Ultralight hunting rifle, help needed

mudygmc said:
Hey guys I am looking to add an ultralight pack rifle to my arsenal. I am wanting something under the 6lb mark. I am having a hard time finding much info on UL rifles. I am wanting something for say a 7-800yd elk rifle. I am thinking a 24in. barrel is the length I want. I am thinking a 7mm in SAUM or WSM. I was hoping to push a 162 eld-x in the 3,000fps range. I would like to keep it under 4k for a build if i could. Could go a little more if needed. Seems most UL packages out there are in standard calibers. I think I need a little more for the performance I want. A 280AI I think is going to be right there with a 7mmRM which is a little less than i want. NULA Melvin Forbes has some great rifles in my range. I havent called him yet to see foresure if he can build a short mag in his rifles. I am thinking the 160 class bullet range. Decent KE and still fairly flat at that speed. I think it will be a bit better than a 140 class in a 6.5. I am not looking for the 180-195 bullets. Wont get the performance in a short barrel and I have a 300WM that loves 212's at 2930fps. Looking for something light between my 6.5 creedmoor, 260AI and my 300WM. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Adam
Click to expand...
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THE 6.5 PRC PICKS UP WHERE 6.5 CREEDMORE LEAVES OFF.
 
While I don't own one (and for full disclosure, actually have never shot one) I would recommend (as others have before) to talk to Lex at Rifles Inc. I have toured his shop and held all his rifles and they are super light weight. Lex says (and proved) they will shoot half MOA all day. He specializes in building custom Ultra-lightweight hunting rifles. He should be able to build one around $4k on up depending on your options and how light you want.
 
Browning TI is no longer made.
Cooper doesnt built the back country in the caliber I want.
Weatherby is a bit heavier than i was thinking.
Sako and tikka will be worth some more digging. Thanks for the info guys. Its always appreciated.
 
Remember you don't "have to" buy new. I have a Browning Mountain Ti in .243 and have had it for a while. Love it for whitetails out to 300 yd or so. I'm shooting an 85g Barnes TSX because I could have a deer at 20 yds just as easily as 200+ yds. A buddy liked it but bought a Tikka in .308. A few ounces lighter than my browning because of the bigger hole in the barrel. That one shoots great too.

I would look at putting a brake on it though. Your practice sessions won't be long because of heating up the thin barrel, and the recoil will be stout because of the light weight. A good brake will only add a few ounces and will help you a LOT. I have one of Kirby Allen's brakes on one of my .257 Weatherby rifles and when shooting it side by side with it's sibling, the difference in recoil and rifle torque is amazing.
 
mudygmc said:
Hey guys I am looking to add an ultralight pack rifle to my arsenal. I am wanting something under the 6lb mark. I am having a hard time finding much info on UL rifles. I am wanting something for say a 7-800yd elk rifle. I am thinking a 24in. barrel is the length I want. I am thinking a 7mm in SAUM or WSM. I was hoping to push a 162 eld-x in the 3,000fps range. I would like to keep it under 4k for a build if i could. Could go a little more if needed. Seems most UL packages out there are in standard calibers. I think I need a little more for the performance I want. A 280AI I think is going to be right there with a 7mmRM which is a little less than i want. NULA Melvin Forbes has some great rifles in my range. I havent called him yet to see foresure if he can build a short mag in his rifles. I am thinking the 160 class bullet range. Decent KE and still fairly flat at that speed. I think it will be a bit better than a 140 class in a 6.5. I am not looking for the 180-195 bullets. Wont get the performance in a short barrel and I have a 300WM that loves 212's at 2930fps. Looking for something light between my 6.5 creedmoor, 260AI and my 300WM. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Adam
Click to expand...
. A; Contact Ultralight Arms in WV. Might consider .284 Win. Or, 7mm wsm. The Lazzeroni short mags. Might work for you also! I like my 6.5 x57 which is very light& nice to carry so I understand your wanting a featherweight! You may consider a featherweight contour ed barrel like pre-64 Win. Too! Good Luck! D.
 
I wanted the exact same thing...for about the same price...I also didn't want to mess with customizing it and having to deal with my gunsmith too much. I live in Idaho and have to walk 1000's of feet of vertical for Deer and Elk. Built this up Fall of 2016, best I could find on the open market. Cost me about 2900 all in.

This pic is fully loaded. Gun, 3 rounds, scope, rings and nylon strap.

-Kimber Mtn Ascent in 7mmRM
-Vortex Razor HD LH 3-15X42 (lightweight hunter)
-HSM 168 Berger VLD
-Browning camo strap
-Vortex Flip Caps

Total Weight: 7lb 12oz

I had the luxury of getting a beautiful mature mule deer with my 12yr old that fall from 368yds. (youtube.com/watch?v=mj5XHvTiBec&t=259s)

Love the gun and it's the only one I carry when I have to climb hills...
 

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harkenandlangley said:
I wanted the exact same thing...for about the same price...I also didn't want to mess with customizing it and having to deal with my gunsmith too much. I live in Idaho and have to walk 1000's of feet of vertical for Deer and Elk. Built this up Fall of 2016, best I could find on the open market. Cost me about 2900 all in.

This pic is fully loaded. Gun, 3 rounds, scope, rings and nylon strap.

-Kimber Mtn Ascent in 7mmRM
-Vortex Razor HD LH 3-15X42 (lightweight hunter)
-HSM 168 Berger VLD
-Browning camo strap
-Vortex Flip Caps

Total Weight: 7lb 12oz

I had the luxury of getting a beautiful mature mule deer with my 12yr old that fall from 368yds. (youtube.com/watch?v=mj5XHvTiBec&t=259s)

Love the gun and it's the only one I carry when I have to climb hills...
Click to expand...
 
My 6.5 SAUM is 7lb exactly.

Remington 700 SS action, factory bottom metal and magazine box.
PTG alloy FPA, bolt handle and teardrop knob
Lilja sporter contour barrel, fluted. 25.6in length
Talley lightweights holding a Swarovski 3.5-18 w/BRH reticle
Wildcat composites CF stock in the light construction with a Pachmayer thin pad.
Fin 1.jpg


Your 7mm SAUM plan is a good one, just pay attention to the details and you will get under $4k easily.

To get to 6lb for the same rifle
a Ti action will cut 8oz off.
a lesser quality scope that is smaller (like a Swarovski 3-9x36 or Leupold VX2c 3-9) will knock 10oz off

The lightest rifle I have built so far was a Model 7 in 260 which came in a 5lb 10oz ready to shoot. Based on this experience, the lower quality scope is a poor compromise.
 
I have done a fair bit of backpack hunting over the last thirty-five or forty years. Mostly for sheep but also for goats, elk and even once for caribou. The rifles I used were the lightest I could get at the time with a Husquvarna .270 featherweight being about the lightest but not necessarily the best. As far as caliber goes my first question always is, are you in grizzly country? That influences me if not everyone. Once past that I make sure I have enough gun for the particular creature I'm hunting - and for Elk that means at least 160 grains and preferably 175 if a big bull is in your plans. I took a 6x7 bull once that went a thousand pounds on the hoof. It took four horses to pack him out. I hit him with a 180 gr, Nosler Partition from a 300 Wby at 350 yards and I was sure I needed all of it.
My advice on backpack rifles goes something like this: 1. Muzzle heavy is better than either butt heavy or balanced. (Your heart rate is usually up with a pack on your back in mountain country and muzzle heavy steadies quicker.) 2. Carry it in you hands because you may need to balance yourself with it. 3. Don't put a big scope on it because it will snag on everything, and plan on losing your scope covers. 4. Install a big tough soft butt pad on the rifle because it will be used a shock absorber way more than you can imagine. 5. Carry a pull-through with a bronze brush on it the size of you caliber to clear any loose impediments that may get in your barrel. And finally, 6. I have learned to avoid calibers with straight walled cases when on backpack hunts. It's a personal thing I have gained from seeing friends deal with sticky bolts and cases. That is a particularly hard one at present as all cases seem to be straight walled but I stay with it.
One last piece of advice, use a pack with an internal "A" frame. You can drop it, sit down, and use it for a comfortable, solid, padded rest in a very short period of time.
 
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