Christensen Mesa FFT 6.5 PRC – Superb 20 in. Left Hand Rifle

Description

The Christensen Mesa FFT 6.5 PRC is a backcountry hunting rifle built to a weight target rather than a price target, and this is the left-hand version, which is a genuinely rare thing in an ultralight mountain rifle. Twenty-inch threaded barrel, tungsten gray Cerakote, a carbon composite stock and the Christensen Sub-MOA guarantee.

A Left-Hand Mountain Rifle

Most manufacturers build left-hand rifles only in their volume models, which leaves southpaw hunters choosing between a heavy rifle that fits them and a light one that does not. Christensen builds the Mesa FFT with a true left-hand action, bolt handle and ejection port, so a left-handed shooter gets the same five-and-a-half-pound starting weight and the same short bolt throw as everyone else.

Christensen Mesa FFT 6.5 PRC Stock and Barrel

FFT stands for Flash Forged Technology, the carbon composite process Christensen uses for the spotter-style stock. That stock is where most of the weight savings live, with the ultralight-contour stainless barrel accounting for the rest. Tungsten gray Cerakote covers the metal, which is the right finish for a rifle that will spend days in the weather rather than a night in a safe.

The 6.5 PRC Case

Six-five PRC pushes high-BC 6.5mm bullets several hundred feet per second faster than Creedmoor, which flattens the trajectory and holds energy further downrange. On elk-sized game at distances where a Creedmoor is running out of steam, PRC is still working. The cost is recoil and barrel life, and in a rifle this light the first one is noticeable, which is why the removable radial brake matters here more than on a heavy rifle.

Trigger and Guarantee

A TriggerTech trigger handles the break, using a free-floating roller between sear and trigger for a clean release with no creep. Capacity is four rounds plus one in the chamber. Christensen backs the rifle with a Sub-MOA three-shot guarantee at 100 yards using premium factory ammunition.

Specifications

• Model: Mesa FFT Left Hand (801-01109-00)
• Caliber: 6.5 PRC
• Action: bolt action, left hand
• Capacity: 4+1
• Barrel: 20 in., stainless steel, ultralight contour, threaded
• Muzzle: removable radial brake
• Weight: starting at approx. 5.5 lbs.
• Stock: FFT carbon composite, black with gray webbing
• Trigger: TriggerTech
• Finish: tungsten gray Cerakote
• Accuracy: Sub-MOA guarantee
• UPC: 691328238512

Why a 20-Inch Magnum Barrel

Short barrels on magnum cartridges are a compromise, and it is worth being clear about it. A 20-inch 6.5 PRC gives up velocity compared to a 24-inch tube, which costs some downrange energy and adds muzzle blast.

What it buys is a rifle that is four inches shorter and meaningfully lighter, that balances between the hands rather than hanging out front, and that stays manageable with a suppressor threaded on. For a hunter who walks to the shot rather than driving to it, that trade usually favors the short barrel.

Why Buyers Choose the Christensen Mesa FFT 6.5 PRC

Ultralight rifles with a factory accuracy guarantee used to mean a custom shop and a long wait, and finding one in left hand meant waiting longer still. This one comes off the shelf with the carbon stock, the ultralight barrel, the brake and a TriggerTech trigger already fitted.

Who Should Buy It

Left-handed backcountry hunters, anyone carrying a rifle miles before firing it, and hunters after elk or mule deer at distance will get exactly what they need. Bench shooters and long-range competitors should choose a heavier barrel that holds its group through a long string.

Learn more from Christensen Arms, or browse the rest of our firearms selection.

Every firearm we list ships to your chosen FFL and is transferred there after a background check.