Recommend Me A Lightweight Rifle

[Barrelnut]

On the Kimber Hunter the trigger guard is part of the stock. It is a plastic molded stock. Looks do matter some and I have never likedthe molded in trigger guards. I believe Savage Axis and the Ruger American have the molded in trigger guard also. It's how the lower the cost. Though it's supposedly, it's a pretty good plastic stock. But if you don't like it you may be stuck with it as there may be no replacements for it... It also has a drop box magazine. the only one Kimber makes. I like DBMs.

 

[Hardshot]

Guys all these post are great, loads of options.I think your all missing one economic choice.The Savage 16/116 Weather Warrior in 6.5 x .284 Norma.Was going to buy another custom built and thought I would give the Savage a try as it has all the features I was going to put in a build.This gun is 6.9 lbs.all SS,accu stock and trigger, detachable mag,synthetic stock.Retails less than a $1000.00 US dollars . Mine shoots 1/4 Moa with 143 Hornady ELD X. Just took a nice Moose in western British Columbia one shot and it feel over. I would have paid up to $4000.00 for a custom.I have 4 Savage benchrest guns that are a great bang for the buck and this weather warrior in the 6.5 x .284 is just great . I don't need a brake for it . Just one more choice to look at .Lol

 

[Rich Coyle]

Crockett12,

About the sling..... I made a sling using 1" wide nylon sling material I pick up at the yardage store. Then I bought some plastic BRUTE E-Z using swivels that don't squeak and threaded the stuff through the swivels and aver my shoulder. I use the swivels only when I am using the binoculars. The sling with swivels weighs ONE ounce!

For a different direction on the rifle. I bought a used Weatherby Mark V six lug action .25-06 to use for my wildcat. With a Swarovski z5 5-25X52 in Talleys lightweights, a 26" fluted Pac-Nor barrel with a brake it weighed 6lb 13oz. The barrel measured .550" at the muzzle.

I switched to my new wildcat using a heavy fluted 24" barrel .600" at the muzzle. I don't know what this one will weigh with its Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50. I hope it's as accurate at the .257SLR was.

 

[JAYgs8163]

Those accuracy issues discussed here were addressed by Kimber years ago. I know numerous folk that own them and have no issues. They are gnty'd out of the box to be sub moa. Here is my 84M Hunter in 6.5 Creedmoor. Comes in at 6.8 lbs with optic and mount. With bipod is just under 8lbs. I've removed the stock to compare to my Savage rifles. Yes it's not a Accustock but is very rigid and it does have the premolded trigger guard (not a deal killer for me when you're counting ounces). In the stock they have heavy honeycombing in the front to make the stock very rigid in the forearm with no flex. Nothing like the cookie cutter Savage Axis or Ruger American stocks. Super Accurate, super light, and super forgiving with every Ammo I've fed it! Can't go wrong IMO but I can't speak for it in any other cartridge.

 

[timberelk]

So I had a thought... I could pick up a Ruger Predator or Howa 1500 in 6.5 creed, then replace the stock with Boyd's new stock At One stock or thumbhole stock and spend $400 ish on a luepold scope. What all your thoughts?

 

[Barrelnut]

You're starting to get away from the lightweight rifle you want.

 

[timberelk]

You're starting to get away from the lightweight rifle you want.

True... was just spit balling

 

[Barrelnut]

Seems you are starting to see that you can get a good shooting rifle these days at a cost below where Christensen and Kimber come in.

Bruce in comment 86, had a good idea. The Savage Weather Warrior. I shoot one of these too, so I can vouch for his accuracy claims. Mine is a 25-06 and with handloads it shoots 1" groups at 300 yards. That is basically .3 MOA and is excellent for a factory rifle barrel. Savages are know for this kind of accuracy. You can get one in 6.5 Creedmoor for less than $750 at Buds online. See link below. Then spend the rest of your money on a good scope, like the Zeiss Conquest that Mud mentioned. I use a Zeiss on my 25-06. Like it a lot. Has a great cross hair for hunting in lower light. Lots of good Lepold scopes too. The money you save over the more expensive Christensen or Kimber, you could add to the scope and get a much better scope. A quality scope is very important! Maybe you could get a Leupold VX6 or similar. You would rally have a good package then.

You will not need a brake on a 6.5 Creedmoor. It would probably be more of a nuisance than anything.

The Creedmoor is an excellent cartridge. especially if you don't handload. The amount of quality, match grade, ammo made for it is amazing. It's not too expensive either.

 

[Crockett12]

If you truly want lightweight -- the first thing you do is start with what each component weighs. Then and only then you look at quality and decide what you can give up in quality in order to get lighter weight.

That includes the separate weight of the stock, the butt pad, the action, the barrel, the mounts, the scope, the sling, the floorplate and the trigger guard.

However, if you aren't custom building the rifle yourself – or telling a gunsmith your exact specifications – you'll start with the overall weight of the rifle – only worrying about the scope and mount weights.

One other thing you do want to consider – if you're a handloader and are going for a cartridge like the 6.5 Creedmoor – is both the length of the magazine and the amount of freebore (if any). Both these issues can limit the overall length (OAL) of the cartridge. If your magazine is too short, you'll have to seat bullets very deep in the case. An example would be a long 140 gr boat tail bullet – which you might want to use for long range! If you're limited on OAL you'll have to seat the 140 gr bullets so deep in the case that they'll intrude on the case capacity and thereby limiting velocity.

Like Barrelnut said, you're getting away from lightweight. The scopes you've been considering are heavyweights compared to other scopes you can consider – starting with the Leupold 3x9 Ultralight which comes in at 9.3 oz.
I've got a Vortex HS-T in 4x16 power and I love the scope but because it weighs almost 21 oz, I would never put it on a lightweight rifle.

Remember 30mm scopes weigh more the 1 inch scopes – and 50mm obejectives weigh more the 40mm objectives. My personal opinion is that, unless you're hunting at night, no-one needs a 50mm or bigger objective.

Here's another thing – if you're young a little more weight won't bother you. But if you're older – like 60 or so -- the older you get, the less weight you'll want to carry.

 

[Barrelnut]

That Kimber Hunter JSG has in #88 is really looking good too. It is only $799 at Cabela's!

link to Buds Guns: https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=savage+116

 

[ruby76]

Remington model 7 SS in a 260.

 

[JAYgs8163]

Seems you are starting to see that you can get a good shooting rifle these days at a cost below where Christensen and Kimber come in.

Bruce in comment 86, had a good idea. The Savage Weather Warrior. I shoot one of these too, so I can vouch for his accuracy claims. Mine is a 25-06 and with handloads it shoots 1" groups at 300 yards. That is basically .3 MOA and is excellent for a factory rifle barrel. Savages are know for this kind of accuracy. You can get one in 6.5 Creedmoor for less than $750 at Buds online. See link below. Then spend the rest of your money on a good scope, like the Zeiss Conquest that Mud mentioned. I use a Zeiss on my 25-06. Like it a lot. Has a great cross hair for hunting in lower light. Lots of good Lepold scopes too. The money you save over the more expensive Christensen or Kimber, you could add to the scope and get a much better scope. A quality scope is very important! Maybe you could get a Leupold VX6 or similar. You would rally have a good package then.

You will not need a brake on a 6.5 Creedmoor. It would probably be more of a nuisance than anything.

The Creedmoor is an excellent cartridge. especially if you don't handload. The amount of quality, match grade, ammo made for it is amazing. It's not too expensive either.

I have a weather warrior also but it's much heavier than my Kimber. Savage makes a new Lightweight Hunter that may do the trick though. See below. Comes in at 5.5 lbs.

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/11LH

 

[Kimber7man]

Go Barrett Fieldcraft 6.5 Creedmoor and you will never look back. 21" barrel gives you plenty of velocity. Full length bedded. Awesome stock. Timney trigger. Barrel is twisted right. 3" mag box. All under $1500.

 

[timberelk]

Go Barrett Fieldcraft 6.5 Creedmoor and you will never look back. 21" barrel gives you plenty of velocity. Full length bedded. Awesome stock. Timney trigger. Barrel is twisted right. 3" mag box. All under $1500.

Under $1500? The ones I saw were about $1800