Chassis systems are now common on precision rifles. Offering ease of installation, adjustment and modularity that is often superior to traditional wood or fiberglass stocks, they offer shooters a performance upgrade for their rifle. Modular Driven Technologies (MDT), a company known for a wide range of chassis systems- TAC21, LSS-XL, ESS & ACC, has introduced a new hybrid chassis known as the XRS.
The XRS is called a hybrid rifle chassis, an effort by MDT to blend the lines of a traditional rifle stock with the common features of a traditional chassis system; the resulting look being reminiscent of the MAGPUL Hunter or KRQ Bravo- but with a full length 6061 aluminum core.
I’ve been shooting the MDT product line since their first chassis, the TAC21, was introduced. As MDT grows as a company, their chassis have evolved. Whereas some of their earlier products were primarily constructed of aluminum, the XRS blends the machined aluminum core with injection molded parts. Using multiple materials provides a more comfortable interface for the shooter. Imagine grabbing a chunk of aluminum with bare hands in cold weather, versus grabbing the same surface that is covered with an injection molded skin.
To evaluate the MDT XRS, I took a stock Remington 700 SPS from my store’s inventory. The rifle comes equipped with a Remington Varmint profile barrel and a Hogue over-molded stock.
From the factory the 700 SPS doesn’t have a detachable magazine system, vertical pistol grip, length-of-pull or cheek piece adjustment. The XRS has all of these features, as well as M-LOK mounting surfaces along the front of the chassis.
Installation of the XRS is simple. Once the rifle is safe and empty, the two action screws can be removed from the stock with a hex key.
The barreled action is removed from the stock and dropped into the XRS chassis. Two screws hold it in place and installation is complete.
M-LOK slots are located along the bottom and sides of the XRS forearm. MDT also provides a QD stud for the attachment of a traditional bipod.
The XRS has a vertical pistol grip that allows the shooter’s right hand to wrap around the stock. The grip insert in interchangeable and MDT provides two different grip inserts, the thinner of the two provided is shown above.
A barricade stop is located forward of the magazine well.
The XRS stock is adjustable for both length-of-pull and comb height. Length-of-pull is adjusted by adding or removing spacers while the comb height is adjusted with two knobs on the side of the stock.
After the XRS is installed, the 700 SPS has been transformed into a more capable platform. The shooter interface can now be fine tuned; the rifle fits and handles better.
Setting in behind the XRS is a pleasure. The vertical pistol grip and the space behind the receiver’s tang make for a natural and relaxed shooting position.
In addition to the XRS making the rifle now look more purpose-built, shooting the Remington 700 SPS has become easier. The rifle handled better from multiple shooting positions, alignment behind the scope was improved, the detachable magazine system fed reliably and made loading and unloading the rifle far easier.
Accuracy is also improved by the XRS; I’ll be posting more images and testing data in the future, but this is a 5-shot group with factory Federal American Eagle 120 GR ammunition at 100 yards: .368″ (.369 MOA)! Impressive when you consider that this is a factory rifle that simply had a chassis bolted onto it.
What are my thoughts on the MDT XRS?
- Great design for hunting or competition. The XRS has more traditional lines and a lighter mass than most chassis systems, making it ideal for the shooter who also hunts with his or her rifle.
- Ergonomic. The XRS feels great. The way the vertical pistol grip is blended into a traditional style stock is well executed. GRS makes a stock that has a similar design, however it does not allow ambidextrous use, the XRS does.
- Great upgrade. By simply swapping out two screws, a traditional rifle can be upgraded to a system with an adjustable length-of-pull, adjustable comb, AICS-type detachable magazine system, modular vertical pistol grip and M-LOK rail.
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