The multi-adjustable stock was left as it came out of the box as it fitted me comfortably and although I was concerned the gun would feel bulky and cumbersome, it was well balanced and very steady on-aim thanks to its 20 lb. all-up weight. I’m used to having an adjustable-tension bipod and wondered if the flexibility on offer here would make it seem a little top-heavy and wobbly but no, not a hint of it. I was keen to see how a two-stage trigger would feel in use. I quickly found it comfortable as the first and second stages were so precise in feel, it was easy to pull through the first and hold with your finger on the second stage.
This was an especially important part of the rifle to me personally as I wanted to use the gun in a McQueen competition the day after I first shot it. If the rifle is to perform in real-life tactical scenarios, this competition should be its forte. With the two- stage trigger, you realistically have to ‘hold’ on the second stage, whilst waiting for 5 to 15 seconds for your target to pop up in any one of ten windows. Then, you have just three seconds to spot it, swing the crosshair onto the tiny aim-point and squeeze the trigger.
Under the scrutiny of the rest of the entry, who were waiting to see me and a ten-grand rifle ‘dollop’, the B+T was superb and in this stress-fire, ten-shot test at 200 yards, it shot a perfect 50 out 50 - something I had not achieved before. The mag. feed was smooth with no miss-feeds or hang-ups and the bolt-cycling was ultra fast when compared with something like my Remington. A three lug bolt has only 60 degree lift and this can sometimes negatively affect primary extraction but not with B+T. This is one capable rifle.
The light recoil and solid, steady feel of the gun with no muzzle lift or bipod movement made it a joy to use
Verdict
Who wouldn’t want this rifle? It looks fantastic and sits up there with the Unique Alpine, Desert Tactical Arms and Accuracy International - very few others can join this elite group of true tactical rifles. Yes, it comes at a price - which is beyond the reach of most of us but then, it isn’t really intended to compete in the civilian market. It is offered as a no-compromise professional rifle system but, if you want something truly different, that nobody else has and performs superbly with little effort, this could be the gun for you.
Price £8547 including VAT Handguard £400 Accessories: Mirage band, sound moderator, sling swivels Contact Viking Arms
www.vikingarms.com
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and the only downside would be the limitations of the 308 Win. cartridge. The rear butt-spike, when folded, allowed a solid shooting position with the non-firing hand making a fist to support the rear of the rifle and the butt lightly against my shoulder. With the butt- spike in it’s vertical position, using the adjustment to aim the rifle, the cross hairs were rock solid and for certain types of shot, no-doubt an advantage. However, I mainly used it in the more usual manner - with a rear sandbag, where it worked perfectly - an area where many tactical `chassis` systems fall short. It won’t slide smoothly in the rear bag as the spike is knurled but with minimal recoil, it doesn’t need to.
The moderator was without doubt the best I have used and 308 rounds were dampened off effortlessly and although the point of impact moved 6 minutes vertically downward, it did this consistently every time it was removed and re-fitted, allowing easy, accurate scope corrections.
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