Bucklowery
Well-Known Member
Make sure it has a folding stock if gonna be in the thick brush
Thanks
Buck
Thanks
Buck
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Rifle Build for Backpacking
- Thread starter DirtNap35
- Start date
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DirtNap35
Well-Known Member
with a NX8 (28 oz), Magnus (15 oz), and 2 pound barrel I'm estimating complete rifle 7.6 pounds. If I need I can run a different suppressor to get weight done. I want finished weight to be around 7.5 pounds or less.
Is your goal hunt-ready weight, including a sling and bipod, loaded with ammo, etc.? That's a tall order with a suppressor.
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Will.284
Well-Known Member
I had a hard time deciding on caliber when I built my 7 prc, short actions cycle faster with less recoil usually but for elk and large critters at extended ranges ( which you will definitely get in Alaska) I wanted more punch , don't forget big bears up there to. I built a savage 116 from .338 win mag to 7 prc 22 inch carbon barrel, pure precision carbon stock , Burris signature hd glass , haven't weighed it yet but it's light and very accurate, I probably have the most expensive Savage in central Mt
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Yep, especially when AK moose is in the mix. "My" absolute minimum is .300 Win loaded with a 200g+ bullet, but that's just me.
med358-boise
Well-Known Member
I have the Howa Superlite with a Suppressor and Leupold 4.5-14 on it in 308. Weighs in at 6lbs 12 ounces after I added 4 ounces into the rear of the stock.
Several thoughts come to mind on an endeavor like this:
1. There are no solutions, only tradeoffs
2. Select a cartridge that will work in more than just the best circumstances
3. If this is really a backpack hunting (meaning you are carrying your camp on your back into the area) rifle a few more ounces of rifle weight aren't going to matter.
4. While many cartridges are capable of killing at 800 yards, most shooters do not practice enough in the wind to reliably hit targets at 800 yards.
5. Build a rifle for 90% of the scenarios, not 10% of the scenarios.
Most things can be accomplished with enough money but consider the totality of your requirements in general terms - A suppressed rifle, chambered in a cartridge that can reliably kill elk sized game at 800 yards, that has a scope that is likely 14ish magnification, 30mm or more tube, likely dial capability and side focus, weighing ~7.5lbs that is comfortable enough to shoot that you can practice enough with to hit a ~10-12 inch target ~8 out of 10 times.
All of that being said - you are most likely looking at 270 to 308 pushing 140-175grain bullet in 2800ish range.
If I hade to pick one cartridge, it would be the 284 win.
Several thoughts come to mind on an endeavor like this:
1. There are no solutions, only tradeoffs
2. Select a cartridge that will work in more than just the best circumstances
3. If this is really a backpack hunting (meaning you are carrying your camp on your back into the area) rifle a few more ounces of rifle weight aren't going to matter.
4. While many cartridges are capable of killing at 800 yards, most shooters do not practice enough in the wind to reliably hit targets at 800 yards.
5. Build a rifle for 90% of the scenarios, not 10% of the scenarios.
Most things can be accomplished with enough money but consider the totality of your requirements in general terms - A suppressed rifle, chambered in a cartridge that can reliably kill elk sized game at 800 yards, that has a scope that is likely 14ish magnification, 30mm or more tube, likely dial capability and side focus, weighing ~7.5lbs that is comfortable enough to shoot that you can practice enough with to hit a ~10-12 inch target ~8 out of 10 times.
All of that being said - you are most likely looking at 270 to 308 pushing 140-175grain bullet in 2800ish range.
If I hade to pick one cartridge, it would be the 284 win.
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To add to what you have said. If carrying your camp on your back into an area along with your rifle. Weight can be cut in the camp gear sometimes easier than cutting weight on the rifle
300 WSM or a 270 WSM on a long action. The 6.8 Western maybe as well. I just built a 270WSM (ADG Brass now available) on a long action with a total of .200 Freebore and it's been fantastic so far to shoot and load for. A 300WSM on a long action with adding to the freebore and using ADG brass is hard to pass up though, and having a huge selection of projectiles to choose from is a big benefit.
Brake it also! Moose and Elk equal more horsepower needed at that longer distance you mention. Some of the lighter weight mono projectiles can help with recoil reduction while keeping up the BC since you mention spotting your own shots. I'm running a 128 McGuire Ballistics over 3200 FPS from my 270WSM out of a 22" barrel. This bullet still has a .580 BC and being light you can keep velocity up while having a bullet that really stays together and penetrates deep.
Brake it also! Moose and Elk equal more horsepower needed at that longer distance you mention. Some of the lighter weight mono projectiles can help with recoil reduction while keeping up the BC since you mention spotting your own shots. I'm running a 128 McGuire Ballistics over 3200 FPS from my 270WSM out of a 22" barrel. This bullet still has a .580 BC and being light you can keep velocity up while having a bullet that really stays together and penetrates deep.
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med358-boise
Well-Known Member
If I was doing this on a budget, I would get a Tikka T3X lite in 270 winchester or 30-06 and have the barrel cut and threaded at 21 inches and put a 5 in suppressor on it.
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quandary
Well-Known Member
For your application if it were me I'd go minimum 7PRC or 7 Rem Mag. For my 7PRC and 300PRC I use BAT Vampire actions. These actions are made of aluminum with a SS insert for the chamber area. The actions are very stiff, very accurate and very light. This would work if you want something different than titanium. I also have a 6.5PRC built with a Lone Peak titanium action, it is also very, very nice. The 7PRC and 300PRC both have 22" Carbon6 barrels and are mounted in Manners PH stocks. I also have a XLR 4.0 Element magnesium folder chassis that I can use to run the 7 and 300 in. None of these combination are close to 5-6 pounds bare. They are more in the 7 to 8 pound region.
My son has a HNT-26 for his 7PRC rig, it is a very sweet stock, he loves it.
My son has a HNT-26 for his 7PRC rig, it is a very sweet stock, he loves it.
DirtNap35
Well-Known Member
I should add I have the following cartridges already…6.5 PRC, 7 PRC, 300 wm, 300 NMI, 338 reaper. All these are 9 pounds plus
DirtNap35
Well-Known Member
What's the pros and cons to a chassis like a hnt26 vs traditional stock?
