Gear Highlight: Gunwerks Nexus Rifle

No stranger to innovation, Gunwerks has stepped out of the rifle normalcy box and developed a new rifle system from the ground up. The team of engineers at Gunwerks was tasked with creating a new rifle receiver, stock, trigger, and barrel attachment system that would touch on both elegance and precision at a new pinnacle. An aluminum receiver, carbon fiber stock with leather accent panels, adjustable trigger, interchangeable barrels, flush-fit magazine, and full-length Arca rail are all incorporated to bring the Nexus rifle to the next level.

Chris Denham and I had the opportunity to see the Nexus in person at a recent media event in Cody, WY, during the Gunwerks Grand Opening. We recieved a full tour of the facility and an explanation of how and why the Nexus was developed. That led to us putting together a Nexus rifle and heading to the range to test it before its launch.

Gunwerks started the task of developing the Nexus with an all-new aluminum receiver that utilizes a three-position safety, toolless bolt disassembly, integral Picatinny scope rail, and an improved ejection and extraction design. Starting with 7075 aluminum, Gunwerks machines the receiver with the purpose of an interchangeable, stainless steel barrel sleeve that indexes on a pin in the receiver.

This steel sleeve is held in place with two steel bolts that can withstand the involved high pressures but allow for easy barrel changing at home with minimal tools. The receiver is finished with type-3 hard anodization, while the steel bolt body is finished in nitride to provide smooth cycling of the bolt.

The Nexus is offered with a 20” or 24” carbon-fiber-wrapped barrel, chambered in 6.5 PRC or 300 PRC, with more chambering offerings on the way. The new barrel offering departs from the traditional thread-in barrels of the Remington 700 era. It more resembles a Blaser or Strasser-style barrel tenon that is nearly a press-fit between the receiver and barrel, held with cross-bolt tension. With the industry trending toward prefit barrels and end-user barrel swaps over the last few years, this design has been established as the future of the modern bolt-action rifle system.

A leather accent on a rifle stock is the “King Ranch Edition” of marketing luxury upgrades on a rifle. Coupled with an exposed carbon fiber shell and raw aluminum anodized parts, it makes the Nexus rifle stock stand out via pure aesthetics. But the Nexus isn’t just pretty to look at–its well-designed negative cheek comb, flat heel, and pistol grip are all engineered to give the shooter the smoothest recoil impulse possible. The rifle is very controllable and mild in recoil, even in the 300 PRC chambering with the Gunwerks Muzzle Brake or Suppressor, making spotting impacts much easier for the solo shooter.

Gunwerks even went a step further with the Nexus and designed an adjustable trigger shoe that allows shooters to fit the trigger to their index finger. This feature gives shooters the proper grip and trigger finger placement without having to sacrifice one or the other. Grip and proper trigger control are key to making precise shots with a precision rifle, and this feature will aid shooters with smaller hands immensely. Sometimes the smallest details make the most difference.

Overall, my first impression of the Gunwerks Nexus was a positive experience with the design concept and elegant finishes. I look forward to sending rounds downrange this summer/fall with the Nexus rifle to test its accuracy and performance in the field while giving it the full rundown and reporting my findings.

The world of precision rifles has seen many dramatic facelifts over the years; some stick around, and others disappear in short order. The Nexus has the potential to lead the next generation of precision bolt-action rifles and pave the way for a new level of rifle manufacturing.