What would you have done to lighten a 700 short action ?
Who would you have do the work?

Not trying for extremes, just wanting to get rid of some of the excess metal on the action.

You skeletonize the entire action, removing or slotting everything rearward of the ring. Bolt too. Eliminate all bottom metal but an aluminum TG. There you have it. Just mill work. Who has time? IDK.

Install a short lightweight profile barrel and synthetic stock. If it is a BDL model with bottom metal you could ditch it for an ADL stock and go blind magazine. Use alloy scope bases and rings. Mount an alloy tubed scope. There are also alloy bolt plugs and lightweight firing pins. That would get rid of far more weight than what you could nibble off the action.

quote:

Originally posted by Snowwolfe:
What would you have done to lighten a 700 short action ?
Who would you have do the work?

Not trying for extremes, just wanting to get rid of some of the excess metal on the action.

I have milled and fluted the bolts of two Rem 700's
Changed out the stocks to blind mag Rem Ti
Installed aluminum trigger guards

Ieven fluted the mag box liners

Just have Lex Webernick (Rifles Inc.) build you a Strata. He really knows how to lighten a 700. However, for that kind of dough, you can get a NULA.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobster:
Install a short lightweight profile barrel and synthetic stock. If it is a BDL model with bottom metal you could ditch it for an ADL stock and go blind magazine. Use alloy scope bases and rings. Mount an alloy tubed scope. There are also alloy bolt plugs and lightweight firing pins. That would get rid of far more weight than what you could nibble off the action.

quote:

Originally posted by Snowwolfe:
What would you have done to lighten a 700 short action ?
Who would you have do the work?

Not trying for extremes, just wanting to get rid of some of the excess metal on the action.

Aware of what to do with the rest of the rifle, just looking for suggestions for lightening the action.
Thanks

The action will be bedded in a McMillan Edge stock as a ADL.

I had Twisted barrel flute a bolt for me, cost around $60 + shipping. Nice little custom touch, but not much of a weight savings. According to their price list it'll cost you $100 to TI flute bolt bidy and skeletonize the bolt handle. Then their price is $60 to mill the action, which I'm guessing is one slab cut like shown in the pictures. Anyway I was happy with the bolt flute job and they did it fast, less than two weeks total.

The most effective way to reduce weight is to use a slimmer barrel contour. I like the Douglas #1 or similar at the shortest practical length for the caliber.

What others have said, but turning the barrel down on a 700 to a .550 crown and cut at 22 inches is probably the best place to start. The 700 has about two pounds of excess wood on it also..Skeletinizing will get you a tad more..Every little bit helps..I don't go to extremes as too light a rifle bounces around like a BB in a box car for off hand shooting. 8 to 8.5 lbs is my idea of a light hunting rifle.