By Al Voth, Modular Driven Technologies
Every hunter’s goal is to deliver a perfect shot every time at every game animal we have in our sights. Increasing the percentage of precisely placed shots we can execute requires maximum performance from our rifle and ourselves. While training and practice are key to great shooting results, there are some technical innovations which can boost performance too. These innovations influence both how the rifle and the shooter perform.
Boosting Rifle Performance
A rifle’s ability to function reliably and hold zero consistently depends significantly on the stock the barreled action rests in. Most experienced hunters will express the sentiment that rifles with a history of solid performance and never shifting from zero are the ones they value the most. The ability to shoot 1-inch groups instead of 1.5-inch groups is insignificant compared to a rifle’s ability to deliver spot-on shots without ever shifting. And here we find one of the strengths of modern chassis systems.
Chassis like those produced by MDT use materials, bedding techniques, and tight manufacturing tolerances which were impossible just a few years ago. This combination results in gunstocks which are more stable and better at squeezing out every drop of accuracy a barreled action can deliver. Additionally, a chassis system will likely be stronger than most gunstocks, especially wooden or polymer stocks, and better able to survive the drops and falls which inevitably occur on a hunt.
This increased reliability and consistency would be sufficient reason to install a chassis, even if there was no improvement in accuracy. However, it’s common for a chassis installation to result in an increase in pure mechanical accuracy. Tighter groups with fewer flyers are a great byproduct of investing in a chassis.
Predators and varmints are smaller targets, so rifles intended for these animals will benefit greatly from the accuracy enhancements of a chassis equipped rifle.
In some cases, we might even see better reliability in feeding from the magazine. I saw this with a bolt-action Ruger American Rimfire which wouldn’t feed reliably from the magazine when the factory stock was used. Swapping that polymer stock for an MDT chassis resulted in perfect feeding.
And speaking of feeding, the ability to increase magazine capacity is a nice bonus of chassis systems. While not a big deal for big game hunters, those who pursue predators, varmints and feral hogs place a high value on magazine capacity, as well as the ability to swap magazines quickly. In those hunting circles, MDT magazines have a stellar reputation for capacity and reliability.
Boosting Shooter Performance
While a good chassis system can improve the mechanical performance of a rifle, the shooter remains the weakest link in the system. Fortunately, we can expect the chassis to extract improvement from the operator as well. Key to this is the modularity and adaptability of a good chassis. The ability to adjust buttstock length, comb height, grip angle, trigger reach and even weight are all features found in chassis systems. Making the gun fit the shooter instead of requiring the shooter to adapt to an ill-fitting gun can produce a huge accuracy boost in field shooting.
Fitting the gun to the shooter, as can be done with chassis systems, provides the operator with the best chance of delivering this kind of precision.
And gone are the days when installing a chassis meant adding five pounds to your rifle. Lightweight systems like MDT’s HNT26 and CRBN are lighter than most wooden stocks, allowing hunters to shed weight while improving performance. For those seeking the maximum amount of weight reduction, lightweight scope rings are another step to consider.
Of course, reducing weight can increase recoil which can degrade shooter performance. Muzzle brakes are the solution to that issue as they can turn the hard kick of a magnum rifle into a soft push. MDT has done a lot of research into what it takes to make a muzzle brake as effective as possible, and it shows in their line of COMP and ELITE brakes. I have both on various rifles and the reduction in recoil they provide is amazing.
The MDT COMP Brake has adjustable ports in the 12 o’clock position allowing the shooter to fine tune its performance.
Another significant enhancement to shooter performance is provided by support systems such as bipods and tripods. And nothing merges better with these supports than a chassis. It’s common to find M-Lok slots and ARCA rails built into chassis forends specifically to accept whatever ‘pod system the owner prefers. Conventional gunstocks on the other hand often require some kind of makeshift adapter or are simply unable to accept some support systems.
MDT’s GRND-POD is a lightweight, practical, shooting support for hunters.
Good support systems allow a shooter to smack distant steel targets with a rifle bullet, and that’s always a ton of harmless fun. However, it needs to be approached much more seriously if the targets are game animals. Pulling off ethical hunting shots at long range requires practice, flawless technique and top-notch equipment. Ensuring the rifle is held perfectly level and not canted left or right is one component of the perfect technique, and rifle-leveling indicators like MDT’s Send iT level are a huge help in this regard. Compared to traditional bubble levels the Send iT is faster, more accurate and much easier to “read” while peering through a scope.
These rifle-leveling devices, as well as the chassis systems, muzzle brakes, bipods and scope rings I’ve discussed here are shooting technology at its best. Their purpose is to help a hunter deliver a perfect shot every time at every game animal. I use them all and the technology has never let me down. I just wish my own skills were as reliable.
ABOUT MDT SPORTING GOOD LTD.
MDT is the world’s leading precision rifle chassis manufacturer, with offices in Chilliwack, BC, Canada, and Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA. MDT was born with a single purpose: to provide better value and accuracy for precision rifles. The first MDT chassis was developed from the ground up based on the needs of shooters. Today, MDT chassis, magazines, and accessories are still developed the same way. We collaborate, question, and verify our concepts with precision shooters from around the globe to ensure that every MDT product is designed with the same single purpose: to provide our customers with the absolute best product possible. For more information, see https://mdttac.com.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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).