To chassis....or not to chassis....

[LowSpeed_HighDrag]

Nice, XLR has one of the best priced folding stock options out there that can be easily added later. Looks like the envy is still a drop in chassis system so that makes life a lot easier as optics stay on the action instead of having to move from action to chassis rail.

I do plan to add the folding stock mechanism at some point. As far as the drop in is concerned, thats a good thing for me as I'll be having my scope mounted and zeroed on the factory setup while waiting for the XLR.

[OrbitalE]

Wow, 15lbs is heavy. Is that common with a chassis rifle?

Yes. 12-18lbs would a common range. A factory AI rifle is ~13lbs unencumbered, add 2lbs of scope, a mount, bipod etc. and you see how they pack on the pounds. Barrel profile, choice of scope, and choice of stock/chassis would be the largest areas where you can find weight to gain or lose. Every time I configure a Manners for instance, it comes out to ~3lb or more and most full-featured chassis systems are ~5lb; 34mm high end scopes in appropriate mag ranges are typically ~30oz ±2oz; common barrel profiles are 4.5-7lbs depending on contour and length.

[LowSpeed_HighDrag]

Question: I got my scope and rifle zeroed today. My chassis comes in later in the week. Since I will not have to remove my scope, will I need to re-zero it?

[Dist. Expert 26]

Question: I got my scope and rifle zeroed today. My chassis comes in later in the week. Since I will not have to remove my scope, will I need to re-zero it?

Yes, you'll probably see some POI shift with the chassis. It shouldn't be huge though.

[LowSpeed_HighDrag]

Yes, you'll probably see some POI shift with the chassis. It shouldn't be huge though.

That's unfortunate, but thanks for the reply.

[tigershilone]

Do you have a torque wrench to fasten the action bolts down? Most chassis and rifles have a preferred action torque. I use the Wheeler FAT wrench for most installs and a blue point deflection beam scale torque wrench if I want to double check the Wheeler (the wheeler values have always been within a .5 in/lb of the blue point, statistically the same)

This was a very hard lesson learned on my CZ455 rimfire trainer. I extensively tinkered with the factory boyds wood tacticool varmint stock and found 24 in/lbs rear and 28 in/lbs front gave best accuracy in the bedded and pillared stock. I then put it in a KRG xray chassis and installed it at 60 in/lbs both action screws per KRG recommended instructions. The rifle went to absolute crap--normally small 1" groups at 100yds opened up to 4+ inches and the 50 yd benchrest groups went from .375" to over 1.5". Started lowering in/lb settings and things calmed down again at the high 20's to low 30's settings but never returned to what they were in the wood stock. Wound up going back into the original boyds wood stock and group size has almost returned to previous good numbers, but I am still not where it was prior to the xray fiasco.

The higher in/lb settings were too much for the CZ action. I believe it was torquing it over as when I was disassembling it out of the xray the first time I loosened the front screw first and the action literally stood up a good 1/2" up out the front of the chassis. I also noticed bolt cycling was tougher at 60 inch pounds and this went away when put back at 30 in/lbs. Keep in mind that this is on a smaller .22 lr gun, but the lessons apply to bigger actions as well.

[LowSpeed_HighDrag]

Chassis is in....XLR ENVY.....be envious...or something

[grizzman]

You may not like the factory stock too much, but the rifle seems to work well with it. It should do as well, if not a bit better, with the chassis.

You did pretty damn well for a bolt gun newb.

[LowSpeed_HighDrag]

You may not like the factory stock too much, but the rifle seems to work well with it. It should do as well, if not a bit better, with the chassis.

You did pretty damn well for a bolt gun newb.

Thank you very much, this forum always seems to guide my hand towards good...expensive...gear.

[grizzman]

I was actually referring to your shooting. Not everyone can pull off less than 1 MOA groups, even if they've been practicing for a long time.

If you were expecting 1 hole, 1/4 MOA groups, then feel free to lower your expectations a bit....at least for a while.

.....but if you've been doing as well or better with the AR platform, then you I could understand your disappointment.