Aero Precision is known for their AR-platform receivers and rifles. Aero dove into bolt rifles and the SOLUS Competition is worthy of praise. This is a sneak peek at ours.
In 2023 Aero Precision unveiled their SOLUS Competition line. I had a chance to try out one of the revolutionary firearms at SHOT Show® Industry Day at the Range. We recently finished outfitting a SOLUS Competition that Aero provided us with and we’re getting ready to dive into giving the rifle a full testing and evaluation rundown. After getting the rifle kitted up, we were so impressed with how everything turned out, we wanted to share some particulars about the build in this photo report.
Our friends over at the WeShoot Experience in Lakewood, N.J. took some time to kit up our SOLUS Competition and take these awesome photos.
About the Aero SOLUS Competition
The SOLUS Competition rifle was Aero’s answer to coming up with a solid entry-level custom rifle. The great thing about the SOLUS is you can buy one right off the rack from Aero and it’s precise, or you can work to customize every aspect of the rifle from the receiver up. Since the rifle is based on the Remington 700 Short Action, there’s no lack of compatible components and accessories for your build.
The SOLUS Competition is a much more enhanced version of the SOLUS Bravo. There are even SOLUS Hunter models available too.
Aero sent us a SOLUS Competition Rifle – 20″ .308 Winchester, M24. If .308 is does not suit your needs, Aero also offers the SOLUS Competition in 6.5 Creedmoor — which is what I shot in a suppressed form in 2023 — as well as 6mm Creedmoor.
One thing that was great about the rifle is the universality of the mounting rails. Not only does the SOLUS come configured to accept Arca mounted stabilizing accessories, but also M-LOK. The Arca rail runs underneath the entire forend of the rifle. The M-LOK slots also run the full length of the furniture and they are located at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions.
The SOLUS Competition is fit to be suppressed. The muzzle comes with a thread protector cap and the rifle is configured with an industry standard 5/8×24 threads.
SOLUS Competition Rifle – 20″ .308 Winchester, M24 details from Aero
Action Features
- Remington 700 Short Action Footprint
- 60-degree bolt throw
- Integral 20 MOA top rail
- 3-lug interchangeable bolt head
- Dual ejectors
- “Cock on lift” bolt design
Chassis Features
- Compatibility with AICS and AIAIW magazines
- Adjustable magazine catch (to accommodate for variances in magazine tolerances)
- Adjustable thumb rest
- Compatibility with tangless AR15 pistol grips.
- Arca and M-LOK compatible forend with M-LOK slots at the 3,6 and 9 o’clock positions
- 11 QD sling sockets
- Fully adjustable stock
- Adjustable cant recoil pad
- Included Bag Rider
- Compatible with optional night vision bridge and bipod spigot
Barrel Features
- M24 profile
- 5/8-24 TPI muzzle threads
- 1:10 twist
- Elite Cerakote Finish
- Honed and Lapped
Includes:
- Solus Short Action (Barrel Tenon & Chambering Specs)
- 20″ .308 Winchester M24 Profile Barrel
- TriggerTech Single Stage Trigger
- Solus Competition Chassis
- Magpul PMAG® 10 Round 7.62 AC – AICS Short Action
Our build
What’d we use to finish kitting up our SOLUS Competition? We needed some optics and a solid bipod. Ammo Lab also provided us with some ammunition at cost for use during our testing and evaluation. We lucked out and our friends over at Vortex Optics hooked us up with some quality glass and a set of rings. And, CVLIFE sent us a bipod to get us started.
- Vortex Optics Strike Eagle 5-25 x 56 FFP EBR-7C MOA Reticle
- Vortex Optics Pro Riflescope Rings HIgh Height 34mm
- CVLIFE Rifle Bipod Tactical Bipod
Vortex Optics Strike Eagle 5-25 x 56 FFP EBR-7C MOA Reticle
Vortex supplied the Strike Eagle scope to kit up the rifle. Some of the highlights on the scope include:
- The Strike Eagle 5-25×56 First Focal Plane (MOA) scope provides the features needed to improve your long distance performance.
- XD Optical System delivers impressive resolution, edge-to-edge sharpness and greatly reduces chromatic aberration. Anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces provide superior light transmission for exceptional clarity and low-light performance.
- The RevStop Zero System offers an easy to set, rock-solid return to zero after turret adjustments. Locking turrets prevent accidental adjustments and provides fast, accurate adjustments.
- The reticle eases use in low light and against dark backgrounds. The included throw lever can be installed for quick and easy magnification adjustments.
- The scopes are nitrogen purged and o-ring sealed the for water and fogproof performance. The one-piece, aircraft grade aluminum, 34mm tube is shockproof.
- Backed by our unlimited, unconditional, lifetime, VIP Warranty. A fully transferable promise to repair or replace your item if it becomes damaged/defective. Does not cover loss, theft, deliberate damage or cosmetic damage that doesn’t hinder performance.
Vortex Optics Pro Riflescope Rings High Height 34mm
Vortex paired the Strike Eagle scope with their Optics Pro Rings and here are some of the specifications:
- These Vortex Pro Series Rings position the center of the riflescope tube at a height of 1.45 inches from the base. Sold two rings per package. Made in the USA.
- The finishing touch to your rifle and optic combination. Pro Series rings combine rock-solid reliability and strength with high quality machining to ensure ultimate accuracy and consistency.
- Streamlined, lightweight and durable, these rings use four T-25 Torx-style socket cap screws for secure mounting.
- Fits Weaver and Picatinny Rails | Weight (Per Ring): 2.67 ounces
- Backed by our unlimited, unconditional, lifetime, VIP Warranty. A fully transferable promise to repair or replace your item if it becomes damaged/defective. Does not cover loss, theft, deliberate damage or cosmetic damage that doesn’t hinder performance.
CVLIFE Rifle Bipod Tactical Bipods
CVLIFE provided us with a Tactical Bipod for our Competition SOLUS. The model that they provided has three positions — two stowed and one perpendicular to the mount. Product information on the bipod is as follows:
- Rotatable and Tiltable: The CVLIFE bipod features rotate 360 degrees horizontally and left or right of tilt which can be adjusted and locked into position by loosening or tightening the bottom adjustment knob, offering serious strength and versatility
- Sturdy Construction: The bipod for rifle is made of aluminum and polymer, and internal parts are made of metal components, with a sturdy and portable structure, it is easy to install and lightweight
- Height Adjustable: The rifle bipod legs are notched with 6 height settings, can extend from 7.8″ to 10.6″ by pressing the leg release button. The legs can be set in symmetrical or asymmetrical heights to account for variations in terrain and shooting positions
- Easy to Carry: To stow the tactical bipod legs, press the foldable leg button and rotate the legs forward or backward until they are parallel with the middle component and the notches positively engaged
- Anti-Slip Rubber Feet: The shooting bipods compatible with mlok bipod features rubber feet pads which provide a stable, non-marking platform
Hitting the range
We’re looking forward to getting our rifle to the range in the near future and starting the testing and evaluation process.
