light recoiling cartige for the old man!

[BountyHunter]

How about this.

Savage 16F left hand, 7mm-08 and weight is 6.5 lbs

In stainless and cost is right at $600 on gunbroker, so you might do better even.

FYI, I started my daughters at 10 yrs old on a 7-08 with 120 Btips with no issues. No need for a brake either.

BH

 

[liltank]

I looked at Savage and you can't order a left handed action from the sight. But if you were to call Savage directly they would more than likely sell you an action. Then I would look at Lothar Walther barrels or even the shilen barrels offered on midwayusa.com. I would look for the 6.5x47 Lapua and shoot 123grn bullets. That combo will be deadly to 500yrds on deer size game. To save on weight, cut the barrel between 20 to 24 inches. This will still provide enough velocity to do the job. Put it into a Manners light weight composite stock and there ya go. You won't need one of the bigger higher power scopes for ultra long range. I would look at something in the 3.5-10x range. A one inch tube scope will work wonders at that range. I have a 4.5x14x40 Nikon Buckmaster that would work perfectly in this configuration (scope not for sale, just a suggestion).

Tank

 

[bridgebuilder]

I agree with the 6.5x47 lapua its an awesome little round with very little recoil!

 

[FEENIX]

I agree with this, and would add 6.5x55 and .243 to the list of capable cartridges.

It's a cool thing what you're doing for your dad.

Another vote for the good ole 6.5x55 Swede ... and for what you're doing for your Dad. My Dad was not a hunter or a shooter ... I would have love to take him shooting/hunting before he passed away 3 years ago.

Good luck!

Ed

 

[WindRunner]

First, I want to acknowledge my respect for you and your desire to honor your father. You sound like the kind of fine man and good son that makes for a good friend too

You are definitely on the right track. I would suggest that the 6.5 mm bullets are far superior for this application due to their high BC for the light weight ( 130/140 ). The BC of a 6.5 mm 140 VLD is MUCH higher than the BC of a 7mm 140 VLD. The sectional density is also much higher, etc.

Any of the following would meet your criteria quite well:

260 REM,
6.5 Creedmoore
6.5x55 SE
6.5x47 Lapua

Lapua offers super fine brass and loaded ammo for 6.5x55 and 6.5x47.

The 6.5x47 Lapua running 130 VLDs is a sweet sounding rig. Super efficient, super long barrel life, very low recoil, great brass - PLUS IT'S COOL! Even old guys like COOL STUFF!

The 6.5 Creedmoore? Only one source of brass - not sure about it's staying power yet. It doesn't really do anything more that the other cartridges (except for 6.5x47L - case capacity, but in the field? not that big of a deal) but I like the cartridge design. If Lapua offered brass for it, this would be my choice, but alas...

Please update me on your final results - love this idea of yours.

-WindRunner

 

[hillsider69]

Shortish (20 inch) 1:8 twist 243 with a titanium sound moderator.

 

[Water-Man]

Tikka T3 Hunter in 6.5x55 SE. I'm 66 with shoulder and knee problems, hunt the East & West coasts for deer and elk and this rifle has done it all very well.

 

[Rip One]

Many good ones - but today my recommendation would be the 7mm-08 .. T/C Encore, Thumbhole stock, 22" barrel ..... trigger job.

 

[tuck2]

Im 75 years old and I will not take a 500 yard shot at anything. Think about what he will be doing ten years from now. At 62 years I could keep in shape ,by 65 I hurt my knee and could no longer run to keep in shape. I started reloading ammo in 1953 and nolonger feel like working with wildcat rounds. Over 60 years I have taken very few shots at mule deer , pronghorn or elk over 350 yards. There are rounds like the ,257 Roberts ,243 Win, 260 Rem, 6.5 Sweed and Creedmore and 7MM rounds that will work for up to 350 yards. You will be some what limited on getting a left hand bolt action but the ones available will be fine. I have a muzzle break on two of my rifles but dont like the muzzle blast. I have a Win Mdl 70 push feed 243 W that could use a new barrel. A barrel cost about $ 250 and $ 300 to have the action trued up and the barrel installed. Let us know you make up for your dad , there are a number of old men who wont to keep shooting ,but with a lower recoiling rifles.

 

[091979]

Great question. At 64 with the same issues your father has.... and a few more, my vote goes with the 7mm-08. I use it with an S&B scope with Darrell Holland's ART Reticle. Itwas my light rifle in Zimbabwe in July loaded with 140 Accubonds. I had 12 1 shot kills from 50 to 250 yards on baboons to kudu. No recoil to speak of and devastating on the animals. Darrell has used the 140's to take over 500 animals at some very long distances. I also used the same gun at Darrell"s Long Range School with168 SMK's. If I could read the darn wind.... 800 yard + hits were no problem. I will be adding one of Darrell's very effective muzzle brakes in the near future so my grandchildren can shoot PaPa's gun!!

 

[091979]

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f25/fs-left-hand-savage-110-action-stock-63447/

I just found this link. Might be a place to start you project.
C

 

[Rip One]

My friend Neptune with his Encore, thumbhole stock, 7mm-08, 22 inch barrel, trigger job. A smooth shooter with soft recoil .... watch the man with a single shot, he probably knows how to use it .................

 

[thunderstick1]

I have no knowledge of reloading and very little about ballistics; only what I read. But, I do have knowledge of being 60. I used to shoot a 30-06 bolt but decided I didn't want to shoot such a cannon so I downsized to a Remington 7 SS 260 and I love it. It's light, has little recoil and gets the job done. Of course the only things around here big enough to shoot are whitetails and black bears, no mulies or grizzlies. The 260 might be a tad light for western hunting. We don't often have to take long shots here in upstate NY. I also bought a Browning 7/08, also a lightweight rifle and perhaps better suited for your neck of the woods. Just my .02 from an old fart with a bad heart. The 260 and 7/08 are much more fun to shoot than the 06.

 

[FAL Shot]

The CZ 550 is available in .243 Win and 6.5x55mm Swede in left hand versions with a variety of stock options, and at a very reasonable cost for what you get. The nice thing about a CZ is that it's going to be a shooter out of the box and the Single Set Trigger means NO TRIGGER WORK necessary. I have a .204 Ruger and a .223 Rem in the model 527, and the triggers and accuracy are custom grade class. I would advise the composite stock to drop half a pound of weight and more stability in changing weather.

The Winchester Model 70 and Browning X-Bolt were other guns I liked. They both come with nice triggers, and I think the fit and finish are above Savage and worth the cost if you can swing it. The Winchester has smoothness of action that reminds me of Sako, but at a fraction of the cost. Mechanical precision is very high on both rifles, just like a CZ. I like Sako precision enough that I would take one over a Tikka if I could swing the cost. Browning over Remington if choosing a push feed action. A CZ will generally outshoot a Cooper or Kimber by a small amount at half the cost, according to some salesmen I know who own all three rifles. They say the only difference between a CZ and Anschutz rimfire for target work is the price.

Since moving to Montana where long shots are common, I am a CZ convert. My CZ 527 Kevlar Varmint in .223 Rem is a bit more accurate than a Ruger M77 MkII in 22-250 that I also used. Both had custom handloads. The CZ trigger is so much nicer that long range shooting is easy. Even my CZ 452 .22LR shoots MOA with CCI nonmatch hunting ammo.