Compact builds for hunting

[Winnett1]

I've been dreaming up a build for awhile now and wonder if anybody has something similar. I'm thinking for deer and antelope mostly.
any 6.5-277 caliber shooting 140-160gn 2600-2900 out of a 18-20" proof carbon, suppressed. Some sort of shorter friend chassis or fiber stock. Lightweight optic. (I've gone a few years with a 16 power on my rifles and shoot 1000 plus just fine.) run it off a tikka action with two piece matched rings and no picatinny base..keep it all sub 7lbs.

if you have something like this. Fill me in on the pros and cons. Is it as useful as I think it would be? I need something I can whip around off hand quick as drawing a sidearm.

260 rem. Or a 6.5×55

 

[73driver]

My most spectacular shot was in 1990 on a Coues Whitetail buck that jumped up 50 yards out and was headed to the next clump of trees. My rifle was a 1903 SPFD 30-06 with the original 24" barrel in a wooden Fajen stock with a Lyman 4x scope build before1956 (the year I was born). When the buck jumped I raised my rifle to my shoulder and swung on him much like I would a flushed quail or a mourning dove that suddenly swooped into view or a flight of ducks zooming your decoys unexpectedly. I was able to put the 4X scope on the buck and get the cross hairs placed on his ribs just aft on the shoulder and as I squeezed off the shot I could see that his nose was just disappearing into the branches. the bullet clipped off the top of his heart and he was DRT. First off I had decades of wing shooting experience that made all the difference in the outcome of this snap shot. Second the rifle although not light was not heavy, more than 7.5lbs but less than 8.2lbs. Third with a full sized stock and 24" barrel it was not compact. The rifle was well balanced and the stock fit perfectly and felt and handled much like the shotguns I hunted with. I bring all this up because you want a rifle you can "whip around offhand". Excellent fit and a natural shouldering stock that comes to a good point of aim is top requirement. I am not big and not small so anything lighter than 7.5lbs feels whippy and not solid. Much over 8 pounds and rifle starts to feel chunky. Balance is equal to stock fit when it comes to a handy rifle. A good trigger set for a reasonable weight of pull for fast action (for me this is 3 lbs). I have a 7lbs REM 700 in a kevlar stock topped with a Swarovski Z3 3-9X36, I find the rifle to light but the scope is great. The Z3 scope line gives you good optics, several choices in configuration and they dial down to 3 or 4 power. Long or short action no matter, 20 to 22 inch barrel will work and probably do fine with any 30-06 or 308 based cartridge. The rifles I have hunted with that are inline with your requirements are a rem 700 270 win with a #2 or was it #3 24" lilja barrel in a traditional Brown Precision kevlar stock with the smaller Z3 3-9 scope. I found the rifle to be almost to light but it shot fine. The other rifle I hunted with was a older Remington MOD 7 7-08 in SS a 20" barrel and in the gray plastic stock they used at the time with a smaller Leupold much like the Swaro Z3, loved how handy that rifle was and used it twice on off hand shots. The suppressor could complicate balance but between scope, stock and barrel weight could get that to work. Lastly you do not see chassis stocks used by wing shooters or on the line at silhouette matches. Good luck, hope this helps formulate your design.

 

[Jakeweb09]

I have one at the smith at the moment it was a Christensen ridgeline 6.5 creedmoor and I put it in a Mesa altitude stock and am having a. 18.5" OMR barrel on it with a jewell trigger. Before the barrel swap it was 6lbs 2 oz with the factory 24". I'm expecting to be under 6 when it's done. Planning on running suppressed as well

 

[73driver]

Here's another rifle we finished up recently. It has a traditional style hunting stock. It's a little lighter and it has a #2 Lilja instead of a Carbon barrel.View attachment 243960

Like the color scheme on your stock.

 

[AkBirder300]

Here's another rifle we finished up recently. It has a traditional style hunting stock. It's a little lighter and it has a #2 Lilja instead of a Carbon barrel.View attachment 243960

Nice stock! How long was the barrel and did you have it threaded? I was reading on LRI's page they had minimum sizing for threading that was hard to achieve with really thin steel barrels

 

[Jud96]

Nice stock! How long was the barrel and did you have it threaded? I was reading on LRI's page they had minimum sizing for threading that was hard to achieve with really thin steel barrels

Yes it was threaded. Its a 22" barrel and I just checked and it's actually a #3 contour and it's 0.625 at the muzzle.

 

[Bullmark]

Here's another rifle we finished up recently. It has a traditional style hunting stock. It's a little lighter and it has a #2 Lilja instead of a Carbon barrel.View attachment 243960

I'm looking for a rifle just like that one....I don't use a can but do need a brake(long story as to why). It seems that I'm relegated to a 4-5 month wait from a builder......nothing comes for sale configured with a 20-22" barrel in a caliber that I'm looking for.....which isn't that uncommon, basically anything in the 6.5 or 7mm family. I was offered a 300prc w/ 20" + 2"(brake) and may buy it, but I'd much rather have something in a smaller caliber. Any help out there is greatly appreciated.

 

[Jud96]

I'm looking for a rifle just like that one....I don't use a can but do need a brake(long story as to why). It seems that I'm relegated to a 4-5 month wait from a builder......nothing comes for sale configured with a 20-22" barrel in a caliber that I'm looking for.....which isn't that uncommon, basically anything in the 6.5 or 7mm family. I was offered a 300prc w/ 20" + 2"(brake) and may buy it, but I'd much rather have something in a smaller caliber. Any help out there is greatly appreciated.

Honestly the 4-5 month wait time is going to be pretty typical for most custom rifles right now. If you had all of the parts in hand it would probably be sooner but it's hard it say.

 

[SO I HUNT]

One I put together 6.5 prc 18" barrel Tikka action great rifle ADG Alpine stock and the barrel is carbon wrap Oregon Rifle Company. Shoots great haven't ran it on chronograph yet?

 

[cowyfremas]

My most spectacular shot was in 1990 on a Coues Whitetail buck that jumped up 50 yards out and was headed to the next clump of trees. My rifle was a 1903 SPFD 30-06 with the original 24" barrel in a wooden Fajen stock with a Lyman 4x scope build before1956 (the year I was born). When the buck jumped I raised my rifle to my shoulder and swung on him much like I would a flushed quail or a mourning dove that suddenly swooped into view or a flight of ducks zooming your decoys unexpectedly. I was able to put the 4X scope on the buck and get the cross hairs placed on his ribs just aft on the shoulder and as I squeezed off the shot I could see that his nose was just disappearing into the branches. the bullet clipped off the top of his heart and he was DRT. First off I had decades of wing shooting experience that made all the difference in the outcome of this snap shot. Second the rifle although not light was not heavy, more than 7.5lbs but less than 8.2lbs. Third with a full sized stock and 24" barrel it was not compact. The rifle was well balanced and the stock fit perfectly and felt and handled much like the shotguns I hunted with. I bring all this up because you want a rifle you can "whip around offhand". Excellent fit and a natural shouldering stock that comes to a good point of aim is top requirement. I am not big and not small so anything lighter than 7.5lbs feels whippy and not solid. Much over 8 pounds and rifle starts to feel chunky. Balance is equal to stock fit when it comes to a handy rifle. A good trigger set for a reasonable weight of pull for fast action (for me this is 3 lbs). I have a 7lbs REM 700 in a kevlar stock topped with a Swarovski Z3 3-9X36, I find the rifle to light but the scope is great. The Z3 scope line gives you good optics, several choices in configuration and they dial down to 3 or 4 power. Long or short action no matter, 20 to 22 inch barrel will work and probably do fine with any 30-06 or 308 based cartridge. The rifles I have hunted with that are inline with your requirements are a rem 700 270 win with a #2 or was it #3 24" lilja barrel in a traditional Brown Precision kevlar stock with the smaller Z3 3-9 scope. I found the rifle to be almost to light but it shot fine. The other rifle I hunted with was a older Remington MOD 7 7-08 in SS a 20" barrel and in the gray plastic stock they used at the time with a smaller Leupold much like the Swaro Z3, loved how handy that rifle was and used it twice on off hand shots. The suppressor could complicate balance but between scope, stock and barrel weight could get that to work. Lastly you do not see chassis stocks used by wing shooters or on the line at silhouette matches. Good luck, hope this helps formulate your design.

Awesome...my reason for a rifle like this is because of a similar situation. I stalked a mule deer this year with my 300 win mag tikka. 24" barrel ziess v4 bipod sling aics mag muzzle break all included. When I found the deer on my final idea of a shooting position he caught a bit of wind and jumped up at like 20 yds. I was drawing my rifle to bear as quick as I could and was still almost too slow. Although I could've waited to see if he would stop and look back I didn't wait and took the shot at 20 yds the deer in full flight mode. After this day I decided I don't need a 300 win mag for deer and I would like a more tactical ready bolt rifle as light as possible for backpacking around.