December 31, 2018
By Tom Beckstrand
Nothing will make a shooter appreciate his rifle more than getting it to fit right. Sadly, most rifles sold over the gun counter allow for neither the comb height or length of pull to be adjusted.
When set correctly, a comb will allow a shooter to relax while looking through the scope. Setting the correct length of pull lets them stay relaxed without fighting to get a full field of view.
Demands from shooters have been heard and have spawned an entire industry of aftermarket, drop-in chassis that offer adjustments where needed and a number of other desirable features. One of these chassis that warrants review is the new Magpul Pro 700.
While designed for actions with a Model 700 footprint, the Pro 700 will accept other custom actions. This chassis accepts any action that has a Remington 700 footprint. Other than the namesake, there are a wide variety of custom actions that will also fit.
When manufacturers include “pro” in a product’s name, I expect that to mean the product is suitable for use by professionals who would or could benefit from that product on a daily basis. This is frequently untrue, but Magpul’s chassis really is designed for professional use.
The Pro in Pro Aside from good material selection and quality manufacturing, the Pro 700 includes a few features that most miss. Its comb, in addition to being adjustable for height, can also adjust fore and aft. This allows the shooter to place the cheekrest in such a position that their cheek just touches the front of the rest. This can become a reference point when the shooter is resting his head behind the rifle and helps to ensure his head sits in the same place each time. This only matters if the shooter will be behind the rifle for more than 10 minutes at a time.
Adjusting the Pro 700 goes beyond just up or down and in or out. The comb can slide and the buttpad can cant. The buttpad on the Pro 700 is adjustable for height and cant. Every rifleman has slightly different shoulder geometry and musculature and that puts the pocket into which the buttpad settles in an unpredictable location. Being able to adjust the buttpad cant to the correct location and then height to account for the chosen shooting position means the shooter won’t have to muscle the gun into place.
Once the rifle is in the shoulder, the shooter can relax and the rifle will stay where it’s pointed. This is important when shooting targets smaller than one minute of angle because any muscular input used to keep the rifle on target will throw rounds in the direction they’re being pushed.
The chassis can fold for easier storage and transport. Cleaning the rifle while in chassis is also easier with a folding stock. Magpul is also the first chassis manufacturer that I know of that thought to make the distance between the trigger shoe and the grip’s backstrap adjustable. This allows the shooter to place the grip where his trigger finger will sit perpendicular to the trigger shoe.
This helps ensure that the shooter pulls the trigger directly to the rear without pushing or pulling it to one side. While not a hugely significant contribution to good marksmanship, the details can quickly conspire against you in precision rifle shooting.
While the Pro 700’s esoteric features are certainly worth scrutiny, the more common features are also noteworthy. The chassis folds, making cleaning, transport and storage much easier for the owner.
The magazine well will accept AICS-style mags, only Magpul’s need to be pulled out by hand. Each Pro 700 can also be configured for either right- or left-handed use by swapping a metal insert that fills the bolt handle inlet. There are quick-detach sling swivel sockets on either side of the stock near the middle of the buttpad. The chassis accepts all AICS-pattern magazines. However, Magpul’s polymer AICS magazines do not drop free.
The flat-bottom forend rides bags and other field supports well. There are M-Lok slots on all three sides of the forend, so there are plenty of options for Arca-Swiss rails on the bottom and Picatinny rail sections along the sides. The barrel channel inlet will accommodate contours up to and including the Marksman Training Unit profile.
Magpul Pro 700 magpul.com
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