Masterpiece Arms is a staple if not a big chunk of the foundation of modern precision rifle shooting and competition. Their chassis took the space by storm, and they never stopped improving and bringing new products to market. Now they produce rifles, using their excellent chassis and other quality components like actions from other manufacturers.
We were fortunate enough to receive a Matrix rifle featuring Masterpieces own 27-inch MTU profile barrel mated to a Curtis Custom Axiom action, nestled inside their Matrix chassis in that eye-penetrating NRA blue. This is what a serious competition rifle looks like, but one that is also right at home as a pill-sender and general target rifle. Oh, and this one showed up in left-handed trim.
Advertisement — Continue Reading Below
While the short throw of the action is excellent, the Masterpiece came out of the box spitting 0.5-MOA groups like they were free to all. No warm up was necessary, no rounds down the tube, just accuracy out of the gate. Any blown opportunities were the shooter’s fault without a doubt. “…shot great right out of the gate,” Kendl noted. This is what you want your rifle to do—put you in your place or lift you to the heavens.
The Axiom action is really good, but it didn’t feel overtly stellar compared to others in this group, which is a testament to all the players in this comparison. Kendl noted it was easier than expected to shoot as a right-hander. Tom had to mention it was wrong-handed, but no worries we don’t look at that as a factor—we only note action feel.
The chassis is highly adjustable and weights can be added to help balance it or soak up more recoil forces. But with the excellent muzzle brake, the additional weight isn’t needed. Linear impulses abounded. That said, ours had the weight kit installed and, well, it was nice.
Tom liked the chassis overall, and even though he is a frequent competitor he had not piloted a Matrix before this comparison, although he has an older MPA chassis. In all honesty, he didn’t love the thumbhole portion or the rear of the chassis because it doesn’t make sense to him. I don’t look at it as a thumbhole as much as a hole cut to lighten the chassis somewhat.
Regardless, the Matrix is super accurate and immediately hurtles you to superstar status as a shooter—and does so with absolute ease.
