If you are looking for a long-range rifle that won’t break the bank, take a look at the new Mesa Long Range from Christensen Arms. This short and long action bolt gun is chambered in several great distance cartridges with a sub MOA guarantee. Plus, it has a MSRP of less than $1,600.
According to the company, this gun is built on the proven Mesa platform. Performance wise, the Mesa Long Range is designed to fall between the existing Mesa rifles and the company’s dedicated precision rifles: the ELR and BA Tactical.
Christensen Arms uses a 416R stainless steel, free floated barrel with a medium Palma contour on these rifles. The length and twist rate are dependent on what cartridge they are chambered for. The following are cartridge chamberings for the Mesa Long Range along with the barrel information:
- 6.5 Creedmoor – 26” barrel with a 1:8” twist
- .308 Win – 24” barrel with a 1:10” twist
- .28 Nosler – 26” barrel with a 1:9” twist
- 7mm Rem Mag – 26” barrel with a 1:9” twist
- .300 Win Mag – 26” barrel with a 1:10” twist
Regardless of caliber, all of the barrels are threaded (5/8”x24) and come with both a thread protector and muzzle brake. The chambers are match grade.
A carbon fiber stock is used on these guns. An adjustable height comb is standard. It uses spacers to achieve the desired height. Christensen Arms uses Invar pillars and spot bedding. A recoil pad is affixed to the rear of the gun. As you can see in the photos, the stock is black with a gray webbing pattern.
Additional features found on this rifle is a match grade trigger with a 2.5-3.5 pound pull, an enlarged ejection port, a fluted bolt knob and an internal magazine with a hinged floor plate. The magazine capacity is four rounds, though it is reduced to only three in the Magnum loads.
Long range rifles tend to be heavy due to the components used. While the Mesa Long Range is heavier than the original Mesa rifle, they all come in under 10 pounds. Depending on the chambering selected – and the corresponding barrel length and bore diameter – these guns weigh from 8.9 to 9.9 pounds.
The rated weights do not include an optic. Of course, no sights are included on these rifles. To keep things fairly simple, the receiver is set up to be compatible with any standard Remington 700 scope bases.
