Looking for opinions on a rough standard weight to strive for making a light tactical bolt gun in .308 any suggestion? Also I'm making it left handed which can limit product availability.
Thanks guys,
Mike
Thanks guys,
Mike
- Thread starter Mike Shoots Stuff
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Re: Light Tactical Rifles
Personally I recommend buying a light weight rifle from Proof Research. (406) 756-9290. Call Monday and ask for Greg. He really knows his stuff. Or call KK Jense at (406) 239-9364.
Personally I recommend buying a light weight rifle from Proof Research. (406) 756-9290. Call Monday and ask for Greg. He really knows his stuff. Or call KK Jense at (406) 239-9364.
Re: Light Tactical Rifles
Roedale made a light weight rifle for the 2009 IWA show. Weight was 2.9kg (6.4lb) with aics mag, rail and fat Lothar Walther aluminium sleeved barrel. The carbon stock I remember weighed around 800 grams (28 oz). A straight pistol grip tactical stock can be made to the same weight. So I guess around 6.5lb could be realistic. Without all the little add ons.
edi
the light Howa/Roedale.
Roedale made a light weight rifle for the 2009 IWA show. Weight was 2.9kg (6.4lb) with aics mag, rail and fat Lothar Walther aluminium sleeved barrel. The carbon stock I remember weighed around 800 grams (28 oz). A straight pistol grip tactical stock can be made to the same weight. So I guess around 6.5lb could be realistic. Without all the little add ons.
edi
the light Howa/Roedale.
Re: Light Tactical Rifles
Try the Howa 1500 varmint models for starters. They are light, well balanced and very accurate. Mine beats my custom Remington any day of the week with half the effort. If you go that route I also recommend the B&C medalist tactical stocks. They may not be the best but for the price are hard to beat.
Try the Howa 1500 varmint models for starters. They are light, well balanced and very accurate. Mine beats my custom Remington any day of the week with half the effort. If you go that route I also recommend the B&C medalist tactical stocks. They may not be the best but for the price are hard to beat.
Re: Light Tactical Rifles
6.5lbs is definitely light. I would think anything under 10lbs (loaded with scope and mounts) is doing well.
ex. My 20” Factory varmint barreled Rem 700 with ultra light rings and two piece bases, aluminum BDL, HTG Edge, and NF NXS 50mm is a few hairs under 10 lbs. I could get it to 9 lbs with a lighter scope if I wished. I believe it is hard to beat this setup with out going more custom (different barrel, lighter action, etc).
6.5lbs is definitely light. I would think anything under 10lbs (loaded with scope and mounts) is doing well.
ex. My 20” Factory varmint barreled Rem 700 with ultra light rings and two piece bases, aluminum BDL, HTG Edge, and NF NXS 50mm is a few hairs under 10 lbs. I could get it to 9 lbs with a lighter scope if I wished. I believe it is hard to beat this setup with out going more custom (different barrel, lighter action, etc).
Re: Light Tactical Rifles
I think if you are looking for a light weight lefty you would be better off with remmy. Rem action is lighter than howa and available in left. In the Roedale rifle, the howa action was lightened. T3 lefty might be another option.
I have a 22" heavy magnum sporter Lothar Walther (1450) on my 308 (old sako action) that I'm very happy with. Barrel is just one size below varmint. Rifle with carbon stock, aics mag system and mounted 6.5-20x50 conquest weighs 9lb.
edi
I think if you are looking for a light weight lefty you would be better off with remmy. Rem action is lighter than howa and available in left. In the Roedale rifle, the howa action was lightened. T3 lefty might be another option.
I have a 22" heavy magnum sporter Lothar Walther (1450) on my 308 (old sako action) that I'm very happy with. Barrel is just one size below varmint. Rifle with carbon stock, aics mag system and mounted 6.5-20x50 conquest weighs 9lb.
edi
Re: Light Tactical Rifles
The barrel and the stock are the heaviest in the rifle build. I know your pain as I am a lefty too. There are many options but money is always the object. Also not sure about actual weight that you want it to be too. You can go with a Remmie 700 SPS lefty and have it trued up and go with a #3 contour or may be a little heavier with a PSS/Sendero barrel in a McMillan HTG with no sniper fill.
I am having a GAP Non-Typical Built with a 20" #3 Bartlein, McMillan Hunters Edge stock, and the Templar Action that should weigh-in at around the 7# mark. This will be my light weight hunter rifle but can also be used as a lightweight tactical if needed.
The barrel and the stock are the heaviest in the rifle build. I know your pain as I am a lefty too. There are many options but money is always the object. Also not sure about actual weight that you want it to be too. You can go with a Remmie 700 SPS lefty and have it trued up and go with a #3 contour or may be a little heavier with a PSS/Sendero barrel in a McMillan HTG with no sniper fill.
I am having a GAP Non-Typical Built with a 20" #3 Bartlein, McMillan Hunters Edge stock, and the Templar Action that should weigh-in at around the 7# mark. This will be my light weight hunter rifle but can also be used as a lightweight tactical if needed.
Re: Light Tactical Rifles
Thank you everyone! So I'll make it my goal to get to 9 lbs although 6.5 sounds realy awesome! Right now I have a Mcmillan a5 lefty and a B&C medalist remmy varminter both at 2 lbs. I guess it's just about the other parts to choose. The remmy 700 lefty in .308 has a 26" barrel. Will having a gunsmith take it down to 24" cut weight?
Thank you everyone! So I'll make it my goal to get to 9 lbs although 6.5 sounds realy awesome! Right now I have a Mcmillan a5 lefty and a B&C medalist remmy varminter both at 2 lbs. I guess it's just about the other parts to choose. The remmy 700 lefty in .308 has a 26" barrel. Will having a gunsmith take it down to 24" cut weight?
Re: Light Tactical Rifles
Hi Gyr,
hope to see you and Pete over here one day.
Ya that's one I made. We'll have our e-tac out soon which is more straight grip. Keep in touch.
edi
Hi Gyr,
hope to see you and Pete over here one day.
Ya that's one I made. We'll have our e-tac out soon which is more straight grip. Keep in touch.
edi
Re: Light Tactical Rifles
Gyr, i think you will like the new tactical stock from PSE.
Ive seen pics of the E-Tac and i like what i see. I'm pretty certain that it will be popular,
the PSE sporter varmint is also a good alround stock, not unsimilar to the mcmillan gen purpose /M40 or the Manners MCS T. and now Edi has altered the rear side of the pistolgrip it looks nicer.
we must be getting older when lighter rifles become more appealing.
I can recommend the alloy sleeved barrels from Lothar Walther.
what you basicaly have is a sporter barrel, sleeved up to heavy tactical type profile with an alloy sleeve. From the testing ive been doing ( ive had barrels on test now for about , darn, its well over 3 years)
had no issues at all, shoots like a fat barrel, carries like a sporter barrel.
Pete
Gyr, i think you will like the new tactical stock from PSE.
Ive seen pics of the E-Tac and i like what i see. I'm pretty certain that it will be popular,
the PSE sporter varmint is also a good alround stock, not unsimilar to the mcmillan gen purpose /M40 or the Manners MCS T. and now Edi has altered the rear side of the pistolgrip it looks nicer.
we must be getting older when lighter rifles become more appealing.
I can recommend the alloy sleeved barrels from Lothar Walther.
what you basicaly have is a sporter barrel, sleeved up to heavy tactical type profile with an alloy sleeve. From the testing ive been doing ( ive had barrels on test now for about , darn, its well over 3 years)
had no issues at all, shoots like a fat barrel, carries like a sporter barrel.
Pete
Re: Light Tactical Rifles
I never understood the "need" for a 19 pound rifle... Anything over 15lbs is pretty dumb. Of course, if you gotta have a straight cylinder contour barrel, and a McMillan A stock with weight added, plus a heavy-ass NXS or other great-glass scopes with HD 6 screw rings or 3 ring setup plus a HD bipod, then the damn gun will weigh almost 20lbs....
I built a 10.5 or closer to 11 pounds excellent carry rifle some years back.
Rem 700 LA
22.5" Shilen match ss barrel #17 contour
H-S Precision Tactical w/adj LOP and Karsten riser
Near 25moa base and TPS TSR steel rings
Leupold 10x m3 mk4
Brownells 1.25" military sling.
Also have a TRG 42 in .300win with several TRG-S switch barrels. These are factory barrels, fit perfectly on my receiver. Really cut the weight, but very accurate. Probably right at 10lbs with scope.
Probably can build a #4 contour sporter and use tactical ring and base set, plus pillar-bed a decent stock like a B&C Carbelite and be in business at around 9lbs.
Best aid for accuracy I've found is short oal chamber. Build around your chamber dimensions, like .0005-.001 over go-gauge and you will then just need to play with bullet seating. Have owned a couple Lilja sporter barrels and they shot very well and consistent. Of course, never understood the real heavy barrel on a field-carry weapon. Not like its good tactics to be shooting from one position enough to get the barrel really hot, is it?
I never understood the "need" for a 19 pound rifle... Anything over 15lbs is pretty dumb. Of course, if you gotta have a straight cylinder contour barrel, and a McMillan A stock with weight added, plus a heavy-ass NXS or other great-glass scopes with HD 6 screw rings or 3 ring setup plus a HD bipod, then the damn gun will weigh almost 20lbs....
I built a 10.5 or closer to 11 pounds excellent carry rifle some years back.
Rem 700 LA
22.5" Shilen match ss barrel #17 contour
H-S Precision Tactical w/adj LOP and Karsten riser
Near 25moa base and TPS TSR steel rings
Leupold 10x m3 mk4
Brownells 1.25" military sling.
Also have a TRG 42 in .300win with several TRG-S switch barrels. These are factory barrels, fit perfectly on my receiver. Really cut the weight, but very accurate. Probably right at 10lbs with scope.
Probably can build a #4 contour sporter and use tactical ring and base set, plus pillar-bed a decent stock like a B&C Carbelite and be in business at around 9lbs.
Best aid for accuracy I've found is short oal chamber. Build around your chamber dimensions, like .0005-.001 over go-gauge and you will then just need to play with bullet seating. Have owned a couple Lilja sporter barrels and they shot very well and consistent. Of course, never understood the real heavy barrel on a field-carry weapon. Not like its good tactics to be shooting from one position enough to get the barrel really hot, is it?
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