSix barrel aren't 100% perfect (like a CNC cut barrel), but they're damn-sure MUCH straighter than the first barrel.

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Interesting see how barrel manufactures thread and chamber barrels, CNC or manual cut …. all depends on their initial set up and how accurate they can setup center…of bore..
Many axes to figure out!

This is quite detailed and shows just how much MANUAL,a CNCmachine can get.
Not promoting, other than this was a solid display of what an individual in a company can can do, in order to give you a greater chance of success in the field.

Forgot I did this last night, and took my hunting rig, which is a 20" @christensenarms Ridgeline FFT in 7mm-08 Rem, with a Kahles K318i on top, and stuck it in the new McMillan Game Warden Edge stock I ordered for it, and weighed it with the TBAC Magnus-S can on it, so basically in full hunting configuration, minus ammo... Also, I bought a Hawkins M5 AICS bottom metal for it. Really nice unit, and will be a great hunting setup. I'm very happy with the outcome of the reconfiguration. In person, while handling it, it feels like it weights a whole lot less than 10 lbs. but the scale doesn't lie... It's very quick and nimble in the hands.

I also removed the scope, and can, and stuck them on my Solus with the new spiral-fluted Sendero Lite 6.5CM barrel (416r) from the contract overrun, and put my K318i on top, and the Magnus-S on the end, and weighed it, too, as if it would be in hunting configuration, as well.

I did it mainly just for the name of science and to see how much heavier the beefy Solus and steel barrel was, over the Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT 20" 7mm-08 barreled action with one of their 20MOA rails on top, incase I decide to get a whole new Solus action for this CarbonSix 7 SAW barrel on Black Friday sale from somewhere, and use this spiral-fluted rig as a hunting rifle.

Based on the actual numbers, I bet I could screw on a Proof 20" CF prefit, and make the difference LESS THAN 1 lbs. with the Solus action. So, there really (IMO) is no need to worry about the "lightweight" Solus actions, since they're only a few ounces difference between the regular and "lightweight" versions. I'd rather have the extra beef and strength in there, and just tote around a couple more ounces of weight.

Here were the results...

Just the stripped 20" Ridgeline FFT 7mm-08 rifle with no scope and no suppressor...



Ridgeline FFT w/ scope, but no suppressor...



Ridgeline FFT w/ scope & Magnus-S suppressor...



Aero Solus w/ 20" spiral-fluted 6.5CM (contract overrun) 416r stainless barrel, K318i scope, and Magnus-S suppressor...

FuhQ said:

Aero Solus w/ 20" spiral-fluted 6.5CM (contract overrun) 416r stainless barrel, K318i scope, and Magnus-S suppressor...

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So the Solus in the Gamewarden with no scope weighs about 7.5# if my rough math is correct. Not terrible. Maybe a little beefy, but if it balances, it would be fine. I like a total scoped and loaded weight of 8.5# max for a hunting gun, but I have yet to hunt with a suppressor, so that would add a bit. I tend to grab my R93 in either 270 or 300 Win mag when I hunt as it’s light and has excellent balance, but the barrels are not threaded, so no suppressor. I’ve thought about using my Aero overstock barrel, I have the same one, to build up something I could hunt with that has a suppressor, but I would probably put it on my Origin action as it weighs 28 oz which is lighter than the Solus at 36 oz. That’s half a pound lighter and with a light hunting scope would be within the 8.5# I tend to like.

Thanks for the info!

Btw, what does your Game Warden stock weigh by its self?

KYAggie said:

So the Solus in the Gamewarden with no scope weighs about 7.5# if my rough math is correct. Not terrible. Maybe a little beefy, but if it balances, it would be fine. I like a total scoped and loaded weight of 8.5# max for a hunting gun, but I have yet to hunt with a suppressor, so that would add a bit. I tend to grab my R93 in either 270 or 300 Win mag when I hunt as it’s light and has excellent balance, but the barrels are not threaded, so no suppressor. I’ve thought about using my Aero overstock barrel, I have the same one, to build up something I could hunt with that has a suppressor, but I would probably put it on my Origin action as it weighs 28 oz which is lighter than the Solus at 36 oz. That’s half a pound lighter and with a light hunting scope would be within the 8.5# I tend to like.

Thanks for the info!

Btw, what does your Game Warden stock weigh by its self?

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It’s the Edge Fill model, so VERY light. I think 27oz.

Kocher said:

The gang is all here…all arrived. No issues yet…

The 26” 6creed is looong!

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Was that a blem sale?
How long did it take you get yours?