It really shouldn’t be a surprise that the MRAD came in first place. Developed for hard use to USSOCOM specifications, the MRAD is packed full of features. You can easily switch barrels and calibers—including long- and short-action calibers—while the chassis offers complete adjustability. All five evaluators, regardless of their preferences when it comes to bolt-action rifles, gave the MRAD the highest points. It just does everything so well and makes precision shooting easy.
Everyone loved the super-slick action, which makes you feel like a rock star with every stroke. It was also easy for everyone to find a comfortable shooting position thanks to the military-focused rifle’s ergonomics. The muzzle brake helped reduce the 6.5 Creedmoor recoil, and the recoil impulse itself is linear, and the rifle tracks so well. Even loading mags on the Barrett is easy. Bri summed it up in her session notes: “The mags were easy to load. I could adjust the stock myself, and I got back on target quickly after shooting.”
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While I could go on about the Barrett MRAD, there really is no need to. In a field of tough contenders, it shined the brightest. It’s clearly one of the best bolt-action rifles that you could ever pilot, and our diverse panel knows it, too. I would urge you to get behind a Barrett MRAD and find out for yourself. And don’t forget that it’s multi-caliber, so you can shoot everything from .308-based cartridges up to the .300 PRC in the same platform. That way you can really get to know the rifle.