By Charlie Benton
We’d sighted in the Gunwerks Nexus in .300 PRC ahead of our trip to the Dark Continent and it regularly produced groups below .25 MOA. After confirming the same impressive consistency on the range in the Eastern Cape, I confidently threw it in the Hilux next to me as we pulled out of camp.
My first safari ended without a kudu, so I made the gray ghost top priority this time. We set out to find an old bull rumored to live with his harem in the neighboring mountains. My PH, Dave, and I spotted him that first evening with only 15 minutes of daylight left. Unfortunately, he saw us, too, and disappeared before we could even think of setting up a shot. That bull, in his elder wisdom, eluded us for the next two-and-a-half days.
With the Nexus slung on my shoulder or clutched in my hands we scrambled around the mountains climbing craggy hills, hopping cattle fences, pushing through thick acacia brush, scaling and descending ravines, and all of that in rain, sleet, and consistently gusty winds. Rifles, even really nice ones, are tools and should be treated as such.
On the fourth day we found him again, feeding on the far side of a valley between two dense draws. Initially, I sat with my bipod planted firmly on a termite mound, but the gusty winds never allowed for an ethical shot. We quickly shifted over to a rocky outcropping where I laid prone. Dave ranged the bull at 518 yards standing broadside with the lower third of his body obstructed by a bush. Quickly dialing for elevation, Dave called the wind-hold a foot behind his vitals. After an audible prayer, and a slow, steady squeeze, the 225-grain bullet went exactly where it was supposed to and dropped the old man where he stood.
In the remaining days of the safari I killed several more animals with the Gunwerks Nexus and each time only one shot was required. I’m a big fan of this rifle.
Based in Cody, Wyoming, Gunwerks has a reputation for building high-end rifles designed to be 1,000-yard guns out of the box. The Nexus is a departure from the standard Remington 700 clone and the base for new rifle designs moving forward.
Weighing in at just over seven pounds, the Nexus is not an ultralight hunting rifle. When shooting a cartridge like the .300 PRC, a rifle with a little more weight—and being equipped with a stout, although incredibly loud, directional brake—helps keep the shooter on target if a follow-up shot is required. They’ve trimmed out the carbon fiber stock with leather as a means of adding grip and comfort. Some have bitched about the leather saying they think it will wear out, but those guys clearly have no class.
The pronounced thumb rests are intuitive, and the TriggerTech trigger breaks consistently at about two pounds. With an integrated arca rail leading up to a Pic rail, the Nexus is factory-made for bipods and tripods, so it’s versatile in any application. They also added an integral 20-MOA Pic rail for easy optics mounting. Additionally, the NXT action features quick-change barrels, making this a do-all setup.
The three-position safety is great for…safety, but I found it to be a bit clunky—requiring rather forceful manipulation on multiple occasions, and I’ve heard the same gripe from at least one other Nexus shooter. My other complaint is entirely my fault, but I’ll share it anyway. The Nexus has a three-round flush-fit magazine. The bottom of the stock is completely flat. The combination of the flush magazine and the flat stock initially left me fumbling while seating the magazine. I guess my hands are used to platforms with more contours. Flat as it is, I love this rifle, and its performance, so much that I have quickly trained myself out of fumbling around, it just took some reps.
Some rifles quickly build your confidence after firing the first few rounds because they group so well right out of the box. These are the ones you reach for when accuracy really matters—like taking an old kudu bull at over 500 yards across an African valley in disorganized, gusty conditions after four days of spot-and-stalk hide-and-seek. The Gunwerks Nexus in .300 PRC is one of those rifles.
MSRP: $6475
Pros: Performs like a custom rifle; insanely accurate out of the box; highly intuitive ergonomics; integrated rails for optics, bipods, and tripods
Cons: Costs as much as some custom rifles, safety can be awkward to manipulate
