The Ultimate Light Weight Sheep Hunting Rifle - What Is It?

Slopeshunter

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Hey everyone,

Let's talk about building the ultimate sheep hunting rifle. The focus here being to make it as light as possible. This does not have to be a LR rig, let's say a 500 yard rifle. What components would you use to put this rifle together? What calibre / scope / rings & bases / barrel / stock would you use??

Look forward to the discussion.

Thanks
 
for me ,
i'd say a Remington titanium action or custom clone made from Titanium

Bartlein barrel standard sporter conture 1-9 twist .284 cal 24" long chambered in 7mmWSM amd throated to feed the 162gr A-max from a Wyatt's mag box.

Manners MSC-UL stock , Aluminum bottom metal from PT&G

Tally aluminum one piece ring/base units

topped with a Leupold VX-III 3.5-10x50mm
 
with weight being the primary issue, go to a burris compact 3-9x32 with ballistic plex reticle. Now known as a "Shortmag".

I'm sure leupold & others have similar compact scopes too. A big 50mm is going to be so top-heavy on an ultra light rifle.
 
270 WSM on a Stiller Predator action. #1 contour SS bbl of your choosing. I'd likely go with a Hart since I know they will do a featherweight SS bbl. I'd cut it to 25" long. Wyatt box mag. Jewel or Timney trigger. Since I like 1 pound triggers, I go with Jewel. 2 pounds, go with a Timney if you like. Any good 3x9 scope or even a 2x7 if you have exceptional vision. I do not so my scope would be at least a 4x12. McMillan, Manner, Rimrock (if you can get one) or MPI stock, pillar bedded. 150 Berger, 140 gr AB, or 130 TTSX

Second choice would be a 280AI.
 
For the ultimate I'd consider the Titanium Strata from Rifles, Inc. They cost $1000 per pound. It weighs 4.5lbs. The list price is $3300 but you need to supply the Remington 700 Titanium action which, I think, will run you about $1200 for a total of $4500.

I'd then put a Leupold 3x9 ultralight scope on it with a custom varminter or horus reticle for longer shots w/o dialing. That will add a little over 1/2 pound. Total weight would be just a hair over 5lbs.

If you are planning to reload, I'd get it in a 7mm wsm and load 168 gr. Berger vlds.

If you're not going to reload, I'd get a 270 wsm and shoot remington 150 grain accutips. I've had really good luck with these long range in my tikka 270 wsm's.
 
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I just purchased an A-bolt Mountain Ti in .243. With 3-9 x 40 VX-III, the DD medium rings and steel bases it weighs 7#. The stock weighs 1 1/2# by itself. Is there any way that I can reduce the weight of the rifle (even to the extent of changing the scope/mounts/rings)? I'd consider changing the stock if I could drop at least 8 oz.
 
i think this automatic urge we have to get stainless barrels is counter productive. a chrome molly barrel will shoot just as good, cleans the same, but is considerably stronger than SS. i'm in the process of building a lightweight gun( relatively speaking) and Kreiger will make a CM barrel for me that's 3 profiles smaller than it will if i want a SS barrel. the strength of the steel is the reason.

also, if you're only shooting 500 and concerned about weight, get a 30 caliber or bigger. it will be lighter.

300WSM, 150 TTXS.
 
Some good options already mentioned. I think my set up would be pretty good also (if it was shooting sub MOA.) Sako Finnlight 300 WSM. I think this rifle has potential to be a 900 yd plus gun in mountains and higher elevations. Weighs 6 3/8ths lbs, topped with 2 lb NSX 5 1/2x22x50.

Someone mentioned a large 50mm scope would be too top heavy for a light rifle, but I dont have any problem with mine in that regard and any shot over 300 yds will be taken off some sort of rest or bi pod, negating that issue anyway.

Also, if you're only talking out to 500 yds, most rifles out of the box are capable of that these days. No build necessary.

+1 for the the Finnlight.
 
Hey guys, thanks for all the info so far. I know this isn't a long range topic, but this group is in my opinion the most knowledgable group of firearms enthusiasts I know of out there and I knew that I would get some good feedback from the LRH gang!

Thanks again.
 
Hey everyone,

Let's talk about building the ultimate sheep hunting rifle. The focus here being to make it as light as possible. This does not have to be a LR rig, let's say a 500 yard rifle. What components would you use to put this rifle together? What calibre / scope / rings & bases / barrel / stock would you use??

Look forward to the discussion.

Thanks

OK so I don't hunt sheep with it, but I bought it for my Alaskan moose hunts.

Left-handeld Winchester model 70 Featherweight in 300 WSM with a Burris 4.5-16X32mm short mag scope. All told the rifle is just under 8 lbs. This is an old picture; I recently had a Bartlein featherweight contoured barrel installed. It's a lightweight rig and deadly accurate.

I figure a fiberglass stock may knock off a pound or so, but I like the wood.

PA010012.jpg
 
Remington Ti in 270 wsm. Talley one piece rings with a swaro 4-12x40 or leupold 3.5-10. Floated, bedded, trigger lightened to 2.5 lbs. Otherwise, an HS precision sporter lightweight with all of the above.
 
If weight is a high priority and you'll limit your shots to 500 yds, then you could go with a lower magnification variable power scope (lighter scope) than what some of the guys have recommended here. Some of the scopes ID'd here are great scopes for even longer range shooting, but I think you're seeing some carry-over from guys who equip themselves and specialize to shoot out to 800 yds and farther. If you're limiting yourself to 500 yds, you should be completely sufficient with a 2.5-8X, a 2-7X, or 3-9X. There are some awfully light scopes available in these power ranges compared to 3.5-10X, 4-16X, or higher powered variable scopes. Scope selection is one obvious area for a substantial weight reduction I'm seeing in some of these recommendations. I shot 2.5-8X Leupold VariX and VX III scopes for 25 years and was never lacking high end magnification out to 5-600 yds for big game. I now use 3-18X and 4.5-14X scopes, but I've extended my effective range out to 1000 yds. My 2 cents.
 
As for SS bbls vs CM and wood vs synthetic, I just got back from hunting a few hours in a steady drizzle and I am sure glad I have the SS bbl and the synthetic stock or else I would be pulling my barreled action from my stock, drying and wiping them down and reasembling. Couldn't imagine hunting sheep out of a mountain base camp in this type weather for up to week with wood and CM. No offense guys, JMO.

Also, I dont know too many sheep hunters that would take a wood stock up into steep mountain terrain, crossing skree and talus and jumping boulders.

And... NF has just come out with a 2 1/2x10x32 scope that weighs 19 oz. Very cool...
 
If weight is a high priority and you'll limit your shots to 500 yds, then you could go with a lower magnification variable power scope (lighter scope) than what some of the guys have recommended here. Some of the scopes ID'd here are great scopes for even longer range shooting, but I think you're seeing some carry-over from guys who equip themselves and specialize to shoot out to 800 yds and farther. If you're limiting yourself to 500 yds, you should be completely sufficient with a 2.5-8X, a 2-7X, or 3-9X. There are some awfully light scopes available in these power ranges compared to 3.5-10X, 4-16X, or higher powered variable scopes. Scope selection is one obvious area for a substantial weight reduction I'm seeing in some of these recommendations. I shot 2.5-8X Leupold VariX and VX III scopes for 25 years and was never lacking high end magnification out to 5-600 yds for big game. I now use 3-18X and 4.5-14X scopes, but I've extended my effective range out to 1000 yds. My 2 cents.

Good point Paul, but if i'm going sheep hunting, the farther I can shoot the better within reasonable gun/scope weight and I'll want a good tough optic for mountains which = NF in my book.

I'll cut the wieght in other places, like my waist line and not take too much from the rifle and scope. And if you're gonna hunt sheep then you need to be in sheep shape. I guess it's a matter of priorities.

And that 2 1/2 x 10 x 32, 19 oz NF sounds pretty sweet for mountains too.
 
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