Lightweight 28 nosler build plan

[sheepaholic]

Hey everyone
Here is my plan for my next build please give some opinions as I want to get it right

Lone peak razor ti action
Manners stock eh1 or eh2 can't decide
Carbon barrel either 25 or 26" plus break not sure which maker looking at hardy, benchmark (frozen fiber) or carbon six
Trigger tech trigger
Hawkins long range hybrid 25 moa rings
Possibly Hawkins bottom metal if I can get it
Looking to keep gun as close to 6lbs as possible to be able to run a bigger scope and stay around 8lbs all finished
Thanks for any opinions or suggestions

 

[Ragnarnar]

If you don't have a smith in mind already, I'd look into having Travis Stevens at TS Customs build yours. I have one chambered in 7LRM using almost those exact components in the works with him a couple months out. I can't speak to the Ti action, but he should have most of that in stock already.

I love my target 308 he did and by all accounts his work is excellent.

 

[Korhil78]

Sounds like a fun build. What are your range limits on game? That should be the determining factor on how light you want to keep it.

 

[sheepaholic]

I'm thinking I'll ring steel and try to shoot wolves out to 1000 but hunting for now will be under 750 until I get enough range time with the gun

 

[Korhil78]

For me, if shooting out to 1000 yards on game, I would like to keep my scoped rifle no less than 10lbs. But it seems like you have it under control for what you want to do with it.

 

[sheepaholic]

This is going to be a carry everywhere rifle and 10pounds is too heavy for hard mountain hunting

 

[Ragnarnar]

I'm of the belief that if you can't handle a ten pound rifle, an eight pound rifle won't make any difference.

Ounces lead to pounds and pounds lead to pain, yes, but I'd rather train a little harder or heavier (or both) and have a rifle that will settle down when I need it to.

Also it'll kick less and you'll be able to shoot more, so you'll be able to get to that 1K faster

Carry a 12 pound weight during your train up and put an extra five pounds in your pack, it'll make it 'easier' when the time comes.

Also a cost saving opportunity there.... light weight isn't cheap. Put the savings into brass and componets and practice more.

Just my opinion. It's your rifle do what you like. It sounds like a good setup, just a little lightweight for my tastes.

 

[ramrod79]

If you are going to use a Benchmark Carbon wrap for weight savings then you won't be saving much over a regular as Benchmark as Benchmark uses a heavier sleeve. I just went through the same thing with my build ,and a Benchmark #4 sporter is same weight as benchmark carbon wrap in the light Sendero so you may want to look at carbon wrap that does not use such a robust barrel sleeve.

 

[sheepaholic]

My benchmark number 4 fluted was 3.5lbs and the ighterweight carbon from benchmark is 2lbs 10 Oz from what I've heard

 

[Deleted member 46119]

... I just went through the same thing with my build ,and a Benchmark #4 sporter is same weight as benchmark carbon wrap in the light Sendero ...

Steve,

Who did you contact at Benchmark for your Carbon Wrap barrel?

 

[Engineering101]

Apparently it is still true. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Or in this case, rifle weight. I'm in Ragnarnar's camp on this one. In fact I go a little further by recognizing that if I drag a heavy rifle around the mountains, and I'll go where they are as steep as you can go without a rope, I"ll get in even better shape. Oh yeah, and the rifle will shoot better and have less recoil. You might even be able to spot your own shots. My "light" rifle is 10.5 lbs and most run around 12 lbs. A buddy of mine has a 280 AI in a 5 pound rifle. He has no trouble shooting an unbraked RUM or 375 Ruger but the 280 AI kicks the crap out of him and he can only take so much bench time with it. Everybody has a different view of what is good in a rifle though and if you want the rifle to be light you better make it light or you won't be happy. Either way I think you will really like the 28 Nosler. It is a well designed cartridge that will run neck and neck with the 7mm RUM.

 

[sheepaholic]

Steve,

Who did you contact at Benchmark for your Carbon Wrap barrel?

Look up frozen fiber Chris Reid he use to work for benchmark and is now wrapping their barrels

 

[Huntnpack]

Sheepaholic, looks like a nice build plan to me. I think you will really be happy.
An 8 lb rifle can be shot accurately & consistently.
Keep us posted. gun)

 

[Timber338]

6 lb rifle (without optics) is extremely aggressive to shoot out to 1000 yards. Also, adding 2 pounds of optics is going to make for an extremely top heavy rifle that always wants to flop over and it will just balance very awkwardly.

I have owned rifles that weighed in the 7.5 - 8 lb range with optics and they are very nice to carry. Some people are probably very good long range shots with them at those lighter weights, and you may be one of them. But in general for most people they are very challenging to shoot consistently at long range.

Over time I have settled for a rifle somewhere in the 9-10 lb range. For me that is the sweet spot for the extreme backpack hunts I do but still having enough mass to shoot well. I get all the hype of how much it sucks to carry weight, but it also sucks to track animals a long ways that have been hit poorly. On top of all that, the hunt is the easy part compared to packing out an animal... 1-2 lbs is lost in the noise when you're loaded down with 100+ lbs of meat and gear.

I own a custom 338 rum that weighs right at 9.75 with a #4 contour barrel, the Vortex AMG in Hawkins 25 MOA hybrid long range rings in a McMillan Game Scout Edge stock... It's as light as I would ever want a 338. Next barrel might be a #5.

And just like Ragnarnar I am having Travis at TS customs build me a 30 Nosler. I am going with the Fuzion Ti action and a #4 Benchmark, and Hawkins BDL triggerguard/floorplate, Picatinny rings and muzzle brake, also in a McMillan Game Scout Edge. I'll be running the new VX6-HD 3-18x50. The whole thing should weigh in somewhere pretty close to 9 lbs +/-

I could see the same style build with a 28 Nosler in a Ti action like you are thinking but with more weight in the barrel and less in the optics. Maybe a #3 contour and scope closer to 20 ounces. I think that would weigh in pretty close to 8.5 lbs and have great balance.