Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT 7mm Remington Magnum
Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT 7mm Remington Magnum
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
Five-point-four pounds is the starting weight Christensen Arms publishes for the Ridgeline FFT, and the 7mm Remington Magnum configuration with its 22" carbon-fiber-wrapped 416R stainless barrel and FFT (Flash Forged Technology) carbon-fiber stock lands in the same neighborhood. That makes it the lightest 7mm RM bolt-action in this catalog by roughly a pound over the next-closest option. The shorter 22" barrel (most non-magnum Ridgeline FFT chamberings ship at 24") is a deliberate choice for mountain carry — less swing weight on a sling, easier to thread through alders and rock.
The carbon-wrap construction is the brand USP since Christensen Arms started making carbon-fiber barrels in Gunnison, Utah in 1995. The wrap is structural — a thin stainless liner inside aerospace-grade carbon fiber — and the practical claim is faster cooling and lower mass without sacrificing the sub-MOA accuracy guarantee Christensen extends across the Ridgeline FFT line. The rifle ships with a removable side-baffle brake and a TriggerTech trigger, both genuinely useful for a magnum hunter rather than parts-bin filler.
The closest in-catalog comparison is the Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint, which also offers a carbon-fiber stock and TriggerTech trigger but runs heavier with its standard steel barrel and a longer action contour. The Tikka T3x Lite is the other lightweight option in the catalog, but it gets there with polymer stock and conventional steel — different recipe, different price tier, and still about a pound heavier than the Ridgeline FFT in 7mm RM trim.
Buy the Ridgeline FFT if you're the hunter who will actually feel a pound on a 6-mile pack-in at 11,000 feet — backcountry elk, sheep, mountain mule deer where every ounce of rifle is an ounce of food or water you didn't bring. Skip it if you mostly shoot from a bench or a blind, where the weight savings buy you nothing and you'll just feel the magnum recoil more sharply on a sub-7-lb scoped setup.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- Lightest 7mm Remington Magnum bolt-action in this catalog at a 5.4-lb starting weight — roughly a pound less than the Tikka T3x Lite, the next-lightest in 7mm RM
- TriggerTech trigger and removable side-baffle brake come standard — both are common first upgrades on competing magnum hunters, and Christensen ships them in the box
- Sub-MOA accuracy guarantee backed by Christensen's carbon-fiber-wrapped 416R stainless barrel — the company has built this construction since 1995 and stands behind it for warranty replacement if a rifle won't group
- 22" barrel (vs the 24" tube on standard Ridgeline FFT chamberings) gives up a small amount of velocity for a meaningfully shorter, handier package in timber and on horseback
- 5.4 lbs + 7mm Rem Mag is honest physics — recoil is sharp, and owners commonly cite the included brake as not optional if you plan to shoot more than 20 rounds in a sitting. The brake also adds noise that's brutal without ear pro
- 3-round magnum magazine means you have one shot plus two follow-ups before reloading from the loose pocket, which is fewer than the 4-round magazine on the Bergara B-14 Ridge or Hawkeye Hunter in 7mm RM
- Carbon-wrapped barrels require careful cleaning — solvents that attack epoxies are off-limits, and Christensen's own care guide rules out abrasive bore pastes. Plan on copper-cutting solvent and a bronze brush rather than your usual aggressive routine
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much velocity does the 22" Ridgeline FFT give up vs a standard 24" 7mm Rem Mag barrel?
Rule of thumb for 7mm Rem Mag is roughly 25-35 fps lost per inch of barrel cut, so a 22" barrel runs about 50-70 fps slower than a 24" tube with the same load. With a 160-grain bullet that's the difference between roughly 2,950 fps and 3,000-3,020 fps — meaningful for extreme long-range hits past 600 yards, basically invisible inside 400 yards on big game. Mountain hunters generally take the trade.
Can I shoot the Ridgeline FFT in 7mm Rem Mag without the included brake, and how bad is recoil?
Yes — the side-baffle brake is removable and a thread protector is the alternative. Recoil on a 5.4-lb starting-weight rifle in 7mm Rem Mag with a 160-grain hunting load runs in the 30+ ft-lb felt range without the brake, which is firmly in "you'll know you fired it" territory and not pleasant for extended bench sessions. Most owners leave the brake on for practice and decide brake-vs-suppressor-vs-thread-protector based on how they hunt. If you're brake-on in the field, bring electronic ear pro — magnum brakes on 22" barrels are punishing to anyone standing next to you.
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