XLR Element 4.0 Magnesium Chassis: Full Review

Rifle stocks in various forms have been around for centuries. The chassis concept has really only been available for a couple of decades. A stock or a chassis is essential to shoot a rifle, but they have such different characteristics that it pays to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Chassis don’t compete against the low-­cost, injection-­molded polymer stocks that come with many bolt-­action rifles. For shooting a rifle out to a couple hundred yards, low-­cost options are the most prevalent and do everything required to make shots on predators or big game at those distances. Where there is debate between equipping a rifle with a stock or chassis is when the distance to the target increases, or if the shooter needs to hit small targets from field positions. Demanding higher performance out of a rifle means the stock or chassis needs some scrutiny.

A high-­performance stock or chassis does a better job of immobilizing a barreled action when the rifle fires due to the rigidity that surrounds the receiver. Rigidity reduces or eliminates unexplained “flyers.” Quality stocks and chassis systems also have rigid forends that allow the barrel to float, even when pushed into a rest for a more stable shooting position. While both will improve a rifle’s accuracy in real-­world shooting scenarios, each is a vastly different field companion, and there are times when I prefer to shoot with a chassis.

The feature that I look for in many chassis systems is the ability to easily fold the buttstock for storage and transport. Folding the buttstock means the gun case and gun box can get a lot shorter. Carrying rifle cases up and down stairs or putting them in vehicles has taught me that a rifle case can never be too short. A short case will fit in just about any trunk and SUV I’ve rented. Long rifle cases won’t fit in most sedans if the back seat doesn’t fold down. I’ve had more than one close call where I had to angle a long rifle case from the seat to the ceiling to get it to fit in the back seat of a sedan. If you don’t travel a lot with guns, this is a less-urgent consideration.

There is also the added advantage of a shorter gun case when flying. Weight saved from a shorter gun case means you can stuff more ammunition or clothing into the box while staying under the usual 50-­pound weight-­limit, avoiding a substantial “heavy baggage” fee at the airport. Travel to a few competitions and you learn to save weight where you can.

Finally, the ability to fold a chassis offers a significant advantage when traveling through the woods. Folding the stock lets the rifle sit a lot lower on the side of a backpack so the barrel doesn’t protrude as high in the air. This is especially important when hunting with a suppressor, which I strongly prefer. Barrels that stick up in the air find every low branch near the trail and can turn any hike into pure aggravation.

The Lightest Folding Chassis Is ...

The historical issue with a folding chassis is the weight. Most chassis systems are designed for precision rifle competition, which are too heavy to carry up a mountain. However, I’ve discovered the XLR Element 4.0 Magnesium. It is as light as most high-­end carbon-fiber hunting stocks — as little as 28 ounces — while still offering all of the advantages of a chassis. And it folds!

The Element 4.0 Magnesium, unsurprisingly, has a chassis body machined from magnesium. It is a magnesium alloy that will not burn, so it can’t be used for a field-­expedient fire starter. Making the body from magnesium saved approximately 6 ounces compared to XLR’s aluminum model. When outfitted with the carbon-fiber grip, carbon-fiber buttstock assembly, and folding hinge, the total weight of this chassis weighs a svelte 32 ounces. That’s about as light as any stock or chassis will ever get, especially considering it has an adjustable comb height. That 32 ounces gets you a rigid folding chassis that fits anything with a Remington 700 short-­action footprint. XLR also makes chassis for Remington 700 long actions, Tikka, Savage, Howa 1500, Weatherby Vanguard, CZ 457, Defiance XM, BAT Bumblebee and Vampire, as well as Lone Peak medium actions.

There are a handful of details on the Element 4.0 that bear some scrutiny for the value they offer. The first is the forend with integrated Arca rail, which is also cut to work with the Really Right Stuff R-­Lock. An Arca rail is a wide dovetail that allows tripods and bipods to attach quickly anywhere along the length of the forend. This feature is invaluable when trying to quickly build a shooting position in the field. The full-­length Arca rail creates options. When building a position on a stump, it’s terribly convenient (and fast) to just pull the bipod close to the magazine well and then put a bag under the pistol grip. The R-­Lock feature means a small cylinder protrudes up into the forend. All that’s needed to reposition the bipod is to depress the lever and slide the bipod (or tripod) to the desired location.

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The second detail that matters with the Element 4.0 is the ability to adjust the magazine height inside the magazine well. Small adjustments in magazine height can mean the difference between effortlessly reliable and clunky, unreliable feeding. Two-tenths of an ­inch can mean the difference between the bullet’s nose hitting the barrel’s breechface and bouncing into the chamber (or not), or just sailing into the chamber, trouble-­free. Magazine height is especially important on cartridges with smaller case heads, i.e., rimfire ammunition. The Element 4.0 has an adjustable-­height magazine catch that allows each shooter to get the perfect height from various magazines based on the cartridge and action.

The final detail that I appreciate is the ability to use Hawkins Hunter flush-­fit magazines. One of the historical beefs with chassis stocks and hunters was that detachable box magazines hung below the chassis, making it impossible to comfortably hold the rifle right under the receiver where most balance well for carry. The Hawkins Hunter magazines hold three or four rounds and sit flush with the bottom of the chassis’ magazine well. The hunter can carry the rifle with his hand wrapped around the underside of the magazine, just like stocked rifles with floorplates.

Stocks will always appeal to hunters because of the familiarity they offer. However, as soon as the hunter decides he wants a full-­length Arca rail on the forend for position-­building options, or an adjustable-­height magazine catch to smooth out feeding, or a folding stock for easy transport, the chassis takes center stage. And the lightest, most fully-­featured chassis that I’ve encountered is the XLR Element 4.0 Magnesium.

XLR Element 4.0 Magnesium

• Weight: 32 ounces. (tested)
• Stock: Folding, carbon fiber, adj.
• Length of Pull: 13.75 in.
• Finish: Cerakote
• MSRP: $1,500 (as built for testing)
• Manufacturer: XLR, 970-­241-­1807, xlrindustries.com