Time to cut some weight.

4xforfun

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Oct 1, 2007
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Location
Walhalla, ND
I just got out of 20 days of COVID HELL. I spent a few days working and got ONE DAY to hunt. ND season ended yesterday. I don't know if it was because I was still weak from being sick or maybe just the fact that I am old and out of shape, but during a couple hour walk and stalk both of my shoulders were killing me from slinging my gun. Rem Sendero, 30 inch tube plus break, NF scope, bipod, sling,......14.2 lbs. Thinking I am going to put together a lightweight carry gun. I still want to maintain a little bit of LR ability.

I am thinking 700sa with some sort of McMillan or Manners light weight stock and 20-22 inch pencil thin tube and a MUCH lighter scope than my current NF. Thinking either 7mm08 (maybe AI) , 284, or maybe a 6.5 creed. Would like to keep at least 600-700 yard deer capability.

Questions.....how much weight would I save if I had the action "skeltenized"? Any Stock recommendations? Lots of you guys must have built the same kind of rifle....any idea on what this would weigh.

Go.....
 
I posted a picture of this 6.5 CM a while back coming in under 8 lbs with a VX5HD, 22" Douglas #1 barrel, 700 SA, Manners EH-1. No problem stretching it out to 700 yards but the barrel is not suppressor friendly. It is shooting the 156 EOL at 2790; plenty of juice for the distance you are considering. Lapua SRP brass and RL26. Totally understand shedding some weight. I stopped carrying anything over 8.5lbs a while back and have been equally successful at all reasonable ranges/game attempted
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There aren't a lot of details/reviews about them, but the Proof Research lightweight Mountain Hunter stocks are awesome, rigid, well inletted, and about 20oz. I had basically given up on CF and fiberglass stocks until I decided to chance one in order to save some weight. Made me a believer again.

https://redhawkrifles.com/proof-res...unter-carbon-fiber-rifle-stock-remington-700/

The Vortex Razor LHT scopes are also very lightweight for the glass and performance.
 
5.68 pounds, then add scope of your choice

Just a plain old rem700 mountain in 30-06 with mpi stock, alum trig guard , alum pic rail-- I cera-coated the stock later-- could go lighter with some ti parts, skeletoizing, bolt fluting etc--

I came in at 6.8 pounds with optic, rings, and muzzle brake.

The barrel will string if you try to shoot ot fast, but it will hold right around 3/4 moa for me.
 

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Why go through the hassle of building one, Kimber Mountain Ascent in anything from a 6.5 Creedmoor to a .300 Win Mag. My .308 with a 22 inch barrel and a Viper HST scope weighs less than 7 lbs. and shoots sub MOA groups consistently with commercial ammo, even tighter groups with tuned hand loads.
 
Why go through the hassle of building one, Kimber Mountain Ascent in anything from a 6.5 Creedmoor to a .300 Win Mag. My .308 with a 22 inch barrel and a Viper HST scope weighs less than 7 lbs. and shoots sub MOA groups consistently with commercial ammo, even tighter groups with tuned hand loads.
Tikka's t3x light's are pretty light too, for less than a mtn ascent
But quite a few companies have ultralight bolt actions now.
 
4x4FF, The Sendero is a great shooting rifle, but they are a load for any one that has any kind of physical challenge to carry on a hiking hunt. You are going to be able to buy a rifle over the counter that weighs half of what you are packing in the Sendero. Your choice to scale down to any of the rifles with the 7mm08, level of recoil will keep it fun to shoot and still kill deer pretty darn dead. Glad you are back hunting MT.
 
My thoughts would be one of the new magnesium chassis that come in under 30oz, dressed with as adjustable cheek pc . Then id grab a carbon wrapped barrel with a remage nut and build it yourself . Serious accuracy potential without the other problems a pencil barrel rig might bring.
I almost did the same thing, but decided with the areas i hunt in the SE US , an AR15 in 6.5 grendel would easily cover 90% of my big game needs .
 
I just got out of 20 days of COVID HELL. I spent a few days working and got ONE DAY to hunt. ND season ended yesterday. I don't know if it was because I was still weak from being sick or maybe just the fact that I am old and out of shape, but during a couple hour walk and stalk both of my shoulders were killing me from slinging my gun. Rem Sendero, 30 inch tube plus break, NF scope, bipod, sling,......14.2 lbs. Thinking I am going to put together a lightweight carry gun. I still want to maintain a little bit of LR ability.

I am thinking 700sa with some sort of McMillan or Manners light weight stock and 20-22 inch pencil thin tube and a MUCH lighter scope than my current NF. Thinking either 7mm08 (maybe AI) , 284, or maybe a 6.5 creed. Would like to keep at least 600-700 yard deer capability.

Questions.....how much weight would I save if I had the action "skeltenized"? Any Stock recommendations? Lots of you guys must have built the same kind of rifle....any idea on what this would weigh.

Go.....
Before you dump money into skelotonizing a Rem action Id recommend buying a Defiance ANTI XM length action.
It weighs 21 oz, and would be awesome for a 284.
Get a 22" fluted #4 or a 3b contour, personaly I'd avoid a pencil barrel on a LR rifle.
Plenty of light weight CF stocks to chose from
Put an LHT 3-15 on there with Talley mounts and you'd be set.

Or just get one of these..

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/savage-110-ultralite-bolt-action-centerfire-rifle
 
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Before you dump money into skelotonizing a Rem action Id recommend buying a Defiance ANTI XM length action.
It weighs 21 oz, and would be awesome for a 284.
Get a 22" fluted #4 or a 3b contour, personaly I'd avoid a pencil barrel on a LR rifle.
Plenty of light weight CF stocks to chose from
Put an LHT 3-15 on there with Talley mounts and you'd be set.

Or just get one of these..

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/savage-110-ultralite-bolt-action-centerfire-rifle
That six pound .300 Winchester Short Magnum looks great. And I'm not a .30 caliber enthusiasts.
 
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