Aero Precision Solus Competition Rifle Review

It’s extremely hard to find competition firearms that are deemed “race ready” out of the box from firearm manufacturers. This is true for any shooting sport and applies to rifles, pistols, and shotguns. However, there are a few brands in the firearms industry that cater to the competition market, and one such brand catering to the precision rifle world is Aero Precision. Makes sense with a name like that, eh? The Aero Precision Solus Competition rifle embodies that approach.

Aero Precision Solus Competition Review

For someone wanting to start competing in shooting sports competitions, it’s overwhelming to have to build or modify a firearm to make it work for a specific sport. It’s also usually very expensive and can take months or longer to assemble a gun “ready” for competition. That’s why I appreciate firearm manufacturers who make it easy for newer shooters to get into shooting competitions with stock guns built to do the job. It’s also convenient for people who might want to try shooting sports with a stock gun before they invest in making modifications or building their own.

Aero truly knows its customers and built the Solus to be compatible with many industry-standard parts and components to allow shooters to customize their system without the traditional barriers to entry that come with custom bolt actions. While I’m happy with the performance of the match-grade barrel from Aero, there are aftermarket pre-fit barrels by brands such as Proof Research, BSF Barrels, and more already available to take your gun build to the next level. The Solus Competition rifle is available in .308 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 6mm Creedmoor. In this review, I’m specifically talking about the 26-inch 6mm Creedmoor rifle.

Action Features

At the heart of the Solus is the Remington 700 short-action footprint. It’s set at a 60-degree bolt throw for faster unloading and loading of cartridges. The three-lug interchangeable bolt head has dual ejectors to guarantee that the spent casing will eject properly. The bolt is designed to “cock on lift.” Finally, the action is set up with a full Picatinny 20 MOA top rail. This makes mounting any long-range scope a breeze.

I know a lot of Precision Rifle Series and National Rifle League competitors are picky about their actions and their barrels. The Aero Solus action is a competitive option and will perform against Impact Precision and Defiance Machine actions, to name a few. The Aero action is not as high-end, buttery smooth as these custom-made ones, but it will be competitive against them in the hands of the right shooter. I had zero issues running this bolt action, and the performance mixed with the 60-degree throw makes it a contender against custom builds.

Chassis Features

The Solus Competition Chassis was designed to create a precise and repeatable rifle-to-body connection. The chassis has an M-LOK-compatible forend with slots at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock and an ARCA rail to mount bipods and bag riders easily. The chassis has 11 QD sling sockets, which you will absolutely need to transport your firearm from one stage to the next at any major long-range competition. The stock is fully adjustable from your length of pull to the cheek riser height so that you can set the gun up to you and your optic of choice. It is also compatible with an optional night vision bridge and spigot mount, so if you plan to use this gun for some predator or varmint elimination, you’re set up with everything you need to get the job done.

Aero put a lot of thought into the details of this rifle to make it as custom as possible and ready to race. On the bottom of the stock is an included bag rider. The gun comes with a thumb rest installed that is adjustable to set up to where your natural indexing point is for your thumb. The magazine catch is also adjustable to accommodate variances in magazine tolerances. There’s also an adjustable cant recoil pad.

The Solus Competition comes out-of-the-box ready for matches.

Accessories

If you plan to compete in any long-range competitions, whether it be PRS, NRL, ELR, or DMR-style matches, you will need specific tools, gear, and accessories to get you through a match. Two small items that I have added to my Aero Solus bolt action-rifle include a two-round holder right under the action in case I need to speed reload a round or two into the gun and a data cardholder to write my DOPE (data on previous engagements). These are essential items to have that will come in handy during major matches.

In long-range shooting competitions, shooting with a muzzle brake or a suppressor is entirely a personal decision. I personally choose to shoot suppressed any time I can, not just to cut down on noise, but because the recoil impulse is lighter with a suppressor. I find shooting suppressed faster getting back on target over using a muzzle brake. So I mounted the Rugged Suppressors 7.62 Surge on this rifle; it maintained accuracy and velocity during testing.

The Aero Solus is compatible with AICS- or AIAW-style magazines. I specifically use the Magpul PMAG 10-round 7.62 AC – AICS Short Action magazines. These run reliably and are made for the .308 Winchester-based family of cartridges, so they work with multiple types of ammunition.

Optic Choice

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but please invest in quality glass and don’t skimp out when it comes to an optic choice. The rifle and the riflescope are a package deal regarding performance. If you can’t see your intended target or choose a reticle option not conducive to long-range shooting, you’ll be doing yourself a disservice.

In the 2023 survey conducted by the Precision Rifles Series, the top optic manufacturers used by PRS competitors were Vortex Optics, Leupold, Tangent Theta, NightForce, Kahles, Zero Compromise, US Optic, and Bushnell. A lot of these brands I would support because they donate to prize tables and support shooting matches, and many of the employees are also competitive shooters who use their products out in the field. I ran the Leupold Mark 5 7-35×56 scope last year with the PRS-2 MIL FFP reticle and had the easiest time seeing my targets and understanding the reticle. Leupold is a big supporter of long-range competitions, and their team travels to set up side stages and even compete in many matches.

Accessory rails on the Aero Precision Solus Competition.

Ammunition Selection

Just like your choice in optic, your choice in ammunition also matters. This isn’t a cheap sport by any means, and hitting targets requires good-quality ammunition to go the distance and ring that steel. The name of the game in PRS and NRL, and especially if you take on ELR competitions, is to reload your own ammunition. But there are competitors who buy ammunition, and if you are new to competition shooting, using factory ammunition is a great place to start. If you choose a caliber that ammunition manufacturers do not make, you must reload your own. I chose the 6mm Creedmoor caliber, knowing I could find factory ammunition for it from brands like Federal, Berger, Hornady, and others.

Factory ammunition choices in 6mm Creedmoor.

Final Thoughts

I’m super grateful to Aero Precision for investing in manufacturing the Solus Competition Rifle. There are so few companies that cater to the niche market of shooting competitions that it’s a huge win when they do and make a quality product. The Solus is the easiest and best choice when looking to get into long-range competitions. I’m excited to compete with it this year.

For more info on the Aero Precision Solus Competition, visit aeroprecionusa.com.