Cadex Defence at SHOT 2020
Canadian rifle and accessory maker Cadex Defence had plenty to show off at SHOT Show 2020. From hunting rifles to precision chassis to triggers and rails, if you’re a fan of bolt-action rifles, these guys probably have something that will interest you. Thanks to Cadex’s international distributors, their full commercial product line is available outside of Canada, including within the United States.
CDX-R7 Hunting Rifles
Cadex Defence is known for precision rifles and precision rifle chassis but in 2020, they’re hopping into the hunting rifle game. The CDX-R7 CBRN is the flagship product of Cadex’s hunting line featuring a Remington 700 style action and a Proof Research carbon fiber wrapped barrel. If the CBRN is too spendy, Cadex also offers the CDX-R7 SPTR that swaps in a stainless steel barrel. Both feature threaded barrels, accept AICS magazines, and are available in a wide variety of Cerakote colors.
STRIKE NUKE EVO Chassis
Some Remington 700 shooters either don’t want or don’t need all the features offered by rifle chassis systems. For those folks, Cadex has developed the Strike Nuke Evo “micro-chassis” system. The core of the Strike Nuke Evo is an aluminum chassis block that captures the precision advantages of full chassis systems. That internal chassis is surrounded by what otherwise looks like a traditional stock – with some improvements.
The Strike Nuke Evo’s fiberglass-reinforced polymer body offers MLOK mount points, adjustable comb height, cushioned pistol grip inserts, and swappable butt pads for length of pull (LOP) adjustment. The chassis is compatible with AICS magazines. MSRP for the Strike Nuke Evo is $599 USD.
LITE COMPETITION Chassis
If you’re in the market for a feature-rich bolt gun chassis that won’t weigh a ton, Cadex has the Lite Competition chassis for a variety of bolt actions. Designed to be lighter than Cadex’s Field and Strike units, the Lite Competition features an open top rail, folding stock, AR-style pistol grip, and ultra-slim MLOK fore-end with closed upper slots to provide mirage mitigation. The Lite Competition also sports Cadex’s 4-point roller bedding technology.Â
DX2 EVO Trigger
The DX2 Evo is a bit different than your average trigger. Typically, shooters have to choose between single-stage or two-stage operation for their triggers. Single-stage units often prioritize short pull while two-stage models aim for longer pull, but a relatively lighter break point thanks to preloading that happens during takeup. The result? two very different approaches and feels.
Cadex’s DX2 Evo nullifies this difficult decision by offering single- and two-stage operation from a single trigger. My merely moving a selector pin, the DX2 Evo can swap between operating modes. In both cases, overall pull weight is adjustable between 1.5 and 2.5 lbs. The DX2 Evo carries an MSRP of $310 USD.
ARCA Rail
ARCA rails are ubiquitous in the precision rifle world. This durable, simple system offers solid mounting for various accessores, especially bipods, but it has one potential weak point – it relies on friction for retention.
Recognizing that friction mounting isn’t ideal, Cadex introduced an ARCA rail with an active locking mechanism that’s still compatible with legacy ARCA accessories. The design is shockingly simple. Under the mount are two steel pins. Once the locking arm closes, these pins slide into slots cut into the rail to totally eliminate fore or aft movement of mounted accessories.Â
An information security professional by day and gun blogger by night, Nathan started his firearms journey at 16 years old as a collector of C&R rifles. These days, you’re likely to find him shooting something a bit more modern – and usually equipped with a suppressor – but his passion for firearms with military heritage has never waned. Over the last five years, Nathan has written about a variety of firearms topics, including Second Amendment politics and gun and gear reviews. When he isn’t shooting or writing, Nathan nerds out over computers, 3D printing, and Star Wars.