Description
The Barrett MRAD 308 Win 17in is the compact end of the MRAD line: the same multi role adaptive design chassis and user changeable barrel system, built around a 17 inch fluted barrel in 308 Winchester and finished in Tungsten Grey Cerakote. With the stock folded it is one of the most transportable precision rifles Barrett makes. Seventeen inches is a deliberate choice rather than a compromise.
308 Winchester was developed as a military cartridge for barrels in the 20 to 24 inch range, but modern powders give up very little from a short tube, and what you get back is a rifle that handles inside a vehicle, a blind or a barricade stage.
What the Barrett MRAD 308 Win 17in Is Built For
The barrel is user changeable with a single tool. That is the defining MRAD feature and it matters more on a short 308 than anywhere else in the line, because this is the configuration people buy first and then extend into other chamberings as their shooting changes.
The stock folds to the right and adjusts for length of pull without tools, and the cheek piece adjusts for height the same way. Folded, the rifle fits cases and vehicle spaces that no fixed stock precision rifle will.
A two port muzzle brake is fitted. On 308 Winchester in a rifle of this weight recoil was never the problem, so the brake is mostly about keeping the reticle on target for spotting your own impacts. It does make the rifle louder for people beside you, which is the usual trade.
Chassis, Trigger and Practical Notes
The chassis is monolithic aluminum with an M-LOK compatible handguard and a full length top rail, and the grip is a Magpul MOE, so replacing it with whatever AR pattern grip you prefer is a two minute job.
The trigger is a fully adjustable match grade module that drops out of the rifle without tools. Adjusting or swapping it is a bench operation rather than a gunsmithing job.
Feeding is from a ten round magazine and one is included. Magazine capacity is restricted in several states, so check your own law before ordering if you live somewhere with a limit.
Barrett MRAD 308 Win 17in Specifications
- Manufacturer: Barrett Firearms
- Model: MRAD
- Caliber: 308 Winchester
- Barrel: 17 inches, fluted
- Action: bolt action, user changeable barrel
- Capacity: 10 rounds, one magazine included
- Stock: right side folding, tool free length of pull and cheek height
- Grip: Magpul MOE
- Muzzle: two port brake
- Trigger: fully adjustable match grade module
- Handguard: M-LOK compatible
- Finish: Tungsten Grey Cerakote
- Part number: 18495
Why it is worth considering
- One of the shortest and most transportable configurations in the MRAD line
- User changeable barrel, so the rifle can follow you into other chamberings
- Folding stock with tool free length of pull and comb adjustment
- Match grade adjustable trigger that pulls out without tools
- 308 Winchester ammunition is available at essentially every gun counter
Who it suits
This suits the shooter who wants a genuinely portable precision rifle and expects to grow into the MRAD system rather than buy one rifle and stop. It is a strong choice for barricade and positional shooting, for a truck rifle on a working property, and as an entry point into the platform.
Ammunition, Optics and Transfer Notes for the Barrett MRAD 308 Win 17in
308 Winchester out of a 17 inch barrel loses velocity against a 24 inch tube, and it is worth being clear about how much: roughly 100 to 150 feet per second depending on the load, which pushes the transonic transition a little closer and costs some energy at distance. Inside 800 yards the practical difference is small. Beyond that, a longer barrel is the better tool, and the MRAD barrel system means you can buy one later without buying another rifle. Cartridge standards are published by SAAMI.
Heavier match bullets are where a short 308 earns its keep. A 175 grain load holds velocity better than a 168 downrange and suits the twist rate in this barrel. For hunting, 150 to 180 grain soft points cover everything from deer through elk at sensible ranges.
The muzzle is threaded under the brake. MAG5 Firearms does not sell NFA items, so a suppressor would be a separate purchase requiring ATF approval, a tax stamp and its own transfer, and it is not legal in every state. If you want the simplified fixed barrel version of this rifle, our MRAD SMR is worth a look, and more of our inventory is on the MAG5 Firearms shop page. The Barrett MRAD 308 Win 17in ships to a licensed dealer of your choosing, where you will complete a 4473 and a NICS check.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.