Lightweight Elk Rifle Build

[Backcountry sports]

26" X-Caliber CF in a 7 Max. Grayboe Phoenix, Defiance anTi action and a Razor LHT. Shooting 140gr Badlands Precision at 3305.

Sits exactly at 8 lbs scoped with a brake and no bipod. This is a picture with my buddies can on it.....

I couldn't take it back to CA.

I use a cooper model 92 5 3/4 lbs with scope 7lbs 1 ounce

 

[Weatherby Fan]

That sounds like a nice rig, what kind of FPS are you getting with that 23" barrel? what bullet?

Sorry for the slow/late response, I'm shooting 160gr AB over 59.1grs of R26, 210M primers, Peterson Brass for 2940fps
It's been very accurate with that load but is plenty snappy with no brake, I have since put a Zeiss V4 4-16x44 on the rifle.

 

[Apex Custom Rifles]

I've finished my rifle. Didn't get many photos along the way due to the fact that I'm running out of time to get out and shoot it. Got the barrel spun up, and action bedded. Will try and get out today and shoot it with some factory ammo. I have a bunch of N568, Lapua brass and several types of bullets, but realized last night I don't have a shell holder for the PRC case. It finished up a hair over 8lbs with the scope mounted.

I see i didn't get all the filler removed from the front lug bedding area in this photo. One thing about the defiance anti actions is they have a hollowed out lug. This requires filling prior to beddeding.

 

[Apex Custom Rifles]

Got out to shoot it today. While I have everything to reload and tune, I don't have the time. Ill still try this week to create a load, but the 212 factory eldx shoots pretty good. Not crazy about the bullet, but if I can place a good shot or two, life will be good. I'll have time to tune it later too.

Took my backup rifle with today too that wasn't shooting well, and I never found a load for it after building it. Loaded H1000, and 180 ttsx and it shoots better than the full custom.

300 PRC shot 0.400" 3 shot at 100, and my 308 Norma improved shot 0.328" 3 shot group.

I have one maybe two more range sessions before I leave so I can fine tune my Norma, and hopefully find a great shooting handload for the PRC.

 

[zr600]

Nice rifle looks good. I have my rifle built on a Remington 700 trued, trigger tech primary, did a Wyatt's box bdl, used the Mesa altitude stock also. I used a criterion prefit remage barrel 26" magnum profile 1.8 twist in 7mag, had it cerakoted, Hawkins break put on it too. This gun shoots very well. 180 bergers over retumbo with adg brass at 2950. For a scope I have a 4-16x50 Trijicon accu power on it. Have been thinking about the Leica amplus 6 3-18.

 

[COBrad]

Nice rifle looks good. I have my rifle built on a Remington 700 trued, trigger tech primary, did a Wyatt's box bdl, used the Mesa altitude stock also. I used a criterion prefit remage barrel 26" magnum profile 1.8 twist in 7mag, had it cerakoted, Hawkins break put on it too. This gun shoots very well. 180 bergers over retumbo with adg brass at 2950. For a scope I have a 4-16x50 Trijicon accu power on it. Have been thinking about the Leica amplus 6 3-18.

I had a rifle very similar to this built. Heavier components, but similar velocity with that bullet. Extremely accurate gun, took marmots to 1402 yards and an elk at 1098. A current switch barrel I just received will weigh about like yours, a good long range rifle that doesn't weigh a ton.

 

[zr600]

I forgot I believe the way it is currently outfitted it weights 8.5-9 lbs with a short brood sling and 4 rounds 3 in mag one in chamber.

 

[COBrad]

I forgot I believe the way it is currently outfitted it weights 8.5-9 lbs with a short brood sling and 4 rounds 3 in mag one in chamber.

My earlier rifle had a Bat action and 28" Kreiger 17 taper barrel. 14 lb gun. My current one weighs 11 lbs with a NF atacr. Heavier than I'm going to pack around for a week but light enough for getting into position for shooting across a few canyons where I hunt. Shots there are in the 600-1200 yard range.

 

[Apex Custom Rifles]

This is my backup rifle that I built about 10 years ago and never really shot it till this past few weeks. It's a 1914 enfield with an old (what I believe) was a Douglas blank, cottonwood stock, Timney trigger and some other upgrades. This is chambered in a 308 Norma improved with the belt turned off. I just milled out 8 oz out of the stock a few weeks ago, and installed a hollowed out bolt handle on it. Still weights 9 lbs.

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

Tikka T3
Standard poly bottom metal
AG alpine hunter
Caliber of choice
Carbon barrel of choice
Scope: Maven RS1

 

[Slick8]

I'm building a very similar rifle.

AnTi action w/ 20 moa rail
7 SAUM with a .195 throat for 180 vlds.
AG stock in the APR design
CF barrel 1:8, 20 inches and .750 at the muzzle running a TB Ultra 7
VX6-HD 3-18x44 in Hawkins rings.

The chamber will be cut to run the 180's out long.

I'd stick with the VX5. I don't see where the NF offers any advantage over the VX5.

Well it took longer than expected due to issues with barrel delivery but I picked it up last week.

Minimum load work to say the least and 4 different loads went 1.75-1.25 at 300 yards.

Below is shots 7-9 with 10 ringing center of the 6 inch gong at 300.

It's going to be the back up to my 30 nosler in elk camp starting Saturday and will be on WT and hog duty afterwards.

 

[Apex Custom Rifles]

My brother and I got out to MT for opening week of Elk hunting. Long story short, my brother shot a decent bull day 1 with his A-bolt 7 RM at 350 yards. We were back 5 miles on foot so 15 miles later, we got his bull out in 2 trips. Went out Sunday afternoon and started raining hard and windy and COLD. We sat most of Monday out, got going Tuesday morning fairly early back to the same area. It just snowed the night before so glassing was much easier and the weather was decent. At about 1:30, I had my chance at a decent bull at 350 yards. Nice broadside shot. 2 decent bulls in 4 days, win win.

I was fairly set on making up a load for my newly built rifle but only had about a week or two to dial it in and a couple range sessions to shoot it. I loaded up 200 gr ELDX, Lapua brass, N568, and FLRM GGM. I hit a node at the lower end of 2770 fps with a fairly full case. I think with a heavier bullet, I would probably get better performance and more speed with the N568. I have plenty of time to test it now, but at 350 yards with the 200's, it blew right through the elk. This was my first elk hunt and even though I made this rifle almost as light as possible, another pound or two less at times would have been nice. I pushed through though and the 4 months of working out and training definitely helped. I'll do more next time though! All in all a success and the rifle performed as expected.
Snowy pic of me, the other of my brother.

 

[Lenwood901]

Nice elk is that with the 300 prc

 

[Apex Custom Rifles]

Nice elk is that with the 300 prc

Yes