NRL Open Heavy Rifle Question

Jdiver25

FNG
Joined
Oct 11, 2025
Messages
2
Hello,

I’m interested in building a rifle for NRL Open Heavy. I’ve scoured all the forums and have found some good starting points. Here’s the criteria I’m considering if anyone is willing to chime in with recommendations on specific brands/items from their experience/lessons learned or even builds that you’ve had success with, that’d be awesome. Rifle will be chambered in 6.5cm.

-Chassis with foldable stock

-CF vs. Spiral Fluted Barrel (24in proof weighs 3lbs, not sure what a 24in spiral fluted barrel runs)

-Recommended Action for a Proof or other pre-fit barrel?

-Considering Leupold Mk5 5-25 for weight and I can get one for a decent price. Other recommendations for similar price?

-Suppressor vs. Break (I have a KGM R30, not sure how I’d be sitting on weight for the build)

-send it level vs. bubble level (if bubble level which do you recommend?)

Anyone shoot open heavy with a Seekins HIT platform? I thought about getting the new HIT M3 and swapping to a CF barrel but seems like it could still be tight on weight. Any experience there? Also, looks like Proof isn’t currently selling pre-fits for Seekins?

Thanks all.
 
Have you shot a match before? My suggestion is to shoot skills and make sure it’s your thing before building a rifle that is purpose built.


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Have you shot a match before? My suggestion is to shoot skills and make sure it’s your thing before building a rifle that is purpose built.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalki haven’t s
Have you shot a match before? My suggestion is to shoot skills and make sure it’s your thing before building a rifle that is purpose built.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I hunt regularly and shoot AR’s and pistols a good bit, although not in competition. I have all of the support equipment (tripod, bipod, kestrel, chrono, bags etc…) just trying to do a little more research before I pull the trigger on anything. Quite a few options out there, don’t want to make an uninformed decision.
 
Nrl hunter, why does it have to be a folding chassis, packing?

Running heavy class, I'd put the most the weight in the barrel.

Mk5 is a decent scope. They can/do lose zero if you hit something with the scope. It's a leupold.

24in barrel, 65cm, 2750 is minimum velocity with a 140gr bullet to make power factor, 24in will do that pretty easily. Heavier the bullet less speed you need.

Brakes will add points in allowing you to spot your impacts/misses much more proficiently. But a supressor will teach you recoil management better. I'd go best of both worlds, braked can.

Pick your chassis, glass, get a lightweight action(defiance classic at 23oz and aw mag cut for a grand is a solid choice). Once you have everything compiled in a weight total, you can then pick the barrel to get you near the 16# limit, leave a few oz on the table, like 3-4 just in case of scale variance.
 
I’ve personally witnessed a couple mk5s and ZCO go down this year in PRS matches. I would steer clear of a mk5 personally. You’ll have no issues getting power factor with a 24”. The 144 and 153.5 will be pretty easy to spot impact wise assuming you run a brake. They make a big splash.
 
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