Aero Precision, the Washington-based company best-known for their AR rifles and parts, got into the bolt business a couple of years ago with their SOLUS short action. It has a Remington 700 footprint, integral 20 MOA rail, removable bolt face, nice machining and a nitrided finish.
No one really expected Aero to stop with just the action and last year, they unveiled two rifles built around the SOLUS short action. The SOLUS Competition rifle is a PRS-type competition chassis gun (review from Jeremy in process). But for those looking for a lighter, more versatile bolt gun you can use for hunting and ringing steel at distances of 1000 yards and beyond, there’s also the SOLUS Hunter.
This is a full-featured bolt gun with premium components including a fluted Ballistic Advantage Sendero pattern barrel and GA Composites carbon fiber stock.
I’ve shot the SOLUS Hunter with a couple of scopes, a ZeroTech 3-18×56 PHR II Thrive HD and this Crimson Trace 6-24×50 Hardline Pro FFP MOA. Beating Aero’s sub-MOA out-of-the-box guarantee was never a problem.
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The SOLUS Hunter is built around the one-piece milled SOLUS action. It’s nitrided, as is the bolt, and has an integral 20 MOA Pic rail, magnum size ejection port, and a 3-lug bolt with dual ejectors.
The SOLUS action has a 60-degree bolt throw. I’m a fan of the size and heft of the bolt handle, but if you aren’t for some reason, you can swap it out.
One of the SOLUS action’s best features is its interchangeable bolt face with dual offset ejectors.
The 6.5 Creedmoor version I shot has a .478 standard bolt face. But if you want to change calibers, you can easily swap it out for .540 magnum bolt head, change your barrel for the appropriate chambering, and you’re good to go for shooting 6.5 PRC, 300 Winchester Short Magnum or others. The SOLUS action will accommodate both Zermatt or Savage small shank pre-fit barrels.
The SOLUS Hunter ships with a TriggerTech single stage adjustable trigger on board. If that’s not to your liking for some reason (and this one is very good), there are literally dozens of aftermarket options.
There’s plenty of room in that trigger guard for a gloved finger.
The Remington 700 short action receiver takes AICS or AIAW magazines. One Magpul 5-rounder comes with the rifle.
The AG Composites carbon fiber stock has an adjustable comb height. Length of pull isn’t adjustable, but the 13.675-inch LOP from the factory will fit the majority of shooters. If you need something longer.
The stock is pillar staked and bedded with an aluminum block in the forend.
The stock has three sling swivels so you can attach a bipod and a sling at the same time.
I tested the SOLUS Hunter with a range of bullet weights, all from Hornady. That included 120gr ELD Match, 140gr Black and 147gr ELD Match rounds.
I attached a SilencerCo Hybrid 46M suppressor to the SOLUS’s 24-inch 1:8 Ballistic Advantage threaded barrel because this is 2023 and that’s the civilized way to shoot.
The SOLUS Hunter shot its best groups with the heavier 147gr bullets, though all three rounds produced sub-MOA groups.
These were shot with 147gr ELD Match cartridges on different days from the bench using a bipod. Alas, you can always count on my shooting skills to produce a flyer in most 5-round groups.
Specifications: Aero Precision Solus Hunter Bolt Action Rifle
Caliber: 6.5 Creedmoor (.308 and 6.5 PRC also available)
Action: Remington 700 short action footprint
Barrel Length: 24 inches (1:8 twist, 5/8×24 thread)
Overall Length:
Weight: 8.92 lbs.
Stock: AG Composite carbon fiber
Magazine: 1 5-round Magpul AICS
Made In: USA
MSRP: $2,499 (retail anywhere from just over $2,000 to $2,375)
Ratings (out of five stars):
Style and Appearance: * * * *
It’s not burled walnut and deeply blued steel, but the SOLUS Hunter with its carbon fiber stock and fluted barrel is an attractive modern rifle.
Customization: * * * * *
The SOLUS has a Remington 700 short action footprint. Along with the removable bolt face, there’s virtually nothing about this very capable rifle you can’t change/alter/swap/add — stock, trigger, barrel, caliber, rail — if you so choose.
Reliability: * * * * *
It’s a bolt gun with a smooth action. I had zero problems and don’t expect any. Neither will my grandchildren (if I have any, that is).
Accuracy: * * * * *
Aero Precision guarantees sub-MOA accuracy out of the box. The SOLUS Hunter did that and better. Find the right load for your caliber and barrel length and you’ll be shooting appreciably smaller groups than that.
Overall: * * * * *
It’s very difficult to criticize any of the choices Aero Precision made when they designed the SOLUS Hunter. All of the components they’ve chosen are first rate, the build quality is excellent, it’s infinitely customizable, and the rifle just looks good. On top of that, it’s sub-MOA accurate once you get it dialed in. There are certainly less expensive rifle options with less impressive components that will perform well, but if you want an absolutely full-featured, wonderfully well-made out-of-the-box bolt gun that lets you mount and optic and get to shooting, the SOLUS Hunter does it all.
Oh Yea! A $2500 Creedmoor!
Happened last night :
“Secret Service agent for Biden’s granddaughter opens fire on suspected carjackers”
Evidently her secret service agents do not shoot pedophiles.
JRB in 2028
Update : It’s rather strange a fully-qualified Secret Service agent fired *4 times*, with none of the rounds connecting with a suspect…
“Why the Secret Service Story Does NOT Pass the Smell Test”
Whooo doggies, now we’re talking.
That’s a rifle I could like.
👍
I’ve heard of pillar bedding, but what the heck is pillar staked? And, what could possibly be the use of an aluminum block in the forend?
“I’ve heard of pillar bedding, but what the heck is pillar staked?”
I’m just guessing here, it sounds like physically ‘staking’ the metal pillar post to the rifle action…
‘Hunter’ bold action rifle.
weight:8.92lbs.
I’ll pass on hiking this up the side of a mountain to go after elk or mountain goats. “Ounces equals pounds and pounds equals pain.”
And then a pound and a half or more for the optic and you are talking a pretty serious heft, especially for us softies who are too old and too lazy to keep working out. Unless you are like Possum and just drag it behind you. (Not that he would admit spending that much on a boom stick.) I have gone down to the 7-7.5 lb rifles with 22-24 oz scopes–and short hikes.
Last time I bought a hunting shotgun I had one requirement. It had to weigh 7 pounds or less.
I’m confused, who exactly is this rifle for? At well over 2 grand and 9 lbs dry (so more like 10-11bs once you ad the basics of a scope, sling, bipod, and magazine), what’s the niche this fills? It’s too heavy for a woods gun and not modular or accurate enough for a bench rifle, and it’s too expensive to be bought on a whim on name recognition alone (not that the brand has a particularly strong reputation to begin with). Also, “guaranteed sub MOA accuracy”? Yeah, I should hope so. I used to have a $700 M&P AR-15 that was sub MOA out of the box so I’d expect a lot better from a $2,000+ bolt action rifle.
I know this is hard to quantify since it doesn’t scale in a linear fashion but I really wish TTaG would also include a category of “value” in their reviews
The action looks great and like that it has a 3 lug bolt.
So it is a high priced Remington 700.
What is there to get excited about?
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