CompExpo 2021 booth interview (~7.8 min) with Ben from Proof Research about their Elevation MTR, Conviction, new adjustable rimfire build, NRL-style chassis rifle, carbon-fiber barrels, and pre-fit offerings. Booth chat / first look at the event — not a multi-month personal T&E and not a Short. MSRP figures below are what Ben stated on camera in 2021; verify current pricing and availability at proofresearch.com before you buy.
Hey channel fans and family — CompExpo filled a little of that Shot Show–shaped hole for me that year, and one of the stops that made the trip worth it was Proof Research. You’ve probably seen their carbon-fiber barrels on builds around the channel; Ben walked me through the complete rifles they actually put together, plus what they offer if you already have an action you love.
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Elevation MTR — mountain tactical crossover
First up: the Elevation MTR (Mountain Tactical Rifle). Ben described it as a crossover stock — still very lightweight — with all carbon-fiber construction made in-house. On the sample we handled:
- Action: Zermatt Arms Origin
- Trigger: TriggerTech Special
- Barrel: Proof carbon fiber
- Accuracy claim on camera: 1-inch three-shot guarantee (and he said they typically do better)
Ben called this the middle-of-the-road package. CompExpo-era MSRP he ballparked around $3,100-ish for the configuration on the table, with a hunting-style stock version in about the same price realm. Treat that as a 2021 booth number — check Proof before you budget.
Conviction — factory custom, no shortcuts
Next tier: the Conviction. Same idea — Proof barrel — but a nicer action (Ben pointed out a Zermatt Arms TL3), TriggerTech trigger, adjustable cheek piece, and a “spare no expense” fit story: pillar bedded and glass bedded through the action, and even the bottom metal bedded to the stock so the lines between parts are clean.
- Short- and long-action cartridge options, plus paint schemes
- Top-end CompExpo MSRP Ben put around $7,000-ish
- Half-MOA guarantee on these
Hands-on at the booth, the fit and finish felt every bit of that tier. Again: booth MSRP from 2021 — verify today.
New rimfire: adjustable LOP carbon stock + Rimex
Ben’s “haven’t even really announced this yet” gun at CompExpo: a rimfire that looks a lot like the MTR stock — vertical pistol grip, all carbon fiber — but with a real-world adjustability story. Action he named: Mod Arms Rimex with a Proof barrel.
What stood out on camera:
- Adjustable length of pull via a lever (not spacer-stack AccuStock-style teardown at the range) — light spring, hold the moving piece, slide, lock into a notch
- LOP range he described: typical factory pulls around 13.5–13⅝″; this goes out to almost 14″, and about six inches shorter on the short end
- Adjustable cheek height (spacer so you can get behind the glass)
Truck gun, kids, grown adults behind the same rifle — that’s the pitch. Carbon stock warmth/feel with chassis-style adjustability without tearing the gun apart between stages or shooters.
NRL-style chassis rifle (and .22 at 270)
Last walk-through: a no-holds-barred NRL-type chassis build. Heavy competition contour Proof barrel (Ben said the barrel itself was about seven pounds — great for bags and barricades), Zermatt Arms TL3 with DLC, TriggerTech Diamond, MDT ACC stock, M-LOK for weights / accessories / dope cards.
Their standard competition rifle had already been out in the usual match cartridges Ben listed — 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6 Dasher, etc. They’d been doing Rimex pre-fit barrels for a while; at CompExpo they were showing longer 24″ and 26″ heavy barrels for that rimfire action. Full complete rimfire chassis SKU from Proof was still an open question on camera — the booth gun was there to showcase the barrel and chassis package.
And before anyone yells “overkill for a .22”: Ben’s match note — they were hitting steel around 270 yards with that setup, no drama. Stable, fun, and useful if you’re actually competing.
Pre-fits (not barreled actions)
Beyond complete guns: Proof makes pre-fit barrels for a huge variety of custom and factory actions — Rugers, Tikkas, Remington 700–type clones, Zermatt, Lone Peak, Terminus, Impact, and more. When I asked about barreled actions as a product, Ben was clear: they don’t sell barreled actions that way — pre-fits and the complete rifles are the path.
Honest takeaway
This is a CompExpo booth tour with Ben — product education and hands-on at the event — not me living with a Conviction or MTR for six months and posting groups. If you want carbon-fiber barrels, a finished hunting/crossover package, or a match chassis with Proof glass on the muzzle end, this booth tour is a solid map of the lineup as it sat in 2021. Confirm current SKUs and prices at Proof before you buy.
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Keep squatting.
Are you in the carbon-barrel hunting camp, or do you only run Proof glass on a match chassis?
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