Time to cut some weight.

[Amikes]

I shoot a Christensen arms in 300 RUM topped with a Leupold vx-5hd 3-15x44. It's still around 8 pounds but compared to my Weatherby Accumark, in 300 Weatherby it's like a toy. The people that hold my rifle are shocked at how heavy it's not! I've attached a pic of my last day at the range...the top hole was the cold bore shot...and the rest settled in together nicely! Just don't forget your ear plugs or you will do some serious permanent damage to your hearing with that muzzle break!

 

[SArnold30]

Not sure what your budget is, but you could look at a Cooper. It seems their Model 92 Backcountry is chambered only for long-action cartridges (including 280 AI, 6.5×284, and various 7mm's, which seem to suit your wishes) but it also comes with a brake and weighs 5.75 lbs without a scope. Or their Model 54 Excalibur, 6.25 lbs and no brake, but comes in numerous excellent short-action hunting cartridges (308 Win, 260 Rem, 257 Roberts AI) and both the 6 and 6.5 CM.

 

[30noslercam]

This sounds very typical of our New Zealand rifle requirement. 3-3.5kg is what I tend to aim for scoped and ready to hunt. This is my every day carry rifle, rem 700 300wsm, 20" barrel shooting 168 tmks at 2900. Weighs in at 7.7 pounds with the vx5 and suppressor. Also glad to hear you've beaten that dirty virus, it's still relatively unknown here and panic stations everytime theres a case.

 

[Greyfox]

I just got out of 20 days of COVID HELL. I spent a few days working and got ONE DAY to hunt. ND season ended yesterday. I don't know if it was because I was still weak from being sick or maybe just the fact that I am old and out of shape, but during a couple hour walk and stalk both of my shoulders were killing me from slinging my gun. Rem Sendero, 30 inch tube plus break, NF scope, bipod, sling,......14.2 lbs. Thinking I am going to put together a lightweight carry gun. I still want to maintain a little bit of LR ability.

I am thinking 700sa with some sort of McMillan or Manners light weight stock and 20-22 inch pencil thin tube and a MUCH lighter scope than my current NF. Thinking either 7mm08 (maybe AI) , 284, or maybe a 6.5 creed. Would like to keep at least 600-700 yard deer capability.

Questions.....how much weight would I save if I had the action "skeltenized"? Any Stock recommendations? Lots of you guys must have built the same kind of rifle....any idea on what this would weigh.

Go.....

I can relate to your experience dilemma having experienced arm/back muscle damage about a dozen years ago. I wanted to maintain my long range proficiency which can be challenging when reducing the cartridge and weight too radically. Reducing weight(long range stability) from 14 to 8 or 9 pounds, and the cartridges WEZ(weapon employment zone) by 30-50% was unacceptable for me. Delivering 1000FPE and <.5MOA first shot accuracy was, and continues to be my standard. This works for medium game(deer)to 1000 yards, larger game(Elk), 600 yards. I ended up switching from a 14+ pound 300WM(Sendaro weight) to a 10.5 pound 6.5x284(Cooper Jackson hunter stocked/fluted light Varmint bbl) at 10.5 pounds. Now approaching 70 years old, this package continues to be physically quite manageable, and has met my standard. All this of course can vary by the hunters particular requirements.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

I Suggest my favorite deer Rifle ! Weatherby Ultralight Rifle 5 3/4 Pounds with a Full 24 inch Krieger Fluted Stainless steel Barrel! Mine is Chambered in 270 win ! It's Built on a trimmed down 240 Weatherby Mag action ! It shoots so Well and my Self imposed limit is 300 Yards , I'm Sure any Good Rifleman in his 40,s could take shot at 400 yards with Great confidence!! Take a look at it !!

 

[Joshlee9986]

I just got out of 20 days of COVID HELL. I spent a few days working and got ONE DAY to hunt. ND season ended yesterday. I don't know if it was because I was still weak from being sick or maybe just the fact that I am old and out of shape, but during a couple hour walk and stalk both of my shoulders were killing me from slinging my gun. Rem Sendero, 30 inch tube plus break, NF scope, bipod, sling,......14.2 lbs. Thinking I am going to put together a lightweight carry gun. I still want to maintain a little bit of LR ability.

I am thinking 700sa with some sort of McMillan or Manners light weight stock and 20-22 inch pencil thin tube and a MUCH lighter scope than my current NF. Thinking either 7mm08 (maybe AI) , 284, or maybe a 6.5 creed. Would like to keep at least 600-700 yard deer capability.

Questions.....how much weight would I save if I had the action "skeltenized"? Any Stock recommendations? Lots of you guys must have built the same kind of rifle....any idea on what this would weigh.

Go.....

As far as a stock goes, I had a 280ai built with a sporter contour barrel and a McMillan hunter edge fill stock. I have one of those heavy Nightforce scopes you're talking about but my rifle is very tolerable to carry. I can imagine a short action with a 20-22 inch barrel would be super light. As far as caliber goes, I like the 7mm-08 or the 6.5 prc

 

[Rugerman77]

LIght weithg gun = LESS ACCURATE at any distance. get ready to waste a lot of AMMO

A 1/2 moa gun is a 1/2 moa gun. Weight might make you shoot it better but that needs to be addressed on the shooter end. It's not less accurate

 

[XSIVSPD]

There's always the Savage ultralight series... Street price of $1100 or so and come with a carbon wrapped proof barrel in a handful of calibers you might like.

110 Ultralite for Backcountry Hunting | Savage Arms

The 110 Ultralite is designed for elevation and elements with a lightweight PROOF Research carbon fiber barrel. It's the ultimate backcountry hunting rifle.

www.savagearms.com

 

[big johnson]

I just got out of 20 days of COVID HELL. I spent a few days working and got ONE DAY to hunt. ND season ended yesterday. I don't know if it was because I was still weak from being sick or maybe just the fact that I am old and out of shape, but during a couple hour walk and stalk both of my shoulders were killing me from slinging my gun. Rem Sendero, 30 inch tube plus break, NF scope, bipod, sling,......14.2 lbs. Thinking I am going to put together a lightweight carry gun. I still want to maintain a little bit of LR ability.

I am thinking 700sa with some sort of McMillan or Manners light weight stock and 20-22 inch pencil thin tube and a MUCH lighter scope than my current NF. Thinking either 7mm08 (maybe AI) , 284, or maybe a 6.5 creed. Would like to keep at least 600-700 yard deer capability.

Questions.....how much weight would I save if I had the action "skeltenized"? Any Stock recommendations? Lots of you guys must have built the same kind of rifle....any idea on what this would weigh.

Go.....

 

[Idaho Hunter1]

Here is an option for you....a new HS Precision 7-08 in their lightweight hunter version. Should be 5.5lbs w/o scope. Normally these are about $3900 from the factory and this guy has a buy it now price of $2495. I considered it myself but it would duplicate capabilities. I don't have any affiliation with the sale, just thought it might be of interest.

I have several HS rigs and all shoot about .3MOA. They are guaranteed to shoot .5MOA and the customer service from the SD company is excellent!

GunBroker.com - Error

 

[MIBirdhunter]

I second the Savage Ultralite.. bought one in 280AI .. leupold VX5hd with Talley rings.. shoots well under MOA with at least 2 factory loads in the 160-168 grains.

 

[big johnson]

I just got out of 20 days of COVID HELL. I spent a few days working and got ONE DAY to hunt. ND season ended yesterday. I don't know if it was because I was still weak from being sick or maybe just the fact that I am old and out of shape, but during a couple hour walk and stalk both of my shoulders were killing me from slinging my gun. Rem Sendero, 30 inch tube plus break, NF scope, bipod, sling,......14.2 lbs. Thinking I am going to put together a lightweight carry gun. I still want to maintain a little bit of LR ability.

I am thinking 700sa with some sort of McMillan or Manners light weight stock and 20-22 inch pencil thin tube and a MUCH lighter scope than my current NF. Thinking either 7mm08 (maybe AI) , 284, or maybe a 6.5 creed. Would like to keep at least 600-700 yard deer capability.

Questions.....how much weight would I save if I had the action "skeltenized"? Any Stock recommendations? Lots of you guys must have built the same kind of rifle....any idea on what this would weigh.

Go.....

Check out Wayne York @ Oregonsmthing.com I had him build two liteweight rifles ,6.5 cm, 700 sa. 23 inch barrel 3x9 leupold liteweight scope with cds . Six lbs. with 4 shells in the box. other one ,300 win mag 26" barrel . leupold 4.5x14 vx3i 6.5lbs with out shells.i'll post pictures when i figure out how to.

 

[Huntz]

I would sell the guns you do not want to carry and invest in a NULA of your choice.They just plain shoot and are lite .You could put an HD 5 on one and still have a rifle with a 24" barrel under 7 pounds.

 

[redleg1013]

I just got out of 20 days of COVID HELL. I spent a few days working and got ONE DAY to hunt. ND season ended yesterday. I don't know if it was because I was still weak from being sick or maybe just the fact that I am old and out of shape, but during a couple hour walk and stalk both of my shoulders were killing me from slinging my gun. Rem Sendero, 30 inch tube plus break, NF scope, bipod, sling,......14.2 lbs. Thinking I am going to put together a lightweight carry gun. I still want to maintain a little bit of LR ability.

I am thinking 700sa with some sort of McMillan or Manners light weight stock and 20-22 inch pencil thin tube and a MUCH lighter scope than my current NF. Thinking either 7mm08 (maybe AI) , 284, or maybe a 6.5 creed. Would like to keep at least 600-700 yard deer capability.

Questions.....how much weight would I save if I had the action "skeltenized"? Any Stock recommendations? Lots of you guys must have built the same kind of rifle....any idea on what this would weigh.

Go.....

Focus more on getting in shape, you'll be better off overall, less prone to illness and better able to haul the rifle as is.