A dream of mine is to have a rifle that can be used as a long-range target rifle most of the year and, with minor changes, be ready for hunting season. Target rifles and hunting rifles are traditionally incredibly different, something most shooters are aware of, but new shooters may not realize. Several companies have released hybrid rifles that claim to fill both roles, but not one I have experienced works truly well at both tasks, there are always compromises. Aero Precision released a Hunter version of their Solus rifle this year, and I instantly wanted to know if this is finally the rifle that could be the multipurpose bolt action I’ve been looking for. I spent the last five months with the Aero Precision Solus Hunter and discovered quite a bit, keep reading to see what I found.
Aero Precision on AllOutdoor
Aero Precision Solus Hunter
The Solus Hunter is available in either .308 Winchester, 6.5 PRC, and the caliber I chose – 6.5 Creedmoor. The 6.5 Creedmoor model is equipped with a 24” Sendero Fluted barrel. All of them are in AG Composites carbon stock, TriggerTech Field Single Stage adjustable trigger, DBM Bottom Metal, and of course Aero Precision’s Solus Action.
Aero Precision Solus Hunter – Initial Impressions
When you purchase a rifle, the first impression a customer is going to have is the packaging. This is where many companies really drop the ball. It is not a great experience to receive an expensive rifle and you get a brown cardboard box, some foam, and a black and white manual made on a laser printer from 1995.
Aero Precision did not make that mistake. The packing on this rifle is well beyond what I am used to for most rifles. Everything from the quality of the print on the box, the graphics, the packing material, full color manual that is well written. All of this immediately gives the impression that you have purchased a premium product.
My first impression when holding the rifle was, “Well, it’s not light”. Mostly due to the 24” barrel. The fluting certainly helps, but the overall profile is more what you would expect from a target or precision rifle, instead of the typical ultra-light hunting barrels found on traditional hunting rifles. The Solus Hunter out of the box is listed at 8.92 lbs.
Even brand new and unfired, the action is just wonderfully smooth. The AG Composites carbon stock is stunning in both the overall fit and finish, each one being slightly different from the next due to the hand painting of the camo, mine being Kodiak Rogue. The included magazine is a 5 round Magpul, no issues there. I have had plenty of good experiences with those.
Aero Precision Solus Hunter – As a Target Rifle
Being July at this point, there is still plenty of time before Whitetail hunting season begins, so I started getting the Solus Hunter ready for use as a target rifle. I added a Deadair Keymo muzzle break to use with my Sandman S, Harris Bipod, and a Nightforce SHV 4.5-14×56 optic.
Initial break-in for the barrel being 40–60 rounds, I headed out, got a quick zero, and quickly discovered how pleasant of an experience this Solus Hunter is at the range. 6.5 Creedmoor is a naturally light recoil caliber, but with ultralight hunting rifles, even the light recoil from 6.5 Creedmoor can get unpleasant after a long range session. The added weight of the Solus Hunter, and all the accessories, make this rifle a kitten at the range. Even the most recoil sensitive shooter could easily use this rifle.
The Solus action being the heart of this rifle is incredible. Smooth, consistent, and reliable.
Accuracy is where this rifle truly shines. It is nearly the most accurate rifle in my collection. Even during the break in period, this Solus Hunter was grouping various ammo well under 1” at 100 yards. I found very few loadings that were over 1” and more than a few were consistently at or below the magical half MOA threshold. The Solus Hunter in 6.5 Creedmoor seems to really like projectiles in the 140-147gr range. I had my best results with Hornady 143gr ELD-M, 143gr Norma Golden Target Match, and AAC 140gr Seirra Match, all of which gave me repeatable .41-.58 MOA five shot groups. For an excellent breakdown on what the Solus 6.5 Creedmoor is capable of for accuracy, check out Austin Rex’s detailed article on TheFirearmBlog.
The heavier barrel on the Solus Hunter certainly gives it a serious advantage in 5 shot grouping compared to ultralight weight hunting rifles, as the barrel can deal with the heat better. Most quality bolt action rifles can group three rounds well, but will begin to open when the barrel gets hot.
I comfortably took this rifle out past 600 yards on multiple occasions with this setup and with my Nightforce NXS 5.5-22×56, 650 yards being nearly the longest distance I can find in my area of the Southeast. The Solus Hunter made these range trips a walk in the park. With good data, first round hits were guaranteed.
I did discover a few things I didn’t like with the Solus Hunter, the bottom metal on my example may have a slight issue where the tolerances with the magazine release is just slightly loose, causing a very rare seize while pushing on one side of the release to change magazines. This only happened to me twice and is nearly impossible to replicate. Not a big issue. I will say the magazine release on the less expensive AG Composite Bravo stock equipped Solus Bravo was more comfortable and did not have this issue. Also, whoever Aero has that torques the thread protector on, calm down buddy. The thread protector was secured so tight I was worried about stripping it.
Being a hunting focused rifle, being equipped with dual sling swivel studs on the front is smart, giving you the ability to attach a bipod and sling. That said, I personally do not care for Harris style bipods or any sling stud mounted bipod that I have used compared to options that mount to picatinny, MLOK, or Arca. I know this is more of a personal preference and adapters do exist, but I did want to mention that. I will cover sling usage later in the hunting segment.
As a target rifle, the Solus Hunter is incredibly capable and will give any rifle a run for their money. Between the high accuracy of the overall rifle, comfortable adjustable stock, excellent trigger, and smooth precise action, if you chose to run this rifle for Precision shooting, bench rest, or just as a target rifle, you will not be disappointed.
Aero Precision Solus – Hunter
With hunting season quickly approaching by this time, I played with a few different configurations, including thermal for wild boar hunting. As a hunting rifle, the Solus Hunter is at home in a stationary position. This rifle is not balanced particularly well. This is not the rifle I would recommend for hiking miles into the woods and taking unsupported shots with. While hiking with the Solus Hunter slung over the shoulder, especially with a suppressor attached, the rifle is front heavy, making it want to roll backwards or off your shoulder all together. With a quality sling, some adjustments, it can be done but after a while, you may miss having a lighter more balanced rifle. If you do plan on packing this rifle, do so with it attached to a hunting backpack and save yourself the trouble.
This is where I discovered the true joy of this rifle. Making it to a shooting house or stand, this rifle has no equal when it comes to accurate shots to ethically kill a game animal or pest. That is one compromise that I am not willing to make, completely trading accuracy for weight savings to the point where an ethical kill may not be possible. I was again wishing for Arca mount for use with tripods.
As of this writing, I have used the Solus Hunter on a section of land that has become overpopulated by Whitetail Doe, creating a serious issue for the local population. When an area has too many does, the bucks will not travel. This leads to genetic issues, herd stress, and is not healthy for the herd. Many Hunters will only go into the woods in search of a large buck for trophy reasons, making the problem worse. I am glad that I have as capable of a rifle to do a small part to make sure this problem does not become worse while, at the same time, feeding my family. If your area has these issues, be a good conservationist and fill those doe tags. A healthy wildlife population that is properly managed is paramount to ensure that future generations have the ability to enjoy the outdoors as we do, maybe even better.
Aero Precision Solus Hunter – Final Thoughts
This is Aero Precision’s first bolt action hunting rifle, and it is a strong showing of what this company can produce. I would like to see Aero release a lightweight version, possibly equipped with the less expensive Bravo stock, giving hunters additional options. A different bottom metal wouldn’t hurt. In its current state, the Solus Hunter has an MSRP of $2,499.00, but can often be found on sale either on the site or at their distributors, and even with its few drawbacks, this is an outstanding rifle that is capable of better accuracy than most shooters, me included. It is comfortable, accurate, and reliable. I would highly recommend you check one out for yourself. I certainly will not be hunting without it anytime soon.
Visit the product page HERE for more information. To see a list of distributors, click HERE.
A special thank you to Kirk and the rest of the team at Aero Precision for sending this rifle out for a long-term review. Allowing enough time to truly get to know this rifle inside and out, firing hundreds of rounds has been fantastic. As with all our reviews, no money exchanged hands, and all ammo was provided by myself and AllOutdoor’s Editor. I have posted updates on this rifle and will continue to do so over on my Instagram page, feel free to follow to see more.
