Fierce CT Rage – Absolutely Ace

Watch It here on Gun Mart TV

There are a growing number of carbon fibre-barrelled rifles floating around the UK now, but none of them are manufactured by a company with a name as good as Fierce! It gets better though, as the rifle on test is called the CT Rage, and it also boasts a carbon fibre stock, making it a serious option for those shooters who are looking for a cutting-edge, lightweight hunting rifle. You best smash the piggy bank though, as this one comes in at an eyewatering £4766!
So, let’s have a closer look at it and see what you get for your money. Now, a minor gripe, I was disappointed by the flimsy cardboard box and polystyrene inner that the rifle arrived in. Given the excitement that no doubt comes with buying a rifle like this, packaging like this dulls the special/excited feeling that all shooters get when unpacking a new purchase at home for the first time. However, Fierce offers a 1/2 MOA accuracy guarantee, and if the rifle lives up to that, I won’t remember or care about the box anymore! Let’s get to it.

Fancy furniture

The C3 Carbon Rage stock incorporates the Monte Carlo style, with a raised cheekpiece for faster, better eye/scope alignment. Although primarily aimed at right-handed shooters, it can be used comfortably by southpaws. Being made from carbon fibre, it is obviously very light and strong, and in the hold, it immediately feels ‘right’, proving incredibly manoeuvrable and a delight to hold. It looks good too, as you can see the beautiful weave throughout, which is only interrupted by a seam along the underside of the stock.
As well as the black/dark grey carbon fibre weave, my test rifle was sporting a colour scheme that incorporated dabs of brown and light grey, as well as Fierce’s customary claw marks, which were also in light grey and were positioned on the right-hand side of the butt. Overall, the look was easy on the eye. In case it is not your cup of tea, Fierce does offer a wide range of stock patterns and action finishes, so there is bound to be one that you like.
The stock has a textured feel to it for grip, complemented by the dabs of colour, and again, the right-handed shooter is spoilt with a very nice palm swell on the pistol grip, which is not only very comfortable but promotes a decent wrap-around or thumb-up hand position.
The butt comes fitted with a 1” Limbsaver pad, which is a good choice by Fierce. Given the low weight of the rifle (6.1 lbs), recoil is more noticeable, so a good pad can make a lot of difference, and it certainly did in this case. Including the pad, the length of pull measured 14”, which is a tad short for me, but most people will be fine. Noteworthy is the fact that the forend measures just over 15” from the front of the trigger guard to the tip, making it great for shooters with long arms and for those using sticks. The length of the forend on my HS Precision stock is too short, which is a pain.
I really like the integral Picatinny rail at the tip of the forend. It’s a great idea and means that the rail won’t snag or catch on anything when not in use, and the recessed position means that no unwanted additional height is added to a bipod. There is also a flush cup behind it for a sling, as well as the one at the rear, on the left-hand side of the butt.

That barrel

I haven’t been that impressed by carbon fibre barrels so far, finding that they can often start misbehaving when they get hot. However, I have been really impressed by the 22” Fierce C3 Carbon Fibre barrel fitted to the Rage. It is fully free-floated, features a Matrix C3 carbon fibre wrap and finish, a match-grade stainless steel barrel liner, a target crown, and it’s hand-lapped. The well-presented tube shows a tapered profile that starts with a 22.7mm diameter at the muzzle. It is threaded 5/8”-24 UNEF and comes fitted with a pepper-pot-style muzzle brake.

Critically, I found the barrel dealt with heat very well, maintaining accuracy through consecutive groups, with no point of impact shift between them. Plus, I also thought that it dissipated heat very effectively, allowing it to perform well on the range for 60+ rounds, indicating that it is not just one of those lightweight hunting rifles with a pencil barrel that gets too hot after a 3-round group! So, although the CT Rage is primarily for hunting, it will appeal to hunters who like to mix in some casual range time as well. This is an important attribute.

Keeping things light

The diet continues with a titanium, Fierce Triad short action. It’s nicely machined, features Fierce’s Last Guard all-weather coating, and uses a 3-lug bolt that offers controlled feed, a Sako-style extractor, and mechanical ejection. To ensure tight tolerances, and therefore maximum accuracy, the raceways are Wire EDM cut. The bolt shows a DLC coating, a fluted shaft, and a knurled, metal tactical knob for added grip.
In use, the bolt feels tight and precise. It offers a solid lock-up and seems to appreciate deliberate use. Basically, don’t be afraid to handle it with gusto! A 70º throw ensures the bolt handle does not interfere with the scope, and the case ejection strength is dependent on the amount of force imparted on the bolt by the shooter.
Up top, the receiver is drilled and tapped for bases, and customers can opt for a Picatinny rail if they wish. The ejection port measures 2.9” in length and is quite open, facilitating easy access to the top of the magazine.

Feed

The stainless-steel magazine is flush-fitting, offers a capacity of five rounds, and looks remarkably similar to the one used by Sako, which is certainly not a bad thing. The construction means that you won’t have to worry about wear and tear, and the twin-column arrangement means that the mag can be loaded/topped up in or out of the rifle, which is a feature that I really like. To release the mag, simply operate the catch to the front of the well and the magazine will fall into the palm of your waiting hand with great ease. I like this to happen on the range but can’t help to think that it could potentially be released all too easily while out in the wild, so a locking catch for the mag, or something similar, would be a good move in my book. Overall, a very reliable and smooth system that was a pleasure to use.

Controls

The trigger is a high-end BIX’N ANDY unit, and it is described as a ‘match-grade adjustable trigger (1-3 lbs)’. However, it is worth noting that the instruction leaflet clearly states that you should not adjust it, commenting that it is set at 2 ¾ lbs at the factory. Using my trusty Lyman digital trigger pull gauge, I measured it at a lovely 2 lbs 10 oz. Given the pedigree, I was not surprised that there was zero creep and a superbly crisp break. Zero complaints from me.

The 2-position safety is positioned rear/right of the receiver. Rear is SAFE (with bolt lock) and Forward is FIRE. There is a bolt handle release button positioned in front of it so that you can unload the rifle while the safety is in the ON position. Finally, on the left of the receiver is a familiar bolt-release catch.

On the range

For the test, I opted for a Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50 scope, and I attached it to the rifle using some Talley rings/bases that were kindly supplied by Raytrade. They also sent me an Evolve moderator, which certainly aided the Rage’s quest for minimal weight. For support, I chose my BT65-
LW17 Gen. 2 CAL Atlas Bipod, which was easy to fit to the integral Picatinny rail. Ammunition-wise, I opted for some tried and tested S&B 140-grain soft point, Remington Premier Match 140-grain, Remington 140-grain Core-Lokt, and finally, some Barnes Vor-Tx LR, which is a non-lead load.

It was a hot day and there was some mirage down range, so the conditions were not perfect. However, with the barrel cleaned, and shooting from a bench, I started to print some groups to get used to the rifle and its lightweight nature. Recoil was perfectly manageable, but it was pretty standard to lose sight of the target after the shot. In the past, I have found light rifles a bit tricky to shoot accurately, but not this one. At 110 yards, with three out of the four ammo types, I quickly achieved groups under 0.5 MOA, if I did my bit. The CT Rage offered this level of performance consistently, as can be seen on the targets. If groups did stray above 0.5 MOA, it wasn’t by much! (See Ammo Table)

I also spent some time shooting off sticks, and it was here that I realised that I would need more practice with this rifle before I would go hunting with it. This was due to me losing sight of the target straight after the shot, which I personally don’t like. No doubt some changes to my technique and further familiarisation with the rifle would go a long way to mitigate this trait. However, at the end of the day, the round was still finding its mark.

Incidentally, during testing, I found that the lighter 127-grain Barnes ammunition produced less recoil, making it noticeably more controllable. This, combined with a slightly heavier moderator, could potentially help to keep the target in view. Given that I have made the switch to non-lead for hunting, and the bullet weights tend to be lower, this is good news.

Conclusion

I have really enjoyed testing the CT Rage, and I have come away feeling very positive indeed. Accuracy and precision normally come with more weight, not less weight, but nobody seems to have told Fierce this! Yes, the rifle does jump around a bit, and yes, it costs £4766, but you are getting a well-made, lightweight rifle with great handling characteristics, that is capable of some serious performance. The 1/2 MOA guarantee is certainly bold, but it took no time at all to get there. Also, I didn’t get a chance to make any reloads, so there is almost certainly more performance left on the table! Well done Fierce.