i am wanting to build a light gun to pack in with. i plan to do a abs barrel and lone wolf stock. so my question is about a action. i know most people use model 700's. what about using a custom action ? are they made light enough? or is the 700 still the way to go? also i am planning this to be a short action. thanks for the help
light weight action
- Thread starter 450matt
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
NuttyLemur
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2010
- Messages
- 49
I just built the same gun, unfortunatly i dont have it back yet. I used a Stiller tac300 action, but if you are looking for ultimate lightweight you would have to get a remington 700 titanium short action. I dont know of anything lighter than that. i think browning and wichester both make or made a titanium action, so that may also be an option.
I have had the remington style safety levers rub off on my pack while walking. I would personally build on a browning TI action with the slide safety, or winchester with the 3 position. The browning would likely be lighter. My mountain gun is a browning A-bolt 270WSM with a Bell & Carlson ultralight stock with the aluminum block, leupold rings & bases, and Leupold VX3 4.5x14. It weighs just under 8lbs with ammo & sling ready to hunt. The TI action would drop that weight considerably.
partisan1911
Well-Known Member
Comparing the REM700 stainless action versus the titanium action I believe you are only saving 2 ounces (might be incorrect)? Those two ounces are going to cost about $400 an ounce. Some gunsmiths won't work on titanium actions without charging more because it is harder on the cutting equipment. I guess it just depends on how deep your wallet is. Ounces make pounds but I prefer to go with the stainless action and spend the money upgrading elswhere to drop the weight. I think the custom actions are going to weigh a little more than the REM700 but if you talk to a gunsmith that specializes in lightweight customs they can tell you the weight saving for each action off the top of thier head.
I have two lightweight builds. One is a 7WSM for a walkaround the woods type rifle and the other is a 338 lapua I built for mountain hunting. The 7WSM weighs at 5lbs with scope and ammo. The 338L weighs 9lbs with scope and ammo. Some people will say that my 338 would be too brutal on the shoulder to shoot effectively or that it would be too light to take shots that the cartridge is built for. I will say otherwise. In the mountains where I hunt the wind can tell whether or not to take the shot. The 338L bucks the wind alot better than smaller more conventional lightweight rifles and in my opinion wind is the toughest factor when hunting in the mountains. I can keep my shot group at 4-5" at 600 yards. That is as far as I expect to shoot. Typically if you miss in the mountains you have judged something so wrong you will completely miss the animal. If that is the case you can re-evalute your dope and still have time to reaquire the target. The animal doesn't know where the shot came from and you have a whole mountain to observe.
At any rate the rifles work for me, not for all. Gunsmiths are great sources of information since it is thier job. If they don't want to spend time discussing it with you they probably don't want your work anyhow.
I have two lightweight builds. One is a 7WSM for a walkaround the woods type rifle and the other is a 338 lapua I built for mountain hunting. The 7WSM weighs at 5lbs with scope and ammo. The 338L weighs 9lbs with scope and ammo. Some people will say that my 338 would be too brutal on the shoulder to shoot effectively or that it would be too light to take shots that the cartridge is built for. I will say otherwise. In the mountains where I hunt the wind can tell whether or not to take the shot. The 338L bucks the wind alot better than smaller more conventional lightweight rifles and in my opinion wind is the toughest factor when hunting in the mountains. I can keep my shot group at 4-5" at 600 yards. That is as far as I expect to shoot. Typically if you miss in the mountains you have judged something so wrong you will completely miss the animal. If that is the case you can re-evalute your dope and still have time to reaquire the target. The animal doesn't know where the shot came from and you have a whole mountain to observe.
At any rate the rifles work for me, not for all. Gunsmiths are great sources of information since it is thier job. If they don't want to spend time discussing it with you they probably don't want your work anyhow.
NuttyLemur
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2010
- Messages
- 49
sorry to kidnap this thread. what was your build to get to 5lbs?
and also, the extra hundreds of dollars for the titanium was part of the reason i didnt go with one on my build. up to 1200 for just the action, then it still "needs" blueprinting. I bought a stiller action, didnt cost me a fortune, and needs a lot less prep-work. that all being said, if you want to save the weight, and you already spent the money on the hugely expensive ABS barrel, and the high priced lonewolf stock, i say go for broke and pick up a titanium action!
and also, the extra hundreds of dollars for the titanium was part of the reason i didnt go with one on my build. up to 1200 for just the action, then it still "needs" blueprinting. I bought a stiller action, didnt cost me a fortune, and needs a lot less prep-work. that all being said, if you want to save the weight, and you already spent the money on the hugely expensive ABS barrel, and the high priced lonewolf stock, i say go for broke and pick up a titanium action!
partisan1911
Well-Known Member
If money is no object then titanium action is the way to go. It helps to already have the action otherwise I would look at a borden action. I am not sure what the lightest custom action is?
My rifle is a blueprinted titanium action that has been skeletonized. MPI stock that is ugly as sin that has been carved into and had the forend shortened in order remove even more weight than I thought. Pencil thin barrel that is good to about three well placed shots before it MUST cool down. All the other metal has been shaved, blind box magazine, no rear sling stud. Then of course a light scope and talley rings to top it off. Overall it is not as refined as others I have seen but it serves my purposes.
Here is a pretty neat link I found a while back. http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/1252702/1
My rifle is a blueprinted titanium action that has been skeletonized. MPI stock that is ugly as sin that has been carved into and had the forend shortened in order remove even more weight than I thought. Pencil thin barrel that is good to about three well placed shots before it MUST cool down. All the other metal has been shaved, blind box magazine, no rear sling stud. Then of course a light scope and talley rings to top it off. Overall it is not as refined as others I have seen but it serves my purposes.
Here is a pretty neat link I found a while back. http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/1252702/1
Last edited:
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
Doesn't Kimber make a model 84 that weighs about 5 lbs right out of the box? Accuracy is reportedly very good on the 84's.
Just a thought
Just a thought
Found a really cool page at Brown Precision with weights of different actions and components.
Selecting Components for Lightweight Mountain Rifle from Brown Precision, Inc.
The Remington 700 TI actions aren't listed does anyone know the exact weights of the 700 TI actions?
Selecting Components for Lightweight Mountain Rifle from Brown Precision, Inc.
The Remington 700 TI actions aren't listed does anyone know the exact weights of the 700 TI actions?
mo
Well-Known Member
I have a Brown stock with kevlar and graphite added. If remember right it weighs 1 3/4 pounds. http://brownprecision.com/ThumbholeStocks.asp
