Everything Proof does is at another level. It only makes sense that the core of their Proof/MDT competition rifle is one of their incredible stainless steel barrels that I dare say may be the best in the business. The competition contour is heavy and lays just right in the MDT ACC chassis it’s mated with. Proof’s name resides on the action but it’s made by Zermatt Arms, formerly Big Horn, which is top-shelf stuff.
The Zermatt action is a different beast than all the others in the lineup. This action is lightning fast and must be felt next to other actions to be believed. But that speed comes at a cost because it can be finicky if it’s not run just so. Get out of alignment while running the Zermatt at full pull and she’ll bind up like she’s been eating a pound of cheese every day for a month, and you’ll fall from superstar status to loser land in one quick stroke. That’s literally the only gripe with the Proof/MDT rifle. But once you get time on it, the action is pure magic.
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The ACC chassis is tops in every department from fit and finish, to adjustability, to stability and upgradability. The ACC has upgrades and options galore and it gets an “A” alongside the Proof rifled tube. Accuracy was amazing from the Proof and I posted my best group with it at 0.35 inches with Hornady 108-grain ELD-M 6mm Creedmoor match ammo. I felt right at home on the gun since I have the exact same build in .223 with a left-handed Big Horn action. It was built years ago by a custom builder.
The only other ding could be the cost. The Proof rifle sits at $5,800, which is on the upper spectrum of this group of lead slingers. “What you have here is the rifle that anyone competing today would love to run,” stated super-user Dave. “This is a winning combination; the only downfall is the price.”
It’s a quality build with quality parts that can’t be disparaged in any meaningful way, and the black with red highlights color scheme screams Proof Research, and that’s a great thing as confirmed by our trigger-snob who noted, “Red accents; better looking than my brother’s wife.” His brother was not available for comment.
