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Zeus quick change in PRS

its_sean

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
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Aug 7, 2024
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Colorado
About the pull the trigger on a Zeus build and someone mentioned the quick change isn’t a great option in PRS because you could bump the barrel and lose your zero vs an impact, lone peak, etc.

Is this true? I really wanted to be able to change from 6 dasher to 6cm for practice and cheap factory ammo.

I’m a casual shooter, once a month local matches.

Torn between this and an impact. I’m considering the impact action due to less bolt lift and from research it appears to feed better with AW mags.
 
I do not have a Zeus, I studied them a lot leading to a decision point and I could not find one and had no idea when I cold get one so it went to impact. That said I am not sure how it could comes loose unless you forgot to tighten the locking screws. To me it is like an AI, you screw the barrel in, tighten the studs and go shoot stuff. The Zeus is a top tier action, it doesn’t get that if barrels come loose.
 
About the pull the trigger on a Zeus build and someone mentioned the quick change isn’t a great option in PRS because you could bump the barrel and lose your zero vs an impact, lone peak, etc.

Is this true? I really wanted to be able to change from 6 dasher to 6cm for practice and cheap factory ammo.

I’m a casual shooter, once a month local matches.

Torn between this and an impact. I’m considering the impact action due to less bolt lift and from research it appears to feed better with AW mags.
I shoot prs. Never had it come loose. I remove the barrel for cleanings and my zero is usually a 10th or 2 off to the right when reinstalling. It’s so predictable I can dial in a 10 and usually be spot on. I shoot 6.5cm and am buying stuff for 6gt. Considering Karl Harmon won overall last year and shoots a Zeus quick change. I think they are proven.
 
About the pull the trigger on a Zeus build and someone mentioned the quick change isn’t a great option in PRS because you could bump the barrel and lose your zero vs an impact, lone peak, etc.

Is this true? I really wanted to be able to change from 6 dasher to 6cm for practice and cheap factory ammo.

I’m a casual shooter, once a month local matches.

Torn between this and an impact. I’m considering the impact action due to less bolt lift and from research it appears to feed better with AW mags.
I very very much doubt you'd do anything that would jar the barrel loose. I doubt you'd do it even without the set screws and it just being hand tight but with set screws that's ridiculous honestly. There's no way that would happen. I have several qc's and you have to want to take that barrel off to get it to move. Absolutely not an issue
 
I’ve owned my Zeus for 5 years, I pull the barrel regularly for cleaning and even transport once. I’ve never had the barrel come loose while shooting, from hunting, being bounced around. Im about to spin a new barrel up and it will be the primary over my impact (which was primary this year) for prs.

Changing barrels on non quick set screw actions (majority of them) is extremely simple too but does require action wrench, a barrel vise, a torque wrench and most of the time needs to be removed from stock. If you are running a 1.250 straight or very heavy low taper contour you could get away without removing most likely
 
Seems like the consensus is it won't be the case that I could lose zero.

For those that chimed in, especially those who had the impact as well:
- I know bolt lift is heavier since Zeus is 60 degrees, but is it that much more noticeable than an impact?
- What magazines are you all feeding from. AW seems to be hit or miss, I will be running 6 dasher trying the new Gray Ops mags first unless other suggestions. I want AW for lower profile.
 
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Seems like the consensus is it won't be the case that I could lose zero.

For those that chimed in, especially those who had the impact as well:
- I know bolt lift is heavier since Zeus is 60 degrees, but is it that much more noticeable than an impact?
- What magazines are you all feeding from. AW seems to be hit or miss, I will be running 6 dasher trying the new Gray Ops mags first unless other suggestions. I want AW for lower profile.
I tried MDT AW mags for my dasher and I couldn't get them to feed perfect. I probably could have dialed them in if i tried more. I just went back to AICS since I had soo many of them and didnt want to replace 10+ other mags.
 
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Seems like the consensus is it won't be the case that I could lose zero.

For those that chimed in, especially those who had the impact as well:
- I know bolt lift is heavier since Zeus is 60 degrees, but is it that much more noticeable than an impact?
- What magazines are you all feeding from. AW seems to be hit or miss, I will be running 6 dasher trying the new Gray Ops mags first unless other suggestions. I want AW for lower profile.
The bolt lift is a little heavy and clicky, I'm not sure how to describe it but yes, it is. It's not something that will cause some big issue though, especially on a heavy rifle.. I prefer to run my Valor actions over the Zeus because of the little bit better bolt lift situation, though I'm not sure why. That said, it's definitely not something that I'd worry about a bunch. All 60's are a little different feeling and have more work to do over a shorter span so.... still no biggie.

I have always just used aics mags because I have quite a bit and have several with +2 extensions. Super reliable so, I've found no reason to mess with AW.
 
Seems like the consensus is it won't be the case that I could lose zero.

For those that chimed in, especially those who had the impact as well:
- I know bolt lift is heavier since Zeus is 60 degrees, but is it that much more noticeable than an impact?
- What magazines are you all feeding from. AW seems to be hit or miss, I will be running 6 dasher trying the new Gray Ops mags first unless other suggestions. I want AW for lower profile.
I have both and run both regularly. The terminus is 100% cock on open 0 on close so they basically snap shut but that equates to heavier lift as well as being a 3 lug. I don’t find the terminus bolt lift especially after it brakes in to be bad by any means and the bolt close so so fast. The impact is 50/50 which lightens up bolt lift but makes it slightly heavier bolt close then the terminus plus it’s a 2 lug. I shoot my impact more as it’s my main prs rifle but the new pipe for the terminus it will take main rifle for 2025 season, with the impact as the back up.

I feed mdt aics msgs from my impact and terminus, and have run the arc mag out of thr terminus with the 25 creed
 
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I rock 2 different zeus qc actions, one as a pistol, one as a rifle. I've had the pistol longer, threaded on a 9in 300blk barrel to it, forgot about the set screws... 200 rounds later I went to change over to my 350 legend barrel for ohio deer season... the barrel is tight on there... had to throw it all on a vice to change barrels, decided I'd hunt with my subsonic 45 70 instead... tight grip on the barrel to switch it out back too 300blk. Lest that a 10th for zero again. I don't know what your worried about. Can't beet a terminus action...
 
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My ARC mags with Area 419 extensions (14 rounds) are the exact same height as a 12rd MDT BR mag.
I don't have a 10rd MDT mag but based on their measurements, they are longer than a 10rd ARC too.
 
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My ARC mags with Area 419 extensions (14 rounds) are the exact same height as a 12rd MDT BR mag.
I don't have a 10rd MDT mag but based on their measurements, they are longer than a 10rd ARC too.

ARC will be shortest.

However, there are issues when ammo moves from the double stack to single stack configuration.

I've found ARC mags to feed decent enough with BR based cartridges (6BRA), but as cartridges get bigger the issues become more pronounced.

I think it's the friction when moving from DS to SS, and the larger cartridges can't overcome that friction force to feed reliably.

Personally, I don't trust the ARC mags for anything more than range use.
 
ARC will be shortest.

However, there are issues when ammo moves from the double stack to single stack configuration.

I've found ARC mags to feed decent enough with BR based cartridges (6BRA), but as cartridges get bigger the issues become more pronounced.

I think it's the friction when moving from DS to SS, and the larger cartridges can't overcome that friction force to feed reliably.

Personally, I don't trust the ARC mags for anything more than range use.

I noticed issues with my arc mag and 25 creed originally but it was the follower moving back and fourth and under pressure it would dip a smidge and jam up. I took some length off the follower and it’s fed the 25 creed beautifully.

That said, the mdt mags feed better and I trust them for matches with the br’s and bra’s for shre
 
ARC mags are hot garbage. I ran them for 2 years and had 2 mags.. replaced twice. Did everything under the sun to keep them running including cleaning after every match, lri billet follower and using dry graphite.

Buy the latest gen MDT 12 rounders (5 lines i think or buy from mdt direct). They are flawless. Have been running them in practice and matches for the last year and it's the first mag I have never had issues with. I have like 8 of them I rotate and they all just run. More reliable and a smaller footprint than aics, accurate, arc, or anything else.

The new grey ops aw mags are really nice too. Surprised it took someone so long to make a 12 round aw...but you certaininly pay for them as well. $160 a mag I think. But at the end of the day...a mag that works 100% of the time is worth every penny.
 
I can say if you want to shoot from AW double stack mags do not get a 2 lug bolt. get a CDG or AI or soulless. something with a 6 o clock open lug. otherwise just use aics mags.
 
I can say if you want to shoot from AW double stack mags do not get a 2 lug bolt. get a CDG or AI or soulless. something with a 6 o clock open lug. otherwise just use aics mags.
This is what I’ve heard as well. I bought an AW mag for my Zeus and it was the only mag I ever had issues with. I sold it and am rocking the MDT 12 round Aics.
 
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About the pull the trigger on a Zeus build and someone mentioned the quick change isn’t a great option in PRS because you could bump the barrel and lose your zero vs an impact, lone peak, etc.

Is this true? I really wanted to be able to change from 6 dasher to 6cm for practice and cheap factory ammo.

I’m a casual shooter, once a month local matches.

Torn between this and an impact. I’m considering the impact action due to less bolt lift and from research it appears to feed better with AW mags.
I torque my barrels on at 40'ish ft/lbs using muzzle flats and a crescent wrench. Never had an issue with a barrel loosening or wandering zero. I would be more concerned with an unbedded chassis causing a wandering zero when the barrel gets smacked unexpectedly.
 
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Sweet thanks everyone. I’ll grab the mdt 6br aics
Make sure to get the 4 rib ones. They aren't on their website yet but you put that in the order notes. I ran the standard ones with my dasher and the round would come out early and the nose of the bullet would tip down and slightly bind. They would feed but needed some bolt finess. I swapped ti the 4 rib and they have been flawless out of the box


Screenshot_20240422_094740_Yahoo Mail.jpg
 
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Make sure to get the 4 rib ones. They aren't on their website yet but you put that in the order notes. I ran the standard ones with my dasher and the round would come out early and the nose of the bullet would tip down and slightly bind. They would feed but needed some bolt finess. I swapped ti the 4 rib and they have been flawless out of the box


View attachment 8523640
Thank you!!