Gear Review: Gray Ops Mag-Cut Mini Plate

With precision rifles being all the rage these days, the accessory market has grown exponentially with all kinds of tools, gadgets, toys, and gear. Some of these accessories are specific to certain rifle platforms, while others are application-specific. The proliferation of precision rifle competitions has brought its own set of gadgetry designed to give a competitor an edge. As the sport of PRS has evolved, the guns and gear seen on the firing line change every year. For 2019, I’ve found that the “must-have” accessory is a rifle mounted plate for stability off barricades and odd firing positions.

The Gray Ops Mini-Mag Plate as delivered. If ordering direct from Gray Ops the bag of M&Ms is included!

Dave Preston is one of the top shooters in the country for PRS matches and is the founder and operator of Gray Ops CNC. He has been a driving force behind these plates as they offer greater stability for increasingly less stable shooting positions. Available as the standard Mini-Gun or Mag-Cut Mini Plate (for stocks/chassis without a straight line to the magwell), these plates attach to an Arca rail on the bottom of the gun, greatly increase the surface area width. This width significantly reduces any side-to-side rolling of the gun when the rifle/plate is placed on a bag or barricade. The length of the plate also aids in front-to-back stability for better balancing the rifle as well.

The Gray Ops plate is much wider than just the rifle for added stability.

The Gray Ops plates run $150 and aren’t a cheap accessory (well cheap compared to an expensive rifle and scope), but I was hesitant at first. At the New Hampshire PRS match this past summer I tried a stabilizing plate on a stage that had a lot of movement on a stack of logs and immediately saw the stability benefit. That evening I ordered my own plate and have been using it since.

Since I normally shoot an Accuracy International AX, I ordered a Mag-Cut Mini Plate with the cut to extend the plate back around where the balance point for the rifle exists. While the rifle looks good with the plastic handguard in place, I removed it to provide a more uniform height between the plate and chassis. Both Mini-Plates attach with a 1.5-inch Arca clamp and have a rotating knob that allows tightening and loosening without tools. This is convenient for installation when you need it, as well as being able to tailor the location to match the balance point of the gun or requirements of a stage. The rest of the plate is machined 6061 Aluminum that has been hard black anodized. All the cuts and edges are done very cleanly, without tool or chatter marks.

Gray Ops plate mounted, plastic handguard removed from the rifle.

For anyone who has shot a Precision Rifle Series match, you’ve probably seen obstacles such as barricades, tank traps, and other various objects that must be used for rifle support. There are a variety of bags available to help solve these positions, but they are only as stable as a shooter and a rifle will allow. The Gray Ops plates provide a better solution for shooters by making the contact surface with the bag 2-3x times wider. This width provides the already mentioned stability, but also additional surface area to increase friction for better recoil control and make the rifle easier to hold. For additional grabbing effect, there are slots cut into the plate to allow material to catch instead of a solid and slick piece of metal. For those wanting maximum friction, skateboard tape could be added to the bottom as well.

Mini-Mag Cut Plate on an Accuracy International AX

At a PRS match, time is limited (90-120 seconds) to get off 8-12 shots on a stage. I have found that the Mini-Plate saves time in stabilizing the gun both when getting into position, as well as when rapidly cycling the bolt and transitioning targets. The additional width makes it almost impossible to roll the gun to the side, and I’ve found it less critical to match the balance point of the rifle perfectly to the barricade. If time and stage rules allow, using a tripod for rear support is almost like shooting prone with the plate up front. Now that I have some practice and a few matches using this plate, I’ve found that I just need an Armageddon Gamechanger type of bag to go with the Gray Ops plate to tackle most stages.

Manufacturer's Website: https://grayopscnc.com/collections/shooting-gear/products/center-cut-mini-plate

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