First Impressions
The Fierce Mountain Reaper is packed with an impressive list of features long enough that I’ll have to point them out in batches. When I first lifted the gun from its box, it was clear this rifle was meant for hunters. Fierce has incorporated a great many steps to reduce the weight of this rifle, all while keeping true to the Mountain Reaper name. This is an impressively light rifle that is compact, accurate, and built to harvest whatever game animal its owner is after.
The DLC-coated bolt rides smoothly in the titanium action, and the threaded bolt knob can be changed if you desire. Shouldering the rifle makes its short length apparent, and it balances well due to the use of so many carbon-fiber components.
My initial thoughts were a little mixed. I figured a 6-pound .300 PRC rifle might not be as pleasant to shoot as I am used to, but at the same time I was thoroughly impressed with the rifle’s features.
The Chassis
I decided to add my Primary Arms GLX 3-18 riflescope, as it is light and a good match for a hunting rifle like this. An Area 419 one-piece scope mount will firmly hold the scope under stiff recoil. I also attached a simple Harris bipod and a sling using the QD cups on the rifle.
The process of outfitting the Mountain Reaper highlighted all the little advantages of this design. The simple buttstock has a robust hinge mechanism that can be actuated with the push of a single button. Length of pull and comb height can be easily adjusted with an Allen wrench. You can tweak the angle, height, and placement of these features to best fit you, and weight is further reduced by not using finger-adjustable knobs to tighten.
Up front, the lightweight handguard almost seems too thin, yet it was perfectly stiff for handling and carrying the rifle. The M-LOK attachment points allowed me to affix my sling and bipod easily. At the bottom rear of the handguard, you will find a short section of ARCA rail for mounting the rifle on a tripod or attaching other accessories at the rifle’s midsection.
Housing the action and magazine at the heart of the chassis is a magnesium machined block. The magazine is released with a typical push lever at the rear of the magazine. The action itself is bolted down and custom bedded to the chassis. Much like an AR-15, the carbon-fiber pistol grip is attached with a screw through the middle.
Fierce Rival Action
The Fierce Rival action is smooth with its DLC finish and shows handsome lightening cuts and bolt fluting. The bolt itself has a cunning extractor design coupled with dual plunger ejectors. The Rival also uses the modern bayonet-style firing pin assembly, which requires no tools to disassemble the bolt.
The Bix’n Andy trigger can be adjusted from 1-3 pounds, though I found it was perfectly acceptable as it came from the box. The two-position safety was about all a guy needs while hunting, in my opinion.
The Reaper is available in both short and long action, depending on the caliber you desire, with a wide selection of calibers offered.
The C3 carbon-fiber barrel came threaded 5/8x24 with a NIX self-timing muzzle brake installed. While I found the brake effective, I am more of a suppressor guy. I changed it out for one of my lightweight cans that matches the attitude of the Mountain Reaper.
Specifications
- Action: Fierce Rival titanium two-lug
- Chassis Material: Magnesium and carbon fiber
- Barrel: Fierce C3 carbon fiber, 1:9 twist, 22-inch
- Caliber: .300 PRC
- Capacity: 5+1
- Trigger: Adjustable Bix’n Andy trigger
- Weight: 6.6 pounds (bare rifle)
- Stock: Adjustable and folding carbon fiber
- Forearm: Carbon fiber, M-LOK compatible
- Muzzle: Threaded 5/8x24, includes NIX muzzle brake
- Scope Base: NIX 0 MOA
- Accuracy Guarantee: .5 MOA at 100 yards
-
ARCA Compatible: Short section at the chassis mid-point
Shooting Notes
With the rifle ready to shoot and a few boxes of ammunition from Hornady and Norma, I headed into the cold, snowy Rocky Mountains – the very mountains this rifle was built to explore.
My initial concerns about an ultralight .300 PRC were quickly calmed as I lay in the fluffy snow. The self-timing muzzle brake included with the Reaper is effective at reducing recoil, but I also shot suppressed using both my Anechoic 35L suppressor and Banish Backcountry suppressors. While they didn’t tame the recoil quite as well as the NIX brake, it was still tolerable.
Related Review: Elevate Your Hunt with the Banish Backcountry Can
From the prone position, running the bolt was fantastic, with positive feeding and extraction as you’d expect from a rifle like this. The trigger feels fantastic, and shot after shot broke predictably. I shot the rifle out to 1,100 yards, which was satisfying.
I found the Reaper quite comfortable to shoot. The carbon-fiber furniture was comfortable in the extreme cold, while handling other aluminum firearms the same day was unbearable without gloves.
The Reaper was easy to adjust to fit me and needed no tweaks beyond the initial adjustments. The weight balance is also superior to many comparable rifles, and while I don’t typically fold my rifles, it is nice to have the option.
Reliability & Accuracy
During testing, we experienced no failures of any kind from the Fierce Mountain Reaper. Cycling cartridges and firing went perfectly throughout our range time, and the rifle’s features worked as designed – both suppressed and unsuppressed. The only hiccup I might mention has to do with the magazine catch, which I’ll go over in a moment.
The Reaper comes with a .5-MOA accuracy guarantee, which should give you some confidence in spending this much money on a rifle. In my testing, the rifle stood up to this guarantee, though you might have to find a specific ammunition type it prefers. This one seemed to show a preference for the Hornady 190-grain CX.
Pros & Cons
I'll start with the cons, just to get them out of the way. First up is the mag release. It works well – almost too well. On several occasions, I inadvertently dropped out the magazine by barely touching the magazine release. I could see it being accidentally dropped while hiking, whether from snagging on brush or bumping your backpack. It takes very little to drop the mag free. Perhaps a stronger spring or bobbing off the mag release would help.
Sometimes, longer actions seem to have a more noticeable bind when trying to push forward. It’s not a big deal and is easily trained away, but I did feel a touch of that with the Rival action.
There is a lot to go over on the positive side. The light weight and balance of this rifle cannot be overstated. Whether you are chasing Yukon Dall sheep or Rocky Mountain elk, you will be glad you brought this rifle along after all those miles, and it’s easily customizable to fit your needs.
Compatibility with accessories you want to add is another great feature. The carbon handguard will accept your M-LOK add-ons, and quality components like the trigger, accurate magazine, and NIX brake add value. Plus, you know what you’re paying for with the .5-MOA accuracy guarantee.
Final thoughts
Slowly but surely, carbon-fiber firearms are winning me over. While I still prefer a solid steel barrel for heavy strings of fire, rifles like the Fierce Mountain Reaper are impressive. With the light weight, compact size, and shooting performance, I would love to have several in my hunting arsenal. The modularity and customizable nature are added benefits for those who crave more than standardization.
With an MSRP starting at $2,999, the Mountain Reaper is not for casual shooters. It is certainly more geared toward those who take their hunting seriously. Rifles that shoot comparably can be had for much less, but they also bring more weight. So, I suppose I would say the Reaper comes at a premium, but it’s a premium you’ll be glad to pay as you scramble up the rugged crags of these mountains.
