I've been looking for a bolt action medium calibre deer rifle that weighs NO MORE that four pounds, including the scope. Preferably between .223 and .247, but also including those calibres as well.

There's a couple custom rifle websites that do this kind of work but the rifles run around $3,000. If the wife ever found out...

Therefore, can anyone help direct me to a source where I might find such a gun in used condition? I suspect these ultra-lightweights are far and few between.I also suspect some of them turned out to be duds in the accuracy department and that I had better have my wits about me if I do find one or more for sale.

Any advice or comments from those who do own such a gun would be very welcome, as well. I feel a bit like the guy who has opened a door and is about to step into a very dark room.

You WILL NOT find a long gun of less that 4 pounds,for anything near "reasonable" price.It takes a TON of work to make one that light.

Your best bet is to get a Remington XP-100 center grip,and start from there.I think McMillian makes a pretty light synthetic handel for it.Put a #1 contour barrel on it,13 inches long,in 250 Ackley Improved.Find the lightest base and rings available.Put a Leupold 2x on it.That should weight slightly less or right on 4 pounds.

With some practice,you will be able to shoot it as well or better than your long guns.You will also have the satisfaction of killing game with a handgun,and the ease of sticking it in a shoulder holster.

Mouskie you've got my curiosity up. Why do you want a gun that light; or do you need it that way?

If I had such an itch, I would look seriously into what could be done with an AR-15 barrel and bolt head. There's a good selection of cartridges out there in that barrel and all the really hard work has been done.

Seems to me the rest would be a matter of a little aluminum tubing and a lot of ingenuity.

[ 12-04-2002, 04:25: Message edited by: Leftoverdj ]

I saw a little Weatherby .243Win at the gunstore the other day, and it was truly light. It had a synthetic stock, and no rings or mounts. If I wanted a very light rifle, I believe I'd start with that rifle and add the lightest rings and mounts I could find and a short, fixed 4 power stock. Ku-dude

The only route that I can think of to a reasonbly priced boltaction as light, or nearly so, as you want would be to start with a CZ 527 action. If you used a very light, short barrel chambered in on of the handgun sihlouette cartridges, used a peep sight, and the lightest stock you could find you would get close. Cost could be as little as $1200 versus $3800 for the super light semi-customs, but power would be modest although adequate for deer.

Fireplug

The Kimber M84 is probably one of the lightest but still full size guns under $1000. The thing is it is so much lighter than most other rifles if you shoulder it you will swear it is lighter than it really is.
The titanium Remington is also very light and I have seen them go for under $1000 also but I'm not sure they come in a chambering you would like.
The fact of the matter is you will pay dearly for a 4# gun. Good luck!!

http://www.kimberamerica.com/model84m.htm

I just reread the post from Ku-dude and I know a couple of people who would say that the weatherby makes for a very good $1200 boat paddle. But if you find one that shoots they are very light for the price.
I was at my gun smiths shop yesterday and watched him rebarrel one and chamber it in 240 WM cut the barrel to 20� though?? (That�s what the customer had to have).

4 lbs.,,hmmm,, well that's 64 oz. Let's see, if I recall, a Rem. Mod. 7 action is around 32 oz. A Hart or Shilen lightest contour barrel cut to 18 inches is around 28 oz. finished. Now we've got 60 oz. Still need a stock? Most of the light ones are close to 16 oz. A trigger, trigger guard,, magazine, some kind of sights? Well, you could go to titanium. You can drill and machine the bolt handle and receiver,,,carefully. But now you see where the big money comes in. In the late 80's Remington produced a Model 7FS. Weighed 5 1/4 lbs out of the box. If you can find one of these rare rifles it is still your cheapest way to a light rifle. Its real hard (read expensive) to get lighter than that.

my dream gun is a remington titanium 308 with a carbon fiber barrel and no bigger than a 3x9 scope i wish id now what that would weigh. jason

I'm not sure that it is even possible to make a centerfire rifle w/ scope to go under 4#. You might start w/ a M7 in .260rem. & carefully machine away add'l. metal & wood, turn down the bbl. etc. With a LEup. 2-7comp. you might make 5 1/2#, but that's pretty light. Good luck w/ your project.

Kifaru's Rambling Rifle goes 3 3/4lbs sans scope. You might not make 4# but you won't be much over. Their website is:
www.kifaru.net

They are pricey, but seem functional. Rifle mag. had a writeup and were getting about 1.5" groups with a 7-08, which would be more than adequate for big game.