Field Tested: Aero Precision SOLUS Lightweight Hunter Rifle

Aero Precision's latest rifle in 6.5 PRC backs up its sub-MOA guarantee.

October 22, 2025 By Todd Burgreen

Aero Precision opened its doors in 1994 in Tacoma, Wash., specializing in manufacturing aerospace parts. Get it? The rise of the AR market made it an easy decision to shift into gun manufacturing as well. Aero Precision became an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) for many other companies in the industry that put their logos on Aero Precision uppers and lowers. Aero Precision steadily grew, with operations in three states. In early 2021, Aero Precision moved into a 250,000-plus square foot facility in Lakewood, Wash., employing hundreds of staff.

Aero Precision maintains a strong reputation for producing quality AR parts, components and rifles. With all this talk about ARs, would I cause surprise, even disbelief, by stating that one of the best-kept secrets in precision bolt-action rifles is also Aero Precision? I plan to use the SOLUS Lightweight Hunter 6.5 PRC to illustrate my point.

LEARNING NEW THINGS

My first experience with Aero Precision bolt actions came at an October 2023 writers' event. This showed strong confidence that the Aero bolt action would attract attention in a marketplace dominated by Modern Sporting Rifles (MSRs).

The SOLUS Lightweight Hunter bolt action is an update of an earlier model—the Hunter Sendero Light. The rifle’s short action is machined from a 416 stainless steel billet, done in-house at Aero Precision. An integral recoil lug is part of the action. Aero has milled integral 20-MOA biased Picatinny rail sections around the receiver's ejection port for mounting optics, versus a one-piece spanning the action. This is part of the weight reduction process featured in the SOLUS Lightweight Hunter. The action weighs just over 30 ounces and is compatible with AICS detachable magazines. The proprietary SOLUS action follows the Remington 700 footprint. Bolt throw is 60 degrees, while the receiver, bottom metal and barrel shank are PVD-finished. The bolt is also coated for durability and self-lubricating properties. It operates smoothly and ejects empties vigorously.

A TriggerTech single-stage trigger is installed via hangar, featuring TriggerTech’s patented Frictionless Release Technology with a free-floating roller for an excellent interface between shooter and rifle. The 1.9-millisecond ignition is industry-leading, a detail that enhances accuracy. The quality of a good trigger cannot be underestimated when maximizing precision. A low-profile, non-snag, frictionless, two-position safety is located on the right side of the receiver.

Two rifles lie next to each other on a gun bench. — Aero Precision milled integral 20-MOA biased Picatinny rail sections around the Lightweight Hunter receiver's ejection port for mounting optics, versus one-piece spanning the action. (Todd Burgreen photo)

The SOLUS action is housed in a camouflaged Greyboe Phoenix 2 stock, adjustable for cheek riser height and length of pull. A one-piece M-Lok rail with two QD sling attachment points is embedded in the forend, with additional flush cups on both sides of the rifle. A Proof Research 24-inch, carbon-wrapped barrel combined with the Aero action and Greyboe stock is another nod to weight consciousness, all while maintaining full accuracy potential. A stainless-steel radial muzzle brake is threaded onto the Proof Research barrel. The SOLUS Hunter weighs in at 8.2 pounds, featuring all of these top-tier components. This is more than a pound lighter than its predecessor.

FUEL

Hornady created the 6.5 PRC in 2018 using the .300 Ruger Compact Magnum as the parent case. The guiding principle was a compact/wide powder column cartridge that could be fired from a short bolt action. In short, pun intended, greater inherent accuracy is found with this configuration versus a longer/narrower powder column.

Several important cartridge design concepts, such as base of the bullet out of the powder column, bullet bearing surface kept above the brass case’s neck/shoulder, and 100 percent powder charge fills for consistent ignition, are also incorporated into the 6.5 PRC. Cartridge specifications are purposely tight in terms of the chamber neck, as well as bullet jump to rifling length. Hornady specified this to maximize 6.5 PRC accuracy.

The 6.5 PRC definitely has advantages over the 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 Win, involving terminal and flight ballistics. 6.5 PRC factory loads fire the same bullet 300-plus fps faster than the 6.5 Creedmoor. Therefore, the 6.5 PRC has a flatter trajectory, more retained energy and less wind drift than the 6.5 Creedmoor. Typical 6.5 PRC ballistics are a 143-grain bullet at 2,960.

The 6.5 PRC is catching on with Winchester, Federal, Black Hills Ammunition and Berger all offering 6.5 PRC loads. Winchester’s 125-grain Copper Impact, and Berger’s 140-grain and 156-grain Elite Hunter bullets are examples. Federal’s 130-grain Terminal Ascent is another example of a potent hunting load that flies like a Match bullet. With that said, Hornady’s own 130-grain CX monolithic-copper load is becoming one of my favorites as well. All the loads maintained the Aero Precision SOLUS Hunter’s sub-MOA guarantee.

An image of the SOLUS rifle's adjustable buttstock. — The camouflaged Greyboe Phoenix 2 stock is adjustable for cheek riser height and length of pull. (Todd Burgreen photo)

GLASS ASSIST AND NOISE CONTROL

An important part of the accuracy equation is a quality optic to go along with the cartridge and rifle. A Leupold VX-5D 3-15x44mm optic was mounted on the SOLUS Hunter. The Leupold’s versatile 5x zoom system provides a larger field of view at close ranges and better target acquisition at long ranges. The optic utilizes a second focal plane reticle. While risking excommunication, I prefer the second focal plane for my hunting rifles. Leupold designed the VX-5D lineup to give hunters and shooters the quality features they desire in an affordable package. Leupold has equipped the VX-5D with an illuminated center dot, which can vary the light intensity of the central aiming point from dim to bright for daylight illumination, resulting in a defined aiming point for precision shot placement in any condition.

The last piece of the puzzle was the inclusion of the Aero Precision Lahar-30 suppressor. The Lahar-30 is constructed using a laser-welded combination of 17-4 stainless steel blast chamber and secondary baffles with an Inconel blast baffle to provide increased performance under hard use. The Lahar-30 has no minimum barrel length restrictions and is fully auto-rated. It is rated for calibers up to .300 Win Mag.

A rifle that shoots well off the bench instills confidence. Getting 100-yard groups that resemble cloverleaf clusters certainly leave no doubt about the SOLUS Hunter’s capabilities. Many groups were downright impressive in the accuracy produced. Aero Precision has figured out the alchemy for precision accuracy while maintaining the form of a hunting platform.

A rifle with attached scope sit on a shooting bench. — The Leupold versatile 5x zoom system provides a larger field of view at close ranges and better target acquisition at long ranges.

The Hornady 130-grain CX, Federal 130-grain Terminal Ascent, and Berger 140-grain Elite Hunter would be top performers with the Aero Precision SOLUS Hunter. All produced 1/2-inch to 5/8-inch, three-round groups off the bench at various times during evaluation.

After the bench work results, I was looking forward to field testing. This consisted of shooting prone off a bipod and/or pack at clay pigeons placed at approximately 300 yards away. I worked the bolt and acquired the next target as quickly as possible. The ergonomic Greyboe stock, Leupold optic, premium ammunition, lack of muzzle blast/recoil impulse thanks to the Aero Lahar suppressor, and slick bolt proved potent. Other range work consisted of shooting 10-inch round steel poppers out to 550 yards on a Known Distance Range. The Aero Precision SOLUS Hunter’s accuracy, combined with 6.5 PRC ballistics, made hits seem easy even at this distance.

The Jungle Walk Range was then used to get a sense of the Hunter’s handling. Targets were set randomly along the meandering 1000-plus yards. As a shooter moves down the path, a partner/observer points out a target for engagement, albeit paper or steel. Often, unconventional braced field positions were assumed, taking advantage of a fallen tree, handy limb or strategically placed barricade for support.

While not empirically quantifiable, the Aero Precision SOLUS Hunter “hangs” well from various shooting positions and is conducive to getting into and out of field shooting postures. The ability to move through varied terrain and engage randomly placed targets hidden within cover suited the SOLUS Hunter perfectly. There was no searching for the target required when the rifle was brought up to the shoulder.

The carbon-fiber barrel and stainless steel muzzle device of the Solus rifle. — The Proof Research 24-inch, carbon-wrapped barrel combined with the Aero action and Greyboe stock is another nod to weight consciousness. (Todd Burgreen photo)

A rifle weighing under 8.5 pounds, chambered in a hard-hitting caliber and capable of sub-MOA accuracy cannot be ignored by any hunter. The SOLUS Hunter can certainly handle the long-range shot over a Southern beanfield or western prairie. However, you can also bring it along on that stalk or still hunt, no matter what the terrain throws at you. What Aero Precision has created with the SOLUS Hunter Lightweight chambered in 6.5 PRC is a rifle/caliber combination capable of handling a multitude of hunting situations and quarry.