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Short light suppressed whitetail hunting rifle

all up weight with sling and 3 rounds

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Noticed that most everyone doesn't run a full length rail on their setups. Was looking at the Hunters Rail from SRS so I could use my RRS bipod clamp on the picatinny or arca and use my tripod on the arca. Any thoughts or suggestions? Seen where a lot of folks have a picatinny rail up on the front and arca on the rear? Would yall recommend that instead of this long rail? I won't be using my tripod very much at all, but would like to be able to use it if I wanted.

Hunters rail link - https://www.salmonriversolutions.com/product/hunters-rail/
 
I use a full length on mine. Also a full length on my lrh.
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I use a full length on mine. Also a full length on my lrh.
Looks good. Anything you dislike about it?

Also thought about using Anarchy Outdoors 5” universal dovetail rail on just the front since it included a sling stud and wouldn’t need to drill into the stock.
 
No I love it!
What length rail do you run? Iota suggested 8” arca, which I already have on my other Tikka in a Bravo. Planning on taking it off and seeing how I like it on the shorty Tikka before buying anything.

Just got to figure out how to take that rail off the Bravo.
 
I finally got around to getting it sighted in for my deer/hunting load this morning. Federal 150gr Soft Points, 0.556 moa first cold-bore three shot group once on paper and the best three shot group settled in at 0.387 moa. Fantastic IMHO for a hunting load, can't wait to see what it'll do with match grade ammo.

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I finally got around to getting it sighted in for my deer/hunting load this morning. Federal 150gr Soft Points, 0.556 moa first cold-bore three shot group once on paper and the best three shot group settled in at 0.387 moa. Fantastic IMHO for a hunting load, can't wait to see what it'll do with match grade ammo.

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Looks great.
NX8 2.5-20?
What ring height?
 
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NXS 2.5-10x42

I have the x32 and it's a fantastic scope

Since the application is for a hunting rifle, do you notice the x32 being dark during those lowlight conditions? Or is it still good enough? I ask because I hunt a lot and always looking for smaller lighter scopes but the smaller objective sometimes turns me away. I don't have first hand experience though...
 
What kind of velocity/bullet are you getting out the 18in barrel?
To generalize an 18” PRC is about the same as a 26” Creedmoor at least that’s what I’ve found with my 18” barrels. Running 125gr Monos around 3050 to 3100 fps.
 
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Patiently waiting.
 

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Since the application is for a hunting rifle, do you notice the x32 being dark during those lowlight conditions? Or is it still good enough? I ask because I hunt a lot and always looking for smaller lighter scopes but the smaller objective sometimes turns me away. I don't have first hand experience though...
I mean it's not going to be as bright as something with a 50mm of course, but it certainly doesn't suffer for the smaller objective.

It's small, light and tough with nothing it doesn't need. The glass is plenty good for the vast majority of applications and users. It's also very accurate in terms of tracking and reticle. I have the moar which is a bit thicker than the milr. It is a great all rounder.

If I have 1 possible negative with it and I don't consider it a bad thing necessarily .. just something to note, the eyebox is a bit touchy with head position. However, with the fixed parallax this is in fact to your advantage to ensure proper and consistent head position. Some will dislike this however.

If you can find one give it a shot. I spent a ton of time looking at various optics for something light, dialable, utterly reliable, accurate and in the 2-10x range. This and the trijicon 2-10 credo were the only ones that fit the bill on paper. I wanted the sfp to allow using it at low power. I figured if I need to use the reticle I'm gonna be at 10,.
 
Anybody run an 18” 7 WSM or 7 SAUM? I’ve got a 22” 7 WSM and comfortably get 2900 fps with a 175 AbLR and RL26.

When this barrel burns out, I’m considering going shorter but would love to know velocity looks like from some of you.
 
Had some success with the new stick today. I whacked a decent pig and this 9-point, which for the Texas Hill Country is a solid buck.
 

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Had some success with the new stick today. I whacked a decent pig and this 9-point, which for the Texas Hill Country is a solid buck.
That’s a solid 9 point anywhere man. The buck I killed last week in South Georgia wasn’t near that size and he was the largest I’ve killed.
 
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That’s a solid 9 point anywhere man. The buck I killed last week in South Georgia wasn’t near that size and he was the largest I’ve killed.

No complaints here at all. We rarely have a harvest opening weekend too, it's usually too warm and the rut isn't in full swing yet. I caught this boy putting the screws to a doe, his prick was still out when I took him. If nothing else he went out having one last good lay before I put him down.
 
No complaints here at all. We rarely have a harvest opening weekend too, it's usually too warm and the rut isn't in full swing yet. I caught this boy putting the screws to a doe, his prick was still out when I took him. If nothing else he went out having one last good lay before I put him down.
That’s one heck of a story. Wouldn’t mind going out in a similar manner. Need to print a plaque and have it written on it.

Mine came out chasing a doe at 75 yards. He ran about 75 yards.
 
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First blood, now waiting for deer to show up. 17” McGowen 1/8 7mm-08, medium palma, T3 in UPR stock, T6Xi 3-18
 

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First blood, now waiting for deer to show up. 17” McGowen 1/8 7mm-08, medium palma, T3 in UPR stock, T6Xi 3-18
How do you like the T6XI? I love mine, best optic I’ve used.

Have any difficulty with the CTR feeding? Mine needed the feed lip bending. Don’t recall having trouble with it previously, but wouldn’t feed without applying pressure to the mag.
 


I just put out a YouTube video about this, let me know what you guys think (obviously it’s a bolt gun, not an AR though)
 
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What kinds of performance are y’all getting with your shorties? I’ve got a ton of the 129gr Int bullets because of the Hornady promo, but only getting them to 2570 FPS with Varget with my 16.5” 6.5CM. Getting closer to max load and these are my second reloads ever.

Going to try some 130gr ELD-M bullets next week and switch to Lapua brass. Curious if y’all had good luck with any lighter bullets like the 120gr ELDM or should I just be happy with my speed and use another rifle if I want something faster?

Didn’t plan on reloading, but I now see why most folks do it.
 

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What kinds of performance are y’all getting with your shorties? I’ve got a ton of the 129gr Int bullets because of the Hornady promo, but only getting them to 2570 FPS with Varget with my 16.5” 6.5CM. Getting closer to max load and these are my second reloads ever.

Going to try some 130gr ELD-M bullets next week and switch to Lapua brass. Curious if y’all had good luck with any lighter bullets like the 120gr ELDM or should I just be happy with my speed and use another rifle if I want something faster?

Didn’t plan on reloading, but I now see why most folks do it.

Switch to h4350

Varget never gave me speed in the 6.5

My 16.5” is running a 123 Scenar at 2840 over a mid range load. A ways below Max according to the hodgdon website load data for a 123.

I tried 6.5 Staball and 130s in a 22”.
Accurate, but not as fast as I was thinking I may get (2820 fps) . Gonna revisit that with H4350, was outta time.
Very accurate as well.
 
Switch to h4350

Varget never gave me speed in the 6.5

My 16.5” is running a 123 Scenar at 2840 over a mid range load. A ways below Max according to the hodgdon website load data for a 123.

I tried 6.5 Staball and 130s in a 22”.
Accurate, but not as fast as I was thinking I may get (2820 fps) . Gonna revisit that with H4350, was outta time.
Very accurate as well.
Are you using a can? Seems like I saw where someone here said that they liked 4350 but ended up with a giant fireball using it in their shorty. Could be wrong about that, or they could have been running a much hotter load.

I’ve got IMR 4064 and thought of trying it with the ELDM 130 gr. But didn’t see a load for that combo on Hodgdon or Hornady. But sounds like I just need to get some lighter bullets and H4350.
 
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Currently, my two most accurate rifles are 18" hunting rifles. Doing it all over again, I don't think I would hesitate to do 16.5 or even shorter since one of my actions is registered.

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Are you using a can? Seems like I saw where someone here said that they liked 4350 but ended up with a giant fireball using it in their shorty. Could be wrong about that, or they could have been running a much hotter load.

I’ve got IMR 4064 and thought of trying it with the ELDM 130 gr. But didn’t see a load for that combo on Hodgdon or Hornady. But sounds like I just need to get some lighter bullets and H4350.

Tested it both ways.

Dont remember a big fireball with just a brake
 
No

And I do load development inside.

Pretty dim just in front of the firing line.
Would for sure know if there was much if any.