First post and new build idea

[terribleshot]

Hi guys,

I have been reading through these forums for years but I finally want to get more involved.

I plan to buy a Christensen Arms MPR. I have heard and read bad things about their carbon barrels so my idea is to buy the entire rifle with a steel barrel and put a Proof Carbon barrel onto it.

This rifle will be a shorter barrel 18" .308 with a can. I love the MPR looks and would enjoy a lighter gun. I want the 17" hand guard with the 18" barrel from Proof and the YHM R2

So my question should I order it in a long barrel 6.5 creed and use the barrel down the road? Noob question here... I assume the action will work for a .308???

Is the normal trigger tech good enough with 2LBS pull that it comes with? Are their actions well built?

My only other bolt gun is a Rem 700 Sps .308 20" with a Magpul stock, Calvin elite trigger set at 12oz and a vortex viper. This gun is much better than I am at shooting but I just want another rifle I can carry with me if I decide to go hunting or something... Which I do not do yet.

Thank you for the help.

 

[b6graham]

build a rifle instead. for the same money as a christiansen and proof barrel you could have a full custom build on a better action and better chassis/stock

a $3k build leaves you a lot of options for sure

origin $825
proof prefit $830
manners/mcmillan $1100
trigger tech diamond $250

boom awesome $3k build

 

[Gustav7]

Hi guys,

I have been reading through these forums for years but I finally want to get more involved.

I plan to buy a Christensen Arms MPR. I have heard and read bad things about their carbon barrels so my idea is to buy the entire rifle with a steel barrel and put a Proof Carbon barrel onto it.

This rifle will be a shorter barrel 18" .308 with a can. I love the MPR looks and would enjoy a lighter gun. I want the 17" hand guard with the 18" barrel from Proof and the YHM R2

So my question should I order it in a long barrel 6.5 creed and use the barrel down the road? Noob question here... I assume the action will work for a .308???

Is the normal trigger tech good enough with 2LBS pull that it comes with? Are their actions well built?

My only other bolt gun is a Rem 700 Sps .308 20" with a Magpul stock, Calvin elite trigger set at 12oz and a vortex viper. This gun is much better than I am at shooting but I just want another rifle I can carry with me if I decide to go hunting or something... Which I do not do yet.

Thank you for the help.

Also... if you're going with a short barrel, is there a reason you're also wanting a carbon barrel?

The shorter barrel is already cutting weight and balance point, you could go short with fluting to cut a little extra too. Hell of a lot cheaper option than an $800 carbon barrel.

but I agree with @b6graham ... Origin or TL3 if you wanna upgrade. Prefit from Northlund shooters, shortened/fluted/threaded, stock/chassis, TT Diamond.

 

[terribleshot]

Thanks for the input. I really like the way the MPR looks, the carbon is light and I hear great things about proof. $1,800 for the MPR in steel sounds like a good deal if the stock trigger is decent and the action is nice. I can always change the trigger down the road.

Orgin looks like they have a great price for a custom action!

 

[Gustav7]

Thanks for the input. I really like the way the MPR looks, the carbon is light and I hear great things about proof. $1,800 for the MPR in steel sounds like a good deal if the stock trigger is decent and the action is nice. I can always change the trigger down the road.

Orgin looks like they have a great price for a custom action!

It will most likely be the action I use when I decide to build a custom. The action takes the Savage/Rem style shank barrels, so pre-fits are plentiful from all the major barrel makers. Pre-fits cost less, and you can get them customized just like anything else.

Proof steel barrels are just as good....its the carbon aspect that drives that price up. Personally I don't see the catch...but I'm also not a mountain hunter lol

If you're just target shooting... I see no reason to get a carbon barrel

 

[dirthead1]

The Christensen action isn't that great. I had a MPR and a couple of Ridgelines. I really liked the MPR chassis, but the action was a bit gritty with a heavy bolt lift. The TriggerTech is great, but you can buy that for about $125 and put it on any other Rem 700 style action. By the time you buy the MPR and then have someone chamber, thread, and install a Proof carbon barrel on it, you'll have to $3k invested. It's your money, but I personally would go a different direction. If you are set on the MPR chassis, you could always just buy the chassis and then drop a R700 footprint barreled action in it. I agree the MPR does look sweet, but when you start doing more than just looking at it, you might wish you had something a little more refined.

 

[b6graham]

yup. if you're basing it on looks buy the chassis and get everything else. you'll be a lot happier in the long run

 

[terribleshot]

Awesome that is what I will do, buy the chassis and build the rest. I live by the whole "BUY ONCE CRY ONCE".

I am in south Florida and I need to get out in some places to stretch my guns out. Any ideas around south/westcoast of florida to do so?

 

[Gustav7]

Awesome that is what I will do, buy the chassis and build the rest. I live by the whole "BUY ONCE CRY ONCE".

I am in south Florida and I need to get out in some places to stretch my guns out. Any ideas around south/westcoast of florida to do so?

There should be a section on here for local meetups or state hookups. Might try posting there and see if any other Floridians know of some places .

 

[twstdtckno]

Hey! first post on the forum here so please let me know if im missing some decorum....

I recently traded for a Christensen MPR and as such dont have anywhere close to retail in it...that said here are my thoughts on the gun itself...

-Looks: The rifle is awesome astheticly. The build look and visual quality is great. mine is their bronze/FDE and the colors match and look very snazzy. the carbon has the right amount of carbon sheen, and sparkle. (minimal, and is muted, but it is CF and looks the part).

-Feel: The rifle feels great, and handles well. I personally dont notice the weight savings comparted to similar length 700's, 10's or Ruger's ive owned but it is lighter than say a 700 in an AI style chassis. Also in the 'feel' department, 22" w a Brake in 6.5CM the recoil is neglible. Again this is to me.
I do have a few gripes in the feel dept however...The rifle ships with a magpul K grip. the bevel on the grip is not flush with the rifle. for a $2k+ gun, this annoys me. Also a gripe, the cheek rest and buttstock adjustments are NOT tool less. I set it up how i THOUGHT i wanted it, but it was a little off when i actually hit the range. I forgot the specific allen key, and thus had to live with it as is. Last, the cheekrest is not ambi. Im a lefty and it works for me, but i wish it could be switched.

-Function: The rifle functions as expected, but does NOT feel like an action that belongs on a $2k plus gun. The action feels sloppy and...open? loose?...its a little odd to describe. Compared to a R700, Savage 10, 110 (older ones) or a ruger M77 the MPR leaves alot to be desired. The folding stock mechanism is great, SOLID lock up both folded and not. The trigger is great, it is a flat break with no creep or movement. I prefer a curve, but am starting to like the flat face.

-Accuracy: This rifle was used when i got it, and i belive had already had about 150-175 rounds fired. I cannot verify if the break in was done properly, but based on my interatcions with the previous owner, it probably was. That said i sighted in with Hornady whitetail at 25 and 100y out of the bed of a truck. Optic is a sightron SIII mil hash, 6-24 ffp. I was getting about 1" two shot groups (i know thats not a group) then adjusting in an effort to conserve ammo. Next I went out to 300 yards, used strelock to give me a rough estimate on where rounds should land. Using hold over only (Mil hash scope) i got 5/5 hits on steel (18x12). Then 4/4 hits on 6" round. The two other shooters with me also scored hits, with one miss out of 10 rounds, while shooting at a swinging 6" plate.
Next was 400y steel and paper, switching to hornady match VLD rounds. At 400y i got 3/3 hits on steel, then transitioned to paper. scoring a 3 shot grouping of 1" tall, by 2" wide. Im newer to long range shooting , but i think im allowed to call that 1/2 MOA grouping.
In my opinion, for my use...the gun is plenty accurate. In all we shot 58 rounds with only 4 misses with 3 shooters (not counting sight in). The half MOA grouping was more than acceptable to me, and if extrapolated to 1000 yards would be exellent *IMO

But to others and your question....i dont think id pay 2249, or whatever they are asking for it these days. I would get a savage model 10, or rem 700, toss a reputabule chassis and spend a little more on glass. Or more likely Just get great glass and put a better stock or chassis later.

Hope this is at least informative.

Twisted.