One of my greatest joys is firing historic rifles. Through this experience, we can see precisely what has evolved in firearm designs over the years, as well as what has worked and what has been abandoned. Indeed, some ideas needed to be scrapped, but if we follow the timeline, rifles have trended downward in weight and size, continually making concessions to better fit the shooter. This trend persisted even at the expense of conformity, best exemplified by Eugene Stoner’s AR-15. A fine example of progress, the AR-15 was the product of modern machining techniques and materials of its time. Similarly, Christensen Arms’ Modern Precision Rimfire rifle follows the same path, utilizing carbon fiber and a new flash-forging manufacturing process. Together, these concepts create a comfortable-fitting rifle with weights as little as 6.25 lbs. I was fortunate enough to get my hands on one for an exhaustive range day and thoroughly enjoyed what I saw.
Christensen’s MPR is available in three different chamberings: .22LR, .22 WMR and .17 HMR, accommodating various shooting disciplines and a plethora of uses. Taking this service a step further, each model is available in one of three barrel lengths: 16", 18", or 20". My sample was chambered in .17 HMR and featured the mid-length barrel, weighing 6 lbs., 9 ozs., before adding accessories. Considering it sits in an aluminum chassis, that’s quite impressive. Toward the muzzle end, we find the first instance of flash-forged carbon fiber, as the entire fore-end is comprised of it.
This flash-forging manufacturing process involves molding parts from a monocoque shell instead of using the conventional layering method. It yields a lighter product without sacrificing rigidity. It also doesn’t produce carbon-fiber waste, making it more environmentally friendly and cutting material costs. More carbon fiber is found toward the rear in the form of an adjustable cheek riser. A pair of flush-fit hex screws hold it in place, and a numbered scale helps dial in adjustments or repeat them when changed for another shooter.
The buttstock is also adjustable using its respective hardware and features a slimline LimbSaver recoil pad. Realistically, none of these cartridges produce measurable kick, so the pad mainly prevents the buttstock from slipping off your shoulder. For convenience, this portion of the chassis folds toward the action, where it’s retained by a magnet. For those curious, yes, it can be fired in this position, but it cannot be cycled.
Although the chassis is the MPR’s primary attention-getter, the barrel deserves a close look as well. Stainless steel at its core, it is wrapped with several layers of carbon fiber for rigidity and heat dispersion while weighing a fraction of what a barrel of the same dimensions made of steel would weigh. It comes match-chambered and hand-lapped from the factory, requiring only a mild break-in procedure. As suppressors are more popular than ever, it is threaded in 1/2x28 TPI and leaves the factory capped with a thread protector.
Rimfire actions can be tricky, so Christensen stuck with the same design that made its Ranger series so popular. Its bolt uses a pair of opposing extractors to create a controlled feeding system, exponentially aiding the finicky nature of rimfire cartridges. It also provides enough strength to reliably strip high-pressure rounds like .17 HMR from the chamber. Again, in the spirit of “if it ain’t broke ... ,” the action draws from a classic Ruger 10/22 (77/22 in this case) magazine, which has been faithfully feeding rimmed cartridges for decades.
Lastly, it uses Remington 700-pattern trigger groups, and as such, comes with a TriggerTech Special set to around 3 lbs. My favorite feature of this trigger, besides its glass-like break, is that it can be adjusted right through the trigger guard; there’s no need to remove the stock. Before hitting the range, I dropped it to its minimum, as light guns are typically best served by light triggers.
Preparing the MPR takes a bit of work, as it doesn’t come with iron sights. However, Christensen includes a pre-mounted Picatinny rail, so it’s easy to add an optic. I used this opportunity to introduce myself to Evolution Gun Works’ Keystone series of scope rings, which hail from just a few miles from where the gun would be tested. Impressively, EGW considers these their “mid-tier” product, but after looking over the tool-mark-free work surfaces and even anodizing, they seemed pretty top-tier to me. I used these to secure a 4-16X Hawke Sidewinder scope to the rifle and was just about ready to hit the range. Since this rifle would see more use in the field than on a shooting bench, I also added a Caldwell Accumax bipod to the forward Picatinny rail section. As it, too, is made from carbon fiber, I was able to add stability without upsetting the rifle’s balance.
I began my range day by breaking in the barrel and establishing a good 50-yard zero. Christensen guarantees sub-m.o.a. accuracy at this distance, and I had three different Hornady loads to attempt to meet this claim. I must note, Christensen bases this on a three-shot group, but American Rifleman’s test protocol calls for 10-shot groups. This is done to push rimfires to their limits and because it better represents typical use.
Nonetheless, the MPR met Christensen’s guarantee nearly every time and even came close with some of our 10-shot groups. In terms of accuracy, it favored the 20-grain XTP load, but the V-Max cartridge also performed admirably. I struggled a bit with the NTX round, but as this load precludes the use of lead, it sacrifices some consistency to appease certain environmentalists. By the end of this portion of the test, I was satisfied with the rifle’s comprehensive accuracy and moved on to positional shooting from various supports.
During this portion of the test, I found the adjustable legs of Caldwell’s bipod invaluable, as well as its ability to tilt and pan. Our home range features an array of precision targets spread from approximately 35 yards to 115 yards. The flat-shooting nature of .17 HMR allowed me to hit each target without any holdover and was soft enough to let me spot each hit, even when zoomed in. As I burned through more than 200 rounds, I marveled at how quickly the barrel dissipated heat, which allowed me to enjoy an uninterrupted shooting session well into the afternoon.
I called it quits when I felt I had engaged every target from every feasible position on the range. Between its accuracy and ability to shed heat, the MPR would make an excellent companion for a prairie dog hunt or any scenario where steel targets run rampant. Overall, this rifle is extraordinarily precise, reliable and just plain fun to shoot. Though it may look a little less like your grandfather’s rimfire, embracing new technology pays off, as it brings forth a new chapter in firearms development and ensures the future of our sport remains bright.
Christensen Arms Modern Precision Rimfire Rifle Specifications
Action Type: bolt-action, rimfire, repeating rifle
Chambering: .17 HMR
Receiver: aluminum; matte finish
Barrel: 18" carbon-fiber-wrapped steel; 1:9" RH-twist rifling
Magazine: Ruger BX-1-style rotary, nine-round detachable box
Sights: none; Picatinny rail
Stock: folding aluminum chassis
Length of Pull: 13.25" to 15.25"
Drop @ Comb: 0.75" to -0.5"
Drop @ Heel: 0.75" to -0.05"
Trigger: single-stage adjustable
Overall Length: 35.5 to 37.5"
Height: 6.75"
Width: 1.55"
Weight: 6 lbs., 9 ozs.
Accessories: owner's manual, lock
MSRP: $1,250
