Rifle Weight??

[HOGGHEAD]

I am in the middle of putting together a build for a long range deer rifle. By long range I mean shots out to 1,000 yards max. I will probably limit my hunting to 700 or 800 yards, but I want a rifle that can shoot to 1,000 because I belong to a 1,000 yard club and would like to shoot a bit at that distance. I am not worried about being the top shooter at 1,000, I just want to be able to do it.

With the current rifles I have right now I am extremely confident in my equipment and personal abilities out to 600 yards, however I wish to extend that by practice(trigger time).

I am a handicapped hunter so weight is important, however it is not the most important factor. All my hunting is from a fixed position. So now I think you see why I like to hunt long range.

My concern on this thread is the weight of the entire rig. I was thinking I want to keep the total weight between 10-11 pounds. Is this too light for what I want to do?? If so what do you think the nominal weight should be??

I have not decided on a cartridge yet. However it will probably be a 284, .264, or .308 cartridge. I am strongly leaning toward a 280AI, because I want a lot of barrel life. However this decision is not made yet. Thanks, Tom.

 

[montyb]

Re: Rifle Weight??

i think you should be ok at 10 pounds or so. i wouldn't go too much more than that. i've been down that road and will build lighter rifles from now on.

 

[Wheres-Waldo]

Re: Rifle Weight??

Hog, welcome to the Hide. Im glad to see you havent let circumstances limit you...motivating!

 

[runngun]

Re: Rifle Weight??

I have a titanium 700 short action built by GAP, but it has a sniper fill M5 stock with a 23' heavy contour barrel. It really isn't much lighter than other similar rifles with steel actions.

My recommendations for a light rig are:
McMillan edge stock
Remington style action, not surgeon, badger or other heavier ones
aluminum base and rings (I have Seekins and like them)
light(er) contour barrel.
lighter scope. I have Premier, and I think they and USO are both heavier than nightforce and maybe S&B.

This should get you there. If you want to go even lighter, a titanium action and recoil lug, and Carbon fiber wrapped barrel will take off even more weight but at a significant premium in price.

There are also factory lightweight hunting rifles, but I have no experience with them or how well they shoot.

I hope this helps

 

[B.Bates]

Re: Rifle Weight??

i would run a sendero contour barrel, either a manners msct if you want a more traditional stock or a mcm a3

modest glass and you will be around 10 to 12lbs

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Rifle Weight??

10-11lb is a reasonable goal. So might be 8-10. Case capacity will dictate recoil and capability, and chambering with dictate effective/efficient use of that capacity. I'd set the upper case capacity limit as .30-'06, unless personal physical limitations intervene. It'll handle anything on this continent, period.

Good stock design (less drop at the heel) and recoil pad selection can render significant recoil into less felt recoil. I have a well designed very lightweight M70 .30-06 (around 6.5lb with the scope mounted) with a limbsaver slip-on that has very acceptable felt recoil so long as I keep to 165-168gr bullets and lighter. But the weight tradeoff results in a thinner barrel, and affects long range and sustained fire.

I am currently doing load workup on a Ruger 77V .280 that seems to be right around where what your talking about would probably end up being. A light varmint barrel contour might be a good compromise for weight and balance, while still preserving some of the heavy barrel accuracy benefits.

The '06 case capacity is capable of handling most game, and the .280's 7mm bullets are sufficiently varied and effective to make excellent use of the case capacity. Good ammo is available offshelf, and the chambering is responding nicely to preliminary load development for me. Keeping it simple, it looks like the Nosler 120gr and 140gr Ballistic Tip and Accubond choices should cover just about all the needed bases, and the 140's should be an acceptable 1000yd match bullet with an adequately supersonic arrival at the required distance.

My experience with the 120's, at right around max loads (56.0gr of Ramshot Hunter), and a Limbsaver Slip-On Recoil Pad are indicating that the recoil is not prohibitive at all, that very good accuracy is a reasonable goal, and that the 140's should not be any kind of a major additional issue. The game animal that a Nosler 7mm 120/140 Ballistic Tip/Accuebond's terminal energy delivery level won't dispatch at a reasonable distance has yet to evolve on this continent, and I'm guessing those distances could be pretty long indeed out of a .280. (Rethought to suggest that really big, dangerous game would not respond so well to such an approach, and especially not to a close one.)

I am not a big fan of hunting really long distances, but I also experience some physical impairments that would limit my ability to get around unhampered, so I can clearly understand that it's not my place to make such judgements in your place. If you think you can make the shot, I think the sorta rig I've been discussing could serve your purposes pretty well; and you can make your own deals with Your Maker about how you go about doing your work among His Menagerie.

The Ruger is not the most popular platform, and is not a mandatory segment of what I'm describing. I have NO complaints about them, seeing them as sorta something like a Cadillac, but that's a personal thing, and the next guy's views are just as valid.

I just took a moment out to see if Savage offers anything similar in .280, but alas, I couldn't find anything in the chambering.The do offer a variety of rifles in .270. I do believe that any of their heavy barreled long action rifles with a .30-'06 chambering (and preferably a detachable magazine and Accue-Stock/Accue-Trigger) could be rebarreled very suitibly in .280 (or not, the .30-'06 is just as able). If I knew more about the .270, personally, I might be advocating it as well. I do know that some gun writers are big fans of it, and in my locale, the factory ammo is more available than .280 (i.e., .270's on the shelf at WallMart, .280 isn't.).

Most popular hunting optics are 3-9's, but I'd suggest at least a Weaver V-16, or even a V-24 for the longer distances you're considering. Ubnless you're planning on hunting both long and twilight, a 40mm objective should do the job. I think the Weavers are a good midrange compromise between cost and capability.

Greg

 

[Swamper]

Re: Rifle Weight??

Weight is ALWAYS a factor.

Probably the best value in a factory longrange rifle, all things considered, was the Remington Sendero SF or Stainless Varmint Special with fluted barrel. Weighs only about .5lb more than a regular BDL but with heavier barrel and H-S Precision stock; you had consistent accuracy potential. As long as you don't go with a scope over 20-22oz you will stay around 11 pounds which is about minimum for longrange use with a barrel that won't walk shots when it heats up.

What to do with the Sendero? #1 have the barrel set forward so the chamber is minimum OAL, and #2 tune the trigger.

Saw your post WV guy, about huskemaw or NF scope choice and being disappointed w/Leupold... If you want to keep weight down, Leupold is about 3/4 to 1 pound lighter, at minimum, than the "Good Glass" crowd of scopes. The optics are excellent BTW.

As far as scopes go, the Nikon Buckmasters 4.5-14x or 6-18x with mil-dot is lightweight and offer side-focus parallax for well under $300, A Leupold 6-18x VXii with target turrets, 6.5-20x VXiii or mk4 would also be a good choice for keeping the weight down. Burris, Sightron, Bushnell, and maybe an SWFA super sniper, Wonder, or Falcon would also work for you in the scope dept.

A Sendero SF in .300win is about ideal for a 1,000 yd rifle and should be well under $1000 used. Don't know if any of the .30-06, .270win, or .25-06 Senderos were made in stainless/fluted configurations, but they would also be worth considering. If 1000yds is really your goal, the .308win is somewhat marginal. The .300WSM could be the best cartridge for your goals, but hasn't been chambered in the Sendero SF that I know of. Solution is to buy a used .300mag SF and order a replacement barrel now; or go with what's been produced that you like.

Weight is always a concern. Many of the tactical rifles you'll see discussed here are built using a 6lb stock, 10rd detach magazine, steel bottom metal, 6lb #7 profile barrel and 3lb action. These rifles are heavyweights before adding a scope and mount system, put a 3lb NXS scope or heavier on there and you're hauling 18lbs through the outback. (Don't forget bipod, monopod, sling, cosine indicator, bubble-level and that 10rds of .308 in a mag is another .5lbs by itself!)

A Sendero SF mounted with 4.5-14x 50mm leuopold which has 100moa of reticle movement will give you a rifle weighing about 11.5 lbs with full magazine and sling. In .300win mag, that is about as good as it gets.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Rifle Weight??

Also an excellent approach. There are probably a good many ways to defur this chosen feline.

The important thing is to git 'er done and live the dream.

Also, think about this and decide. Do you need a functional, workmanlike implement, or are you building a monument to the weapon makers' art and beauty?

Either is highly satisfactory; but plan the work and work the plan, and don't allow distractions to take you off on any tangents that delay the outcome.

We're neither one of us getting any younger...

Greg

 

[knockemdown]

Re: Rifle Weight??

Hey Hoggs!

Here's my $.02...
caliber: 7WSM
Action: Trued Remmy 700SA
barrel: 24", #3 contour, 9 twist
stock: McMillan EDGE classic w/Wyatt's extended mag box
Rings: Talley LW 30mms
Glass: NXS 2.5-10x32

That should keep you under 10 lbs. and will hammer anything out to 1K. Recoil shouldn't be too bad either...

 

[GreatGonzo]

Re: Rifle Weight??

My thought is that if you are really making an effort to keep weight down, you would want to stay with a short action cartridge. Also, probably want to use a 2 piece aluminum base and light weight rings. Have your barrel and bolt fluted and pick up a good stock. Also, a 260 or 6.5 creedmore might be a little more comfortable to shoot in that weight range and still have plenty of power for deer, rather than the short mags.

 

[TCA4570]

Re: Rifle Weight??

I have not decided on a cartridge yet. However it will probably be a 284, .264, or .308 cartridge. I am strongly leaning toward a 280AI, because I want a lot of barrel life. However this decision is not made yet. Thanks, Tom.

308 can smack 8x18steel all day @ 1150 if dope is right.
Weakest link is shooter, not gun.

Keep us informed.

Thanks Greg

 

[HOGGHEAD]

Re: Rifle Weight??

I have a couple of friends who are shooting the 6.5X47 at our 1,000 yard club. And they are doing very well with the cartridge.

It probably would be a little smarter to go with short action so that I can put a little more weight in the barrel. I am not really trying to keep the weight down, just reasonable.

I was thinking that at 10-11 pounds I should be able to have a semi-varmint profile. I wil be doing a lot more research. As I stated earlier this big game rifle build is going to be full of compromises, and I am not use to that. Especially when my varmint builds have been exactly what I want. Tom.

 

[SNOW]

Re: Rifle Weight??

SA 700, 22" fluted Sendero contour, std fill McM A3, chambered in 7-08 pushing 120 TSXs at around 3000 fps...what's not to like. Top it with something like the mentioned Nikon and you should be around #10 all up. Go with a McM Classis and save a little weight. If you are hunting from a blind or box stand weight shouldnt really matter much.

 

[knockemdown]

Re: Rifle Weight??

For camparison,
Semi factory Rem Seven in 300SAUM, 9.3 lbs as shown...

Fully custom PAI built Rem Seven in 7-08, 7.3lbs as as shown...

 

[Clay_James]

Re: Rifle Weight??

I've hunted in the woods with a bull barrel AR before and that gets to be a burdon after a while. I hope I can keep the weight down on the Remington 700 I'm about to get. First post by the way but certainly not the last

 

[BMG50CAL]

Re: Rifle Weight??

You can build a super light rifle that will shoot out to 1000 yards but the barrel will heat up fast.


I have a 270 build off a RUM case. all carbon stock Stainless steel barrel. comes in at 6.8 lb with out scopes. This rifle has hit plates out to 1440 yards. but after the second shot there no way to hit the plates till it cools off again.

I know a few long range hunting gunsmiths if you look to have a rifle built. They build the rifles alot lighter.

What are you going to be hunting with it ? and how far ?
Its hard to beat a 308

 

[novaman64]

Re: Rifle Weight??

I am working on building something similar to what you are. What I have decided on is a Remington 700 SA (gonna use the one off my 243), #5 contour SS fluted 24" barrel chambered in .260 rem, still tossing around the idea of a muzzle break (would be nice to see the vapor trail on longer shots but would be loud for hunting without hearing protection). Going in my HS Prec stock (dont have the funds for a Manners T3), running the DedNutz 1 piece mounts (been using these on a couple of my rifles, very sturdy and extremely light). That should give you a 7.5-8 lb rifle, before optics....

For optics a good choice would be a Nikon Monarch, lighter than alot of the other hi-end glass (SB, USO, NF) cheaper, but has great glass on it...

 

[Phil1]

Re: Rifle Weight??

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BMG50CAL</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You can build a super light rifle that will shoot out to 1000 yards but the barrel will heat up fast.


I have a 270 build off a RUM case. all carbon stock Stainless steel barrel. comes in at 6.8 lb with out scopes. This rifle has hit plates out to 1440 yards. but after the second shot there no way to hit the plates till it cools off again.

I know a few long range hunting gunsmiths if you look to have a rifle built. They build the rifles alot lighter.

What are you going to be hunting with it ? and how far ?
Its hard to beat a 308 </div></div>

ditto and i'd add that light bullets (under 160 gr) will be less effective on long range shots when wind is an issue.

 

[Wil]

Re: Rifle Weight??

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Phil1</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BMG50CAL</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You can build a super light rifle that will shoot out to 1000 yards but the barrel will heat up fast.


I have a 270 build off a RUM case. all carbon stock Stainless steel barrel. comes in at 6.8 lb with out scopes. This rifle has hit plates out to 1440 yards. but after the second shot there no way to hit the plates till it cools off again.

I know a few long range hunting gunsmiths if you look to have a rifle built. They build the rifles alot lighter.

What are you going to be hunting with it ? and how far ?
Its hard to beat a 308 </div></div>

ditto and i'd add that light bullets (under 160 gr) will be less effective on long range shots when wind is an issue. </div></div>

unless you are using a high BC bullet and adequate charge behind it. Velocity + high BC = wind bucking ability.

I run 155 scenars at 2950fps and can hang...

 

[sinarms]

Re: Rifle Weight??

this rifle weighs in at 9 1/4lbs with glass