Ultralight Chassis

[jorgensen.travis]

Am I crazy to think there’s a market for an ultralight chassis designed for a backcountry rifle. Im not talking about the type of chassis’s that are popular currently. I’m talking about a skeletonized aluminum, or titanium for you big spenders, minimalistic design without any kind of adjustability or anything. Seems like it can be at least as light as any lightweight stock, but more rigid and completely weatherproof. With an AR style grip, it would be quick into action and easy to shoot off hand. Make this for a Howa Minni 6.5 Grendel with an 18” barrel and I’d place my order.


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[Ryan Avery]

Check out “The Fix”


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[ckleeves]

I think there would be a market for sure. I’m just not sure if they could ever hit the weights of some of the conventional stocks available today.

Some of the chassis now are pretty barebones and they still aren’t light. I think it would be pretty hard to get a chassis super light and still functional.

From what I know aluminum is quite a bit heavier then most polymers and you would have to use enough so that the stock didn’t bend easily.

Looking around it looks like the lightest AR hand guards you can get are around 10oz, a hogue pistol grip is 4 oz. So that leaves 11 ounces to build the stock and everything else to stack up to a Manners EH8.

Maybe it’s possible, but it seems a true ultralight chassis is a tall order and would take some serious re-engineering.


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[Brightwhite]

Check out “The Fix”


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Ryan have you shot and played with a fix? I’ve looked at them on paper and they don’t seem to have anything that the Christensen MPR doesn’t have at ~$700-800 less. The weight of the rifles look to be similar too.

I have seen photos from you with an MPR, so if you have played with a fix, I would love to hear your thoughts on both.

 

[kharb22]

I think there would be a market for sure. I’m just not sure if they could ever hit the weights of some of the conventional stocks available today.

Some of the chassis now are pretty barebones and they still aren’t light. I think it would be pretty hard to get a chassis super light and still functional.

From what I know aluminum is quite a bit heavier then most polymers and you would have to use enough so that the stock didn’t bend easily.

Looking around it looks like the lightest AR hand guards you can get are around 10oz, a hogue pistol grip is 4 oz. So that leaves 11 ounces to build the stock and everything else to stack up to a Manners EH8.

Maybe it’s possible, but it seems a true ultralight chassis is a tall order and would take some serious re-engineering.


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You can find some lighter handguards than that. Brigand Arms has one that is 12 inches long and only weighs 4.3 ounces. The downside is I'm not sure I would trust it for stability. Faxon has a more traditional 13 inch handguard that weighs 6 ounces and looks like it would be stable.

 

[rayporter]

shelly had another that was lighter and less complicated.

this is just to show that you can think outside the box. the stock, action, and scope on this would be under 4 lbs.
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek077.html

 

[Ironman8]

Lose that extra 5 lbs of dad bod and now your 10lb chasis gun just became ultralight!

 

[jorgensen.travis]

Outside the box is what I was getting at. Not something for precision long range, and not necessarily something that takes the available components that are available. I would be happy with a one piece unit with no adjustment. The current chassis craze doesn’t appeal to me, because I don’t have the skill to take advantage of a long range precision rifle. I’m sure there are people out there that can, but I would guess that the majority of consumers buying these rifles are just buying them because they look cool.


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[wind gypsy]

If not adjustable, what is the benefit over a carbon fiber stock with bedding block or chassis? Manners' chassis options for their stocks add considerable weight to a traditional bedded stock but weight probably wasn't their primary focus.

I'd prefer my backcountry rifle furniture not be made of aluminum just because of how it would feel to the touch.

 

[Ryan Avery]

Outside the box is what I was getting at. Not something for precision long range, and not necessarily something that takes the available components that are available. I would be happy with a one piece unit with no adjustment. The current chassis craze doesn’t appeal to me, because I don’t have the skill to take advantage of a long range precision rifle. I’m sure there are people out there that can, but I would guess that the majority of consumers buying these rifles are just buying them because they look cool.


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I think you will start to see some new chassis’s hitting the market soon direct at the ultra lite, mountain hunting crowd. There are a few companies that definitely have the money and technology to make it happen.


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[jorgensen.travis]

If not adjustable, what is the benefit over a carbon fiber stock with bedding block or chassis? Manners' chassis options for their stocks add considerable weight to a traditional bedded stock but weight probably wasn't their primary focus.

I'd prefer my backcountry rifle furniture not be made of aluminum just because of how it would feel to the touch.

I was wondering if a stock could be made lighter.?if we got away from the traditional design. I’m thinking a thin or skeltonized chassis running parallel with the barrel with only enough metal to connect the foregrip, action, and butt pad while remaining rigid.


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[Ironman8]

My post above was somewhat joking, but it ties into what I’m about to say here. I think too much, people throw out function for the sake of weight when it comes to backpack hunting. Sure lighter is nicer, but there’s a case for functionality over weight in some areas.

A 10 lb rifle will just plain shoot better, more accurate, and easier to stay in the scope and spot hits when compared to a 5 lb rifle (all things being equal aside from weight). The only time that weight really matters is when you’re packing it around, but you can pretty easily cut 5 lbs of pack weight OR body weight to make up that difference.

That 5 lb difference typically gets you a few other functional differences too...MIL/MOA turret scope, better attachment points for slings or bipods, suppressor capable barrels, better stocks, or in the case of my chassis gun, a folding stock. All of which enhance shootability or packability in the case of a folding stock.

At the end of the day, you’re free to do what you want, how you want it...just pointing out a few things to think about.

 

[PathFinder]

I've been on this quest for 3 years. Nobody currently has what I want: a folding chassis with just enough handguard for a 3" Arca Swiss rail, all under 2 lbs.
Q has done it with the Fix and Mini Fix. I think a Grendel Mini Fix will be available before next season, probably a 5lb gun depending on the barrel. Trouble is, I want a magnum, and Q has no plans to offer one.
Christensen currently makes the lightest chassis on the market with the MPR. But it's a roll of the dice for accuracy. I'm tempted to buy one and sell the barreled action, but that's a pricy way to get a light chassis.
MPA's BA Lite chassis is 2.9 lbs as a folder. I'm tempted to get one and cut a bunch of weight out of it on a mill. I'm sure I could get it down around 2 lbs.
Q has prototypes of a super light Remington 700 pattern chassis, but it seems to have been put on the back burner for now. It will likely be around 2lbs and have the same awesome folding mechanism as the Fix, but who knows when they'll actually be available.
The third option is to build one. I'm really tempted to try an aluminum or titanium mini chassis inside of a polymer or CF housing that would be the handguard, mag well, and connect to the folding stock.
You can build an AR around 3-3.5 lbs in a Grendel. If you aren't stuck on a bolt gun, that's an option too.

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[Ryan Avery]

I’ve shot the Fix and the MPR. The MPR IMO is a better platform in looks, feel and ease of shooting accurately. But the MPR chassis is 3.1 pounds on my scale and I doubt the magnum version is lighter.


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[XLR]

Am I crazy to think there’s a market for an ultralight chassis designed for a backcountry rifle. Im not talking about the type of chassis’s that are popular currently. I’m talking about a skeletonized aluminum, or titanium for you big spenders, minimalistic design without any kind of adjustability or anything. Seems like it can be at least as light as any lightweight stock, but more rigid and completely weatherproof. With an AR style grip, it would be quick into action and easy to shoot off hand. Make this for a Howa Minni 6.5 Grendel with an 18” barrel and I’d place my order.


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Titanium chassis would get really expensive fast! Titanium is defiantly lighter than Steel but is not necessarily lighter than aluminum. So you would be looking at a more expensive option without loosing any weight. What would be the ideal weight for a lightweight chassis? Sub 30 ounces with buttstock and grip?

 

[PathFinder]

30 Oz is a good target. Anything around or slightly under 2 lbs is going to be in a class of its own. Magnesium may be the way to go, being lighter than aluminum.

Titanium chassis would get really expensive fast! Titanium is defiantly lighter than Steel but is not necessarily lighter than aluminum. So you would be looking at a more expensive option without loosing any weight. What would be the ideal weight for a lightweight chassis? Sub 30 ounces with buttstock and grip?

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[Tartan]

Been following this one as I’m planning on building a new rifle sometime. Never shot a chassis, but thinking of giving it a go. Looks like MPA has dropped their ‘lite’ chassis for a new one called the ‘ultra lite’ 2.5 pounds (doesn’t include a butt pad). Maybe not quite as light as some would like. But I think it will work for what I’m thinking of doing.

MPA BA Ultra Lite Chassis - MasterPiece Arms, Inc.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I looked into this a year ago.

One thing that kept me from going too far down the road was the comaprison of all in weight. By that, I mean add the chassis, the magazine, the air style grip, sling swivels, the pad and probably a few grip panels up front to cover the aluminum fore end. Seems I recall it being hard to keep things under 4 lbs before the action and scope.

Just make sure you are thinking all in weight when you look at the chassis.

 

[White Mamba]

I have a 6.5 creed fix and the 308. I've been hunting for along time with a grendel ar15 and love the chassis/ar ergonomics.
One thing to remember about chassis is they are really cold in the morning and can get really hot if left in the tent or sun.

 

[Chesapeake]

A foam filled carbon fiber tube (conventional stock) would be dang hard to beat for weight, noise, and rigidity.

Aluminums strength to weight ratio is too low. Those light weight AR aluminum hand guards are only stable because they are attached to a large barrel nut and heavy aluminum upper.

Google "22 chipmunk pack rifle". Its a carbon fiber tube with a trigger guard. For a larger center fire rifle you'd need to beef it up, add a butt plate, and maybe some little forearm.