Alpine Riflecraft

[Calvin Williams]

I went to the Sheep Show in Reno last week and got a chance to handle the Alpine Riflecraft Zenith titanium action rifle. I'm impressed. The developer is a young engineer from Alberta, Mike Drury, who is an inveterate sheep hunter. The action is very smooth. Drury uses a higher grade of titanium than anyone else (at least I couldn't find that anyone else is using the grade he uses). It is stronger and harder than the more commonly used titanium. The bolt is nitrided chrome moly steel and has a 3-position safety. The combination of the harder titanium receiver and nitrided bolt gives incredible smoothness to cycling the bolt. The receiver has double-square bridges with proprietary integral scope bases, Mauser extraction and a 3" long magazine box. The receiver and bolt weigh only 17 oz.. The rifle uses a proprietary stock made by Wildcat (about .20 oz., I think.). The stock paint is an industrial epoxy product that is perhaps the most durable there is. It's hard to find and not cheap! The carbon-fiber barreled version weighs 4.5 lbs, depending on caliber. I could hardly afford it but purchased one and am having it chambered in 7mm-08 SAW II---for that sheep hunt I'll never go on! I like that the rifle is different than the Rem 700 clones and has the double-square bridges and Mauser extraction, harkening back to a time when the "classic" rifles were popular. Below are some reviews on the product and Alpine Riflecraft's website for those who are interested.

Home - Alpine Riflecraft

STARTING AT 4.5LBS, THERE IS NO QUESTION, THE ZENITH IS THE LIGHTEST CARBON-BARRELED BOLT ACTION HUNTING RIFLE AVAILABLE TODAY

alpineriflecraft.com

 

[Calvin Williams]

Correction: the weight of the AlpineCraft action (bolt and receiver combined) is 16.3 oz., and the Titanium that is used is Ti 6246, which has about 22% higher tensile strength and 24% higher yield strength than Ti 64 (which is what everyone else seems to be using). Additionally, Ti 6246 Rockwells at 42, which is also higher than Ti 64 by 10-20%. Prior to encountering this Titanium Alpinecraft, the lightest action I had ever weighed was the Fieldcraft short action at 17.5 oz. The lightest long-action I've found (non-magnum) is the McBros Element at 20.06 oz.

 

[257WHBY13]

Looks sweet, wonder if the price is in Canadian $$

 

[Calvin Williams]

Its Canadian. They have a US web site which gives the price in US dollars. I'm going to have to sell quite a few of my guns to pay for it. Below is a link to the US web site. You can use their configurator to spec your rifle and price.

Home - Alpine Riflecraft

STARTING AT 4.5LBS, THERE IS NO QUESTION, THE ZENITH IS THE LIGHTEST CARBON-BARRELED BOLT ACTION HUNTING RIFLE AVAILABLE TODAY

alpineriflecraft.com

 

[adam32+P]

Sorry but that thing isn't worth $8,000.

 

[Calvin Williams]

Value is often in the eye of the beholder. Yes, I can get a 5 lb. Savage for much, much less, but that holds no appeal for me. I don't necessarily disagree with you: I happen to not think the Gunwerks Nexus is worth anywhere near what they're charging (which is what, about $7000?)!

 

[Recon$$]

There's always a market. Agree with you both. You lose me well before either and I like nice things to.

 

[Calvin Williams]

I looked at a lot of rifles at the Sheep Show. Some of them have some slightly novel features, but at the end of the day virtually all Rem 700 clones. The Alterra action, for example, has a double morse taper tenon at the front and rear of the front receiver ring which they claim gives a tighter barrel receiver interface. They also claim a "secret sauce" for bonding their carbon fiber tow to their barrel core. Nice rifles, but again, it's a Rem 700 clone which might give 1/2" accuracy for 3 shots and their lightest product weighs 6 lb. $7200 for a Remington 700 clone at 6 lbs? I can have the same thing all day long for half the price with a McBros Element long-action (20.3 oz. and $995) a Manners UL Classic stock (20 oz., and $995.00), a Lother Walther spiral fluted barrel ($750? weighing 2.7 lbs?), $500 of gunsmithing and a $300 for bottom metal and trigger which translates to a half-minute MOA rifle weighing 6.2 pounds...all for $3600 bucks or perhaps less. But if I want a Titanium Mauser w/ double square bridges (and made with Ti 6426 no less) and weighing 4.5 lbs) well, the Alpine Riflecraft is the only one in the world.

The Gunwerks Nexus had potential, having an aluminum receiver and an easily removable barrel ala the Sauer 200/202, it could have been a useful light rifle.
But they have dolled it up with so many absurd acoutrements that it's a complete turn-off to anyone who isn't a pimp. I mean stitched leather panels? Seriously? Are they Gucci too! And then a full-length aluminum floor plate? Why? it adds nothing but weight and cost. They've made it into a "dude rifle". No serious hunter shows up on the mountain in a Gucci-leather decked out pimp rifle, unless he is an actual pimp! There. I said it. Flame me. Again, to each his own.

 

[8x68s]

All fun and games for those that can afford it. Be careful which cartridge you choose for it! I see detached retinas in someone's future.

 

[Calvin Williams]

I'm selling a lot of other rifles to pay for the Alpine Riflecraft Zenith. I'll be listing them in the classifieds shortly....some nice ones too.

 

[bowshot]

That will be an awesome rifle! I have waved a few of them around and would love one.