Lightweight Rimx Hunting Rifle - Inside MDT

Last year, I built a RimX with the MDT ACC Elite chassis as a precision .22 LR rifle. It has an all-steel barrel and, with glass, weighs over 17 lbs. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly something I want to carry out into the field for squirrels and small game. So, I purchased another RimX action and went with a Proof Research carbon fiber-wrapped barrel to cut out some of the weight. I grabbed my old Oryx chassis to play with, but it was still hefty. To go the extra mile in weight savings, I switched to the HNT26 chassis. The Oryx chassis is a great option, but it’s not lightweight like the HNT26 and the stock does not fold, which I wanted for easier transportation.

The MDT Oryx is a fantastic chassis, but I wanted the lightest possible solution.

The HNT26 chassis is great because even though it is almost 3 lbs. lighter, it has all the features I want. It has M LOK slots on the bottom and a molded ARCA plate embedded into the carbon fiber handguard. Perfect for bipod and tripod mounting. The handguard also has QD sling points and M LOK slots on the sides and top.

Installation is rather straightforward. Just remove the action screws from the Oryx and remove the chassis. Place the action in the HNT26 and tighten the provided action screws for the HNT26.

Built with a Leupold, my lightweight RimX is just over 9 lbs.

One aspect of the folding stock that is not obvious at first is the hinge and how it pops up to lock when the stock is folded. When opened and deployed, the release button is on the right side. The button on the hinge to open the folded stock sticks up to press against the chassis and stock. You must push this down to unlock the stock.

Since the HNT26 is designed for hunting, it has anti-snag features like this rounded and smoothed-out magazine release built into the trigger guard. Like the Oryx chassis, the HNT26 has a pseudo thumb shelf machined into the side of the chassis. It’s functional, subtle, and not as pronounced as on the ACC Elite Chassis. As mentioned above, the HNT26 handguard has a section that covers the barrel. It provides a mounting point for an M LOK rail and a place to mount clip-ons. The only problem is that it sits far from the objective lens. You can see the gap between the eyepiece and the objective lens.

Rifle paired with a clip-on night vision device.

My RimX builds. Ideal for their intended use.

Final Thoughts

The HNT26 is a great lightweight chassis that provides a solid base for building a precision rifle. It has many of the features a regular chassis does, just with less mass. I greatly appreciate the folding stock, as this makes storing and transporting easier. The weight difference between the HNT26 and ACC Elite chassis is staggering and perfect for its intended use.

HNT26 RESOURCES FROM MDT

• BC Extreme Outdoorsman – MDT HNT26 Big Bore Rifles
• MDT Field Report: HNT 26 Nevada Bull Elk Hunt
• Weatherby Model 307 Alpine MDT
• HNT26: Impact Shooting Hunting Rifles
• Hunting Stocks Versus PRS-Style Competition Stocks
• Building a Lightweight Buffalo Rifle

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nick Chen is a night vision aficionado who enjoys long-range shooting and run-and-gun competitions. If there is a quirky gun or piece of night vision, he has it or wants it! Nick can be reached via Instagram @solscud007.