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Recommend Me A Lightweight Rifle
- Thread starter timberelk
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
No issues here with mine. Lightweight rifles are much harder to shoot accurately as a heavy rifle and I find many times the complaints start there. Not to mention the lightweight barrels need time to cool off to really measure the accuracy. Everything I've fed my 6.5 Creedmoor it likes. Can't give an opinion on any other Calibers.
Crockett12
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- Jul 3, 2011
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- 189
Some of the older Kimbers had accuracy issues. An article I read said that at that time the company put more emphasis on what the rifle looked like on the outside than they did on interior quality and it showed up with those occasional accuracy issues. The company eventually acknowledged it and supposedly fixed it. I have an older Kimber Montana in 270 WSM and love the rifle – but I pulled my hair out trying to find a load that would shoot smaller than 2 or 3 inch groups (3 shot groups). I finally found a very accurate load for a 150 gr Sierra BT as well as a 110 gr Barnes TSX – both at max velocity and both around ¾ inch groups.
I had a custom lightweight rifle built many years ago in 257 Ackley Improved and it's still my favorite rifle – but that caliber wouldn't work for your 600 yard shots on larger game.
If you want lightweight rifle and need a muzzle break – you've either got a physical issue which won't allow you to handle the recoil or you've been convinced you need one – when you actually don't.
If you've never shot a rifle with a brake you'd better go to the range with someone else's rifle that has a brake and shoot it. I've had a rifle (338 Win Mag) with a brake and will never have another one because the muzzle blast was so load I was afraid to hunt with it. The noise will destroy your ears if you don't wear ear protection even when in the field while hunting. Even with very good ear protection you can still tell the brake is terribly loud – and some shooting ranges won't allow one because of the blast!
Therefore go for the lightest caliber that will handle the game you want to hunt at the ranges you are interested in. The 6.5 Creedmore has become insanely popular but my suggestion would be a 270 Winchester. It has noticeably less recoil than a 30-06 and can handle elk at 600 yards.
As for rifle – the Tikka T3 lite for price (and they're known for accuracy) – or the HS Precision rifle for quality both inside and out. Personally since I've experienced a custom rifle I'd go for the HS Precision. If you don't want that rifle I'd go for Christiansen or a Melvin Forbes rifle.
Also for long range you want velocity which means the short barrels are out! You need the increased velocity which comes with longer barrels – 24" at the shortest.
Then scope and mounts should be chosen for weight as well as for quality. Either S&K steel mounts (which are excellent and very light weight) or the Tally lightweight aluminum rings. My choice would be the S&K rings. Leupold makes the lightest scopes of light weight and high quality – namely the Vari-X III scopes that are 1 inch scopes – not 30mm (which are much heavier). The Vari-X III 2.5x8 is a very good scope and is ounces lighter than any other high quality scope out there.
I had a custom lightweight rifle built many years ago in 257 Ackley Improved and it's still my favorite rifle – but that caliber wouldn't work for your 600 yard shots on larger game.
If you want lightweight rifle and need a muzzle break – you've either got a physical issue which won't allow you to handle the recoil or you've been convinced you need one – when you actually don't.
If you've never shot a rifle with a brake you'd better go to the range with someone else's rifle that has a brake and shoot it. I've had a rifle (338 Win Mag) with a brake and will never have another one because the muzzle blast was so load I was afraid to hunt with it. The noise will destroy your ears if you don't wear ear protection even when in the field while hunting. Even with very good ear protection you can still tell the brake is terribly loud – and some shooting ranges won't allow one because of the blast!
Therefore go for the lightest caliber that will handle the game you want to hunt at the ranges you are interested in. The 6.5 Creedmore has become insanely popular but my suggestion would be a 270 Winchester. It has noticeably less recoil than a 30-06 and can handle elk at 600 yards.
As for rifle – the Tikka T3 lite for price (and they're known for accuracy) – or the HS Precision rifle for quality both inside and out. Personally since I've experienced a custom rifle I'd go for the HS Precision. If you don't want that rifle I'd go for Christiansen or a Melvin Forbes rifle.
Also for long range you want velocity which means the short barrels are out! You need the increased velocity which comes with longer barrels – 24" at the shortest.
Then scope and mounts should be chosen for weight as well as for quality. Either S&K steel mounts (which are excellent and very light weight) or the Tally lightweight aluminum rings. My choice would be the S&K rings. Leupold makes the lightest scopes of light weight and high quality – namely the Vari-X III scopes that are 1 inch scopes – not 30mm (which are much heavier). The Vari-X III 2.5x8 is a very good scope and is ounces lighter than any other high quality scope out there.
Tuco'sChild
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- Oct 25, 2017
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Browning X-bolt or Tikka T3.
Great off the shelf lightweight rifles reasonably priced that are moa or sub moa. Have brakes for less recoil.
Gotta wait between shots or heat string due to thin barrel. My rifles have dead nuts on cold bore zeros, which is what counts for hunting.
6.5 Creedmoor is for LR target shooting.
Go old school 30.06 or 7mm-08 to take your animals. Ballistics close, but 30.06 will have a bit more energy and more recoil.
Talley rings and Leupold will also work. Just take care with weight of scope you choose.
Rinse, repeat, enjoy.
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middleofnowhere
Well-Known Member
My cousin had a new xbolt on most recent trip, it was like a "plastic" toy imo.
Also, both Tika and Brownings are NOT made in USA.
Also, both Tika and Brownings are NOT made in USA.
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
Steyr weapons aren't made in America either...But they're still one of the most accurate factory offered rifles ever made. Same with H&K. Glock was designed in Austria. Zeiss scopes aren't made in the USA. Nightforce scopes are made in Japan.
What I'm getting at is, unless something says made in China, Taiwan, or Micronesia on it, then I wouldn't be too worried about it.
Brownings are good rifles, not a fan of the X-Bolts or A-Bolt 3 rifles, but the old A-Bolt and A-Bolt II rifles were solid shooters and well built.
Blackcat#1
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- Jul 18, 2017
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I just got a Christensen arms 6.5x284 in Ridgeland comes with a Brake.i love it light weight and shot it in at 500m. It shoot great for around 2,000 minus scope. I also got a new 6.5 creedmoor in a Havak made by Seekins Precions for about same price love it too. If noise bother you zero with brake and take it off while you are hunting. Neither on kicks enough to cause a problem.
6.5 Creedmoor is not just a "Target Rifle". That like saying a 308 is a Target Rifle. I have the 140 Berger coming out of my Savage that's barreled with 26" McGowen going just under 2950 FPS and 2920 with the 143 ELDX. Using RE26. It's a hot load and will do way beyond what any 7-08 will do!!!!
middleofnowhere
Well-Known Member
If you like foreign stuff that's fine and your choice. My statement is still true. There are plenty of fine rifles that have majority of components and manufacture take place right here in the good ol' USA. I am proud that every firearm in my safe except one was made in USA My Leupold scopes are mostly made in Oregon. Companies like Barret, Kimber, Christensen, Cooper and several others are turning out fine rifles competitively priced. I have nothing against Japan or the Philippines or any other nation, I am just willing to spend a few dollars more if American labor had a hand in the manufacture.
Just an observation, Tika guys are especially "passionate" about their rifles. I've seen many arguments on other forums where Tika guy gets offended if you don't agree to buy one. Personally I think they are ugly, but that is just me. I'm sure this thread will go downhill from now on LOL
MudRunner2005
Well-Known Member
I bleed red, white, & blue, and prefer to buy American made items from American-based companies...I am NOT a Tika guy, and won't ever own one. Remington 700's are my preferred rifle of choice, but I own, and have owned, and shot many other brands that weren't made here, and they were good shooters, as well. But facts are facts, some of the best weapons are german (think Steyr, H&K, FNH, Browning Belgiums, Glock, etc...). The best optics have German & Japanese glass. What I'm getting at, is that not every part of everything you buy that's "made in America" is going to have been made here. And not everything that's made in America, is always going to be better or higher quality than something made in another country. That being said, like I stated earlier, I DO prefer to buy American to support my country and our economy when I can...But if I find something better that happens to be made in another country well-known for quality, I am not going to NOT buy it, because it wasn't made in America.
Example. I love Vortex optics. Have tons of their stuff. They're an American company that puts out good products for good prices. But NONE of their stuff is made in America. Not even the Razor line...They're made in Japan. You might THINK that you're buying American, but you're also inadvertently boosting Japan's economy, too, because that's who Vortex paid to build that scope, because most folks know that the Japanese build some of the highest quality glass and optics you can buy. My point is, don't get so hung up on the "made in America" thing, that you refuse to buy anything else that wasn't made here... Because chances are, even things that are made here, most or atleast some of the parts that it's comprised of, weren't made here.
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Tuco'sChild
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Sounds like a good load you got there but I think timberelk is lookin for factory off the shelf.
6.5 just ain't downing the animals from what I am hearing from a number of field guys.
Kinda like copper bullets that don't hit bone first.
But that again goes back to shot placement, the old can o' worms.
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Tuco'sChild
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Gotta Browning x-bolt Hells Canyon Speed, it is a solid rig, with OEM glass bedding. The cerakote and synthetic stock are a plus for wet conditions and dust and dirt.. Name is a mouthful, but it shoots well.
