The Traverse elevates our backcountry rifle
The Traverse elevates our backcountry rifle services with time-commemorated styling and performance. The Monte-Carlo carbon fiber composite gunstock offers it a traditional feel, even as the mild goal contour Christensen Arms carbon fiber wrapped barrel, stainless-steel aspect-baffle brake, zero-MOA optic rail, and backside picatinny rail make sure modern day operation. The Traverse weighs in beginning at 7.three kilos and is sponsored through the Christensen Arms Sub-MOA Guarantee. Christensen Arms Modern Precision Rifle (MPR) Last October, I attended a media occasion through Christensen Arms to release their then-most recent rifle, the Modern Precision Rifle (MPR). At the time, I wrote that the MPR became “the destiny of long-variety searching.” As new product occasions cross, the Christensen release became first-rate. The MPR’s have been pre-zeroed, the ammunition became ample and, I’m positive became decided on as it became a outstanding in shape for the rifles. The metal objectives have been newly painted, and our capturing structures have been very strong. I recorded a few outstanding companies that day, along with a 2.five-inch organization of 3 photographs at 520 yards. However, you by no means actually recognize approximately a rifle primarily based totally entirely on a media occasion, because it doesn’t reflect everyday capturing. I had to use a manufacturing MPR at domestic at my very own pace, and that lately occurred. After 250-plus rounds at my variety, tinkering with the rifle and actually gaining knowledge of it, I have to cross one higher on my authentic claim. The MPR isn’t certainly the destiny of long-variety searching, it’s far what longer-variety searching is all approximately. The rifle combines the precision of a opposition rifle with the in-the-area capability of a first-class searching rifle. Until a person builds a miles advanced rifle, the MPR is my first desire while my searching photographs are possibly to be three hundred yards or greater. The MPR I acquired is chambered in 6.five Creedmoor and sports activities a 22-inch stainless-steel and carbon-fiber wrapped barrel. The barrel is hand lapped, free-floating and button rifled with a 1:eight twist rate. The give up of the barrel became equipped with an adjustable, stainless-steel baffle brake. With a rifle, outstanding accuracy commonly method giant weight, however the MPR weighs in at simply 7.five kilos unloaded. That lighter weight is because of numerous factors, along with the Christensen Arms 7075 billet aluminum chassis the MPR is constructed upon. The handguard is likewise light-weight carbon fiber, as is the adjustable cheek riser. The inventory is skeletonized for similarly weight reduction, and the 2-lug bolt-movement is fed thru an AICS-like minded removable mag. The over-sized and fluted bolt knob recognize permits for smooth loading and unloading, and the rifle itself is carried out in a black nitride end. The MPR became to begin with to be had in simplest 6.five Creedmoor and .308 Win. But for the reason that rifle’s release, Christiansen has delivered the .three hundred Norma, .three hundred Win. Mag., and .338 Lapua to the MPR services. Not simplest is the rifle extraordinarily accurate, its layout indicates that a outstanding deal of cautious concept went into making it a greater–powerful searching rifle. The inventory is adjustable for cheek weld and length-of-pull; even as many rifles are, Christensen did some thing I simplest once in a while see on new rifles—they made the ones changes all viable with a unmarried hex wrench. The three/32-inch blanketed hex wrench loosens and tightens the screws to alter the cheek plate and length-of-pull, plus the 2 screws that dispose of the rear 1/2 of of the inventory for cleansing and repair. It even suits the 8 screws that preserve the handguard in vicinity, which won’t sound like a large thing, however I’ve used adjustable shares which required exclusive wrenches and a screwdriver for inventory changes. Apparently, a person at Christensen Arms checked out those shares and stated to themselves, “Why now no longer layout our rifle inventory so one device helps you to make all of the changes?” Good thinking. The carbon fiber handguard with M-Lok attachment makes the hunter’s lifestyles easier, through giving the handguard a flat backside—now no longer the rounded backside not unusualplace on many searching rifles, however a pleasing flat floor for more balance while the lowest is rested at the ledge of an expanded blind, the pinnacle of a fence publish or a huge branch. Want to apply a bipod instead? The MPR functions a segment of Picatinny rail already in vicinity close to the the front of that flat backside. The MPR’s folding inventory is amazing, too. Simply depress a small button at the left aspect of the inventory and it folds up and into the rifle receiver. There’s a small cut-out withinside the inventory which suits over the give up of the bolt handle. The now-folded inventory is held in vicinity with a locking hinge. Plus, a rounded magnet at the proper aspect of the inventory fits up with a small metal circle simply ahead of the bolt itself and magnet secures the inventory to this metallic circle. This is a outstanding function for hunters, because it without problems straps directly to a big pack. I set up a Bushnell 2.five-15×50 Trophy scope with a BDC reticle onto check rifle. For accuracy and characteristic testing, I used 3 manufacturers of 6.five Creedmoor searching ammunition: Federal Fusion 140-grain bullet; Hornady Full Boar 120-grain GMX bullet; and Sig Sauer Elite Performance HT 120-grain copper bullet. Shooting from a desk off of sandbags at one hundred yards, the MPR’s accuracy became amazing with all 3 rounds. The excellent five-shot organization and the excellent common common for five, five-shot companies went to the Sig Sauer ammunition at .477-inch and .966-inch, respectively. The Fusion averaged simply a piece over 1-inch, with a excellent .84-inch organization, and the Full Boar averaged 1.24 inches and a pinnacle organization of .90-inch. I’m now no longer positive precisely while the Accuracy Testing Gods determined that a five-shot organization became advanced to a 3-shot organization, as 3–photographs were the norm for years. I can see the arguments for and towards both, however it appears to me that in case your first 3 photographs print a ½ MOA organization, you’ve got got a ½ MOA rifle. A gust of wind, a fearful shake through the shooter, or any of one hundred different variables can pull both shot No. four or five only a little, ensuing in a 1 or 1.five-inch organization. *Determined with five, five-shot companies at one hundred yards from sandbagged rest. That’s the organization size, no doubt. Yet, is it in reality indicative of a searching rifle’s accuracy? I published 3– and 4-shot companies of .five-inch or higher at one hundred yards as a minimum 3 instances with every emblem of ammunition. This blanketed a .290-inch organization of 3 photographs with the Federal Fusion rounds, and , 3-shot companies with the Sig ammo at .302-inches. For me, this makes the MPR a ½ MOA rifle all day, each day. MPR’s outstanding match-grade flat cause helped make that accuracy viable. According to my Lyman Digital Trigger Pull Gauge, the MPR’s cause has a median cause pull of simply 1.7 kilos. Not so mild it’d burst off with a broom of your finger, however mild sufficient that with practice, cause pull shouldn’t bring about pulled photographs. The simplest problem I observed became the tendency of the MPR’s bolt to throw spent brass into the aspect of the receiver at the back of the enlarged ejection port, wherein it left a sequence of tiny dings. The floor of the end wasn’t broken, however this will occur with greater ejected brass and might require a hint up. I wouldn’t time period it a “problem,” however with a advised retail of proper around $2,2 hundred the MPR expenses tons greater than maximum new searching rifles available in the marketplace nowadays. There are many outstanding rifles to be had nowadays for $500 or less. I’ve used a dozen of the most recent ones over the past 4 years, and almost they all are able to MOA accuracy at one hundred yards. So, why might all of us pay 4 instances that for a searching rifle? If your photographs are all going to be 2 hundred yards or less, there’s no purposeful purpose to shop for an MPR. The distinction among ½ MOA and 1.zero MOA or maybe 1.five MOA at 2 hundred yards on deer-sized recreation nonetheless interprets right into a heart-lung shot, however my private desire is with the intention to take a shot at as much as four hundred yards. A rifle capturing 1.five MOA at one hundred yards might be off six inches or greater at four hundred yards. A little bit of wind or a moderate shift through the animal, and you can without problems wound it. For this shot, I might now no longer simplest want giant practice, a completely strong capturing position, and a radical know-how of my ammunition’s ballistics. I’d require a rifle with ½ MOA accuracy, that’s why I’d need an MPR. Technical Specifications • Type: bolt-movement, mag fed • Caliber: 6.five PRC, 6.five Creedmoor (tested), .308 Win., .three hundred Win. Mag., .three hundred Norma, .338 Lapua • Barrel: 22″; free-floating; 1:eight″ twist; 416R stainless-steel aerograde carbon fiber wrapped; ⅝x24 threaded muzzle • Chassis: Christensen Arms 7075 billet aluminum • Finish: black hardcoat anodized • Handguard: carbon fiber with M-LOK attachment points, black • Stock: folding, with locking hinge and Magnelock Technology; LOP adjustable 12.five″ to 14.five″ • Trigger: match-grade, flat • Weight: 7.five lbs. • Length: 36.75” extended, 28” folded • Misc: 6 quick-detach flush-cup mounts; popular AR grip; monopod Picatinny mount on handguard; makes use of AICS-like minded removable magazines (one blanketed). • MSRP,The Traverse elevates our backcountry rifle