Lightweight magnum question

I have a rem 700 TI I'm considering building off of. Might open the boldface to handle a mag cartridge. I love the 28 nos but haven't shot it in a light platform. The build would be a proof build with a break and weigh less than 6.5 lbs likely (bare rifle). I'm curious if anyone has shot a rifle that weighs 7.5 or less scoped with a break in a 28 or similar cartridge and what it was like. I've shot a sub 7 lb scoped 30-06 and can handle it. Just curious how a light mag with break compares.

6.5# is about as light as you can go with a Proof barrel if you go Sendero Light. But I don't see you finishing at 7.5# with an optic worthy of the 28 Nosler.

I just built a .280AI for a lightweight hunter. 26" Proof Sendero Light plus brake, Manners EH-1, R700 LA BDL (not Ti), alloy bolt shroud, carbon fiber bolt knob, fluted bolt, Shilen Match trigger, factory alloy bottom metal. Alloy Seekins 20MOA Picatinny Rail, 30mm low Seekins rings, Premier Heritage Light Tactical 3-15×50 w. Flatline Ops level. It finished off at 8lbs 15oz. all in. I could have shaved some weight like a lighter weight 1 piece rings/base, a superlight SFP scope, or Ti action. But I am extremely happy with the way it finished out, and still has enough weight to shoot extremely well.

Ltsheets,

I did one sort of like you are posting about. It held 109 grains of water. It was a 7RUM necked to 6.5 on a Pierce titanium action, a Christensen barrel, MPI light weight stock, a Leupold VX-6 4-24X52. The Terminator T3brake reduced its recoil to practically nothing.

Thanks Rich! How'd you like the CA barrel?

It was 26" long and weighed the same as a a Weatherby Mark V six lug ultralight fluted barrel. I used it one year in a couple states and disassembled it because I couldn't work the action from my shoulder without it sticking on the way back into battery. I don't remember much about it.

Ltsheets said:

I have a rem 700 TI I'm considering building off of. Might open the boldface to handle a mag cartridge. I love the 28 nos but haven't shot it in a light platform. The build would be a proof build with a break and weigh less than 6.5 lbs likely (bare rifle). I'm curious if anyone has shot a rifle that weighs 7.5 or less scoped with a break in a 28 or similar cartridge and what it was like. I've shot a sub 7 lb scoped 30-06 and can handle it. Just curious how a light mag with break compares.

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Even with a good brake the recoil is likely to be an issue if you're the least bit sensitive to recoil. If you are, you might be a lot better off looking at the .280AI or 7mm Rem.

In all honesty though one of the 6.5's will do anything you want other than Grizzly/Brown bears.

I have sub 8lbs rifles in .300wm, .300 Rum, and 7mm STW and love them but I've never been bothered much by recoil and have all of them equipped with very efficient brakes.

My hunting partner has a super light 300 WSM . The rifle is capable of good accuracy but it's difficult to be consistent. Given similar quality components, a 15 lb rifle is easier to achieve tiny groups consistently VS a 7.5 lb rifle. Obviously most of us don't want to pack a 15 lb tack driver , but ultra light rifles are difficult to shoot consistently. Somewhere in the middle is a good balance for most of us .

I hear ya about 6.5s and usually agree. I wouldn't consider myself recoil shy though. I have a 6.5 lb 260ai and 6.9lb 30-06 (the one I might build from). I don't have issues shooting .75" cold bore groups with that 260ai but the barrel heats quick and only stays sub moa for one follow up shot.

What brakes have you used on your magnums?

WildRose said:

Even with a good brake the recoil is likely to be an issue if you're the least bit sensitive to recoil. If you are, you might be a lot better off looking at the .280AI or 7mm Rem.

In all honesty though one of the 6.5's will do anything you want other than Grizzly/Brown bears.

I have sub 8lbs rifles in .300wm, .300 Rum, and 7mm STW and love them but I've never been bothered much by recoil and have all of them equipped with very efficient brakes.

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Nathan at muzzlebrakesandmore.com on all of mine.

Ltsheets said:

I hear ya about 6.5s and usually agree. I wouldn't consider myself recoil shy though. I have a 6.5 lb 260ai and 6.9lb 30-06 (the one I might build from). I don't have issues shooting .75" cold bore groups with that 260ai but the barrel heats quick and only stays sub moa for one follow up shot.

What brakes have you used on your magnums?

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I've tried probably a dozen over the years, I stumbled across the North West Precision muzzle brakes a few years ago and have them on I think nine rifles now. I have the "slotted version".

http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Perfor...var=520190416845&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

Easy on the ears, good recoil and muzzle flip reduction and very reasonably priced.

They make even the .375 Ruger pushing 300gr bullets and Model 70 classic stainless 300Rum fun to shoot.

WeiserBucks said:

My hunting partner has a super light 300 WSM . The rifle is capable of good accuracy but it's difficult to be consistent. Given similar quality components, a 15 lb rifle is easier to achieve tiny groups consistently VS a 7.5 lb rifle. Obviously most of us don't want to pack a 15 lb tack driver , but ultra light rifles are difficult to shoot consistently. Somewhere in the middle is a good balance for most of us .

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They have their place for sure but you certainly pay for the low weight in increased felt recoil and muzzle flip.

The longer I shoot the more important I find being able to see my impacts to be particularly in being able to make the split second decision to send a follow up shot or not.

In reality it's almost unheard of to ever get more than three quick shots at an animal in the field so I find no purpose or utility on shooting more than three shot groups at the range. In most calibers even in a light rifle that will be tolerable for the majority of us.

WildRose said:

In most calibers even in a light rifle that will be tolerable for the majority of us.

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Why should someone tolerate shooting when they can actually see hits and enjoy shooting with the aid of a good brake?

A good brake does an amazing job of cutting recoil but for a light weight build in 7mm I would seriously consider a 280ai and brake it. Tons of performance for a lightweight hunting gun.

Just had an additional thought. Kimber makes their mountain ascent rifle in 7mm mag and 280 aid and the bare rifle is under 5lbs