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If you were to buy a carbon fiber deer rifle...

regency

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Nov 16, 2007
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Memphis, Tennessee
www.patwar.com
Which would you buy?

I see Proof makes their own rifles. I'm sure the quality is very nice but prices are sky high.

I don't know much about them but Nosler seems to make an all carbon one as well.

Anyone else out there have experience on carbon deer rifles?
 
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Which would you buy?

I see Proof makes their own rifles. I'm sure the quality is very nice but prices are sky high.

I don't know much about them but Nosler seems to make an all carbon one as well.

Anyone else out there have experience on carbon deer rifles?
I picked up a Weatherby Carbonmark last year and have been very happy with it. I went 6.5Cm but they have some high velocity calibers too. It's light, can be found around $2k and shoots good.
 
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I would build something as well. You can pick up an Origin action from @Zermatt Arms for $825, then a prefit shouldered barrel from Proof for around the same.

Interchangeable bolt heads make it easy to swap barrels and jump in to a magnum or 308 family, etc..

I just picked up a Proof 6.5 PRC CB barrel for mine, excited to get it shooting! Rough math should have it just shy of 10lbs...
 
I feel like there was a thread similar to this last week and i looked into it. A build on a Big Horn Origin and Proof prefit is going to run just over $3k. I would honestly suggest a Christensen Ridgeline in 7RM and just be done with it. They can be found new for $1800 and they shoot great and are readily available. The resale isn't as strong but if you decide to sell it you'll get $1100-1200, but I bet you'd struggle to sell an Origin hunting build for $2500, so you're out the same money on the back end.

My $.02
 
Could always build something. That is what I would do.

Defiance Anti or Terminus Apollo Lite Ti.
Proof or Bartlien Carbon barrel.
Manners stock.

That's what I'm doing. I like the Proof rifles but they are spendy. So figured I could build one just the way I want for less. Ended up buying one of their carbon stocks and a new CF Bartlein barrel, still waiting on my Defiance action and off to the smith it goes. I will say, the stock from Proof is pretty nice, weighs a little less than 20 ozs and appears to be well made.

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I would build something as well. You can pick up an Origin action from @Zermatt Arms for $825, then a prefit shouldered barrel from Proof for around the same.

Interchangeable bolt heads make it easy to swap barrels and jump in to a magnum or 308 family, etc..

I just picked up a Proof 6.5 PRC CB barrel for mine, excited to get it shooting! Rough math should have it just shy of 10lbs...
I went origin also with a proof prefit stainless at 24". Jcs composites with heavy fill and with a empty trd mag and a leupold vx2 2-7x33 its around 10lbs also
 
Howa makes a carbon rifle now too. Worth a look for a few uses a year as a hunting rifle. We all pike fancy, custom shit, but it's hard to justify for a deer rifle.

Use case comes into play as well though. Are you hunting 6 states and 4 months a year? Eastern? Midwest? Muley in the west? How often?
 
Howa makes a carbon rifle now too. Worth a look for a few uses a year as a hunting rifle. We all pike fancy, custom shit, but it's hard to justify for a deer rifle.

Use case comes into play as well though. Are you hunting 6 states and 4 months a year? Eastern? Midwest? Muley in the west? How often?

I have deer hunting property in TN but looking to purchase land in Wyoming or Montana in a few years...
 
My build for a lightweight deer gun.
Manners ultra classic 17oz + 3oz for Area419 arcalok rail
HS DBM
Defiance anTI 21oz
12.5” 300 BLK fluted sporter xcaliber prefit shouldered
VX6HD 1-6 with milrad turrets. 14oz
Hawkins hybrid scope mount 3oz
Should be below 6.5 lbs fully loaded.

Cool thing with the anTI is that I can swap barrel and bolt heads for say a 7mm SAUM and go from short range Bush/deer gun to elk/sheep/long range rig
 
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You can buy the Proof stock, a pre-fit Proof or other barrel, tog
That's what I'm doing. I like the Proof rifles but they are spendy. So figured I could build one just the way I want for less. Ended up buying one of their carbon stocks and a new CF Bartlein barrel, still waiting on my Defiance action and off to the smith it goes. I will say, the stock from Proof is pretty nice, weighs a little less than 20 ozs and appears to be well made.

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Does it actually need to be bedded? That carbon fiber bedding area looks like it could support an action pretty well without glass bedding.
 
The seekins havoc element is lmsuper light I have haven’t come across anyone saying anything bad about them
 
Which would you buy?

I see Proof makes their own rifles. I'm sure the quality is very nice but prices are sky high.

I don't know much about them but Nosler seems to make an all carbon one as well.

Anyone else out there have experience on carbon deer rifles?
I just bought a Ridgeline

 
Nosler Mountain or Long Range carbon fiber! A friend and I looked at most of the rifles considered above at SHOT this year.

If I were going for something big out west that would be the gun I’d pick, most likely in 28 Nosler. We handled them all.

If they were all in front of me now I’d snag the Nosler.
 
Finally got mine together...Its a Zermatt Origin action, Proof 6.5PRC barrel, with a Trigger Tech diamond trigger, sitting in a Manners PRS1 stock. Right now I've got a Razor HD(tank!!) on it. Total rifle weighs right around 12lbs. I plan on switching out the glass at some point, should get me under 10lbs.

I prefer this style stock over typical hunting stocks, so I will deal with the extra couple of pounds there. Plus I use it in PRS here and there...I will probably take off the 419 rail before hunting season, should drop a pound or so there as well.

PRC.jpg
 
Finally got mine together...Its a Zermatt Origin action, Proof 6.5PRC barrel, with a Trigger Tech diamond trigger, sitting in a Manners PRS1 stock. Right now I've got a Razor HD(tank!!) on it. Total rifle weighs right around 12lbs. I plan on switching out the glass at some point, should get me under 10lbs.

I prefer this style stock over typical hunting stocks, so I will deal with the extra couple of pounds there. Plus I use it in PRS here and there...I will probably take off the 419 rail before hunting season, should drop a pound or so there as well.

Staying under 9-10 lbs would be ideal kitted out. 😩
 
The Area419 rail is like 3oz, not where I would go for weight saving. Scope would be the first one.
 
Staying under 9-10 lbs would be ideal kitted out. 😩

About 10 pounds, mag included. Go with a lighter action and stock to go reduce weight. Of three others with similar builds, this is the heaviest in 7 ss.

Nucleus
AG composite
Proof 26"
Mk5 3.6-18
ARC M10 rings
 

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I went with the CA MPR but it’s total overkill for hunting in WV. I practice getting first round hits on steel out to 1000 yards. I’ve shot 2 deer with it at 9 and 11 yards...
 

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Wish I’d seen this thread a week ago. I just ordered in a 22” 6.5 Bartlien carbon barrel, xlr magnesium element, terminus Apollo lite. I’m not sure what trigger or rings I want to go with. I’m pretty set on the luepold vx-6hd.
 
I've shot a couple different Christensen rifles (one TFM and two MPR's) and I liked them a fair bit, but I know people have had very hit or miss experiences with them. It appears that right when the MPR was originally released, and a little while before then, they had some QC issues with the barrels that caused stringing after the barrel warmed up. Before that period and since then I haven't seen issues, and the rifles I shot have all been great, but in all honesty I'd be slightly wary of buying a new Christensen unless you know it's been produced in the last year or two (or make sure to buy a used one that has been tested already).

That said I loved the ones I had, they're just definitely a bit spendy. I'd build my own gun before buying a TFM or a Summit Ti of my own, but the MPR is priced reasonably enough to tempt me (you can usually pick them up for right around $2,000).
 
Wish I’d seen this thread a week ago. I just ordered in a 22” 6.5 Bartlien carbon barrel, xlr magnesium element, terminus Apollo lite. I’m not sure what trigger or rings I want to go with. I’m pretty set on the luepold vx-6hd.

That will be a sweet setup, especially if you like chassis better than a stock.

For all my hunting rifles, I have either a Primary or Special in TT, because the break is the same as the Diamond and I don't need to pay for a feature I won't use. I don't go below a pound, and I am at about 1.5 - 2 pounds for hunting. There are no better triggers at the price points of the Special and Primary, IMO. Diamond level pricing you start getting lots of other good triggers though.
 
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Remington Model 700 Sendero in 7MM Ultra mag. Is the most accurate rifle I have ever shoot. Last gun I bought Savage 16/116 FCSS WEATHER WARRIOR. It shoots pretty good.
 
I’d be tempted to try the Bix n Andy 2 stage on my next hunting build. In the meanwhile I’m fairly happy with the TT Special flat trigger at 1.75 lbs.
 
For off the shelf? Ridgeline 20” in 6.5 creed or 308 for whitetails . Nice and handy and has triggertech primary trigger.

For mule deer where you might stretch the legs, I might build. But my buddy has done well with a Ridgeline 6.5x284 in Wyoming.
 
Wish I’d seen this thread a week ago. I just ordered in a 22” 6.5 Bartlien carbon barrel, xlr magnesium element, terminus Apollo lite. I’m not sure what trigger or rings I want to go with. I’m pretty set on the luepold vx-6hd.
Here is a 22 Bart carbon fiber. Manners EG6A, Mack bro’s EVO TI, APA bottom metal, Kahles318i, comes in @10.5 lbs loaded with 3 rounds, 6.5 SAUM.
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For off the shelf? Ridgeline 20” in 6.5 creed or 308 for whitetails . Nice and handy and has triggertech primary trigger.

For mule deer where you might stretch the legs, I might build. But my buddy has done well with a Ridgeline 6.5x284 in Wyoming.
Christensen Ridgeline TI 6.5 Creedmoor 20”, Bushnell LRHS IN Tally rings. Comes in at 8.5 loaded with 4 or 5 rounds.
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About 10 pounds, mag included. Go with a lighter action and stock to go reduce weight. Of three others with similar builds, this is the heaviest in 7 ss.

Nucleus
AG composite
Proof 26"
Mk5 3.6-18
ARC M10 rings
How do you like that stock? In terms of feel and function not weight. Looking at building on one of those for a pack rifle.
 
How do you like that stock? In terms of feel and function not weight. Looking at building on one of those for a pack rifle.

Love it. Few others I know with it either like or love it. Not ultralight, but very light. Solid choice. I would not change a thing on this rifle. I have McMillan A6 adjustable stock, and rear end feel is same for me. But, I am not a connoisseur, hahaha.

I pack the rifle, but sometimes, lol, I think a taped foam cheek rest would do it for me and save just a little more. It is also long and unwieldy in a pack, like all 26" barrels with brales.

I don't try to get a rifle to do something it isn't. So, I am building a shorty ultralight in a 6mm to really go light and fast.
 
6.5 SAUM
26” proof. Pierce Titanium. Timney. McMillan adjustable A3. Badger bottom. Nightforce SHV F1

I’m putting together one for the old man now. Origin. Proof shouldered prefit. McMillan game stalker. 6.5 PRC. Should be about 2 lbs lighter than mine.
 

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Lone Peak Fusion TI LA Mag in Sherman 7 Max, Proof CF, Manners Elite CF TA, Terminator T3, Hs Precision bottom metal, TT Diamond.
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sweet rifle! What is your barrel length?
And details on the rifle if you don’t mind sharing!
Built by Matt Whaley
260 rem
Defiance GA Hunter
Manners eh4 13” lop
Brux #4 fluted 16.5”
Trigger tech special
Hawkins M5 bdl
Thunderbeast ultra 5
9lbs with mk5 3.6-18
 
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Rifle w no scope was 8.25 on my electronic meat scale. Im not a fan of featherweight rifles so this works for me.
 
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here’s my 8lb carbon fiber deer rifle in 300wsm

manners carbon stock
Defiance rebel sheep port action
Proof carbon barrel 24in
Jewell trigger
Talley rings
Leupold vx5hd 3-15x44
 
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