Time to cut some weight.

[Alex Wheeler]

I built a 6mm creedmoor for a customer that came in 4lb 13oz.
Manners UC stock 17 oz.!
Lilja #1 21" barrel
Pierce TI action
He runs 115 hvlds at 3030 fps in that 3 groove and its solidly sub .5 moa at a grand
The killed this guy at 630ish last weekend
Figure your 700 sa may add another pound or so.
When it comes to light rifles, keep the bullets light and they will shoot. Don't expect a 6lb 300 mag to shoot to its potential. A lot of recoil and torque happens while the bullet is still in the barrel, thats why a brake doesn't do anything for your raw accuracy. The bullet has left the barrel by the time the brake does anything. It only reduces the shooters felt recoil, not the recoil and movement the bullet sees. Its a big misconception that you can build an ultralight and just put a great brake on it and it will act like a rifle with more mass.

 

[geocodyrgia]

For me I'd be pulling out my H&R Handi Rifle (I'd probably go with my 25-06 or .270 barrel unless elk were on the menu, then I'd switch to 30-06) with Athlon Midas HMR 2.5-15. They're about as light as you're going to get and I've been happily surprised at the decent (not GREAT, but decent) accuracy once a good load is found. You'd have to try to get this rifle up to 8lbs.

It's not the hot/sexy everybody else on here will probably be posting, but if functionality and weight are the concern, this is the answer I went to.

 

[FEENIX]

Nothing special, .30 Gibbs ...

 

[Alibiiv]

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.....

If you do the homework there are plenty of "out-of-the-box" rifles out there that are in the 5-6 pound range that are guaranteed to be 3/4-1" MOA out of the box; but.....they "ain't a cheap date"!!! I have several older Ruger 77s that I have built (6-7 pound range) that I have put a quality custom barrel on that shoot very well using the existing, donor barrel's contour. As for the weight factor and barrel length I do not believe there would be enough weight difference between the 20-22 inch barrel over a 24-26 inch barrel to make that much difference, however in the cartridges you have written about the shorter barrel length will make a difference in velocity. As for cartridges I would not rule out the .270 Winchester short magnum, or....the .280 Ackley in a long action. My two-cents worth!

 

[villagelightsmith]

The suppressor is a great idea; likewise a thick, soft sissy-pad.
Otherwise it's liable to make your bones bark when you light the fire.
All systems have already taken a pounding. Go easy on yourself.
You still have a long time in which you can hurt. Be wise. All the best, our Friend.

 

[Canhunter35]

My daughter has been shooting a 6.5SLR for about 7 years. The original build was a tank @ 15.5lbs to get her a heavy, stable gun to practice with. Well, she shot it so well and had such confidence in it, the rifle became her main hunting rifle. Deer kills at 532 and 637.
R700 SA trued w. Alloy tac knob
28" 1:8" Bartlein Sendero w. Badger Thruster brake
Manners T2A
R700 SA alloy BDL
Timney Calvin Elite
Seekins 20MOA Picatinny rail
Seekins 34mm low rings
Kahles K624i

When we burned the barrel out at about 2500 rounds, I totally rebuilt it to shave some weight, since I end up carrying it for her usually. It is not a true ultralight, but lost 5 full pounds with the rebuild, down to 10lbs 8oz scoped and suppressed.
R700 SA (same action) w. Alloy bolt shroud and carbon fiber knob
22" 1:8" Proof Sendero Light w. TBAC CB brake and TBAC Ultra 7 6.5mm suppressor
Manners PRS2 (could shave another 1lb+ with an EH1)
R700 alloy BDL
Timney Calvin Elite
Seekins 34mm low rings
S&B PMII 3-20×50 Ultra Short (could go lighter with a scope change like a TT315M, but I like very high end glass)
The new set up has killed 2 pronghorn @ 250ish & 391, and a huge mule deer buck at 454 so far. Plus a squirrel at 741.

I like the part about, "I usually carried it" lol.
I bought my wife a new rifle because if I was carrying hers and my rifle, I didn't need to lug two 12lb rifles around lol.

To the op, adjustable slings and backpack slings make a world of difference with heavy guns, also, maybe get a big carbon fibre put on, while it won't become an ultralight, barrel balance makes a world of difference when packing the rifle around. Saying that, I have been in coulees, had a salesman appeared offering to trade me an ultralight rifle on the spot, I would've done it lol

 

[Ranger Rick]

4xfun, First, it is good to hear that you made it over the Covid hurdle. I hope your ongoing recovery goes well. Next, looking at your questions and comments.
Skeletonizing an action saves ~ 5 to 7 ounces (IMO,not a good return on your $$). I have three light stocks, and my favorite is my AG Composite Visigoth Long Action at 28 ounces. Carbon fiber stocks are amazing.
What about your shoulders killing you? I've been there and still am. For me, hunting with a lighter rifle still gave me a lot of shoulder pain. So I looked into sling options, and I now have Kifaru and a Safari slings. Trying them on in a store doesn't cut it, so I bought both a Kifaru and a Safari sling. I really prefer the Safari slings primarily because they do help.In addition the Kifaru sling requires that one must wear a pack with shoulder straps.
For deer out to 700 yards, my preference would be either a 7mm-08 or a 6.5 Creedmoor. I favor my 7mm-08 for Idaho elk. I have a good recoil pad so I don't use a muzzle brake or suppressor with either my 7mm-08 or my 6.5 Creedmoor rifle.
I've built two hunting rifles - a 6.5 PRC and a 300 PRC. If you build a new lightweight mountain rifle, consider an AG Composite CF stock, a Proof CF barrel ( I'm a Proof believer) or a straight fluted #3 or #4 contour over a non-fluted #1 pencil contour, a 700 Rem action or a custom action (with CNC machining, IMO the custom actions are pretty equivalent, and a titanium action will cut only 5 ounces {cf Terminus ss SA Apollo to its titanium SA Apollo Lite}). I am happy with a Leupold 6x fixed power scope on two of my three lightweight rifles: my 6.5 PRC and my 22" Browning ss Stalker in 7mm-08. My other light rifle is a 22" Tikka T3 Lite Stainless in .270.
Shoulder pain is a real bummer when hunting, and I believe a Safari sling will give you Pain Relief
Your OP has led to another great LRH discussion. Please keep us posted on your choice.

 

[sp6x6]

Packing last ten years Pre proof 26"338NM 8 3/4 to hunt sling as seenToday looking for muley. Hi Tom