Lightweight rifle?

[RobertB]

What does everyone think the lightest rifle combo would be. OPen to semi auto or bolt. I don't want a pencil bbl but doesn't need to be a mtu either. SOmething that won't heat up too much. No magnum calibers. Something for matches and light hunting. No big game. (maybe deer at the biggest (sometimes))Thanks for any ideas. I want a rifle that is very handy.

 

[aggiesig]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

I had a friend who put a pretty thin 26" lilja on a ruger M77 in a bell and carlson stock and milled all kinds of holes in the mag box and every other place he could shave weight

7mm Mashburn with a VIAS brake and a leupold VX-3 the whole setup weighed like 7 pounds and would shoot MOA out to 400 yards. (he didn't hunt past that so he never shot it out that far)

recoil wasn't bad but it was loud as hell!

 

[glock24]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

I'm working on such a build myself. My goal is 8 lbs loaded.

McMillan A3 Edge
Remington 700 action in 223 Remington
18" Light Palma contour Bartlein barrel
Burris Signature rings and bases
3-12x50mm Bushnell Elite

I'll let you know if I've succeeded in a couple months when it is complete.

I got the idea from the below thread;

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2145616

 

[BobinNC]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RobertB</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What does everyone think the lightest rifle combo would be. OPen to semi auto or bolt. I don't want a pencil bbl but doesn't need to be a mtu either. SOmething that won't heat up too much. No magnum calibers. Something for matches and light hunting. No big game. (maybe deer at the biggest (sometimes))Thanks for any ideas. I want a rifle that is very handy. </div></div>

Lot's of wants. OK let's try this:

Caliber 7mm-08

Remington 700 SA w/Standard Alloy BDL Floorplate = 36 oz
Fluted 7mm Rem 1/9" Varminter/Sendaro barrel 20" = 56 oz
McMillan HTG with standard Fill = 40 oz
Badger 20 MOA Alloy Base 2 oz
Badger Low .823 30 MM Rings 3.9 oz
IOR Valdada 2.5-10x42mm FFP MIL/MIL Illuminated 21 oz

Grand Total 9.9 Lbs scoped but unloaded, and ready to go.

You can build lighter rifles for hunting use, but since you added that you want to use it for matches, it does need some barrel weight.

 

[eleaf]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

If you want as light as possible, look at the Remington 700 Ti or the the Remington 700 Mountain LSS (Light Stainless Steel).

I have a Mountain LSS in 7mm-08 sitting in a B&C Alaskan II. Unloaded (and without scope), it's 6.25 lbs.

It DOES have a pencil barrel, however. Remington contour #1 (Mountain Contour). It's not meant for groups (barrel heats up after 2 rounds or so), but the shot that counts is accurate.

 

[jbgleason]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

Not sure what you mean by matches? Responses seem to be gravitating to a bolt gun. I went the other direction. I put a flat top upper on a Cav Arms lower, medium weight barrel and a Daniel Defense free float foreend. Subsequently added an EoTech but could have shaved even more with an Aimpoint Micro. Very light and handy, great for 3 gun type shooting and light hunting.

 

[iplumb]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

Sako Finnlight - any caliber.

 

[RobertB]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

This would be my field rifle. My surgeon .260 weighs 17 lbs and my .308 weighs 15 lbs. By matches I mean Tactical matches with alot of positional and run and gun not prone only LR matches like the .260 was built for. It will be somewhat of a hunter too. I know that I need a bbl with some girth to it. I keep thinking about cutting my .260 down but it shoots so damn good. It is a McMillian A5 28 MTU BBL surgeon M591 with NF 5.5x22. If the .260 doesn't suffer to much with a shorter bbl then a cut down with fluting might be the way to go. Just looking for others ideas. Thanks

 

[Alan Griffith]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

I've got two that might help with your dilemma.

Rem 700 LA in 30-06. Action was heavily turned down and bolt was "swiss cheese" drilled.
Blind ADL
Factory Rem 700 trigger worked to 3 lbs
Factory barrel turned down to a toothpick; .552" at the 24" muzzle
Conetrol 2-pc mounts and bases
Leupold M8 4x scope
Handlaid fiberglass stock, 1982 era
Built in 1982
6 lb 7 oz

At this weight it was an absolute joy to carry. It did "ok" shooting.

Once I shot the barrel out I sent the old barrel to Dan Lilja to have him copy the contour but in a 26" SS 3-groove, 11 twist 30 cal for a 30-06 AI. Tiny bit more weight with the extra 2" of barrel. It was the scope that added more weight. Mk 4 4.5-14x50 on a Farrel 1-pc pic base and TPS alum rings ran it upto 7 lb 8 oz.

It still carried quite nicely in an Eberlestock J107 Firefly pack full of elk meat.

Shot quite well too. This is 818 yds with 180 Nosler BT. That's a 3-18 IOR POS that fell apart internally right after this pic was taken. It couldn't stand up to the recoil.

My new light rig, though not as light, is as follows.

Pierce SA
Broughton #3.1, 26", SS, 5C, 6.5mm
Rifle Basix 2 lb
Pierce 1-pc alum pic 20 MOA base
Farrell 30mm alum rings
NF 2.5-10x32
Scope mounted bubble level (not shown in pics)
McM Rem Sporter Edge fill
PTG round knob and BDL BM
Rem mag box, follower and spring
6.5x47 Lapua

8 lb 10 oz

It's shooting pretty nicely so far for a hunting rifle.

Alan

 

[mtn grizzly]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

looks like you gut shot that cow elk. how far was she?

 

[Hawk45]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

I picked up a Tikka T3 CTR and it is great. 20" bull barrel and still light weight and very manuverable. I actually like the factory synthetic stock. Comes with one-piece scope mount already installed and bedded. Detachable mags. Also bottom metal to take AICS mags is available from CDI. Other options I'm sure but I can say I like mine. I got mine for the same reasons you mentioned above.

 

[califflash]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

I would look into the tikka lites. I got a scout instead. Ghe tikkas are fantastically acurate for something you can just go buy at the price point But the gun was very handy. I would put a manners stock on it though and keep the factory plastic magazine. Get it in a lighter caliber than mine like .270 and I would imagine you would be gtg. I would imagine this would run about $900 before optic.

 

[bmt]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

I went two ways a Tikka T-3 in 223 and this:

Savage 16LH in 308.

Pac-Nor #3 Contour Super match barrel at 23".

McMillan Clasic stock, standard fill, GAP.

Cerrakote the stainless.

Leupold vx-3 3-5-10 with B&C reticle. I have since added M1 turrets.

I have also added a "tacticool" bolt handle.

Total weight, 8 pounds fully loaded (Chamber empty).

I took this to Thunder Ranch MidRang Rifle course and did just fine (better than some, but not as good as miss Heidi).

BMT

BMT

 

[g5]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

At least look at the new Savage 11 lightweight hunter. Listed at 5.5 pounds , 20 inch barrel and various short calibers. Six pounds in 270 or 30-06.

 

[LoneWolfUSMC]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

I don't have a specific weight on it, but the 700 SPS Tactical AAC-SD with Bushnell 10x, AL rings and base comes in pretty light.

Initial accuracy tests look like its right around 1 MOA. If you stuck a McMillan edge stock on it and bedded it I am sure it would shoot much better. It's a Varmint Contour 20" so it will hold up to long strings just fine.

 

[VJJPunisher]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

 

[Oregonlaw76]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

Buddy has a Remington LTR with alum hardware and 2-8 Leupold that is really light and a great shooter.

 

[Guns4570]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

BobinNC...I like your specs. Thats about like the the light weight one I had GAP build me a few years back with carbon A5 stock and deeply fluted barrel.

 

[Oakland Tactical]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

+1 on the LTR, 7.5# pounds stock. Add a 3.5x10x40 Luepold or an NF 2.5-10x32 with the NF unimount or some type of aluminum rings and steel base you'll be around 9.5#. Very handy and covers all your other requirements. You could lose some more weight by chopping the barrel to 16" or really lose some weight with a carbon fiber barrel.

 

[bmt]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: VAJayJayPunisher</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

</div></div>

Where's the Swiss Army Knife . . . . .

BMT

 

[MontanaMarine]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

Since i'm already shooting a heavy 30-06, I went with a lighter rifle in the same chambering.

M700 SPS cut to 20", 2.5-8x36 with M1s in Talley mounts, McMillan BDL stock. 8 lbs.

The heavy and light 30-06s,

 

[thoegler]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

love the look of the first bolt

 

[RemingtonSPS]

Re: Lightweight rifle?

I am putting together a 26" barreled 243 with the ABS carbon barrel and a mcm A3 Edge for my wife that should come out to 6.5lbs. Ill let you know once it shows up in the mail.