A Letter from Bavaria: What Happens When You Stop Accepting Tradition and Start Measuring Success

My name is Jonas Härtl, I’m 30 years old, and I want to share the road that led to my first personal rifle built. I grew up in a hunting family. My parents, uncle, and even my grandfather brought me into the woods early on. Still, I didn’t earn my own hunting license until 2022, after completing my professional training in Bavaria. This was mostly because of other projects, why I waited that long.

From my own research, there’s a clear difference compared to the U.S. model: hunter education in the United States tends to focus strongly on safety and basic handling, while the German system—especially in Bavaria—rests on a much broader theoretical foundation. Firearms law, game biology, forestry, hunting law, and conservation are examined in depth. What’s missing, in my view, is room for modern, technical “whole-system” thinking. When it comes to rifles, tradition still drives much of the curriculum.

You can see that in the practical handling exam, where classic platforms are still prescribed: a three-barreled gun with a set trigger and a Walther PPK for handgun handling. The overall licensing process is structured as follows: a written exam across six subject areas, then a detailed oral exam, and finally a practical test. In the practical portion, you must demonstrate safe handling of four different firearms and fire two rounds seated and two rounds standing from a supported position. At least three shots must score an “8” or better to pass. Fail any part on the third attempt, and you start over, course included, fees included. My total cost was about €2,100 on the first try.

That’s exactly where my own standards kicked in. With my background as a technical draftsman and my Bachelor’s/Master’s studies in Mechatronics and Technology & Production Management, I don’t see a rifle as “just a rifle.” I see a mechanical system: stiffness, mass distribution, impulse transfer, harmonic behavior, and the shooter–weapon interface. Looks were secondary—though of course, it still has to feel right to the owner.

So I went deep: internal ballistics, external ballistics, terminal effects, technical literature, and engineering publications. A big help was my friend Philip, who works in artillery development; he was able to explain a lot of system-level thinking from large-caliber weapons engineering and translate it back into small-arms terms.

My goal wasn’t a traditional hunting rifle. I wanted a modular precision platform that’s ethically suitable for hunting and fully capable in the sporting world—especially long-range and PRS. My key criteria were:

• Balanced weight distribution

• Repeatable recoil management

• High system rigidity

• Ergonomic adjustability

• Clean, intentional interface between chassis, action, and accessories

MDT’s blog posts and videos helped shape this more than anything else—especially the practical, technical discussion around balance, recoil control, barricade stability, modularity, and repeatability.

After roughly ten months of research and planning, I commissioned the build with Reimer Johannsen in Northern Germany. At the same time, I was in close contact with the MDT support team. I want to explicitly thank MDT for the support and for providing components. Special thanks to Paige Koster and Doug Blessin for guiding the project professionally, answering endless questions patiently, and supporting my unconventional approach from start to finish, as well as my uncle.

MDT provided me with the following components to pursue a technically modern approach to hunting:

• MDT ACC Elite Chassis

• MDT HNT26

• MDT CKYE-Pod Gen2 PRS Short

• MDT Send-It Level Gen1

• MDT Comp Brake

• MDT Control Bridge (2×)

• MDT NV Bridge

• MDT Peanut Shooting Bag

The final build was completed by Reimer Johannsen around a Lone Peak Arms Fuzion action. I paired it with a Lothar Walther barrel cut to 22 inches, comparable to a #2340 Medium Target Varmint contour, to bias the weight forward. Perhaps you wonder why only 22 inches? I needed something compact for hunting in the stands. For the trigger—based on Johannsen’s recommendation and the “What the Pros Use” series—I chose a Bix’n Andy TacSport. For glass, I went with a Zero Compromise Optic 5–27×56 with an H59 reticle, mounted in the matching ZCO mount with 20 MOA to preserve full elevation travel. The Comp Brake was reworked to an M18×1 thread, because metric muzzle options (especially suppressors) are far more common in my area.

On April 23, 2025, Philip and I picked up the rifle. I got a few rounds downrange, but only twelve that day—7 PRC ammunition simply isn’t common here. I had to keep the last eight rounds for hunting. To solve that long-term, I’ve since completed the reloading course and exam. Buying propellant freely? Not a thing here. Everything requires certification, and, of course, it must be renewed every few years, including a fee to the government. Right now, I have four packages after three months of waiting.

First Range Session

When the gunsmith fired the first shot, I was honestly surprised by the pressure wave for people standing nearby. Around here, hardly anyone runs muzzle brakes—most people use either a bare muzzle or a suppressor. When I shot it myself, the recoil was the biggest surprise—in a good way. My last reference was my father’s .30-06 at 4.5 kg (9.9 lb). Now I was behind an 8.07 kg (17.8 lb) rifle with a brake. I knew what the numbers said, but feeling the difference in the shoulder is something else. Another big change for me was thumb placement. I normally wrap my thumb around the grip; here, running the thumb to the right side felt strange at first—but it completely removed tension from my firing hand. That’s a change I wouldn’t give up again. That said, hunting results matter more than range impressions. Waidgerechtigkeit - ethical hunting - comes first. From May 1st, roe buck season starts for us. I had several chances to settle the crosshair, but no ethical shot opportunity. That time was still valuable: it let me learn the system and build real confidence. So I’ll go component by component—what I expected, what held true, and what surprised me.

ACC Elite

The chassis is phenomenal - and more practical than I expected. Yes, it’s wider than a classic wood stock, but that width is exactly what gives the rifle a calmer, more settled feel in position. Combined with the thumb-right grip style, the rifle simply sits there - quiet and stable - when you’re behind it. I’ve also come to appreciate the grip connector bar, especially when using the Peanut bag or even a fist under that area for low-position shooting. I don’t run a bag rider - so far I haven’t needed one, though I also haven’t had the chance to test one. The bar has handled everything I’ve asked of it so far. I’ve not added side accessories yet. That might change later. I might add a QD-sling mount during walking. The upper QD-Sling point on the ACC is a bit high. One thing I got wrong: I expected the balance point to be roughly 5 cm (2.0 in) further forward toward the brake. I didn’t confirm this ahead of time - my mistake. As configured, the balance point sits 28 mm (1.1 in) forward of the barricade stop (measured with the 7 PRC polymer mag loaded with three rounds, ZCO sunshade installed, and both Control Bridges mounted all the way forward). I did, however, find a practical fix through the overall setup.

CKYE-Pod Gen2 PRS Short

With the bipod mounted and folded, the balance point shifts to 65 mm (2.6 in) forward. MDT often references an ideal offset of 75–125 mm (3–5 in), but for my environment, 65 mm proved perfect. I rarely shoot off barricades. Most of our stands only have a narrow wooden rail, so this balance works extremely well for how I actually hunt. At first, I didn’t take the bipod on hunts. In my mind, it was “sporting gear.” Now it’s part of the rifle every time I go out. This season, I approached a stand and spotted two roe deer through a thermal imager. A shot from the stand wasn’t possible because a tree blocked the lane. The only option would have been from the ground.

That morning didn’t produce a clean opportunity. The next day, I set up 10 m (33 ft) in front of the stand. After 30 minutes, the buck stepped out again. Once it presented in front of a shrub with solid earth directly behind it as a natural backstop, I took the shot at 220 m (241 yd). For some, that distance won’t sound “long-range” or even far. In my region, it absolutely is: 100 m (109 yd) is already “long,” 150 m (164 yd) is “very long,” and 180 m (197 yd) is “seriously far.” I’ll say this clearly: without total confidence in the rifle and known muzzle velocity, I would not have taken that shot. This is still hunting - still a living animal. The point of impact was exactly where I wanted it; the buck went down after a few meters, and I could clearly observe the reaction and confirm the hit. Something not possible with the rifle of my dad. Negatives on the Gen2? The main ones are exactly what Gen3 addressed (retraction leg lock and quick-release lever). If you’re shopping today, MDT already solved it.

Send-It Level Gen1

I originally got the Send-It purely for sport. Now it lives on the rifle. At first, it was curiosity. Then it became an eye-opener. Terrain lies, badly. On several stands, I got into position first, then switched the Send-It on after settling. Sometimes I was nearly perfect. On other stands, I was shocked by how much cant I had built in without realizing it. Since then, I have used it on every shot beyond 100 m (109 yd). One small correction, and I know the rifle is level. Because I shoot with both eyes open, I mounted it vertically on the left side. What I really like is the brightness adjustment via rotary knob - especially for hunting. In low light, I do not want to cycle through brightness steps with a push button if I overshoot one setting. That’s distracting and can give away position. Yes, the Gen2 has a standard battery - Gen1 doesn’t. But given how rarely I run it, it’s not an issue. The original battery is still in it. Realistically, the Send-It is active maybe 1–2 hours per month, usually dimmed. For hunting use: yes, you can dial it down low enough that it won’t glare at night.

Control Bridge (×2)

I run two for two reasons:

• I want to be able to grab and move the rifle anywhere without influencing the barrel.

• I want barrel protection when leaning the rifle on a stand.

The bridge gives a solid grip, and the top texture adds enough friction that the rifle stays where you put it. Mirage isn’t really relevant for my hunting round counts, but once I’m shooting more sport, I’ll report properly on how it performs under heat.

NV Bridge

Right now, the NV Bridge is not used for night devices - it’s reserved for measurement work. I work in prototype vehicle development and have access to instrumentation like accelerometers, vibration sensors, and temperature probes. Next year, I plan to instrument the rifle and capture data. I’m coordinating with a local range because the range can’t be used by others during testing. My primary goals are to measure recoil behavior and quantify shot-induced target displacement. So, for me, the NV Bridge is currently a measurement interface - nothing else. Whether it will ever host a clip-on is open. Right now, night vision is only permitted for wild boar here, and there’s virtually no boar in my area. Even if the law changes, I’m not sure I want to go down that path. Hunting should remain fair.

Peanut Shooting Bag

The Peanut was the biggest surprise of the entire setup. I’m using the regular size with Spex Lite fill, and I removed about 50 ml (1.7 fl oz) of fill volume. I didn’t expect a bag to add this much stability. Several hunting buddies - and even my “hold my tradition” father - are convinced now. Some bought the Peanut, others went for the Grand Old Canister. One hunt in late 2024 made the value painfully clear. A colleague had the chance to take two roe does. He shot the first from an Old Canister. The second animal moved a short distance, then stopped again. During the reposition, he didn’t bring the bag with the rifle, disturbed the shot during trigger brake, and the second animal ran off with a poor hit. Only a follow-up with a certified tracking dog allowed the animal to be located and humanely dispatched. Since then, we have made a rule: If you forgot your shooting bag, you drive home and get it.

People don’t like talking about mistakes in hunting - but I think it matters. It’s one of the simplest ways to reduce suffering. My message to every hunter: try it. You won’t want to hunt without proper support again. In my view, a stable shooting support matters more than the perfect caliber. If the base isn’t stable, it doesn’t matter what’s mounted on top.

The Rifle as a Whole

The first shock was weight. Even though my calculations were within a few grams, it’s different when you feel it on your back. That said, I adapted quickly. It’s no longer an issue. To put it in context: typical distances from the vehicle to the stand are usually 100–200 m (109–219 yd), rarely beyond 500 m (547 yd), and never over 1 km (0.62 mi). I only had one mountain hunt where I walked more than 1 km (0.62 mi). Because the climb was steep, I carried the rifle in a bag for protection. I would have done the same even with a 4 kg (8.8 lb) rifle.

Ergonomics are a standout: the vertical grip and thumb rest are a complete game-changer for me. I didn’t need to adjust the cheek piece or buttpad much - MDT’s setup tutorials on YouTube helped a lot. Next year I may add a bit more weight at the muzzle end to push the balance point forward by a few centimeters.

Closing Thoughts

Once again, thank you to MDT for the trust and support - especially Paige and Doug. It has been a real pleasure to run your gear, build experience, leave outdated tradition behind, and take a more modern path, especially in my region. I’m looking forward to reporting on the HNT26 mid next year - and hopefully I’ll have started the measurement work by then as well.

P.S. To whoever grabbed the last ACC Elite SA in Tungsten on Black Friday: I hope it looks great under your Christmas tree. I missed out, I already had it in my cart - though I would’ve loved to build a 6.5 PRC around the best chassis I know. MDT, if you find one somewhere, please let me know. I would love to have it. A nice orange could also work!
Best regards from Bavaria,
Jonas Härtl