MDT hnt 26 review??

[207North]

have issues with the forend attaching via two small screws?

Yes.

I have both the old 5 screw model and the new 3 screw.

I have to remove the foreend when separating the action from the chassis. The 5 screw model was a bit of a pain to line up, so I would have to just start all 5, then tighten each a little at a time.

Eventually one stripped with a fix it stick 15 in lb torque setting.

Once things slow down a bit I will install a helicoil in the stripped hole and continue on.

 

[Ecampbell25]

I had one hated it. When I was hunting late season snow got stuck in the folding adapter and it was so cold I couldn’t get it to snap back in. My gun was almost useless.

I think they are cool but I wouldn’t own another one.

 

[207North]

I had one hated it. When I was hunting late season snow got stuck in the folding adapter and it was so cold I couldn’t get it to snap back in. My gun was almost useless.

I think they are cool but I wouldn’t own another one.

Thats kind of funny because I use it specifically for hunting in the cold. The carbon fiber is way better without gloves than an aluminum chassis.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

I had one. I sold it. For 3 reasons.

1. The main reason being that It was difficult to get in and out of my Kifaru Gun Bearer. The buttstock just didn't fit properly and that's how I carry my rifle through the woods. I don't do slings

2. I had issues with the built-in arca on the foreend and my RRS arca clamp on my bipod. The RRS clamp wouldn't get tight enough to keep the bipod from walking under recoil. It walked so much that it fell off the front of the foreend. To fix that I installed a picatinny rail to the foreend and swapped back to my Pic clamp on my bipod which corrected the issue.

3. I also didn't like that the hole in the bottom of the carbon grip would catch sticks while walking through the brush.

 

[bojangles808]

I had one. I sold it. For 3 reasons.

1. The main reason being that It was difficult to get in and out of my Kifaru Gun Bearer. The buttstock just didn't fit properly and that's how I carry my rifle through the woods. I don't do slings

I too didn't like how it didn't fit in the sg version of gun bearer so I could deploy quickly and what good is it strapped to the side of my pack if I cant access quickly. I just set up the obi link system though and am very excited to try it

 

[PredatorX]

Actually for me getting it into the gun bearer is tougher than getting it out. To deploy it quickly I just need to grab the low corner of the bearer and pull out. I also have the adjustable butt on mine. For all my rifles though it seems to be a 2 handed operation.

 

[azqcman]

What’s everyone think of this stock?? I’m looking to get one soon but haven’t seen one in person.

I have mine on a 7PRC and I love it. I had the Oryx chassis and it was heavy (12lbs). I switched it the HNT 26 and love it. I do not have foldable one but the fixed one.

 

[Lawnboi]

I too didn't like how it didn't fit in the sg version of gun bearer so I could deploy quickly and what good is it strapped to the side of my pack if I cant access quickly. I just set up the obi link system though and am very excited to try it

I used the OBI and an exo gun carrier last year.

After a few days you can tell it’s pulling on your shoulder. But it’s nice to be able to hang my gun there and glass or do whatever.

It’s not my only carry solution but nice to have.

 

[Lawnboi]

I like the hnt 26. Nice chassis. I don’t really have any complaints, no issue with flex, the inlet or anything really.

I don’t love the feel of a chassis. I prefer a good vertical grip stock. That said I shoot comps all year with a chassis, because I just havnt found a suitable stock, and just the familiarity keeps me using the hnt 26. It’s the only chassis I reallly have ever considered for hunting due to the carbon. Could easily live without the folder.

 

[Ecampbell25]

Thats kind of funny because I use it specifically for hunting in the cold. The carbon fiber is way better without gloves than an aluminum chassis.

Hunting in the northeast is a completely different experience than mountain hunting in Alaska -35 Steese highway.

But if you’re happy with that’s all that matters. It didn’t work for my hunting needs.

 

[207North]

Hunting in the northeast is a completely different experience than mountain hunting in Alaska -35 Steese highway.

But if you’re happy with that’s all that matters. It didn’t work for my hunting needs.

Congrats on hunting in alaska.

I routinely hunt coyotes to -15 actual temperatures or so. Most problems I see come from temperatures closer to 32f than -15. Snow is pretty dry at those temperatures.

I wish you luck if a little snow makes a rifle unusable due to “locking up” a folding stock.

 

[tomchuk]

Took my 20" 300WM in a folding HNT26 to MT for elk in Nov '24. Tag soup on the hunt, but definitely put the chassis through its paces. Was on horseback most of the hunt, and getting a pistol grip chassis into a scabbard is a bit of a pain. Big oaf of a horse decided he wanted to roll around in the waist-deep snow after a particularly long climb - and of course rolled onto the scabbard side. Twice. Was expecting a leather scabbard full of CF shards, but the HNT26 (and the rest of the rifle) was unfazed.



Also had issues with the provided foreend screws - torqued to the prescribed 25 in-lbs (with a NIST-traceable, calibrated Checkline wrench I use to assemble satellites for my day job). Sheared the head clean off at well below 25 in-lbs. Replaced all the forend screws with some larger-flanged, high-strength A286 stainless jobs from McMaster that held up through the hunt, baggage handlers, subsequent range trips, and repeated assembly/disassembly.

Was never a fan of the carbon grip included with the stock, so replaced it with a color-coordinated Magpul MOE. The chunky palm swell is nice at the range, but too bulbous and slippery when carrying/manipulating the rifle in gloved hands.

Didn't run into any issues with snow or cold, and there was plenty of both on this hunt. Have had similar experiences with my ARCA bipod working loose during long strings of fire during load development at the range. Has been plenty secure cranked down, carrying through the woods, but I've switched to an M-Lok-mounted bipod for the range.

Would I buy one again? Probably not. Am I looking to replace the HNT26 on this rifle? Nope. I dig the folding stock for packability and for being able to squeeze the folded rifle into a Pelican 1700 for travel. The weight is perfect. It's clearly stood up to abuse once the forend hardware was sorted. The CF is super comfortable to hold in the cold.