The Accurate Reloading Forums THE ACCURATE RELOADING.COM FORUMS Rifles Medium Bore Rifles Re: The ultimate lightwieght hunting rifleGo | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
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| one of us |
What kind of deer hunting? Jeff | ||
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| one of us |
I am on a quest to find the lightest and most affordable bolt action rifle for hunting deer. Any suggestions or information would be much appreciated. I'm looking for factory or custom btw | |||
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I don't know about "ultimate" but take a look @ the Rem. M700Titanium. It's available in SA, LA & SAUM. Hard to beat for $900+. I may get one in .300SAUM.  | |||
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The Ruger light weight in the all weather is very light about 6 pounds or so.I like the all weather Rugers alot .I have 2 in 338 win mag both are very accurate.The regular all Weather is about $450 .I have not seen what light weight all weather goes for. | |||
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| one of us |
I have a Weatherby Ultra Light Weight in .280 Rem. With a 2.5-8X, a light nylon sling and four rds of 150 partitions it weighs an ounce under 7 pounds. Its functioned flawlessly for the three years I've had it and its sub MOA accurate out to 200 yds. May be sub MOA farther out but NOT with these old eyes behind that scope. Have you ever shot or carried a light weight?? One can go TOO light. At least thats my opinion. I have handled some real lightweights and they kicked too much and just didn't "hang" right for me. They were in a phrase; tough to shoot well. then again thats me, you may love a 5 pound rifle. Another thought would be the Remington titanium but the few I have seen didn't shoot very well. Could be luck of the draw and they got lemons. Or.....what about one of the new Kimber bolt guns? A buddy has one in 7mm-08 and it shoots darned well. Let us know what you end up doing. FN in MT | |||
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| one of us |
Lightest you can go and very accurate is New Ultra Light Arms. They are customs and I will have one one day. Go for about 2500 dollars. But light (4.75lbs and very accurate. I like the new Kimbers. Very accurate also for around 900 dollars. For me and my pocket, I got a medallion in 308Win. Its pretty light, pretty accurate. | |||
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one of us |
Check CDNN for a Colt Ultralight Savage 116 Sierra New Ultralight Arms Rifles, Inc. Weatherby Ultralight | |||
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| one of us |
In the most affordable category I would take a look at the Remington Model 7. I have shot several in 308, 2 243's and a 6mm. All have been very accurate to 300 yards. | |||
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| one of us |
New Ultra Light arms is hard to pass if you can afford them, I have one in 30-06,recoil is brisk but very managable,I have never notice the recoil when hunting. www.newultralight.com I was very Happy with my Weatherby Ultra Light also, [ www.weatherby.com ] .These two rifles had the best balance and handling characteristics of all the Light weight rifles I have owned or used. Good luck, Charlie | |||
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| one of us |
the Encore is a very interesting option, as it carries about a pound lighter than it is. I think in stainless, with a synthetic stock, they are a flat 6 pounds in the std 24 inch hunting bbl. I have 20 rifles and the Encore in 270 or 243 is the best carrying gun I own. It is only 1 inch longer than my CZ 527 Carbine with 18.5 inch bbl in 7.62X39, but what a dfference in power and range!! If you went with a 308, you could cut the bbl to 20 inches and have a 34 inch sporter and save enough weight to cover a small 4X scope. | |||
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Maybe not the ultimate but affordable. Kimber Montana 8400! | |||
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Quote: Hey Shiloh, Do you happen to have a "weight and price" in mind as your MAX Billfold Loads? That would help narrow the field a bit. | |||
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Savage 10fc Sierra .308 win weighs in at 6lbs. mine shoots sub minute at 100yds. it is more capable than i am. the factory trigger(not the new accu....)worked down to a crisp 3lbs. i think it might have gone lower but why push it? GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!! | |||
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| one of us |
The Kimber 84M's that I have really satisfy me. But to each his own. The Weatherby Ultra Light is a cool looking rifle with that those deep flutes in the barrel. However the ones I have seen come with colored plastic stocks only. They don't have a good safety or CRF either. I like the fact that they made in the USA. There are other lightweights. The Ruger Ultra Light is very pretty but I have not seen one that shot very well yet. As a woods carbine it should be just fine and they don't cost much either. I see no point in spending thousands on guns like the NULA's. Here is a 84M in 260 Rem. They go less than seven pounds with a scope.  | |||
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I believe the lightest rifle is built by Kifaru.What about an Encore? What do they weigh? | |||
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| one of us |
Are you going to do much shooting from the bench? If so I'd exercise a little caution. I have a Browning Micro-medalion in .308Win. It weighs exactly 6.0 lbs., and has a pencil thin 20" barrel. It has quite the unpleasant kick to it. It was a cute little rifle but the front end now looks like it was used for fungo practice from jumping out of the cradle of my rest. I pretty much tamed it with a Pachmyer Decelerator pad, but it's still unpleasant. For a once or twice a year deer usage it's okay, but most of us shoot a lot more from the range than that. I'd either get a rifle that kicks less or one that weighs about 7.5lbs. with the scope, and a 22" barrel. The accuracy would probably be better as well. Just an opinion. Best wishes. Cal - Montreal | |||
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Quote: Don't use the damn bench when you go to the range. How many times do you get to have a bench when hunting? Get your load development done from the bench (if you must), and spend the rest of your range days shooting from the positions you will use in the field, whatever those may be. | |||
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| one of us |
How about a Kimber chambered in .308 win. 150 partitons @ 2900 fps= 2800 ft/lbs. What more horsepower do u need for whitetails? Think about it could be the best whitetail cartridge ever made. And accurate as hell | |||
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Does anyone know how many rounds the Kimber Montana 8400 in .325 WSM chambers. On the Kimber website it says 5, yet all the other Kimber Montana 8400 WSM's only hold 3. Is this a late develoment since introducing the .325WSM or is it an error on the Kimber Website? Someone got one of these, and can tell me for sure? ...."At some point in every man's life he should own a Sako rifle and a John Deere tractor....it just doesn't get any better...." | |||
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| One of Us |
For an off-the-shelf deer rifle, I would go with a Remington in 7mm08. You could get a Model 7, Model 700 Mountain Rifle or the best of the lot a 700 Titanium. 7mm08 has "deer rifle" written all over it. It is a short action and will get about 2800fps with 140gr bullets. Plenty flat and strong enough for any deer. Put a Leupy VX-II 2-7 or VX-III 2.5-8 on top. The 2800fps is from my REM 600 that I rebarelled to 7mm08 with a featherwieght 20" SS barrel. I put a very trim walnut stock on it. It is light, accurate and seems to point itself. BTW: It is a capable elk rifle with the right bullet too... | |||
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One of Us |
 The Stevens mod. 200 in .243, 7-08, or even .308. Light and you can still have it for $280.00 and they are accurate. Sophisticates suck when they over look the obvious.  rogerOld age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone.. | |||
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How about a Blaser at 6.6 lbs. Rich | |||
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good one bartsche!  if i had a bigger budget the kimber synthetic stainless would get my vote. 577 BME 3"500 KILL ALL 358 GREMLIN 404-375 *we band of 45-70ers* (Founder) Single Shot Shooters Society S.S.S.S. (Founder) | |||
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| new member |
The Stevens 200 is the ultimate most affordable lightweight hunting rifle. I have four of them, 223 Ackley, 243, 7mm-08 and 300 Win Mag. Bought the first one, the 300, just to see what the fuss was all about. All will shoot under an inch. All, but one, will regularly shoot half minute groups at 200 meters with handloads. The 223AI does that fireforming with cheap Wall Mart Winchester White box hunting ammo. All hover just around six pounds. The short actions are a bit less, while the 300 weighs four ounces more. Is that ultimate enough for the regular working stiff who can't spend two or three grand on a rifle?  Ted Why not just do it! | |||
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| One of Us |
Since I just bought one-a Kimber 84M Montana in 308Win.It's a great shooter w/ a nice trigger.I like it so much I'm going to get an 8400 Montana in 338 Win. when they become available.I highly recommend the Kimbers. | |||
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| One of Us |
In a light weight (6 lbs or less) deer rifle I highly reccommend the 7mm08. I now own two, a browning micro medallion and ruger compact. Both are nice rifles for all around use and are easy to shoot. The ruger in particular is the most accurate out of the box rifle I've ever seen. It shoots bullet hole on bullet hole from day one at 50 yards and 1 inch groups at 100 yards. "shoot quick but take your time" | |||
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Weatherby has some light rifles out. I know this guy that has a bad back and we were deer hunting in Albama. He had a Weatherby 257 Mag. He said that was a light rifle for him cause of his back. | |||
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I was thinking (still?) of doing an ultralight 376 steyr in a "conventional" look. would start with a ruger shot action, tiniest barrel I could get at 22 to 24 ", dale christenson carbon fiber stock, minimal light recoilpad, and a very light 4 or 6 power scope. could be 7# loaded!!! load it with barnes 235X or TSX around 2700, and have the ultimate packing rifle... jeffe opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club Information on Ammoguide about the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR. 476AR, http://www.weaponsmith.com | |||
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what about the tikka T3 Lite, they state that it is only 6lbs and 3 oz? | |||
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| One of Us |
Just my humble observation but it seems that many of you are not putting most affordable into the equation. The target::: LIGHT, SHOOTS ACCURATLY, COSTS LESS. And that still is the Stevens 200.  rogerOld age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone.. | |||
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I have an old Remington 600 in .308 with a 3x9x32 scope that goes 6 pounds. Lightest gun I have found. | |||
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for deer my daughters little 6mm win. mod 70 featherlight handels and shoots great .after glass bedding will shoot .5in@ 100 yds Wayles | |||
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Bartsche: Your a man after my own heart. Got one of the Stevens 200s for my #3 grandson. It seems light (could be made even lighter by an owner), is very accurate (less than 1" 3-shot groups), the trigger can be adjusted (just not as good as a Rem 700), and its CHEAP! With the Stevens, you can put more money in better optics and still have an accurate rifle. One other attribute is easy changing of barrels. Had a couple extra in the basement that I'm giving him so he'll have a varmint rifle, antelope/deer rifle, and and an elk rifle all in one. Something that most people ignore when going to a light rifle is that scope mounts and scopes can get heavy and easily add a half-pound and more in weight. A Weaver base and GOOD aluminum rings will save 6 oz over some of the steel mounts. A Leupold compact scope can also save over a half-pound by itself! There also comes a time when a light rifle can become too light and not "hang" properly when shooting. Guess I've gotten a little long-winded.  .395 Family Member DRSS, po' boy member Political correctness is nothing but liberal enforced censorship | |||
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| One of Us |
 went out aftershooting today to buy three more Stevsns mod. 200s. Found out that one store in a weeks time jumped the price from $280.00 to $300.00. Another outfit went from $298.00 to $329.00. Took a trip to another place about 18 miles from where I was only to find out they went out of business  Maybe someone is trying to tell me I got too many rifles! Who knows maybe they're right.  rogerOld age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone.. | |||
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To many rifle ? How is that posible ? ...tj3006 freedom1st | |||
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Yep I have a few of those Remington Mohawks they are a pretty hard little gun to beat. If you keep your eyes open they come at a pretty reasonalbe price. Mine have been reworked a little and both come in very near 7 pounds scoped. | |||
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| one of us |
Not sure the price, but they don't get any lighter than 3 3/4 lbs! Ugly as sin, though.  http://www.kifaru.net/ramblrif.htm | |||
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| One of Us |
The Kimbers are almost perfect. I say almost, I waited patiently until they came out with the new long action. I loved the 8400 but did not want a WSM but rather a 300 Win. Mag. Finally they became available and damned if they didn't put 26 inch barrels on the magnums. Man, you can't win, its like they get it almost perfect and say, "No, lets screw it up somehow, just a little!!" I might just give in and get the 300 with a 26 incher, but if I'm going to tote that long of barrel, I'll just carry my Weatherby, it needs 26. | |||
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I have 3 Weatherby ULs....one in 338-06, one ine 280 and one in 25-06. All of them have Zeiss 3x9's and all of them weigh (loaded) at 6.25# or less...the 25-06 actually is less than 6#. The 338-06 has a bigger barrel contour. All of the rifles shoot 1/2-3/4 MOA at 200 yds. All have the soft recoil pad so that recoil is not an issue even when the 280 is loaded to 7mm mag territory and the 338-06 is loaded with 210 Noslers at 2850 fps. I know they're a few bucks more than some of the others, but they are SWEET. My $.02. Gary | |||
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