What does it weigh?
What is your ideal weight?
What can we get a Custom walnut,blackburnbottom, 7x57 Std.M98 down to in bare rifle weight?(no scope or rings)
6.5 or 6.75lb possible?

I just finished an '09 Argentine that weighs in at 8lbs 7ozs with a VariXII 3-9 and a one piece base and rings. The scope weighs 12oz and the steel rings and bases probably weigh 6-8ozs. combined. Deduct the scope, rings and bases and that comes down to right at 7lbs 4ozs. This is with a 21" featherweight barrel contour. Its a 257 Roberts, but that ought to be close enough.

I also have a M96 sporter carbine (18" barrell) that I got down to 6 3/4lbs including an M8 4X Leupold with Weaver bases and rings.

Both rifles are walnut stocked.

I am not home at the moment, so weighing my 7x57 isn't possible. Mine has a short stiff tube so I am going to be heavier than your looking for.

First a couple of questions. Are you planning ona synthetic stock? And would you consider a imtermitten length action as opposed to a standard length 98? If your willing to consider those options I think you could make it happen with a light contoured barrel.

I think if you want real steel bottom metal, and a wood stock 7 lbs or a tad more is more reasonable. I would still look at the shorter action, and personally I don't like real light barrel contours and like a heavier barrel, you can shorten it up to 20-21" inches to keep your weight down.

I have a G33/40 it isn't that light but I think with a little efforts and some sacrifics I would not be willing to make what your asking is possible, you will just need to pln it very carefully.

My 7x57 on a 1909 comes in at 6 1/2# less scope. It has custom Talley bases, a custom island rear sight and custom ramp fold down front with front swivel base on bottom of barrel. Stock is a VERY nice piece of French with a Niedner Steel buttplate and steel cap. Timney trigger and Win style safety. Built by Clayton Nelson an old friend. Very accurate with 175 gr Nosler Partitions. Very effective on Kudu last year in Zim.

Zimbabwe,

Boy that is light for an 09, now you have my curiousity up. I know my barrel is a little on the heavy side, but its short. I also have real steel bottom metal, grip caps and buttstock. That French stock must had been a light blank.

quote:

Originally posted by schromf:
Zimbabwe,

Boy that is light for an 09, now you have my curiousity up. I know my barrel is a little on the heavy side, but its short. I also have real steel bottom metal, grip caps and buttstock. That French stock must had been a light blank.

I built my last argie on American Walnut and a Douglas featherweight barrel (.25-06) and added the bottom metal from an old Parker Hale.

It's aluminum and has an "engraved" hinged floorplate......the original bottom metal I had previously sold for more than I paid for the action in the first place.

I got the Parker Hale bottom metal for $10 and kick my butt for not buying a dozen of them at that price.

It's not what most folks like or want but light weight is always on my mind and I'd love to add that same bottom metal to a post war FN I have right now.

Total weight less scope is 6 Lb and 3 Oz

Vapodog,

My 09 isn't even close to that pounds wise. Mine has all metal, is convertered to a 30 mag and has a Fajen laminate stock on it though, I wasn't looking for a light 30 mag when I built it. The barrel isn't short and the profile is pretty stout also, can't remember if its a #2 or #3 right now.

Light isn't a real important factor in my rifles, I care more about fit, and how the rifle handles. I have always been happy with 7 1/2 - 8 lb rifles in standard calibers, and a tad heavier when recoil is a factor. I only have one rifle with aluminum bottom metal and it wouldn't be there if I really got motivated.

The barrel is .550 at muzzle. Tapers from .925 2 1/2" in front of reciever. 22" long. Don't know what Clay used but imagine it is a Douglas as it seems like he had one on hand when we were discussing building it. Bottom metal is 1909 with trigger guard slimmed. The walnut has good color but very dark with limited figure. I prefer dark wood over figure. This is the only custom rifle I have ever had built. Most of my guns I build. Clay and I attended gunsmith school together many years ago. The stock is a slim english profile with english cheekpiece. Very handy and easy carrying.

under 7# with a mauser and a wood stock is tough.. very tough.

i used an ultra slim barrel, tiny little stock, and a mexican mauser and I am still 7#2oz before scope on my wife's 708

jeffe

quote:

under 7# with a mauser and a wood stock is tough.. very tough.

That was my thoughts, I would target 7 1/4 on he light side and settle on 7 1/2. I am sure it is possible, just a lot of fiddling and careful attention to the weight of every part, especially the stock blank.

I have a 1912 Steyr Mauser chambered to .308 Winchester, Lawson Mountaineer thumbhole stock, very lightweight 19" barrel, Weaver rings and bases, 4X Leupold compact scope. Total package weighs exactly five pounds with loaded magazine and sling.It can be done.
Paul B.

WAs doing some recent reading about oberndorf sporting mausers, Large ring 7x57 was quoted at 6 1/2 lb.(model B?)schnabel forend,dual trigger.Dont know how true/realistic those figures are though.
Look at this for example,Kurz 7 3/4lb:

http://www.centuryarms.com.au/docs/kurz.html

I just happened to choose a 7x57 hopefully to draw first blood the day after Thanksgiving at the new ranch. A reliable source placed a number of coyotes, 2 nice 8 pointers & 3 very large boars at the hay meadow in my river bottom last week.

This stock Brno comes in at about 8.75lbs with scope, mounts & sling:

Steel scope, steel mounts, 24" #3 profile barrel means my 09 Argy 7x57 weighs in at 9lbs. Balances well, shoots like a dream.

I can't shoot sub 8lb rifles worth a damn in the field and find that swapping shoulders every 15minutes is a small price to pay for the steady sight picture obtained.

My Titanium 98 intermediate in 7x57 weighs 7lbs even, thats with a leupold 3.5x10 vari x, rings of course, military style sling. 5 rounds of ammo in the rifle. I like to shoot water filled jugs at 200 yds with it off hand. For practice I start with the rifle slung, I unsling it and try to get the shot off quickly. It's fun and good practice. The last antelpoe I took, I shot him at 200 to 250 yards offhand, right in the heart with my Dakota .300 Win. 180gr sierra, right above the heart. When hit he reared up on his hind legs and did a little 1/2 gainer with a twist and just jammed his horns into the ground and didn't move much after that. It was on my brother in laws ranch here in south dakota, he high fived me and really like the shot. It's more of a rush when it happens like that.
Timan

Timan,

Who built your Titanium 98?