Thread: Chassis for hunting, why are they not more common in nz?

I'll elaborate I bit on my previous statement

Most chassis designs are geared towards competition shooting, shooting off of props etc. Weight is generally your friend in this game. This doesn't translate well at all for hunting when you take a steel barreled action, and then bolt it into a 1-2-3kg aluminum chassis. Then put on a suppressor and scope.

Exceptions to this are the magnesium and carbon fibre based chassis, to some extent the minimalistic aluminum ones. You can put together very light rifles with these, especially if it is a light rifle to begin with eg Howa Mini. The Christensen Arms MPR is an example of a very manageable factory chassis gun, if you are sensible with accessories. On paper they are heavier than most traditional style rifles, but feel good in the hand.

I tend to disagree with the points around pistol grips and snag points. I hunted with AR rifles for years, which have more or less the same form factor as most chassis set ups. Never had anymore issues than I had with anything else for carting around the bush. I still hunt with a straight pull approximation. The difference is the "chassis" is the receiver, so you immediately save weight by ditching a good chunk of steel.