Christensen Arms MPR .22 LR Rimfire Review

Get Your Sub-Half-Inch MOA Plink On With Christensen Arm’s New MPR Rimfire

As it does with its other rifles, Christensen Arms sells its Modern Precision Rifle (MPR) Rimfire bolt action with an accuracy guarantee: the rifle shoots SUB-MOA at 50 yards, and 1 MOA at 50 yards is 0.50 inches.

A guarantee like that can get social media trolls scoffing at a 0.70-inch group of five shots at this distance and even claim the rifle a disaster should it peg a few 1-inch groups.

Those trolls should try shooting a half-inch or better at 50 yards. Because, if those basement-dwelling creatures were honest, they’d then have to admit even the slightest twitch of the rifle or the tiniest hitch in trigger pull, and one can forget a half-inch group.

This is a longer way to say that a rifle’s accuracy is not simply dependent on how well the rifle is manufactured. Testing out any accuracy guarantee also depends on the shooter doing his or her part, as well as the ammunition selected and environmental conditions.

I was leery about doing my part with the Christensen Arms MPR Rimfire. A half-inch with those tiny rimfire bullets? But that’s the job, so I headed to my outdoor range with the MPR Rimfire, a bag full of .22 Long Rifle (LR) ammunition, lots of targets, and plenty of shooting bags.

The Feature-Rich Christensen Arms MPR Rimfire

Introduced at the 2024 SHOT Show, the MPR Rimfire began shipping to dealers this past April.

The MPR Rimfire is built around a lightweight, billet aluminum chassis, with the barrel shrouded by an M-LOK compatible carbon fiber handguard.  

The rifle is available in .17 HMR, .22 LR, and .22 WMR chamberings, with barrel lengths running for 16- to 20-inches. My test and evaluation MPR Rimfire was chambered in .22 LR and sported an 18-inch carbon-tensioned barrel. The “carbon-tensioned” label essentially means a carbon tube is slid over the thin steel barrel, with the tube tightened at both ends to reduce vibrations; the carbon tube also facilitates faster heat dissipation than steel alone.   

The barrel was threaded at ½”x28 TPI for a suppressor, with a thread protector provided.

My rifle also featured Christensen’s tungsten Cerakote finish on the bottom two-thirds of the receiver and black Cerakote on the receiver top and rail. Other finish options include black and desert brown Cerakote.

The TriggerTech trigger on my rifle broke at a very crisp 1 pound, 10 ounces on average, with zero uptake on the trigger. Squeeze and my shot was gone. The rifle’s bolt worked smoothly, and the dual extractors easily flung out the empty brass.

The MPR Rimfire utilizes the Ruger 10-round 10/22 magazine.  

Trijicon’s Credo HX Scope & CCI Green Tag Ammo

I mounted a Trijicon Credo HX 1-10x28 rifle scope onto the MPR. A first-focal plane optic, the Credo HX 1-10 is a rugged, high-performance scope I’ve used a good deal. It provided extremely clear images, precision .25 MOA adjustments, and a red/green illuminated reticle.

To secure the scope to the MPR’s rail, I used another Trijicon product, the company’s Cantilever Mount with Trijicon’s Q-LOC mounting system. Machined from 6061-T6 aluminum, the Cantilever Mount is one tough piece of hardware, and the Q-LOC system attached quickly and securely.

For .22 LR ammunition, I tried out CCI Green Tag, Lapua Center-X, SK Long Range Match, and Winchester Wildcat.

Chilling Out At The Range

The weather at my outdoor range was what I expected from north-central Wisconsin right before Christmas: 24 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill right at 10 degrees. No snow though a winter storm was blowing in, the overcast sky pressing down on me.

First, I zeroed the Credo HX at 50 yards, using the Winchester Wildcat ammo. Compared to the other three brands of .22 LR, though, I couldn’t get the Wildcat to match up with the Christensen accuracy guarantee. For five shots, the best I could achieve were two groups at 1.0 inches and several groups at 1.5 inches.

Next I switched over to the CCI Green Tag and my five shot groups shrunk to 0.50, 0.45- and 0.30 inches.

The Lapua Center-X did the job, too, with three groups right at 0.50 inches, while the SK Long Range Match notched a 0.45- and a 0.30-inch group.

Larger groups? Damn right. But I drilled in more than enough groups to prove to myself the legitimacy of Christensen’s accuracy guarantee.

Shooting Accessories

I have to give credit to a big helper I had that day at the range, namely Caldwell Shooting Supplies. Their Tack Driver Shooting Bag secured the handguard of the MPR, while the smaller Dead Shot rear bag steadied my shooting hand and forearm.

I also used Caldwell’s Orange Peel sight in targets for my accuracy testing, the 8-inch variety, and they worked nicely. Hits left easy-to-spot, white-rimmed holes.

Ready To Hit The Fields

The MPR .22 LR Rimfire’s stock folds with a simple press of a button on the left side of the stock and the stock itself nestles against the right side of the receiver. Once folded, the stock stays in place thanks to Christensen’s Magnelock System, a small, circular magnet located just below the stock’s cheekpiece that locks onto a metal insert placed in the side of the aluminum receiver.  

That stock was also fully adjustable with a carbon fiber cheekpiece that was raised and lowered by loosening two hex head screws on the stock’s right side. Similarly, the length of pull was adjusted by working another two hex screws at the very rear and just before the butt pad.

I have to admit the rifle’s handguard initially struck me as large and bulky-looking. But I soon discovered that it actually fit my hand nicely and provided a very solid anchor. As noted, the handguard featured M-LOK attachment points; it also sported a short length of Picatinny rail at the bottom front on which to attach a bi- or tripod.

Expensive? At $1,250, yes. But it will be a pleasure to use in the field, especially for the squirrel hunter who can only see that grey or reddish head. 

I’m not a competitive rimfire shooter and I have no idea if the MPR Rimfire rifle qualifies for the various events. But given the rifle’s MOA accuracy, I believe it would do better than hold its own at various shooting events.

Specifications: Christensen Arms Modern Precision Rifle (MPR) Rimfire

• CALIBER: .22 LR (as tested)
• ACTION: Bolt
• BARREL: 18 inches (as tested)
• OA LENGTH: 35.5 inches (as tested)
• WEIGHT: 6 Pounds, 2 ounces
• STOCK: Adjustable, Folding
• SIGHTS: None. 0 MOA receiver rail for optic.
• FINISH: Black and Tungsten Cerakote (as tested)
• CAPACITY: 10 rounds
• MSRP: $1,250.00
• WEBSITE: christensenarms.com