Nosler Model 21

The Model 21 is intended as a lightweight, easy-carry rifle for the mobile hunter. It comes in a variety of calibres from .308 (on test) to 6.5 Creedmoor and .375 H&H. There are even some exclusive Nosler and Ackley calibres as well.

The Shilen match-grade stainless barrel is 22” long and shows a No. 3 contour. The muzzle has a 19mm diameter, 11º crown, and is screwcut 5/8”x24 (a knurled thread protector included).

Although classic lines are evident, there is nothing old school about the manufacturing process. The action is wire EDM cut, which means that an electric discharge of very high voltage cuts tiny amounts of extremely hard, conductive materials to precision tolerances. Something that conventional rotating cutters (no matter how hard) can’t do. It is an extremely expensive computer-controlled technique and allows materials to be cut after heat treatment, rather than before it. This is beneficial because heat treatment can lead to dimensional instability.

Up close

The Nosler receiver has the same footprint as the Remington 700, but there is no comparison when it comes to tolerances and quality. There is a self-indexing recoil lug sandwiched between the barrel and action, seen here in ‘short’ format, with a 104mm bolt stroke that’s appropriate to .308 and Creedmoor chamberings. This short action offers a four-shot magazine capacity, while the long action offers three rounds.

The 2-lug, push-feed bolt is made from a single piece of 4340 Chrome Molybdenum steel. It shows a blue/black Nitride coating that deliberately differs from the Cerakoted receiver. This ensures a long life and smooth transit without galling problems. It’s hexagonally fluted to minimise the amount of bearing surface in contact with the receiver, with no loss of any physical stability.

The recessed bolt face has a long, M16-type extractor claw to draw the cases from the chamber. These are then automatically ejected with a sprung plunger that throws cases clear of the rifle at any bolt operation speed. A removable teardrop caps the 60mm bolt handle, which must be lifted 90º to unlock the action and cock the firing pin. There’s a bright, stainless steel cocked action indicator at the rear of the bolt shroud.

Nosler supplies Weaver scope mounting bases that screw to the cylindrical action bridges. There’s a left-hand-side bolt release catch and a 2-position safety on the right side of the action. This moves forward for FIRE and rear for SAFE, without locking the bolt.

The rifle cartridges are loaded into a sprung floorplate magazine and feed smoothly into the chamber, without any meplat damage. Regarding extraction, the bolt handle’s camming action supplies plenty of mechanical advantage to unstick the case from the chamber. You can empty the magazine by using its release catch in the trigger guard. Because it’s loaded through the ejection port, you can add more ammo at any time. One advantage of the floorplate system is that it’s impossible to lose it!

Nosler uses a TriggerTech that’s mounted to a hanger on the underside of the action, and this single-stage unit is adjustable from 2.5 - 5 lbs. The adjuster screw is accessible within the trigger guard.

In use, these triggers are excellent, offering a crisp break and superb tactile perception on the curved, 7mm wide blade that features subtle serration. Overall, a great trigger with a predictable and consistent release from shot-to-shot. This example measured 3.68 lbs straight from the box, which seems appropriate for a hunting rifle.

Keeping things light

Considering Nosler’s goal of a lightweight hunting rifle with no sacrifice in accuracy, it’s logical that they went for a McMillan carbon stock. This is the critical ergonomic bridge between human and mechanics and is where the greatest weight saving is often available.

The stock shows a light sporter profile and a stiff forend, and this maintains a parallel 1mm gap for the barrel to free float within. There is a stud on the underside for a sling or bipod, and when shot from the prone position, there were no issues with a wobbly point of aim or a changing zero. Coarse stippling provides grip in any weather, and this complements the speckled black-and-white finish.

The action is held into the stock with twin Allen screws spanning the magazine floorplate. Nosler’s open radius grip flows into the butt, with a straight comb above that is parallel to the bore line. The length of pull measures 13.5”, including the 23mm thick, medium/firm Decelerator recoil pad.

The stock inlet shows a small amount of bedding compound in the base of the recoil lug pocket, but not under the action, where bedding stresses are most likely to originate. These are the surfaces which resist tension from the action screws.

The stock is advertised as having pillars within it (I couldn’t see any), but an ‘all-weather’ epoxy coating seamlessly covers the stock’s action inlet as well as its external surfaces to prevent any moisture ingress. Ergonomically, the length of pull is short, and the recoil pad is bonded in position, so you can’t easily add spacers. The open radius grip was also slim, and the gun felt too small for me, but it’s all about the size of the gun you need to fit you. The Model 21 is designed to be a lightweight rifle, and the easiest way to save weight is to make things physically smaller, reducing the amount of material used.

Testing, testing

The rifle was straightforward to zero, and I ran it in with intermittent cleaning for 25 rounds before commencing group testing. I used a selection of ammunition at 100m, and the barrel’s 1:10” twist rate meant it should work well with medium to heavy lead bullets, as well as light to medium non-lead alternatives.

The rifle’s mechanics worked flawlessly with the correct ammunition, and I found the barrel easy to clean. The external finish is corrosion resistant, and that fluted bolt will itself shrug off dust and debris as it operates. The smooth nitride finish wipes clean without any effort. The trigger was faultless and because I have used them on quite a few other rifles, I have no long-term doubts about TriggerTech at all.

Ignoring sound moderators for a moment, the light stock and relatively beefy barrel contribute to a slightly nose-heavy weight bias, which delivers pointability and lessens muzzle lift slightly. Recoil was handled modestly with linear transit, and I thought the Pachmayr ‘Decelerator’ recoil pad was ideally specified for grip into the shoulder and physical force transfer.

On a short gun with a large scope and long eye relief, it took deliberate concentration to maintain physical contact, and I think the larger calibres would be very lively because of this. The overall stock build is quiet, without any annoying, hollow resonance when fired or bumped against anything.

Conclusion

Nosler advertises the rifle with compact dimensions and a low weight being the critical factors for the hunter, and it meets those requirements. Given the dimensions, it’s a small rifle for me to shoot, and although you can justify these factors because you are getting a light gun that’s easier to carry, just be aware of them and make sure they suit you.

In terms of manufacturing standards, I can’t really criticise the rifle, although, at the price, I’d like to see more bedding compound than just the small dot under the recoil lug, which is of dubious value. The barrel cleans well, it shoots without thermal drift, the bolt operations are all fault free, and the trigger is certainly a predictable delight.

Overall, it all comes down to whether the rifle fits you and your needs, as well as your desire for something different from some seriously effective competition at this price point, and significantly lower.