Rifle Build for Backpacking

Im going down a similar path right now. I am trying to talk myself out of building off of the new ti-x short action from defiance, featherweight barrel, peak 44 blacktooth, nightforce nxs 2.5x10 along with the other goodies ( dbm , trigger etc.).

The way I have it on my spreadsheet this will come out to under 7 pounds and when I get sick of the carbon fiber stock looking ugly I can be right at nine pounds in a beautiful wood stock. Only Hangup is that a tikka action saves 800 ish dollars and only weighs 11 ounces more if I remember correctly. That makes it an expensive 11 ounces!!!

Fenix Outdoors said:

My 16.5 and 18" 6mm Creedmoor shooting the nosering DTAC 115

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How fast you moving 115s from the short barrels? What minimum velocity threshold have you found the dtac nose ring to become too inconsistent on terminal performance?

@DirtNap35, Hnt 26 is only advantageous if you get the folder for packing, and let's face it, arca is great, so now you're looking at 31oz. A manners pro hunter and McMillan Mtn tracker are 27-28oz and are more rigid and shooter friendly. Scopes that I love, the Triji Tenmile 3-18x44 ffp mil. 24oz and they're bomb proof. I think a 6mm or 25 cal would give you best recoil control, whether it be creed or short mag.

highdrum said:

How fast you moving 115s from the short barrels? What minimum velocity threshold have you found the dtac nose ring to become too inconsistent on terminal performance?

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We don't have the sample size that Form on Rokslide has every year, but 2950 fps with the DTACS from the suppressed 16.5" 6SAUM, and I think 2800 fps from my brother's 18" 6 Creedmoor. I call and order my DTACS with a deeper cut than the ones sold on their site, so we've seen excellent performance at 1700 fps impact velocities on elk. If we weren't using the deeper cut NRs, I wouldn't venture below 2000 fps. But once the DTACS are gone, we're all going back to the 108 and 109 ELD-Ms, they have been flawless killers at 1700+ impact velocities for both deer and elk at distance with consistent repeatable accuracy.

@highdrum I went ahead and ordered Hnt26, wanted to put my hands on one. Well it just arrived last night. Gotta say I don't love it, LOP is incredibly short. The heel also seems to be about 3/4" below barrel line which I'm not excited about. It might be going up for sale. I have 300 win mag I might put it on real quick to test before I commit to a full build.

DirtNap35 said:

@highdrum I went ahead and ordered Hnt26, wanted to put my hands on one. Well it just arrived last night. Gotta say I don't love it, LOP is incredibly short. The heel also seems to be about 3/4" below barrel line which I'm not excited about. It might be going up for sale. I have 300 win mag I might put it on real quick to test before I commit to a full build.

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Lop is adjustable with spacers, you can get a negative cheek by manipulating the alignment to bore of cheek piece. If you install the adjustable height butt pad, you can get the heel up. It ****es me off when a $1500 chassis needs another 500$ spent to get a vertical grip and proper butt pad height.

DirtNap35 said:

@highdrum I went ahead and ordered Hnt26, wanted to put my hands on one. Well it just arrived last night. Gotta say I don't love it, LOP is incredibly short. The heel also seems to be about 3/4" below barrel line which I'm not excited about. It might be going up for sale. I have 300 win mag I might put it on real quick to test before I commit to a full build.

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I would try the XLR Element 4.0 Magnesium with the folder, we've had great success with them

Fenix Outdoors said:

For sure. And definitely take @Elk Hunter 338 fishing, he's also a master baiter. Ain't at right D?

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I do luv rippin lips!!

@Fenix Outdoors picked it up today. Taking it out Sunday, hoping it lives up to the hype. Some pretty bold claims by TBAC.

Interested to see what your results are with that suppressor.

Hoping for a miracle

I've read by guys who've tested the RR brakes, you get the best muzzle rise control by orientating the brake ports at 12 and 6, VS 3 and 9. However in the prone position it will generate some debris. The guys running it 12 and 6 are mainly comp shooters who rarely are prone.

Pierce skeleti, manners u.c., bartlein #4 carbon at 18, hawkins direct mount rings and dbm, trigger of your choice in 300 or 7 wsm (brass wrapper doesn't matter to me but the general class rifle). Honestly any of the light weight actions in any of the carbon wonder stocks with a reasonable floor plate with a light contour steel or carbon barrel is gonna hit near or at the 6 lbd mark sans scope.

Bears up here were angry this year, doesn't matter what part of this big old state folks had bad interactions with bears. Reality is a as time goes on bears are getting more and more acclimated to a gunshot dinner bell. Trend is definitely that direction with some brutal and fatal examples this year.

As such while caribou and black tail are pretty easy kills, it's nice to pack a bit more wallop if the need arises to interface with a bear. Myself, I'm going back to a 300 wsm for my shorty all round rifle that's light weight. Been a couple years since a bad black tail hunting experience with a bear, but had two friends this fall with close calls. Both are going up in power and bore diameter for next year. Guys shooting hot 6 and 6.5s are moving to short mag 7 and 300s, just to have a heavy for caliber partition or a frame in the chamber for after the game harvest.