Ross,

In the 80's I got the lightweight bug and trimmed every ounce off my rifles that I could. I had Brown Precision build a 338 WM for me. Ready to hunt it was about 7.25 # with a 2.5x8 Leopold. Lively on the bench but great to carry and hunt with. lots of whoop-ass in a light weight package.

Mark

Maybe what we should look for in light-weight heavy kickers is tough bedding and crossbolts, so we can sight them in with Lead Sleds. I made a contraption to absorb recoil that looks like a steel skateboard with an L-bracket on the to back to hold the butt. I put a bottle jack up front for the fore end but the mass was enough to wreck a cheesy Zastava stock, even without adding weights.

I've put it on a diet since and use plastic flower pots up front. It seems to work OK with my Sako .338 but I'm reluctant to use it on anything without at least one crossbolt or that has a modern scope.

Ross:

I bought this rifle in 2022, in preparation for my desert sheep hunt.
It’s a Browning .300 Win Mountain Pro. I really like the gun.

https://www.browning.com/produ...in-pro-tungsten.html

Well, kind of depends on the purpose, but while this is no mountain hunter or tack driver, I love it.

Winchester M70 .30-06. SS, controlled round feed. Custom synthetic, textured stock. Can't remember whose (I bought this used). Has shortened barrel with iron sights and I put a Swaro Z6 1-6 on it with Leupold detachables. It's light, it's fast and reasonably accurate.

I have three lightweights…maybe four.

#1. Merkel K1 7mm Rem Mag topped with a VX3 2.5-8x36. With a round in the chamber 6#, 6oz…. This one has been to Africa and taken everything up to and including Eland. Recoil is…attention getting but oh, is it such a joy to carry. .75 MOA, all day, any day.

#2. Remington AWR (original)in 7mm SAUM topped with a Swaro Z5 2.5-12… 7#, 4oz…. This one has gone to Alaska…and taken Goat and Sitka. A .5 MOA driver. There’s a sheep or another goat with its name on it. Biebs sold me this one…along with a case of ammo.

#3. Montana 1999 in .375 H&H bedded in an H-S lightweight stock, topped with a VX6 1-6…. 8#, 8oz. Shockingly recoil friendly setup, spinning 300gr. Partitions at a measured 2550 fps. This one has taken one Texas deer…it’s waiting for a Buffalo…shame this one spins a .6” group with only four different bullets…

Honorable mention…
#4. Christensen Arms Ridgeline carbon wearing a Leupold VX3 3.5-10x. 7# 6oz. Tested to 600 yards…180gr. AB’s go 3-4” at 600…. Recoil with radial brake is negligible…I’m tempted to swap scopes with the SAUM…but that will push weight to just shy of 8#…right now, the balance of this rifle is crazy good.

I love my Ruger SS/Syn Hawkeyes in 25-06, 280 Rem., 30-06 and 35 Whelen at around 7-7.5 lbs.
Not too light and not too heavy, with 22” barrels.

I also own them in 338WM, but they go heavier with a larger contour barrel and also longer barrel (24”) in that caliber, so not as carry friendly.

To me a light rifle is under 7lbs.

Besides a penciled barreled AR at 5.5 I really don't think I own one.

That meets my requirements when scoped and loaded.

My go to is my Barrett Fieldcraft .270 Win.

I have a BRNO 21 7X57 with a BRNO receiver sight that i like quite well and a Ruger 77 MK II 30/06 Stainless Boat Paddle stock with factory sights that wears a NECG peep sight and a Alaska Arms coffin box floor plate that I'll never part with. Neither are true lightweights, but they are significantly lighter then standard rifles. Peep sights are a huge weight savings too.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
To me a light rifle is under 7lbs.

Besides a penciled barreled AR at 5.5 I really don't think I own one.

That meets my requirements when scoped and loaded.

My Rem XCR II in 375 Weatherby is 7.5 lbs with a Leupold 2-7x Firedot scope.

Winchester Model 70 Classic Compact in .308

remington Model 760 carbine in 30-06

Mauser G.33/40 in 8mm mauser

and of course 2 Model 94 Winchesters in 30-30

quote:

Originally posted by TREE 'EM:
My go to is my Barrett Fieldcraft .270 Win.

I have a BRNO 21 7X57 with a BRNO receiver sight that i like quite well and a Ruger 77 MK II 30/06 Stainless Boat Paddle stock with factory sights that wears a NECG peep sight and a Alaska Arms coffin box floor plate that I'll never part with. Neither are true lightweights, but they are significantly lighter then standard rifles. Peep sights are a huge weight savings too.

My latest lightweight incarnation is a yugo M-48 that had a sewer pipe barrel and a mangled milsurp stock. Now it has a bright, shiny bore from an old M-98, Williams receiver sight and a circa 70's sporter stock that I am in the process of refinishing. Love me a good 8X57, its my budget brush gun.

Merkel K-1 with Kahles Helia 3-9X42, scope covers, sling swivels and nylon strap. 6 pounds 13 ounces empty.

Yes sir the Ruger International Mannlicher is a dandy in any caliber.

My favorite light wt. rifle is a Renner Custom carbine out of a 'Ruger 77, in pure English design, with a tenner in the forend, 20" tube, iron sights side panels and pancake cheek piece, flat bolt.. Of course its a 7x57.

the best light rifle I ever had was a switch barrel Brno mod 21 in 7x57 and 9,3x62 with the darkest piece of Russian Walnut Ive ever seen and a ton of lesser darkest wood contrast..and of course I sold it!

OOOOOH AHHHH>

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
the best light rifle I ever had was a switch barrel Brno mod 21 in 7x57 and 9,3x62 with the darkest piece of Russian Walnut Ive ever seen and a ton of lesser darkest wood contrast..and of course I sold it!

i have a soda straw barreled 7x64, that might be my second lightest hunting rifle - and ive certainly spent many trips into the field with it

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
the best light rifle I ever had was a switch barrel Brno mod 21 in 7x57 and 9,3x62 with the darkest piece of Russian Walnut Ive ever seen and a ton of lesser darkest wood contrast..and of course I sold it!

I think Ray has sold rifles-----that he didn't even own!

Hip

I will submit another lightweight jewel to my list. A Sauer 100 in 6.5 PRC that with a 3X9 Ziess Conquest. Shoots lights out with 130 grain Barnes TSX and 127 grain Barnes LRX both at 3200 fps or very close. 7.5 pounds and a very slick action and 24 inch barrel. Easy on the budget when I couldn't find one when they first appeared on the market. Good Shooting.

oh well!

Mine would be a Kimber Montana 325 WSM. 22-1/4" barrel with a Zeiss Victory 1.5-6x42 it weighs 7 lbs 4 ounces. I think this is my lightest bolt rifle.

7x57 built on a 1909 Argy action and DWM Military 1922 19 1/2 in bbl. in a Mk 10 Mauser aftermarket stock. Shoots .75 in/100 yd groups all day long with 139 gr bullets.

Steyr pro Hunter 7mm-08 Leupold VX-6hd 2-12x42 right around 8 pounds

A favorite lt wt. of mine is a 1903 Mannlicher Schonauer 6.5x54, if only I could find a smith good enough to change it to a 250-3000..Its truly a honey of a rifle..

I like my TC Encore with switch barrels in 50-110 Win., 500 S&W Win, 45-70, 7x57 AI and 243 AI and 357 Max. Shorter than a 30-30 Win. saddle gun. Brian

I have a SC M70 Featherweight 30-06 with a Leupold 2.5x8 that I’m very fond of. The wood was very nice and it was the first model 70 I’d seen when Winchester reintroduced them. I need to take a couple pics of it.

My favorite is one I don't have yet, a Remington 600 in 6x45 mm...

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
If so, what do you like?

Forbes LH 7mm 08 Forbes LH 280 AI redone by Melvin at NULA

My current favourite is a new to me Sauer 202 Outback in .270, w/ fluted barrel. Light, well balanced, accurate, and very well made.

I have owned my Kimber Montana in 7mm08 for over 17 years and still love it. I shoot well with it and it drops deer out to 325 meters.

I recently bought a Tikka T3X Aspire in 223 Rem and just love it.

Forgot to answer your question, my pick is my RJ Renner special. fwt in 7x57 Mauser on a Ruger 22" 6.5 lb nice wood, rust blue, schnable fe and fennon barrel attachment,shoots under an inch with
with any load ro far, pancake cheek piece, iron sights on barrel rib, barrel band front sight and a low mounted 4X Leupold. It points like a Boss shot gun..

Ultralight Arms model 24 30/06. 5.3 lbs.

I have three Kimber 84M’s - 6.5CM, 7-08, & .308.
All wearing SWFA 3x9 MQ scopes in Leupold mounts.

With sling and ammo they only weigh 7.5# each.
A delight to carry, easy to shoot.
The 6.5 is my favorite.

Dakota model 10 .257 Roberts, Fierce 6.5 crdm
Sako 75 7mm-08
Carried the Sako the most by far.

Joe Dean and Cougerz nailed the light rifle in my humble opinion. Mine is the same, dressed up as a Smith &Wessen model B. 20” bbl in 30-06. Bought at Neuman’s Gunshop on Grand River in Detroit in 1969. Hunted whitetail in Michigan for 20 years, elk, moose and deer in Wyoming till I went Idahoing in 2014. Still going strong. It’ll outlast me for sure.

I finally acquired a rifle that can be called lightweight. A Sauer 202 outback .270 with fluted barrel, aluminum receiver, synthetic stock. Don't know what it weighs but it's at least a half kilo/ a pound lighter than my similar rifles. I like how it feels, and it shoots OK, but I need to work up some loads it really likes. It should serve well for long hikes and strenuous conditions.

I like my SA (short action) Winchester Classic .308. and my Kimber Montana .325 WSM Stainless.

Mel Forbes gave me a Model 20 action in 1990. I chambered and fitted a 22” Douglas barrel to it in 284 Win, and sent it back to Mel to install in one of his Kevlar stocks. It’s seen minor mods over the years and now wears a 2 1/2-10 NF scope in Gentry light weight rings.

Never took it to Africa, but in NZ, Canada and the States, everything I’ve pointed it at has dropped. Nothing glamorous, but it works.

Dave Manson

One thing missing in this thread and that's where and what your hunting. Most here have both a light weight big game rifle as well as a heavy and light varmint rifle.

Well, I guess this could be it. Sako AII .308, leupold 2.5x8.

Kokotukkii

Certainly my favorite is a Remington Mountain Guide in 7mm-08. All s/s, 22" barrel with Kevlar stock. Talley lightweight scope mounts hold a Leupold 2.5-8. All in at 6.5 lbs.

Though like some others I love my 7x57 Ruger No.1 RSI, its only a fair-weather rifle for me and the 7mm-08 does all the dirty work.