The easiest and least expensive way is to just buy a Kimber Montana or a Sako Finnlite instead of the Winchester.

If you are stuck on a Winchester consider Christiansen arms' Carbon fibre barrels. They look funny but shoot great.......DJ

I thought I might ask the experts on how to go about cutting down the weight of a rifle. I would like to get the m70 stainless/synthetic in 300 win mag and make it into a sheep rifle. What economical ways are there to slim some pounds of this rifle to make it "sheep shape"? Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Sevens

See, it's like this.
I'm a bachelor and i date a lot. I date big ones and little ones, skinny ones and those of a more ample physique, redheads, brunettes, blonds, older ones and those of lesser experience (temporarily, of course). What I have found is that if I give any one of those girls ample opportunity, each will show me what she does best...her hidden charm, so to speak, and how we can best enjoy our time together. They show me that each has a GREAT DEAL of her own brand of talent, and it is for me to reach an understanding of that talent and how best to use it for the sake of the both of us. It is also my responsibility to LIKE what it is that each girl does best. It took a long time for me to understand this, but I'm here now.

And so it is with guns of any type, especially rifles. I absolutely LOVE my 5 pound 9 ounce (with scope) 7x57 for sheep hunting. I had to spend enough time carrying it and practicing with it before I was able to use it effeciently. And my 7 pound 458 with ghost rings (essentially) for the BEAR IN THE BUSH is absolutely awsome for saving my skin when it gets dirty. My practice with it consists of jump shooting with reduced loads at 50 feet while sweating profusely. The hand lapped 8 pound 338 Kimber with the fluted 25 inch stainless barrel and the 3x12 has taken moving caribou at over 450 yards. I have shot this gun enough to know my hold-over and lead, and with a good rest I could probably do 600 yards...... Do you see what I mean ???
An outfitter who is guiding hunters of questionable experience and performance needs a gun that is substantial, that won't let him down in a pinch. While a guy hanging by his fingernails on his once-in-a-lifetime sheep hunt needs something compact enough and light enough to carry to the jobsite and still get the job done. And, according to the hunter's own physical persona and experience and ... preferance, may include a m70 in 300 winmag at (UGH) 9 pounds or an Ultralight Featherweight 308 at (ugh) 4.5 pounds. Neither of those are exactly my cup of tea, but for someone else, they may be exactly the rifle that feels and shoots best.
It's a strange thing, preference. I think that it is spawned by inexperience. LIKE THE GIRLS, THEY ARE ALL GOOD, IT IS JUST FOR US TO FIND OUT FOR WHAT.

The last gunshop I was in while in outer Mongolia only carried 30-06 Remington Corelocks (just kidding). 300WSM is becoming more and more popular but it may be a while before it overtakes the 300 Win. The Kimbers are CRF also but the Sako isn't.
All this hawking for Kimber reminds me however that there may not be a finer Hunting rifle than a D'Arcy Echols or David Miller reworked Model 70, and 300 Win Mag is a fantastic hunting cartridge.......DJ

I've only built one ultralite so I'm not an expert(I got my barreled action down to about 4 1/2 pounds. To really get the weight down its not cheap. I doubt if you can get there on the cheap.

The stock and the barrel are the first place to start, Lone wolf makes a light kevlar stock. Not a lot of gunsmiths will turn a barrel ultalite skinny, but some will.

After that its swiss cheese time to the action and thats where the money starts. A guy can spend a grand or two real easy trying to make a light gun.

I'd just leave the 300 like it is and take the easy way out and buy a light factory gun, The Wby is a good ultralite for the money and easy to find.

Here is a thought (a small one):
Get a Mark Bansner High Tech Stock. They are about 19 ounces. Have Pac-Nor put on a reasonably lightweight 24" tube and true the action at the same time. That will get you in the ballpark and still leave you enough to pay for the hunt.
The Great Ghengis Pawn & Gun in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia has Federal Premium in 300 Win Mag, so you are covered.
JCN

I hear there's a nine month weighting period for a kimber. How come Kimber only chmabers in a few cartridges? I really want a 300 win mag instead of a WSM. The nice part though is I don't need the rifle anytime soon, so I have a while to shop.

Sevens

Kimber only chambers for a few calibers because their action is scaled to perfectly match the WSM's...and they are selling them as fast as they can make them in the calibers they have.
As of last week there was a 300 WSM Montana available for sale at Mustang Gun and Pawn in Mustang, Oklahoma they were asking 1199 but I think they will take 1100 for it. I've also seen a 270 Finnlite here locally last week (I bought the 300WSM Finnlite).
I've always been a big Model 70 fan also but for a lightweight rifle I think the Kimbers are better. I've had M-70 Stainless rifles in 300 Win Mag, 300 WSM and 300 Weatherby I think the Finnlite or Kimber is a better rifle than they were (which is why I now have them instead of the Winchesters).
No doubt Model 70's can be made into wonderful things - my last 3 custom projects have all been M-70's, but out-of-the box I think they need a little work (like a new stock!).........DJ

I'm just concerned about finding ammo in Mongolia. I doubt any WSM stuff is there. The m70 isn't engraved in stone, I'd be open to suggestions. I'd just prefer a 300 win mag. (CRF gets a plus as well!)

Sevens