Barrett Fieldcraft or Christensen Arms Mesa

[Tsarbomba]

Looking for a lightweight alternative. So the Barrett Fieldcraft was first thought. That said, the CA mesa is cheaper and still lighter then my Bergara Timber. Any thoughts on either?

 

[AK Troutbum]

I have them both in 6.5 CM but I just got the Fieldcraft set up and I haven't had a chance to get it to the range yet. The Mesa is a very nice rifle for sure but it's a solid 1.5 lbs. heavier than the 21" Fieldcraft, and I haven't been super happy with the groups I've gotten out of it. So far I've shot 5 or 6 different types of factory ammo and the best groups are just a hair over 1" at 100 yards. Surprisingly though, the groups do tighten up a bit when I take it out to 300 yards with my best 3 shot group being about 1.75" at that range. Hopefully I'll be able to get the Fieldcraft to the range tomorrow.

 

[Tsarbomba]

As for fit & finish. Triggers & overall quality, have a preference?

 

[AK Troutbum]

Oh, that's a tough one. The Mesa is a very attractive rifle IMO, fit and finish wise. They are both very smooth when cycling through rounds and the triggers are also pretty equal, crisp and without any creep that I can detect. I haven't attempted to adjust either one but the pull also feels pretty equal. I don't really have a preference at this point, having not shot the Fieldcraft yet. I suspect the FC won't be as pleasurable to shoot, just based on the fact that it's lighter (6 lbs. vs. 7.66 lbs. both with Talley LW’s and less than 1 oz. difference in scope wt.), and it doesn't have a muzzle brake.

Mesa

Fieldcraft

 

[carter33]

The fieldcraft can shoot. I had my 18” 6.5 cm out yesterday and shot a couple half moa groups with a suppressor. I’m not the worlds best shot either so in the right hands it may be capable of a little better even. That was with factory 143 eldx, it is pretty slow out of that 18” barrel, I have the stuff to load for it just need to start. Muzzle velocity is just shy of 2600fps.

As for triggers the fieldcraft has a timney trigger which I think would be hard to beat by the Mesa. The fieldcraft seems a pleasure to shoot to me even being lightweight but my other rifle is a light 300winmag for comparison. My father has the Mesa in 300 winmag, he shot a caribou out at 500yds and it certainly seems accurate. He did have an action screw come loose during a fly out float hunt though which put his zero off. Pretty easy fix but we didn’t have the tools to do it out there.

 

[Lawnboi]

What caliber are you looking at?

 

[wildwilderness]

Oh, that's a tough one. The Mesa is a very attractive rifle IMO, fit and finish wise. They are both very smooth when cycling through rounds and the triggers are also pretty equal, crisp and without any creep that I can detect. I haven't attempted to adjust either one but the pull also feels pretty equal. I don't really have a preference at this point, having not shot the Fieldcraft yet. I suspect the FC won't be as pleasurable to shoot, just based on the fact that it's lighter (6 lbs. vs. 7.66 lbs. both with Talley LW’s and less than 1 oz. difference in scope wt.), and it doesn't have a muzzle brake.

Mesa

Fieldcraft

What size objective is that scope and what height rings are you using on the Fieldcraft? Thanks

 

[AK Troutbum]

36mm and lows. Here’s a picture of the clearance.

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[AK Troutbum]

The fieldcraft can shoot. I had my 18” 6.5 cm out yesterday and shot a couple half moa groups with a suppressor. I’m not the worlds best shot either so in the right hands it may be capable of a little better even.

You are correct sir, as I found out today.
21” 6.5 CM shooting 143 gr. ELD-X at just a hair under .5 moa, and 127 gr. Barnes Vor-Tex LRX with 1.6”, 3 shot group, at 300 yards.




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[OXN939]

Just picked up a Mesa. Triggertech trigger is fantastic, didn't feel inclined to do anything to it. Stock feels good, and the "spot bedding," i.e. bedding of only the recoil lug and rear tang looks well done. Final pieces of mounting hardware should arrive this week so still hav yet to see how she shoots, but everything about her so far is looking good. Fingers crossed the part that matters follows suit.

 

[Tsarbomba]

AK,

How did everything feel, action, recoil, trigger compared to CA mesa?

 

[AK Troutbum]

AK,

How did everything feel, action, recoil, trigger compared to CA mesa?

The rifle feels really nice in the hands and I like how the grip is a little bigger than on some of my rifles, it just seams to fit the hand a little better. I think the stock is very well laid out in general, and even though there is no brake, and a fair amount lighter than the Mesa, recoil was very light. Trigger on both are pretty equal IMO. I did have some rounds hang up in the magazine at one point. The feed ramp wasn’t sliding down into the magazine evenly and would sometimes get cantered, causing the rounds to jam up and not feed. I don’t know if this was my fault or an issue with the rifle, but I’m going to mess around with it all a little today and see if l can get it figured out. Other than that one issue, the action was very smooth with both feeding and ejecting ammo. I might go back to the range again today and try out some different factory ammo that I didn’t try yesterday. The barrel would start heating up after 4-5 rounds, but I never had any issues with fliers. I never consciously let it cool down, however it would cool a bit when I checked the target close up. As far as wt. goes, I could easily shave another 3-4 oz. off with a lighter wt. scope and get it sub 6 lbs., but I really like the glass that’s on it and feel 6 lbs. is good enough.


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[Silvereagle50]

What exact scope are you running on those Troutbum?

 

[Miflatlander91]

I don’t have experience with the field craft but I really like everything about my mesa in 6.5


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[bascott1]

I have them both in 6.5 CM but I just got the Fieldcraft set up and I haven't had a chance to get it to the range yet. The Mesa is a very nice rifle for sure but it's a solid 1.5 lbs. heavier than the 21" Fieldcraft, and I haven't been super happy with the groups I've gotten out of it. So far I've shot 5 or 6 different types of factory ammo and the best groups are just a hair over 1" at 100 yards. Surprisingly though, the groups do tighten up a bit when I take it out to 300 yards with my best 3 shot group being about 1.75" at that range. Hopefully I'll be able to get the Fieldcraft to the range tomorrow.

Try the federal premium 140grain accubonds. My Mesa 6.5 shoots em .5 all day and my buddy has the same rifle that’s around the same

 

[AK Troutbum]

What exact scope are you running on those Troutbum?

I actually just unloaded the Mesa, and I put a 12 oz. 3-9x36 Swaro Z3 on the FC.


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[Msowa]

18” Fieldcraft in 308 with hand loaded 165gr NAB’s and a 5” TBAC Ultra has been fantastic for me last 3 yrs. Razor LH on top. I’ve beat the crap out of this combo and when I check zero it’s always been on. Wasn’t sure about the full length bedding they do but it’s been just fine.

 

[OXN939]

Ok, so... had the Mesa out today. This is about an average 100 yard group. Tried five different varieties of factory ammo so far, and all are about the same. Anyone heard of anything like this? Wrote Christensen Arms, still awaiting a reply.

 

[Tsarbomba]

Yikes. Well, out of a recommendation from AK. I bought a Fieldcraft. Hopefully you can pinpoint grouping issue.

 

[OXN939]

Yikes. Well, out of a recommendation from AK. I bought a Fieldcraft. Hopefully you can pinpoint grouping issue.

Me too, I had my blackpowder rifle out today shooting better groups than the Mesa. Deep cleaned the bore with solvent etc. Removed mounting hardware. Re-lapped scope rings. Reinstalled mounting hardware. Reinstalled scope. Multiple brands of ammo, as stated before. To the dude with the lemon Fieldcraft in the above thread, you are not alone! Haha.