Greg Duerr
Well-Known Member
Anyone have a Christensen Rifle. What are your opinions ??
Christensen Rifles?
- Thread starter Greg Duerr
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Mcarso1
Well-Known Member
I will follow this thread as I am interested in getting a ridgeline in 6.5x284.
Rifleman97
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2017
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- 382
I have a Ridgeline in 300 Win mag, I love it. 5 shot groups are okay, the carbon isn't good at dispersing heat as a fluted bull barrel but 3 shot groups are always ~1/2 moa @200
Nice and light, but for really long shots (for me that's 900-1200) it's borderline too light on the barrel, it wobbles around more than heavier guns. It still shoots good at range, 3/4-1 moa at 850 (furthest I've tested just for groups) but it's not the rifles accuracy that make it less accurate at range. It's the fact that the barrel (the whole gun really) is light enough that even your heartbeat make the crosshairs move ever so slightly where heavier guns don't do so (at least, not as much)
Trigger is pretty good, to be expected for its price range. All of the pros and the cons of the 700 action, there's a YouTube review that covers the details on that better than I can explain. The review is for one in 28 or 30 Nosler.
If you plan on carrying the rifle a fair distance and hunting with it (as in, carry it maybe a few miles, go prone and shoot it LR) then it's a great rifle.
IMO the weight of the rifle makes up for the fact that it's a little bit harder to shoot long range. It's not that bad, but I wouldn't want anything lighter. Shoots great, fairly well balanced for the little weight that it has.
Something that might help is a more sturdy stock. The one on it is nice but it's not ergo friendly for LR imo and it's not the most sturdy stock by any means. I see a replacement for mine in my future.
Nice and light, but for really long shots (for me that's 900-1200) it's borderline too light on the barrel, it wobbles around more than heavier guns. It still shoots good at range, 3/4-1 moa at 850 (furthest I've tested just for groups) but it's not the rifles accuracy that make it less accurate at range. It's the fact that the barrel (the whole gun really) is light enough that even your heartbeat make the crosshairs move ever so slightly where heavier guns don't do so (at least, not as much)
Trigger is pretty good, to be expected for its price range. All of the pros and the cons of the 700 action, there's a YouTube review that covers the details on that better than I can explain. The review is for one in 28 or 30 Nosler.
If you plan on carrying the rifle a fair distance and hunting with it (as in, carry it maybe a few miles, go prone and shoot it LR) then it's a great rifle.
IMO the weight of the rifle makes up for the fact that it's a little bit harder to shoot long range. It's not that bad, but I wouldn't want anything lighter. Shoots great, fairly well balanced for the little weight that it has.
Something that might help is a more sturdy stock. The one on it is nice but it's not ergo friendly for LR imo and it's not the most sturdy stock by any means. I see a replacement for mine in my future.
Trm82
Well-Known Member
I have had 3 Ridgelines , the 7 Rem and 7-08 are excellent but 270 wsm has chamber issues. If you get a good one your laughing but get a bad one well good luck. There customer service sucks.
gillettehunter
Well-Known Member
Broz over on Long Range Only has done a couple of reviews. Generally favorable.
Bruce
Bruce
dok7mm
Well-Known Member
I bought a 280ai for a son and have been working on it 2 months, doing load development.
It's already been back to CA once, there was no way the bottom metal would fit in stock inlet. They said it was out of spec and replaced it.
Next problem was very hard bolt lift on empty chamber. No way in hell, you could ever notice it as an over pressure indicator. I replaced the trigger main spring with a 26# rem spring and it helped a lot. The rifle came with a 32#
spring.
Every primer from starting loads up show a cratered primer ridge. Their customer service guy told me it was the bevel they put on the firing pin. Another pressure indicator gone.
The stock is light, but too much flex, especially off a bipod. The barrel was a literal copper mine until it passed 150 round count. Went thru lots of BoreTech Eliminator, patches and brushes. That was good though, cause that's how I found the burr in the muzzle brake. I had it rebored on my dollar. Also had to open up barrel channel. Of course, it has a SAAMI chamber with little or no freebore. I have to use 140s or 150s to keep it off the lands and still have room for powder.
Enough for the bad, it shoots very well after all the work. I shot a .136" and .249" 3 shot groups with it yesterday, at 100 yds, doing seating depth testing in a rainstorm.
I doubt that every rifle they sell has the problems I experienced. The Ridgeline is a lot of rifle for $2K, if you get a good one. A lot of people seem to be happy with them. Their CS is so so.
I forgot to mention I ordered the 26" 280ai and got a 24". I settled for it because they told me it would take at least 3-4 months to replace. Sure hope my son likes it.
It's already been back to CA once, there was no way the bottom metal would fit in stock inlet. They said it was out of spec and replaced it.
Next problem was very hard bolt lift on empty chamber. No way in hell, you could ever notice it as an over pressure indicator. I replaced the trigger main spring with a 26# rem spring and it helped a lot. The rifle came with a 32#
spring.
Every primer from starting loads up show a cratered primer ridge. Their customer service guy told me it was the bevel they put on the firing pin. Another pressure indicator gone.
The stock is light, but too much flex, especially off a bipod. The barrel was a literal copper mine until it passed 150 round count. Went thru lots of BoreTech Eliminator, patches and brushes. That was good though, cause that's how I found the burr in the muzzle brake. I had it rebored on my dollar. Also had to open up barrel channel. Of course, it has a SAAMI chamber with little or no freebore. I have to use 140s or 150s to keep it off the lands and still have room for powder.
Enough for the bad, it shoots very well after all the work. I shot a .136" and .249" 3 shot groups with it yesterday, at 100 yds, doing seating depth testing in a rainstorm.
I doubt that every rifle they sell has the problems I experienced. The Ridgeline is a lot of rifle for $2K, if you get a good one. A lot of people seem to be happy with them. Their CS is so so.
I forgot to mention I ordered the 26" 280ai and got a 24". I settled for it because they told me it would take at least 3-4 months to replace. Sure hope my son likes it.
I set up 2 Ridgelines in 300 Win Mag last year for my brother in law and nephew. Overall I think it's a lot of rifle for the money. I don't particularly care for the stock, I find i have to reach for the trigger and the cheek weld is kind of low even though I kept 50mm scopes as low as possible. 1 is shooting factory Nosler AB 180 and the other I had running the 215 hybrid from ABM but when he couldn't get it anymore I made him a handload with the 215. They shoot good, the 215 especially, probably around 3/4 MOA avg. Lot of copper at first but got better after 50-75 rounds. I think they would benefit from a good bed job, they just have a spot bed at the recoil lug from the factory. Anyway they went on a mule deer hunt to Montana and both of them got respectable bucks and they love their rifles.
And I just started helping another nephew with the Mesa LR in 300 WM. He's only got 25 rounds through it so far but everything is shooting 1 inch or less during break in, working up to max with H1000 and 215 hybrid. I like that stock much better but haven't shot it myself. I'd like to try the ELR...maybe in 6.5-284
Totoro
Well-Known Member
Following this as well.
Played around with their rifles at SHOT, fit and finish as expected from what I would call semi-production/mid-tech rifles.
As with any production piece, anything can happen. Its the aftersale support that keeps the customer's for life or never again.
I am itching for and ELR though.
Played around with their rifles at SHOT, fit and finish as expected from what I would call semi-production/mid-tech rifles.
As with any production piece, anything can happen. Its the aftersale support that keeps the customer's for life or never again.
I am itching for and ELR though.
HARPERC
Well-Known Member
Finally providing some accuracy guarantees. A positive step.
Metzger
Well-Known Member
waspocrew
Well-Known Member
My brother has a Ridgeline in 300 WM. He is still in the process of breaking it in, but it is showing promise even with cheap factory ammo. I'm sure it'll be even better with handloads.
