Gun Tests Grade: A (OUR PICK)

$2499

Members of this group of testers have fired Masterpiece Arms rifles in PRS matches. The rifles shot accurately and ran smoothly for us. We took note on more than one occasion of the frequency with which we spotted other shooters also using the MPA BA Competition rifles, often scoped with Vortex Gen II Razors (VortexOptics.com, GEN II 4.5-27×56 FFP, $2899). Prices normally start in the $3300 plus range for the rifle, making both it and the scope ineligible for Production Division. Hearing that MPA had introduced another model with a price point allowing it to compete in Production Division intrigued us. Could they drop the price that much lower without sacrificing the abilities of the platform? We contacted Phil Cashin, president of Masterpiece Arms, and raised that question with him. He assured us that the cost savings came from simplifying some of the processes and working with economies of scale during production. For example, the PMR Pro we tested can only be ordered in two different colors versus many other options for the standard rifle. Longer production runs with a single Cerakote color cost less per piece. The PMR Pro is only available with a single barrel profile, which just happens to be the M24 we prefer. This also speeds up and simplifies the chambering process. We could go on, but Cashin assured us, “There are no corners cut on these builds,” and his rifle backed him up.

The aforementioned M24 profile X-caliber barrel is 26 inches long and has a 1-in-7-inch twist to help stabilize the longer projectiles used in long-range competition. If you like muzzle heavy, which we do for this type of rifle, you get it in spades with the MPA. Standard equipment includes an MPA D3 muzzle brake with four ports per side and a barrel thermometer mounted on the surface of the barrel near the chamber. These tubes have “match chambers,” meaning the chamber throat is tight and straight, thus keeping the bullet more precisely aligned as it enters the rifling. Bullets that go into the barrel straight are more likely to come out of the barrel straight.

The stainless action is made by Curtis Custom. The bolt-shroud design has been simplified a bit for this model, and the attached 20-MOA Picatinny rail is made out of aluminum. After that, we couldn’t see many changes. The bolt is a three-lug design, allowing a mere 60-degree bolt throw. The bolt handle has an oversized knob, making it easier to grab and manipulate. The cocking piece on the bolt head even has a roller on it to make the firing pin easier to cock. Bolt throw on this rifle was very smooth and quick.

The thumb safety is a two-position rocker just aft of the bolt handle. Add to all of that a firing pin that can be removed without the use of special tools. The bolt stop is, again, a decent-sized piece of metal making sure the bolt stays in the action when it is supposed to. As with the Christensen Arms MPR, the Masterpiece Arms PMR Pro runs a flat-faced Trigger Tech trigger. We were able to bring required compression down to a nice, crisp 14 ounces. No take-up. No overtravel. Beautiful break. The Curtis action even has an onboard inclinometer (bubble level showing any cant) mounted where it can be viewed without the shooter having to dismount the rifle.

The PMR Pro uses the well-proven MPA BA Comp chassis. The buttstock is adjustable for cheek height and length of pull. Both adjustments are made using thumbwheels mounted to sturdy bolts. The thumbwheels create audible and tactile clicks as they are turned. By removing and adjusting a couple of screws, the buttpad can be adjusted in both height and cant.

The chassis comes with an Ultra Bag Rider mounted to the bottom of the buttstock, giving your rifle a big, secure surface to rest on your support bags. The MPA EVG (Enhanced Vertical Grip) is a great aid for those who prefer to use a grip technique that places the shooting thumb on the strong side, placing the wrist at the proper angle for this, and gives a great index for thumb and trigger finger. The magazine well provides plenty of opening for reloads while it pushes an angle forward to keep support bags and barricades from pushing on the magazine, which could induce malfunction. MPA even includes a two-round spare-shell holder and a folding dope card that can be mounted in slots on the side of the chassis just below the ejection port. The magazine release is a paddle that protrudes from both sides, just in front of the trigger guard. The magazine latch can actually be adjusted up and down a bit to tune it to differences in various magazines.

The forend is still part of the chassis, but it is all about options. It offers a couple of different ways to mount a bipod and a lot of different places you can put it. The very front mounts a V4 spigot — basically an extended Picatinny rail — to help lengthen and stabilize your shooting platform. The bottom of the forend sports an ARCA Swiss rail that allows a properly configured bipod to slide fore and aft over a track about 11 inches long. The comes in handy when trying to shoot from a platform that only allows a very small surface. The forend also provides many slots and holes into which extra weight can be mounted. We know some shooters running these rifles who load it up to more than 25 pounds total weight.

Accuracy was very good with most groups measuring around 0.6 inch or less. Many were in the 0.5-inch range (the group size MPA guarantees) and some were in the 0.3s. The MPA demonstrated very good speed and accuracy in the field trials winding up with the high overall score.

Our Team Said: The trigger on the PMR Pro is outstanding. Between the light caliber, the muzzle brake, and the weight of the rifle (our sample weighed almost 20 pounds fully kitted), recoil was negligible and spotting bullet strikes was pretty easy. The weight is far enough forward to keep the rifle balanced well on a barricade or a bag.

6MM CREEDMOOR Range Data