Sub 6 pound 1000 yard rifle?

pontoon said:
Let's say that with ammo work and a little gunsmithing my gun shoots .5 MOA. If I put the Vortex HD LH 3-15 could it shoot 1000 yards? Note that a shot on an animal for my caliber is probably only possible to 800 yards with 1800 velocity given some preliminary calculations but target practice at 1000 might still be fun or maybe I could figure out a way to get more velocity out of it.

Note that this thread is less about making my gun shoot 1000 although it would be cool if it could. I'm considering eventually getting a different gun.

This would be a general purpose gun most important deer elk and wild pigs.
Click to expand...

Possibly. 0.5moa is a start, not an end all, how well do you shoot it at longer distances? The Razor may get you there depending on your load, but you may need to abandon the talleys and get some cant in your base.

Back to the original Q. You could build a light gun to suite your needs, but as I stated earlier the lighter the gun the more skill it will take to execute long shots. Can it be done, sure.. will it be easy, no. I'm not going to tell you you cannot do it, I don't know you from adam, but I'll assure you it will not be an easy feat even for the most skilled shooter.

The recoil of a light gun w/ killing power at 1k will not be fun. Also your pulse alone at 1k will bounce your cross hairs a few inches.
 
And yes I know I have plenty of work to do. Going to the range this weekend and hopefully some long range practice the weekend after on a metal gong. If I find I'm good enough and try to up the range to 600-800 will I find the scope's lack of parallax adjustment and 9x magnification limiting? Or will it still be worthwhile?
 
pontoon said:
And yes I know I have plenty of work to do. Going to the range this weekend and hopefully some long range practice the weekend after on a metal gong. If I find I'm good enough and try to up the range to 600-800 will I find the scope's lack of parallax adjustment and 9x magnification limiting? Or will it still be worthwhile?
Click to expand...

Most likely yes, parallax and conditions, but go for it to experience what others have noted. Its nice to see things first hand when possible to prevent future mistakes and to aid in self correction. I know it has helped me.
 
........... but you may need to abandon the talleys and get some cant in your base.

FYI, Bruce Talley will make cant rings on special order....
 
As a frame of reference, the Kimber Mountain Ascent, which is pretty lightweight (not necessarily a good gun for 1000 yards, just a gun I know is lightweight) has 7mm rem mag and 300 win mag at 6.5 lbs. 270 wsm and 300 wsm are 5 lbs 14 ounces.
 
To the OP , have u ever shot to 1000?
If the answer is no then go try to do
It consistently ....... Experience will answer all your questions.
 
pontoon said:
What production or custom rifle, scope, and scope mounts would you choose for an ultralight mountain rifle? The goal would be long range accuracy while still being easy to carry. Go nuts with the price or try to keep price down--I'm interested in hearing both.

I have: Kimber Montana 84L in 270 win, Leupold VX2 3-9x40, Talley lightweight rings low. Not super exciting but the price is not too bad. Rifle is 5 lbs 10 ounces prior to mods. Scope is 11 ounces. Mods will bring the rifle weight down to maybe 5 lbs 5-7 ounces.

However! I'm not sure it can actually shoot 1000 yards accurately. I still need to practice more and figure out exactly how accurate the gun is. The gunsmith who mounted the scope took it to the range and said it shoots sub-MOA (as advertised), so that's something.
Click to expand...

If I were going after a lightweight mountain rifle that was capable of long range hunting I would contact these people

McWhorter Custom Rifles | The Most Accurate Hunting Rifles in the World

and I would listen to what they told me!
 
I read a couple of the posts then decided to answer your question of what I would do. So hear goes.

I would start with a titanium action; maybe a Pierce or Fierce. Then I would go with a Proof Research 28" carbon wrapped barrel with a titanium brake. Next I would have MPI make a stock specifically for my rifle. I have not heard bad about Timney light weight rings so I would use them. The scope would be either a Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50 or Leupold VX-6 4 -24X52. I would order them from a place I could return the one that was NOT the best in low light.
 
My dad had a 5.5# 30.06 with scope. Lightened K98 19" soda straw timkin barrel. It shot very very well but 1k was not something it would do. To get that light a short barrel is the easiest way to get there. Today Malcom Forbes builds rifles that will meet the weight and maybe 3 shot accuracy. He has a 24" wsm under 6# without glass
 
I have looked at rifles at smiths that were built to your idea.This is what I did,but was not going for the lightest possible,but more to kill elk at 1000-1200 yrds.My rifle will do it just havent had right set up yet and I only shoot 6x6 bulls.Build as follows-Defiance Rebel(would go Deviant now)26 '' Saturn ABS wrap breaked,Lonewolf kevlar glass summitt,fluted bolt,alum knob,went bottom medal(ADL would save weight)This build bare 7-2oz. 338 NM.Killed alot of game with rifle and so has my son and friends of ours past 500.I can spot my own shots..most times.With my March 3-24x52 rifle sling NFultralight rings it is 8-12 oz.Thats light for long range elk thumper,I almost shot bull at 856 but he moved out of position, I hiked up killed him point blank. Shawn C just did a similar build for himself that is 7-6 oz I believe,look it up on his site.That is a test and he will market.He has had good accuracy out of his.
 
I actually have one of them, and 1k is probably the absolute limit on game. Short action pierce titanium, McMillan edge, rem sporter not fluted at 25 1/2". Chambered in 6.5 slr, but a guy could do a straight 260 or 260 ackley. I make my brass out of 308 lapua Palma, and step on it a tad. Rifle is 5lb 13oz before optics. The lightest, capable scope I chose was a mark ar in 4-12. The rifle killed an antelope at 922, a few deer closer, and one deer mid 8's. These light guns don't point well if you're on them at all, so I picked a smallish cartridge that can shoot well under it's own weight. I shot a lot last summer and fall, and the rifle will print groups at 1k in the 4-5" range for 3 shots. Sometimes better, but don't count on it. I actually shot it at our 1k benchrest match last August in the 11 lb class. Those were 5 shot groups and mid day conditions, the group's wet 11 and 13 if I remember correctly. What I was more interested in was where would I put the first sighter in the sighter period. To my delight, both relays it was well into the blue, the 13" middle area. Not easy by any means.

Tom
 

Similar threads

1
Sub $1000 rifle option
3 4 5
Replies
69
Views
8K
Quintus
Q
Alex Wheeler
Sub $1000 BAT Action
2 3
Replies
32
Views
14K
Alex Wheeler
Alex Wheeler
J
6.5x280Ai 1000 yard group
2
Replies
14
Views
4K
yobuck
Y
3
1000+ yards/meters rifle cartridges
Replies
7
Views
2K
dkhunt14
D
B
Compact 1000 yard rangefinder
2
Replies
19
Views
2K
Bingoc
B

Recent Posts

Top