My ultralight timber stick - building a 4 lb rifle
- Thread starter codyadams
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comfisherman
Well-Known Member
They still two piece over a foam core. I've toyed with their lightest version from back when the current owners father was running things. The blank was just under 14 oz but to maintain low weight it would have stayed base gel coat no real pad and no bedding. Eventually we opted for the no core pacmeyer some bedding and a hydro dip. It finished around 17/18 oz.
They still skew towards kevlar basalt mixes for the light skin mountain stocks. Stems from I think the hand layup two piece molds. In today's world of bladder mounded heat cure stocks it's much older tech. Not a bad thing, I'm very grateful they exist but it's harder to do stock to stock consistency. The prepreg bladder mold heat cure setups can create such lot to lot consistency it blows my mind.
Respect to mpi for keeping the old methods and the extensive mold collection, I'll definitely use them for future projects when I don't want to blow 30-40 hrs making a one off bagged carbon stock. If you go 700 clone I'd still be looking at the modern carbon like the peak 44 or manners uc.
Modern twist is the defiance anti short action That's a 7 clone. Wish someone would ti clone a 7.
Reality is the fieldcraft, montana, and nula all have a head start on anything 700 based. In the pursuit of weight loss with sacrifice of long seating uld rounds something like a kimber 84 overrides a 700 clone. That'd what made an Adirondack so amazing. The Adirondack could be within oz of spartan full custom 700 clone, tweak it a bit and it's going to be easily lighter.
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codyadams
Well-Known Member
Yup it was wildcat composites I was thinking of. I looked at them for a while, back when I was making trips up to Canada for waterfowl hunting
codyadams
Well-Known Member
Well I haven't decided yet, but I have a couple ideas. I'm thinking it's down to 4, or maybe 5 options now ha ha.....
.260ai (I have dies and like the cartridge)
7mm-08 (again, have dies and like the cartridge)
or some new considerations.....
6.5x284, or strait .284.....I wouldn't have to worry about OAL considerations in the short action, as it will have the 2.950 bainey box, and I plan on using lighter bullets, and going to the slightly bigger cartridge would make up for some of the shorter barrel. In the 6.5x284, bullet considerations would likely be the 102 grain afterburner, maybe the 125 grain Badlands SBDII if it would fit, 100 or 125 grain partition, 130 accubond, 120 hornady cx, and similar bullets. In the .284, my choices would be similar, to make sure they fit and that recoil is low.
Lastly, Maybe, MAYBE a .308 win.....but again I would plan on sticking with 100-140 grain bullets in whatever cartridge I go with, to keep recoil down. While doable, there are less options for those in a .308 than my other options.
Still a long time to decide though, I haven't yet made up my mind.
Cody even with a 2.950 internal box a 6.5-284 will still be shorter than desirable. My 6.5-284 had the bullet seared just above the neck/shoulder junction and COAL on those was 3.160". It will help with using traditional bullets in lieu of VLDS or monos but it still won't be ideal IMO.
Starbuck
Well-Known Member
Looks like you do enough elk killing to know well what you need, but, FWIW, from the options you listed, I'd have a hard time not going 7mm-08.
I usually try to get them with as high of BC bullet as the rig will stabilize, so I like the .284s and their high BC's; but a .284 mono in the weight range you listed would give all the penetration you'd ever need for quick shots at moving game in heavy cover, while still maintaining a good BC for shots you might sometimes encounter when you step free of the timber and find something on the far side of big meadow.
Of course, a 6.5 mono of similar weight is great, too.
No wrong choices between the two, IMO.
This will be a sweet rifle! I love that little Skele-Ti action. I'm planning a similar build in the future for a nice pack rifle. I'm thinking of doing an 18-20" #2 contour in .243 Win 1-8T for 90-105s, SA Skele-Ti, McMillan Hunter's Edge or Manners UC, and probably an ADL just for the weight savings. I would want to top it with a 3-9x Trijicon Accupoint. Should be around 5lbs for the bare rifle and 5.7lbs scoped.
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comfisherman
Well-Known Member
Sitting in a waiting room right now give me the time to reread the thread again starting with the op.
What strikes me is just how good the Adirondack is/was. That's a super premium setup of extremely expensive components, to hit 4 lbds 10oz. Adirondack was from the factory at 4 and 13, with a stock that usually averaged around 25 oz. Considering the last on the shelf Adirondack I saw in person was a 7-08 at big rays in the fall of 19' for $1350 it really puts it into perspective. Heck euro optics blew some calibers out for under 1200 3-4 years ago. Kimber looks to have miss timed its market entrance, see lots of ultralight threads these days but few options.
No doubt custom is cool, but credit where it's due to kimber.
What strikes me is just how good the Adirondack is/was. That's a super premium setup of extremely expensive components, to hit 4 lbds 10oz. Adirondack was from the factory at 4 and 13, with a stock that usually averaged around 25 oz. Considering the last on the shelf Adirondack I saw in person was a 7-08 at big rays in the fall of 19' for $1350 it really puts it into perspective. Heck euro optics blew some calibers out for under 1200 3-4 years ago. Kimber looks to have miss timed its market entrance, see lots of ultralight threads these days but few options.
No doubt custom is cool, but credit where it's due to kimber.
graywolf
Well-Known Member
I've been hunting the past couple years with a lightweight 18" .308 using the Barnes 120 TacTX bullet at about 3100 fps. It put down two cow elk drt. Recoil is light and accuracy is very good.
I think out of those, for your planned target range, I would choose the 308. It's been chambered in more 16-18" barrels from AR10 M1 FALs HKs FN etc and bolt guns than any other .473 base cartridge . The larger bore to powder ratio will have the least decrease in performance at shorter barrel lengths than smaller bores. At those ranges it has plenty of power and bc is less of a factor. Lapua brass paired to something like a 124HH or Barnes etc @ 3000-3100 fps many powder choices (3031 Varget 4895 W748 etc). Inside 200 yds would be quite effective I would think. With a 120 gr I would think recoil would be minimal even in a ultra light rifle?
Buzzsaw
Well-Known Member
Looking at the Howa Superlite 6.5creed. 4.7lb right at $1000. pretty hard to beat if you are on a budget.
I don't have much to add for caliber recs, there are others far more knowledgeable on here. If I could throw a wrench in, why not go for a single shot? You could put a Velcro match saver on the side and with some practice get another round in the action plenty quick. This would save 4oz on the gun and several more not having 4 extra rounds in the gun.
Good call on the Single-Shot!
It also lets you use a 6.5-284 or 284 Winchester to it's full potential
It also lets you use a 6.5-284 or 284 Winchester to it's full potential
