Antler Arms- Reviewing the Ti Mountain Rifle- by Brecon Satchwell
Publié Wednesday le 22 October
Check out NFA for the original article.
By Brecon Satchwell :
A couple of years ago, I was looking through classifieds at new and used rifles when I came across a rifle from Antler Arms. I paused, as this wasn’t a company I had heard of before and it sounded Canadian. So, I got on Google and, sure enough, it was a Canadian manufacturer of high-end, lightweight bolt-action rifles. They had multiple models and offered left-hand rifles, which, to a southpaw like me, is intriguing. After multiple conversations with the folks at Antler, I got the ball rolling on a rifle for review. Now, after putting 139 rounds of 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge (7 PRC) through this rifle, I think I have a handle on its pros and cons.
ABOUT ANTLER ARMS, Antler Arms is a rifle manufacturer located in Quebec. The owner is also the owner of Nutech, one of the largest machine shops in North America, and has been machining precision firearm parts for other manufactures for over 45 years. Originally, Antler Arms was founded in 2014 under the name Fierce Canada. However, following an organizational change, Antler decided to change their name to distinguish themselves from their former American partner and to be recognized separately in the firearms industry.
Post-separation, Antler worked to enhance their rifles in comparison to previous offerings; producing lightweight rifles that give the end user an excellent product and experience, while also creating Canadian-made firearms to be proud of.
Antler currently offers five different rifle models in 14 colours, 11 chamberings and five stock options. The models currently offered are Expedition, Wild Mountain, Ti Mountain, Carbon Mountain and Rocky Mountain. Check out their website at antlerarms.com for more information.
Tl MOUNTAIN
The rifle model I tested was the Ti Mountain. The price for this model starts at $3,845 CAD and goes up depending on the extra features selected, such as an adjustable cheek riser, stock selection and muzzle device. The rifle that landed at my door sported a 22-inch barrel chambered in 7 PRC. The rifle stock had an adjustable cheek riser and it came with their MB42 radial muzzle brake. Here is a more detailed list of the rifle’s design:
- Titanium action (similar design to the Sako 85)
- Three-lug bolt
- 70-degree bolt throw
- Fixed mechanical ejector
- Stainless-steel, spiral-fluted barrel
- Integrated 20 MOA bases
- Integrated recoil lug
- Carbon-fibre stock with adjustable cheek-piece
- Limbsaver recoil pad
- Three position safety
- Detachable box magazine (holds four rounds)
- Adjustable trigger (factory set it 2.75 pounds)
- Radial muzzle brake
The fixed mechanical ejector is built into the rear of the action and slides into the bolt face from below when you cycle the action. This did take some getting used to because if you don’t cycle back all the way, you don’t hit the ejector and the cartridge case isn’t ejected. That said, it was very nice for bench work during the accuracy testing, as I wasn’t chasing brass all over the place. This style of ejector also doesn’t leave ejector marks on the brass.
The rifle handles extremely well. At the bench, the rifle was easy to manipulate, and the adjustable cheek piece, once set, made head positioning automatic. It’s an excellent feature and I wouldn’t order a rifle without it. The palm swell is well designed and perfect for my trigger reach. I never felt it was too far or too close to my hand. The cheek piece is a single push button adjustment. The adjustment button has a strong spring, and I am confident it wouldn’t get compressed by accident. The rifle can be shot ambidextrously, but it’s truly a right-handed stock as the cheek piece is much more comfortable from the right side. Seeing as they make both left- and right-handed options, I would suggest getting the stock that is correct for you. While shooting standing, the rifle feels light and was easy to manipulate out of and into a pack when needed, or to one’s shoulder for firing.
The trigger break is crisp and clean. It was measured at 2.75 pounds, exactly as stated on their website. Upon inspection, the adjustment screw had thread locking compound on it and I chose not to adjust it for testing. The rifle weighed in at six pounds, 7.14 ounces, when bare, one ounce less than advertised. I also weighed the rifle, scope, rings and loaded magazine, which came to a carrying weight of eight pounds, 5.8 ounces. By choosing a different optic or rings, this rifle would definitely weigh less than eight pounds.
The Limbsaver recoil pad is a great addition to this rifle. Being a lightweight rifle in a magnum cartridge, some kick is expected. The combination of the Limbsaver recoil pad and the MB42 muzzle brake do a fantastic job Of taming the recoil and making the rifle pleasant to shoot. I spent a few sessions shooting 30 to 50 rounds and didn’t suffer at all. Shooting from the prone position, a side port brake would have been preferred, as the radial kicked up dust as well as the shooting mat if it wasn’t tied down.
PRECISION
When it comes to the precision capability of their rifles, Antler Firearms provides a three-shot, 0.5 MOA guarantee — the 338 Lapua and 375 H&H have a 5/8-inch guarantee. Antler Arms has their own controlled testing environment and provides a target showing proof of precision, as well as the data on ammunition used. Of course, my testing was completed over multiple days and in varying outdoor weather conditions.
Another note that is important is that during testing, the original rifle sent had some issues and did not provide good results. Upon closer inspection, it looked like the barreled action might have been damaged during shipping, in combination with ammunition that also arrived damaged. Antler Arms provided a second barreled action and, once swapped into the original stock, it performed fantastically. Some fresh ammunition was also purchased. The accuracy testing was accomplished by shooting five three-shot groups at 100 yards. These were all done from a bench with either an MDT Mountain rifle with the GRND pod of Harris bipod. A standard Caldwell rear bag was used for support. I was fortunate to have access to four different types of ammunition for this test, as listed in the following table. I had a fifth type, but it got used up during sight in and while trying to diagnose issues with the first barreled action. It also had some broken tips.
The rifle is clearly able to meet the 0.5 MOA guarantee Antler Arms provides, with three of the options posting a group either under this standard or close to it. In the lessthan-perfect conditions in which I was shooting, I’m extremely pleased With how the rifle performed. also Clear this Setup prefers the Match 180-grain ELD-M offering.
OPTICS
The optic of choice for this rifle was a Leupold VX-6HD 3-1Sx44 with the TMOA illuminated reticle, a fantastic hunting scope that really compliments the only thing would have changed was a lower and lighter set Of rings The VX-6HD in the above configuration has 75 MOA of elevation travel and 75 MOA of windage travel. Combined with the reticle and 20 MOA rail built into the Ti Mountain, this gives you plenty of elevation for cross-canyon shots. It worked great with this rifle and was great when packing. An outstanding combination, in my opinion.
HUNTING
Originally, I intended to take this rifle On a few overnight hunts, but, sadly, plans changed. I did, however, spend some time hiking around the woods with the rifle in a pack and I must say, compared to my standard rifles that weigh 10 or more pounds When scoped, it Was a pleasure to take this rifle With me. It’s also comfortable to carry on a sling and I wouldn’t have issue taking this rifle into the mountains for a week-long hunt. The rifle feels light, handles well and the 22-inch barrel helps it avoid brush snags. Chambered in 7 PRC, the Ti Mountain packs a punch at close and long ranges, making it a do-everything rifle. It won’t beat you up with recoil, it’s easy to handle and, being a 7mm, it will work for medium and large game animals.
In a world of lightweight rifles, custom guns and American manufacturers, it was a pleasure to handle and a Canadian-made, high-end ing rifle that performs extremely and competes with any Other rifles in this category. Any time a question came up, called or e-mailed and had a response in a timely fashion.
Next time you’re looking for a quality, high-end hunting rifle, you should talk to Antler Arms. They make a solid product and Offer options to suit everyone, perfect for someone looking to get into the lightweight rifle market or add to their collection. know it’s on my list for mountain hunting in BC.