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The F-Open Competition Series MRCS is based the standard SABER Modular Rifle Chassis, except for two distinct new developments.  First, the F-Open forend is a three inch wide twin rail Catamaran design that fits many common high quality front rests used in F-Open competition.  CNC machined from an aerospace grade aluminum alloy billet, the twin rail Catamaran shaped forend can be custom weight balanced to meet the F-Open class 10kg rifle weight regulation.  The twin rail design on the bottom of the F-Open forend reduces surface contact and allows it to ride smoothly and repeatably on the front rest.

The second new feature is the interchangeable butt hook that has been replaced with a Bag Rider designed to fit into the 2-Stich Rear Bag on the ergonomically adjustable Hand Tool Adjustable Shoulder Stock (HTA).  This APO shoulder stock is fixed to the chassis and features replaceable length of pull spacers, a positive lock bail-ring cheek piece height adjustment and a hand tool drop adjustment for the very effective Limbsaver ^® recoil pad.  The combination of the new twin rail Catamaran shaped forend and shoulder stock Bag Rider make this Competition Series MRCS quite a formidable F-Open competitor.

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At the 2016 SHOT Show this new rifle chassis will be on display as part of an APO Custom Shop SABER F-Open competition rifle rig chambered in 6.5 x .284 with a Leupold VX-6 7-42x50mm rifle scope complete with front and rear rests.  APO is also developing a vibrant new color, 10xBlue hard coat anodized to complement this superbly accurate F-Open competition rifle.

The SABER F-Open 6.5x.284 Competition Rifle is built on the precision CNC machined octagonal SABER® LX bolt action receiver, which can be supplied with a detachable magazine or single shot target block.  APO's bolt action receivers take advantage of a unique interlocking design feature in the Center Chassis Section that provides additional holding strength on both right and left hand models.

The fire control mechanism is a fully adjustable T7T two stage trigger developed by High Power Rifle Champion Shooter David Tubb set to a crisp 1.0 to 1.5 pound pull.  "We wanted to build a solid F-Open rifle that a shooter could take right into competition and be competitive", says Matthew Peterson Ashbury's Product Development Coordinator.  "We certainly reached our goal with this new design!"

APO's F-Open competition rifle barrel is a MullerWorks match grade 4R button rifled 416R Stainless Steel heavy Palma contour, hand crafted by an dedicated team of specialists lead by veteran USMC MOS 2112 Precision Rifle Technicians, and 2111 Armorer.  The 1-in-8" twist hand lapped barrel is meticulously chambered in 6.5 x .284, finished with a recessed target crown then hand fitted to the receiver.  All F-Class competition rifle chambers are precisely machined to a straightness of less than <0.0002 of an inch, true to the centerline of the barrel bore and receiver in APO's modern CNC based shop.

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Holding tight tolerances delivers consistent sub ½ MOA performance with factory Norma match grade ammunition and even better performance with precision hand loaded ammo using 130gr to 142gr projectiles.  Competitors can select the barrel length of their preference out to 30 inches.  Longer barrels require custom chassis configurations to manage the approximate 22 pound overall F-Open class rifle weight limit.

The complete 6.5 x .284 F-Open Competition Rifle package includes a Leupold VX-6 7-42x56mm rifle scope.  The base weight of the F-Open MRCS chassis is 6.25 lbs. and it can be weight adjusted as desired by the shooter.  The SABER F-Open Competition Series MRCS will be available in popular Cerakote finishes and several hard coat anodized colors like 10xBlue.