Can light weight and long range go together?

[TOM H]

First post here, I've visited several times over the years but finally decided to register and start learning. A few years back I built a .243 Win on a Stevens 200 with a 7 twist 26" heavy varmint barrel. I pushed the rifle to 600 yards but never had a chance to take it further. I really enjoyed shooting that rifle, but it was too heavy IMO to carry hunting as it weighed nearly 12 lbs.

My goal is no heavier than 8.5 lbs now for my next .243 Win or 6mm CM and that's all up without bipod. Right now I have a second hand B&C Mountain ADL stock and a M700 SA. I'm thinking a remmtn24 contour from Lilja chambered with minimal/no shank and 22" length in an 8 twist. So I'm kind of stuck here so how do I finish this rifle off and make my weight goals?

I'll be mainly shooting 105 grain Berger and Amax bullets possibly some 115 DTACS as I still have a few hundred of them. So one of my main questions is will I be happy with the factory magazine box or should I get the Wyatt's? I'm thinking if I go CM the magazine box won't matter as much.

The scope I'm wanting to use is the MIL/MIL Bushnell Elite LRHS 3-12X44 so that adds nearly 25 ounces without mounts. I'm not against changing up things to meet my weight goals. I have several rifles that I've built that met my weight goals but I've never used a scope that heavy nor built a longish range medium game rifle.

Didn't you just finish deal on 24hr, correcting weight on 243 MRC X2 that was a group buy?

MRC group buy #2, first impressions and disappointments! | Hunting Rifles | 24hourcampfire

 

[ducky]

If you call correcting the weight getting a full refund from Whittaker's for the rifle, then yes I corrected the weight. I had pretty much paid for the rifle in full before I broke my leg, so that was the only reason I didn't back out of the group buy after my accident. I scrapped my .243 build when Whittaker's offered up the group buy so now I'm back to my original build. The only difference is the money I spent on the rifle now has to go towards medical bills and living expenses, or I'm going to have one grumpy wife.

 

[Marine24]

Does rifles like Christensen or Proof Research make lightweight and long range more feasible?

Looked at a Christensen Arms Ridgeline in 22-250 as a possible long range varmint rifle and it was light compared the the Cooper 22 VL that I'm also considering.

 

[TOM H]

If you call correcting the weight getting a full refund from Whittaker's for the rifle, then yes I corrected the weight. I had pretty much paid for the rifle in full before I broke my leg, so that was the only reason I didn't back out of the group buy after my accident. I scrapped my .243 build when Whittaker's offered up the group buy so now I'm back to my original build. The only difference is the money I spent on the rifle now has to go towards medical bills and living expenses, or I'm going to have one grumpy wife.

Only reason I posted what was on 24hr and I know your question here was about 12lb 243. I'm not sure how it would of effected answers you got about going lighter but it might have help if posters here knew about the other 243 you owned.

 

[WHITEBULL]

I have a Tikka T3 in .243, shoots very well. 7.4 lbs with rings and Vortex 3x12 scope. Shoots well even when hot. A 6.5 CM with this platform would be ideal if LR is your thing.
I love this gun, smooth action, never lets me down.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Not sure exactly what you're looking for, but this might help?

A few years ago, I built something very similar to what you are describing. It's a blueprinted Rem 700 BDL action, with a 26" sendero contour barrel chambered in .30-06 AI, and bedded and floated into a Bell & Carlson Medalist Classic stock. It is topped with an aluminum DNZ 1-piece Game Reaper mount, and a Kahles Helia KX 3.5-10x50 4D reticle scope. Not sure on exact weight, but it is around 10 lbs.

It is light enough to pack, but is capable of long range.

 

[ducky]

Only reason I posted what was on 24hr and I know your question here was about 12lb 243. I'm not sure how it would of effected answers you got about going lighter but it might have help if posters here knew about the other 243 you owned.

My question here was never about a 12lbs .243 Win, I simply stated that I had previously built one on a Savage action that weighed 12lbs. My question here is how to get to preferably 8lbs (but not over 8.5lbs) all up and still have a viable medium to long range .243 Win. I don't see how telling them about a rifle I never shot, because it wasn't what I ordered or expected is relevant to the discussion. That was a can of worms I didn't want to open again.

 

[ducky]

I have a Tikka T3 in .243, shoots very well. 7.4 lbs with rings and Vortex 3x12 scope. Shoots well even when hot. A 6.5 CM with this platform would be ideal if LR is your thing.
I love this gun, smooth action, never lets me down.

I've been looking at the CTR in .260 Rem, but I'm not going to retube a Tikka to 6.5 CM when they offer a decent 6.5 already.

 

[ShootnMathews]

A 8 - 8.5 lb med range 243 is certainly doable. One of my favorite hunting guns is a Marlin XS7 in 243 Win. It has a pencil thin 1:10 twist 20" button rifled factory barrel. It will not stabilize 95 grain vld bullets but it shoots 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips at 1/2 moa at 2886 fps. I have not shot it at 600 yards but I have shot it A LOT at 500 yards.2" - 2.5" 3 shot groups at 500 yards. I've shot 10 shot groups of 3.5" at 500 yards while walking around, laid prone and take a shot, wait a bit to cool some, lay down and shoot again. I've shot good groups at 750 with it too. 4 - 4.5". Energy wise about 550 - 600 would be my max range for deer.

So, YES, you can build a light weight 243 for 600 yards. I like my Marlin. Does great for me. Many other brands will work too. By the way. Mine weighs 8.5 lbs with a 6-18 X 40 scope. So with a 3-9 or 4-10 power scope you'd prob be sitting around 8 lb.

Good luck.

 

[KillerBee]

The answer to your question is absolutely!

Here are two of mine. The first is a Browning Mountain Ti 300 WSM 7 lbs. 2 oz. with the scope. My newest addition is a Weatherby Ultra Lightweight 300 Win Mag 8 lbs. 4 oz. with the scope.

Both are topped with a Huskemaw 5-20x50 Blue Diamond. I have not shot the Weatherby yet because I bought it this year as a Christmas present to myself. But I can tell you this, I feel sorry for the moose or elk that is within a 1000 yards from me. )

Sorry to see your leg man, that looks HORRIBLE!!!

 

[ducky]

Nice rifles Killer Bee!

 

[KillerBee]

Thanks ducky gun)

 

[ducky]

This is currently my lightest weight rifle wearing currently a 2.5-8X36 Leupold. Could probably push this one out further if I change the scope and handload for it. Right now I'm pretty comfortable to 350+ yards with the current set up.

Some days I shoot better but this is about average of what I can do with the rifle. This was the first loads I ever tried in it when I didn't have time to reload before hunting seasons. Never connected with the rifle at that time and then started a new job and it's kind of set in the back and I went back to carrying my slightly heavier .270 M70 EW in a M70 FWT Edge stock.