Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Chassis vs fiberglass

What are your thoughts on using a chassis vs. a more traditional fiberglass hunting stock from McM or Manners? Likes, dislikes?

I'm intrigued by the KRG X-ray, but have no experience with a chassis.

Jason

I think a lot would depend on what you were doing with it. Most chassis system are going to have a vertical pistol grip and really are more suited to stationary or prone type firing vs. a hunting style stock that may be lighter and configured for quicker handling and carrying in the field.

There are a ton of variables in both styles as well.

^^

For a special purpose rifle maybe a chassis styled stock makes sense in some applications. When looking at a hunting rifle I can't see any application. A lightweight chassis weighs 3+ pounds and many of them top 5 pounds. They're not for me; though I understand that they may become standard issue for mall ninjas in the near future..........

Sorry guys I should have been more specific.

I'd use a chassis strictly for a dedicated LR platform, shot from prone. I can see how they would be awkward to carry, and the safety would be a pain to manipulate for snap shots.

But once in the prone position, they seem like they'd be extremely comfortable and easily customized for fit.

The X-Ray price seems reasonable too.

Anyone have experience shooting a chassis vs a more traditional stock?

Jason

I should have asked it in a different way...

If you use a chassis for your LR rifle, what were the reasons you chose it over a fiberglass stock, even an A5-style?

Just looking for general comments on a chassis. Whatever you feel is relevant.

Thanks,

Jason

I think the chassis setups are a joke if you ask me. keep in mind much the tactical crowd, well lets just say, ummm ok lets just say they are a unique crowd that knows what they know, are slow to change, are controlled by group think and pack mentality and are definitely worried about looks in many cases over function. a chassis setup adds a ton of weight that essentially offers nothing for you. I do like a vertical grip but there are other ways to accomplish this, the A series mcmillans, and mcmillan has another stock I think its call the TPR. The tactical crowd gets to the point that their rifles aren't that portable anymore. this come from most of them only shooting at gun ranges where weight does not matter. however in the real world, be it hunting or even as a sniper which they are trying to be like. extra weight on your gun that offers nothing is not a wise choice, because real snipers and real hunters aren't within 100 yards of their pickup truck. a glass bedded mcmillan is going to do it lighter and just as stable as any chassis setup.

really?

So .mil guys with AICS and TRG rifles, are not real snipers or marksmen? They should carry a McM instead?

CC brings up the point of chassis weight. Something to consider.

I own Micky's and AICS chassis. They have their positives and negatives. The older chassis are more clunky and heavy. I have the older 1.5 AICS with my heavy 6.5x47 sitting in it. It has a heavy 26" Krieger #10 barrel. Would I care to drag it's 17 lbs around the mountains, not really. My lighter (sub 10 lb) 6.5x47 is in a Micky. It's great to shoot and about as accurate. The newer Chassis can be lighter. I'm starting an ELR hunting rig in 338 Edge. Know what stock it's getting? The AICS 2.0 Hybrid chassis. It will have a 30" Sendero Bartlein barrel. It's weight should come out somewhere between my other two rifles. With it's folding stock, it will get carried in one of my Eberlestock's backpack scabbards.

Alan

I have dabbled with them too. this was my first, a .264 Win.



that stock got tripped (to New Zealand of all places) along with three of the rare AICS 10 round .300 Win mags.

this is that rifle today (top rifle)



but my most accurate rifle is the top rifle here in my .223AI pile

Thanks Toad and GSSP.

Do you guys think the chassis stocks give you a better fit over McM and your others stocks in terms of getting a good sight picture and being able to spot your shots? This is what has led me to the idea of a chassis. I've used a kydex taco in the past but the chassis seems like a better mousetrap for getting the perfect fit.

Jason

Jason,

Fit has to do with how well you pick your stock to begin with and then how adjustable or adaptable it is when you need to get into different positions. Take a prone shot. No problem. Now, take a prone shot where you're shooting down hill or even worse, up hill. Take the following pic. Hard to see but I'm lying down hill and my shot is up hill. Why didn't I sit or kneel, because it was about a 900 yd shot. Not steady enough except from prone. Looks like I'm using my Harris bipod but even extended all the way it wouldn't' bring my muzzle up enough so I had to use my PRS system SLIK tripod and mount to hold the rifle up high enough yet still allow the butt to stay close to the ground for the rear support.

And yes, that is my 1.5 AICS chassis shooting my 6.5x47. This was last June as the Challenge at Altitude shoot up Weber Canyon, Utah. We're at about 8,000'.
Alan

Thanks for the info Alan. Never knew about the PRS. I already have a SLIK and will look into it. I figured bi-pod on top of a pack but the tripod offers a lot.

Jason

Jason,

Here is the same SLIK and the same rifle stretched up to where I'm hitting steel at 660 yds.

Alan





http://www.precisionriflesolutions.com

I think one of the attractions of the chassis is both the adjustability and modular nature of many of them. However you put an adjustable cheek piece on the mickeys as well. I always kind of liked the Game scout model as somewhat of a hybrid stock.

Other chassis systems to look at other than those aleady mentioned would be MDT Tac21, Cadex, JAE J allen, HTI, EXR, and SABER

Alan - that PRS sure opens up a ton of shooting options. It definitely would give me many more places for field practice.

SW - I'll look into those other chassis systems. Thanks for the list.

Jason