featherweight .22lr rig for PRS

If you want a general stability/balance, I would say do a
XLR Element 4.0 Magnesium
Carbon Fiber buttstock.
CZ 457 w/ like a .9" straight barrel 22-24"

He said he didn't want to build a custom gun.

CZ 457 either AT-ONE, or Varmint MTR, with an Athlon Argos to come in under the $1,500 for Base Class AND Women's, for the win. Though she may be winning in a field of one or two, but it's more fun to win. Both are really light, but unless you want a Harris you have to modify a bit to make them match ready. IMO this is the cheapest and best combination of over-the-counter to hit Base Class. They shoot pretty good too, not like a Vudoo, but good enough for a match.

He said he didn't want to drop 8k, he didn't say he didn't want to build a custom gun IIUC.

The Varmint MTR isn't going to balance at all, I wouldn't call that remotely stable stock. and if you're going to make it balance by slapping on 5# of weights to it, you kind of defeated the purpose of trying to make it light.

I have my Vudoo build in an Element Mg, and it's 10.5#, so if I were to do the CZ 457 way...

CZ 457 - cheapest action you can find, $450.
CZ 457 - MTR Barrel 20.5" - maybe $375.
Harrel's Tuner w/ some weights - $200
Element Mg 4.0 Mg (hit up a sale, memorial day maybe) - $950.

Get a light scope, like a Arken EPL 6-24 https://www.arkenopticsusa.com/epl-4-6-24x50-ffp-illuminated-vhr-vpr-zero-stop-30mm-tube/ - $380

So all done like $2400

I've got a b14r with a cf barrel in a q side chick. Probably weighs 6lbs. I took it to one local match a couple years ago and dominated. Won almost every round of 5rd group shooting then won the card. There were about a dozen people shooting that day. I shot the club record on my card. I don't think I've shot it since. Pm me if you're interested.

The longer barrel and lighter the butt stock, it will balance with a lower overall weight. Setting up the LOP for a single shooter makes things easier. I would use some super minimalist carbine buttstock. Set the LOP and cheekrest once and done. 24” barrel plus tuner for weight up front. Probably go with the LSS Gen 3 and the long forend; the carbon forend will come later if you want it.

My Vudoo in an MPA Ultra Lite chassis. Kukri (sic) barrel profile, 22 inches long, total rig with Leupold MK5HD is 12 pounds one ounce. I’ve since added a straight grip, a thumb hold and spigot that I stole from another MPA chassis that I didn’t use it on, so I suspect the weight is a few once’s more.

Still very light for what it can do.

As initially built.



Current build


Heck, though some folks say they don’t work, but I have to struggle to beat my wife and her little RPRR. Cheap and is good on targets way out there. Today, in heavy winds and targets only out to 129 yards, she did not miss a shot.




My point. Cost is not always a factor. A good B14r and even an RPRR might do the job. Oh but if a fellow or lady can afford it, the Vudoo is the way to go.

Pocket said:

looking at building a lightweight / featherweight build for my wife to compete as she has expressed interest in shooting matches with me.

she can NOT safely move around my 23# vudoo. Nor are we to the point i am going to dump 8k into a build.

Cant get in trouble for always being on the road shooting rimfire matches if she is there with me right????

what is a good combo for being able to have the stability/balance that we look for in PRS/NRL22 but still lightweight? CZ Carbonfiber? i saw a video about the action/barrel combo but dont see them online anywhere?

Click to expand...

CZ457. See below.

Fig said:

He said he didn't want to build a custom gun.

CZ 457 either AT-ONE, or Varmint MTR, with an Athlon Argos to come in under the $1,500 for Base Class AND Women's, for the win. Though she may be winning in a field of one or two, but it's more fun to win. Both are really light, but unless you want a Harris you have to modify a bit to make them match ready. IMO this is the cheapest and best combination of over-the-counter to hit Base Class. They shoot pretty good too, not like a Vudoo, but good enough for a match.

Click to expand...

My CZ457 Varmint MTR is perfect as is. And despite what some may feel, balances really well in front of the magwell if you throw a couple T-nuts in it and mount a picatinny or arca rail on it. Still light and very handy but stable and solid enough to get the job done.

If she decides this is really what she likes, that’s the time to build her a personal rifle.

Pocket said:

well i/we already have a 10k vudoo rig. but she is just "i think id like to start shooting more with you" thats not vudoo realm talk. tho would come later and thats fine. i just need to get past NRL & PRS nationals before i full send it on her rig

Click to expand...

This is the right approach imo.

There’s a new CZ457 model that is supposed to be out soon, the 457 Range.
There will be a 20” and 24” barrel option, the stock looks pretty good to for a factory stock.

I would imagine this will be one of the better base models for her to start with, should be able to compete fairly well with it and lots of scope for mods/upgrades in the future.

You should easily be able to build something fairly well balanced in the 12-16lb range.
The key is as long barrel as practical, and lightest weight butt stock.

I decided that I wanted a lighter Vudoo for every day carry in my truck after building a couple of them that weighed over 14lbs with 22" bbls in Rem varmint or Kukri profile in Manners PRS1T stocks. I got a Krieger #4 sporter contour blank, chambered it with an EPS reamer & finished it at 22", then put the bbl'd action into a Manners EH2 stock with PTG Stealth DBM. With an Athlon Midas TAC 6-24x50 scope, it weighs 9.5lbs, balances at the front edge of the DBM, and shoots great with SK/Lapua ammo. A Harris bipod adds some weight the few times I'd put one on it, but it's all up front.

I also have a couple of CZ457s that I've re-barreled with Shilen select match ratchet rifled blanks. First one was an American with a nice looking stock, but the OEM pencil bbl didn't shoot worth a hoot. I settled on Shilen's #5 contour, which has a 1.20" dia shank, with the rest of the tapered profile ahead of the radius transition being a little larger than the CZ factory bbl. I parted-off the whole 1.2" shank, and turned the radius transition down to be a good snug fit in the 457 action, chambered it with the EPS reamer, set headspace at .043", moved it over to the mill to cut the extraction slots, CeraKoted it with a mix of graphite black/tungsten, then used Loctite #609 to glue it into the action. I did have to sand the stock's bbl channel a bit larger for this bbl, but it weighed only about 1/2lb more than the factory bbl, and shoots lights-out.
Few months later, I got into a 457 VPT with the Manners CZ version of their PRS1T stock, but the 24" factory bbl was lacking in accuracy out past 50yds, so it got the same Shilen treatment as the American, only I went with a straight .863" blank that I finished at 22". It weighs right at 10lbs with an Athlon Ares BTR 4/5-27x50, and shoots just as good as the American/Shilen does.