November 01, 2024
Rifle stocks in various forms have been around for centuries. The chassis concept, however, has only been available for a couple of decades. While both will improve a rifle’s accuracy in real-world shooting scenarios, each is a vastly different field companion, and there are times when I prefer to shoot with a chassis. The feature that I look for in many chassis systems is the ability to fold the buttstock for storage and transport. Folding the buttstock means the gun case and gun box can get a lot shorter. Carrying rifle cases up and down stairs or putting them in vehicles has taught me that a rifle case can never be too short. There is also the added advantage of a shorter gun case when flying. Weight saved from a shorter gun case means you can stuff more ammunition or clothing into the box while staying under the usual 50-pound weight limit, avoiding a substantial “heavy baggage” fee at the airport. Finally, the ability to fold a chassis offers a significant advantage when traveling through the woods. Folding the stock lets the rifle sit a lot lower on the side of a backpack, so the barrel doesn’t protrude as high. This is especially important when hunting with a suppressor. Barrels that stick up find every low branch near the trail and can turn any hike into pure aggravation.
The triggerguard supports a number of aftermarket trigger options. XLR also built-in compatibility with Hawkins Hunter flush-fit magazines. The historical issue with a folding chassis is the weight. Most chassis systems are designed for precision rifle competition, which are too heavy to carry up a mountain. However, I’ve discovered the XLR Element 4.0 Magnesium. It is as light as most high-end carbon-fiber hunting stocks, weighing as little as 28 ounces while still offering all of the advantages of a chassis. And it folds! The Element 4.0 Magnesium, unsurprisingly, has a chassis body machined from magnesium. Making the body from magnesium saved approximately 6 ounces compared to XLR’s aluminum model. When outfitted with the carbon-fiber grip, carbon-fiber buttstock assembly, and folding hinge, the total weight of this chassis weighs a svelte 32 ounces. That’s about as light as any stock or chassis will ever get, especially considering it has an adjustable comb height. That 32 ounces gets you a rigid folding chassis that fits anything with a Remington 700 short-action footprint. XLR also makes chassis for Remington 700 long actions, Tikka, Savage, Howa 1500, Weatherby Vanguard, CZ 457, Defiance XM, BAT Bumblebee and Vampire, as well as Lone Peak medium actions.
XLR engineers made certain that this chassis is feature-rich. Example: A level was integrated in front of the folding hinge. There are a handful of details on the Element 4.0 that bear some scrutiny for the value they offer. The first is the forend with integrated ARCA rail, which is also cut to work with the Really Right Stuff R-Lock. An ARCA rail is a wide dovetail that allows tripods and bipods to attach quickly anywhere along the length of the forend. This feature is invaluable when trying to quickly build a shooting position in the field. The full-length rail creates options. When building a position on a stump, it’s convenient (and fast) to just pull the bipod close to the magazine well and then put a bag under the pistol grip. The R-Lock feature means a small cylinder protrudes up into the forend. All that’s needed to reposition the bipod is to depress the lever and slide the bipod (or tripod) to the desired location. The second detail that matters with the Element 4.0 is the ability to adjust the magazine height inside the magazine well. Small adjustments in magazine height can mean the difference between effortlessly reliable and clunky, unreliable feeding. Magazine height is especially important on cartridges with smaller case heads, i.e., rimfire ammunition. The Element 4.0 has an adjustable-height magazine catch that allows shooters to get the perfect height from various magazines based on the cartridge and action.
The final detail that I appreciate is the ability to use Hawkins Hunter flush-fit magazines. One of the historical beefs with chassis stocks and hunters was that detachable box magazines hung below the chassis, making it impossible to comfortably hold the rifle right under the receiver where most balance. The Hawkins Hunter magazines hold three or four rounds and sit flush with the bottom of the chassis’ magazine well. The hunter can carry the rifle with their hand wrapped around the underside of the magazine. Stocks will always appeal to hunters because of the familiarity they offer. However, as soon as the hunter wants a full-length ARCA rail on the forend for position-building options or an adjustable-height magazine catch to smooth out feeding or a folding stock for easy transport, the chassis takes center stage. And the lightest, most fully-featured chassis that I’ve encountered is the XLR Element 4.0 Magnesium.
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