One Action Two Rifles - MDT Field Report

Good rifles are expensive, and high-end custom rifles are even more expensive. But those custom creations we all drool over are what we long to use for every rifle task we undertake. So, what if a custom-built rifle could do double duty, performing two functions instead of only one? Wouldn't that save some significant money? And what if it could do both without any of the usual compromises we encounter when asking a highly specialized rifle to fill multiple roles? It's possible thanks to the modularity built into many of today's products.

My original custom rifle build didn't start as a two-purpose rifle; it was simply a quest to build a great predator-hunting rifle. The goal included a rifle weight of about seven pounds, a 10-round magazine capacity, adjustable stock dimensions, stability in cold weather, and great accuracy.

VERSION ONE

I really wanted to use a Proof Research carbon fiber barrel for this build, as I've used rifles equipped with these barrels before and have been extremely impressed with their overall performance, including accuracy, rapid cooling, stiffness, and long life. But then those are the reasons they provide barrels and barrel technology for the US military—to my knowledge, the only carbon fiber barrel manufacturer to do so. And so, it wasn't long before I had a Proof Research 22-inch, 1-8" twist carbon fiber barrel in hand.

These days, we're fortunate to have many options regarding manufacturers of bolt-operated actions, with one of the best being K.S. Arms in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I understand if you haven't heard of them, as they are one of the best-kept secrets in the rifle world. No, they don't have a splashy online presence; they build top-quality products and count on word of mouth and their reputation to make the business flourish. And it's working, as they sell their actions (and barrels, too) worldwide. I grabbed one of their Lightweight SA3RL actions, a 3-lug design with a Remington 700 footprint and integral recoil lug, trimmed down to weigh 23 ounces in the short action length. They installed the barrel for me, chambering it in .223 Remington.

A good gun needs a good trigger, and, in my opinion, there's currently no better option than what TriggerTech offers. This isn't the first rifle I own to have one of their triggers, and I doubt it'll be the last. I selected their Primary model for this build, as it has the adjustment range I wanted (1.5 – 4 lbs.). As expected, the pull is flawless, safe, and reliable.

With the action having a 700 footprint, the stock/chassis options are numerous. To meet the weight, adjustability, and mag capacity criteria I'd established, I went with the HNT26 chassis from MDT. Another rifle in the safe already wore one of these chassis, so I knew exactly what I was getting, and my positive experiences with that rifle made this decision easy.

The capability to fold the buttstock for compact transport and ease of cleaning, the ARCA rail on the bottom of the forend, the ability to take 10-round magazines, and a profusion of M-LOK slots and sling attachment options, as well as the adjustable buttstock length and comb height all contribute to making the HNT26 chassis a state-of-the-art product.

In any rifle build where weight is a concern, I lean towards Leupold optics. Not only are their reliability and optical performance legendary, but they can do it with less weight than anyone else. Therefore, a Leupold VX-3HD 4.5-14x40 came to life on this rifle. I went with a simple Duplex reticle but ensured it had one of their excellent CDS-ZL elevation turrets to help with longer shots.

In its lightweight "winter dress," the custom rifle is used extensively for predator hunting.

I didn't get the rifle put together until about halfway through the predator-hunting season, but it quickly became the terror of the local coyote population. Then, when spring rolled around, it was tucked away in the safe until the next season. At least, that's what I thought until the opportunity to go on a three-day hunt for gophers (Richardson ground squirrels) arose. I had plenty of lead time, so I started thinking about the rifle again and considered the possibility of converting it from a lightweight hunting rifle into a heavier bench gun suitable for sniping tiny varmints on the far side of large pastures.

VERSION TWO

The transformation started with removing the HNT26 chassis, the lightweight Leupold scope and reducing the trigger pull to its lowest setting. Then I started adding things.

First on the list was an MDT Comp Brake to help spot misses and better observe the red mist of impacts. An MDT TIMBR Frontier chassis in Green Mountain Camo color came next. I installed the vertical grip rather than the angled version, as it provided a little better trigger control. A scope with more magnification and a first focal plane reticle would be ideal, and I happened to have an unattached Zeiss LRP S3 4-25x50 in the man cave. With its 34mm tube, it's a chunky scope with lots of elevation adjustment capable of adding some distance capability and weight to the rifle.

Set up to hit tiny targets at long distances, the rifle is almost unrecognizable in its summer version.

With three new attachments to the basic K.S. Arms/Proof/TriggerTech rifle, a trip to the range proved the transition a success. Five shot groups were consistently under ½ MOA, and with the muzzle brake and a new 11.5 lb weight, spotting hits, and misses was easy.

RESULTS

With three shooters over three days, we accounted for almost 2,000 burrowing rodents, making a couple of farmers very happy and proving my idea of configuring a single high-quality barrelled action two different ways is completely viable. In its new form, the rifle shoots like a dedicated varmint sniper without so much as a hint of being a compromise.

The barreled action and the MDT magazine are the only common components in the rifle's two distinct personalities—winter components on the left and summertime on the right.

By adding a brake, different chassis, and a different scope, as well as tweaking the trigger, I've turned what I've come to think of as the perfect wintertime predator rifle into a perfect rodent sniper for summer use. It has saved me the cost of a new custom rifle and proved that thanks to the modular nature of today's rifle components, it's possible and practical to have a single top-quality rifle configured two ways.

COMPETITION AND HUNTING RESOURCES FROM MDT

• Mastering The Mental Game Of PRS: An Easy Way To Achieve A Higher Score
• A Shooter's Checklist - Delivering The Perfect Shot
• Beginners Gear Guide for Precision Rifle Competition
• Expert Gear Guide for Precision Rifle Competition
• How Professional Shooter Allison Zane Sets Up Her Rifle
• Dry Fire Drills With Pro Shooter Allison Zane
• Tips For A Successful Antelope Hunt
• Analysis: Long-Range Hunting
• MDT Field Report - Why The Triple Pull CKYE-POD is a Guides Best Friend
• Hunting In Inclement Weather
• Hunting With The MDT XRS Chassis System
• Maximize Performance with Mental Imagery
• The Rifle Keith Built

Al Voth calls himself a "student of the gun." Retired from a 35-year career in law enforcement, including nine years on an Emergency Response Team, he now works as an editor, freelance writer, and photographer, in addition to keeping active as a consultant in the field he most recently left behind—forensic firearm examination. He is a court-qualified expert in that forensic discipline, having worked in that capacity in three countries. These days, when he's not working, you'll likely find him hunting varmints and predators (the 4-legged variety).