Lightweight Rifle Build

[Apex Custom Rifles]

The previous post is spot on for parts. You can always do an ADL style to lose a few extra oz too. And talley style one piece ring/base combo.

You'll need a brake and slow your load development down. Thats the one big downside of building lightweights is you have to take your time shooting. Get a barrel cooler. Well worth it to save time.

After you have a load worked up, you only need maybe 2 shots on game.

 

[BrentM]

You can likely get 2900 plus out of a 156 and a Sherman or prc si and an 18". My 18" prc runs 2815 with a 156. I run carbons on all my hunters for the weight vs strength and I hate the look of a pencil barrel. Also, a pencil barrel is difficult to get a good mb attached for recoil management and spotting shots if hunting solo. Weight is an issue of diminishing returns and not typical of a long range hunter for many reasons but I cannot see why a person needs a rilfe capable of accuracy with strings of fire so moot point i suppose. First shot and potential follow up are it.

I would target you light rifle of choice and save the weight on an ultra light optic like a 3-10x40, pull your range in a bit, and call it good.

 

[Kimber7man]

You'll be close with that list, I got my 6.5 PRC down to 6 lbs 1 oz with most of the same components:
Templar/Defiance anTi with 20MOA rail
Manners UC+, 1/2" lightweight pad, bedded, 2 sling studs
Bartlein #4 CFW 20" threaded
Hawkins hunter M5 DBM and 3 round mag
TT special

 

[Kimber7man]

For more reference, all up with TBAC CB and Ultra 7, Harris bipod, Klassik 3-12x42 scope, 3 rounds and sling I'm at 9 lbs 11 oz.

 

[woodsman1991]

Could always go the traditional route... Lightweight 700 action, 20-22 inch barrel, 284 Winchester. That worked pretty dang well for the NULA rifles and I don't see why it won't work today?

 

[mtank]

I have been looking at two different builds for later this year. I'm wanting to build a lighter braked 6mm creed for my daughters to shoot when ready & a 6.5 prc. Once I started pricing everything like I wanted I was at roughly $3200. For that price I can have another Ridgeline or a Seekins havak & pretty decent glass that will shoot just as well maybe even better than a custom I would build. The 6.5 prc CA ridgeline I sold had a AG alpine hunter a vx5 3x15x56 & weighed 8.2lbs ready to hunt. My 7prc ridgeline weighs about 8.6 ready to hunt with the same scope. I am still breaking it in but it's showing that it'll be a shooter as well. It will be getting a AG stock as well.

 

[esshup]

You can't fight physics. You will just have to deal with the 3-5 shots at a time from the bench with the lightweight barrel. You can't dissipate the heat fast enough so the only option you have is a barrel cooler like what was said above. In the field, a lighter rifle is harder to shoot accurately, and if you need more than 2-3 shots in the field you need to spend more time practicing your shooting.

Spotting your own shots at a closer range is **** near impossible with a fast cartridge. You will have to use a good partition style brake, or a good suppressor, no way around it. I can start spotting my shots with the 7mm Allen Magnum at 600 yds. and that is with a medium painkiller brake on it.

I have a Kimber Mountain Ascent that isn't bad at all to shoot with a brake or suppressor on it. Sans glass it weighs 4 pounds 13 ounces in .308 with a 22" barrel. Lets see you build something lighter.

Here's another way to look at it. The difference between a 5# rifle and a 6# rifle is roughly the difference between taking a dump before going hunting or not. ROFL.

 

[SFL_Dan]

You'll be close with that list, I got my 6.5 PRC down to 6 lbs 1 oz with most of the same components:
Templar/Defiance anTi with 20MOA rail
Manners UC+, 1/2" lightweight pad, bedded, 2 sling studs
Bartlein #4 CFW 20" threaded
Hawkins hunter M5 DBM and 3 round mag
TT special

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View attachment 559114

How do you like the Manners UC+? I'm considering changing out a stock on one of my rifles from ag Visigoth to the Manners UC+ to save some weight.

 

[Huntnpack]

Build a 7 SAUM. Check out this thread for ideas. Great info on a Great Performance Cartridge.

( my build specs are post #109 )

SAUM’s Share yours from Hunting or Comp. Pics Heavy !!

To help give people information on What's Special about a SAUM? I'd like to keep this thread about the SAUM,s only that utilize headstamped Brass in 6.5, 7, & 300 SAUM. I'd like to see Rifle build pics guys are using chambered in SAUM. Also include some positive information in regards to the...

www.longrangehunting.com

 

[Mark37082]

Building a light weight hunting rifle with your preferred components is a fun project. I spent considerable time comparing weights of actions, barrels, and stocks on a fairly recent build. I'm now doing the same thing again, but with a different chambering and components. It is not easy to cut weight and can be expensive. Compromises are the reality when it comes to optics and stocks and the ability to spot shots. I settled on a 8.5 lb ready to hunt rifle for the my sweet spot. This opens up your options and is easy to carry in the field.
Good luck with your project.

 

[jayran]

I bought a savage ultralight in 280ai for my boys to grow into. 22" proof barrel loves 162 eldx and reloader 26 gets us 3005mv and 1/2 moa. Under 6lbs easy button! It has shot several recipes under moa as well.

 

[lancetkenyon]

Drink an extra bottle of water before you go. Take that 16-20oz out of your projected pack weight, and add it to the rifle. Violá, done.

Give me an 8-9# rifle scoped/suppressed all day. I would much rather have a rifle easier to shoot well. Heck, most of my hunting rifles are 9-10.5#.

A 6.5SS or 6.5PRC/SI pushing a 156 @ 3000fps is no slouch for recoil. 24" makes 3000fps easily. Manageable, but still pops.

A 25SST would push a 133 @ 3050+ in a 20". I know guys who kill bull elk with this combo. Not my ideal choice for elk, personally. There is also the Chinchaga bullets that have 145 and 163gr bullets available.

7mm 150 bullets don't have very good BC. I would go 6.5mm w. 140-156s way before I would go 7mm 150s.

 

[BCC72]

I build a couple rifles a year and what I'm dreaming up is an ultralight rifle. I bought a Sako 85 carbon light in 308 last year but sold it because of these drawbacks:

-The recoil was snappy and I could not spot my shots

- Accuracy was good for a factory rifle but nothing amazing.

……in that vein, it was a hassle to work up a load for it because after 3-5 shots with a that thin little barrel groups started opening up. Also, it was picky. I was limited on what bullets it liked.

- .308 is a great, efficient cartridge. However, the ballistics are not ideal. After 400 yards, it really starts running out of energy. Not to mention bullet drop and wind drift.

In short, I would always grab one of my heavier custom rifles to go hunting. A lot of work goes into finding a game animal, I want to be confident when it's time to take the shot.

On the plus side, that rifle is absolutely as nice (or even nicer!!) in its fit, finish and feel as any custom I own. Sako's, that one in particular, are absolutely superb. Also, it was hands down the best rifle I have ever tried to carry in the "field". Not that I actually hunted with it but I did haul it around to see how it would do. It's so light (5.4 lbs), comes up to the shoulder nicely and carries in one hand effortlessly that I desperately wanted it to work. Still do.

So here are the parameters I'm thinking:

1. 6lbs or less.
2. Carbon barrel (this will add some weight over a thin steel barrel BUT will shoot better with a wider array of bullets)
3. 22-24 inch barrel. A longer barrel will give better velocity and will have less muzzle flip.
4. Light recoil so I can spot shots but still have enough punch for heavier game to 500 yards or so.

Calibers I'm considering:
25 SST
6.5 SS, PRC or Max
7mm-08 or SAW

I'm leaning towards 7mm SAW using Alpha brass. I think I could get a 150 to 2,900-3,000 fps in a 22inch barrel.

I can weigh out a bunch of components and make this work on paper but my experience has been that this approach doesn't always translate into the whole package feeling right in your hands.

So who has some feedback for me that has gone down this road,

Having been down the UL Rifle road quite a few times, I've settled on a scoped rifle weight of 7-7.5 pounds in most non magnum calibers and 8.5 pounds in magnums. I go heavier if there is real chance of shots over 650 in windy conditions.
However I can get my rifles bomb proof with excellent mounts, rings and rugged optics at that weight when you consider the rifles start at 5-5.6 pounds bare.
My lightest scoped rifle is a Barrett Fieldcraft with March Shorty 1-10x24 with rail and rings comes in at 6.7 pounds. 5 pound bare rifle.
My most carried gun is my Weatherby BC 2.0 Ti 338RPM with Burris XTRIII 3.3-18x50 with rail in Spuhr ISMS 34mm rings weighs 7.6 pounds. 5 pound bare rifle.
My 7-08, 280ai weigh right around 7.4 pounds as well with Trijicons, Mavens, NF etc. 5.3-5.4 bare rifles.
My 6.5RPM 2.0 Ti carbon is 5.4 pounds bare and I could go UL on it but I love shooting it at 8.4 pounds so it wears a Spuhr Mount and a NF Atacr.
I've found the shootability of my 7prc, 6.5-300 and 257 at that weight are great to shoot as well.
I then go heavier but that is not the discussion.
I live in NW Montana and I hunt in the mountains. So ruggedness with good glass is important to me. I believe you can go too light, but that's just me.

 

[jrkotz]

If 308 was enough gun for what you're hunting, and you want to go lightweight on the build, I'd be looking to go down in cartridge size, not up. Light rifles are great to carry, but can be tough to shoot well. I'd look towards 6mm or 25 Creed. Those have become my favorite deer size game cartridges