Is the sig cross the best budget backpacking rifle?

[ducky]

MDT LSS or XLR Atom chassis, add a folder, 16 or 18" barrel at whatever thickness you want. I helped a buddy with his 308 cross and I hated the folder. it was clunky and rattled slightly. but I have 3 MDT folders and love them. either way, I helped my dad put together a 16" 6CM in a XLR Atom chassis, no folder, lightweight Leupold scope and a brake. the thing is so small and is awesome as a truck gun.

How light did these rifles actually turn out?

 

[FEENIX]

I use one of these:
Slik Sling V3

The rifle's weight rides on your hips. It's fast to deploy your rifle as well. It allows you to run a heavier rifle and not whine like a weight weenier. You can take your pack off with it attached. Works when you're packing game out as well. Folding stocks aren't needed when you have this setup.

This is a much cheaper option. Even if you really want a new rifle (I mean, who doesn't) I'd still recommend this sling.

It's definitely an alternative. I have been using Kifaru universal gunbearer for over 10 years now.

 

[med358-boise]

I try to be a minimalist (dictated by a 1125 sq ft house and 1 car garage - but hey in a very cool neighborhood, it literally limits the number of accessories and gear can I have given all my hobbies ). I use the Specialty Products Sling and (as mentioned earlier) put a $3 drawer pull and couple of washers and attach it to my pack shoulder strap. If it's difficult terrain, I will slip the double strap over my head for extra security until I transit the more difficult terrain.

Ultimate Gun Slings | Specialty Outdoor Products

 

[remingtonman]

When I put in miles from the truck, I usually want the lightest rifle that I have.

I don't usually strap my rifle on the pack. I usually have it either on the sling or in my hands.
I'm hunting going in and going out.
Otherwise it's there for my protection.
Yeah, I know I have a pistol in close reach, but it's not the same as a rifle.

My favorite for going long distances was the NULA 24B in 280 Rem that I used to own.
5.5lb bare. Right about 7lb with scope and nylon sling.
I should never have sold that rifle!!

Now my most grabbed rifle for putting miles on is my Stevens 200 in 7mm-08AI.
Not the lightest that I own, but I shoot it ALOT (1,000+ rounds a year) so I'm comfortable with the ballistics.
And the 22" barrel is easier to maneuver than the 26" barrel on my Weatherby Mark V Weathermark LT in 7mm Weatherby Magnum.

Any pictures of your stevens 7mm-08 AI? Do you have the factory barrel reamed to 7mm-08? Great round I have a savage 10 7mm-08 and love it. I'm thinking about getting it AI'd next

 

[std7mag]

Any pictures of your stevens 7mm-08 AI? Do you have the factory barrel reamed to 7mm-08? Great round I have a savage 10 7mm-08 and love it. I'm thinking about getting it AI'd next

The picture is from my first 600 yard F-Open match.

22" factory sporter barrel that I reamed to AI.
EGW 20MOA base
Vortex Viper rings
Sightron STAC 4-20X56

PPU (PVRI Partizan) brass
Fed 210M
Alliant Power Pro 2000MR
140gr Berger VLD
2,832fps
ES-6, SD-2

I only gained about 50fps over standard 7mm-08, but they look cool at band camp.

 

[Lorne778]

So many options for backpacking rifles these days. Anything in the 8.5lb mark seems to be the sweet spot for pack ability and recoil.

 

[Devnod22]

Considering a sig cross chambered in 6.5 creed as my backpacking deer hunting rifle. The folding butt stock, semi lightweight design, and short overall length has my attention. But is it worth it? My current set up is a 6.5prc. It's 11.2lbs all set with optic, bipod, ammo, and can. I want something a little lighter and easier on riding on the pack. The longest shot I'd ever take would be 600 yards and I figure hand loads would get me there pretty easily with the sig. Who has one in the 6.5? What does it weigh all set up?
Do you like it? Any other recommendations for lightweight backpacking deer rifles under the $1500 mark would be appreciated as well.
Cheers

Get it and don't look back. I have one and it shoots like a dream, I have an older Vortex on it but I do 5" plates at 500 yards pretty regularly at the range. MV with a suppressor using factory hornady 140 ELD-M is right at 2520. It's got more than enough oomph to put down a white tail at those ranges especially with good hunting rounds. It's easy to swap barrels in too so you can always go to one of the proof 22", keep pretty close to the same weight, and pick up some velocity. You'll need a good barrel vice to do it though as that barrel nut can be a pain. She is picky, 140 ELD-M and 143 ELD-X are great and sub-MOA, 147 ELD-M and she kinda falls apart. The factory barrel seems to be pretty tough too, I've got just over 1500 rounds through mine and no fire-cracking and minimal land errosion so far. It does have an obnoxiously long throat, unless you individualy load each round you'll be stuck at max magazine length for hand loads. For hunting within those ranges you'll be plenty solid with factory options so I wouldn't even sweat it that much. With a magpul bipod, scope, suppressor and single piece optic mount I'm right at 9.5 lbs. You could certainly get it lighter with titanium rings, no suppressor and a lighter scope. First thing you need to do though is take off that stock and put some loctite on the mounting screw, it will work loose over time while shooting. Other option is get a barrelled howa action and a screech owl 1500 chassis. You'd be able to get the howa m1500 superlite for around 500 bucks as of this writing and the screech owl for another 750-ish with the telescoping stock. That's brownells for the barrelled action and JTAC Industries for the chassis. Hope that helps!