Lightweight Barrel & Stock recommendations??

[CarbonLead]

I am looking to set up a lightweight 7mm Rem mag off of a trued/blue printed Rem 700 action. It would be nice to get a barrel and stock for under $1,000. I was needing some input on barrels, twist rates, and stocks please.

I am wanting to try and select a twist rate for the 168 grain Berger VLD or the 180 grain Berger VLD so I figure a 26" Barrel with a 1:9 or 1:8 twist?? So far I was thinking a McGowen percision Barrel and having them thread the muzzle and add their turbo brake to it. That or Krieger chrome moly with 5r rifling. As far as contours i was thinking lightweight or standard Sporter to keep the barrel under 3lbs. As far as a stock I was thinking Bell and Carlson Mountain or Alaskan Sporter trying to keep the stock around 2lbs.
If that is a good route to take or there are some better Barrel and stock selections out there for under $1,000 let me know please! Thanks!

 

[highdrum]

What are you shooting for total rifle weight minus optics? If you're wanting something that you can put more than a few rounds through before it heats up, you're going to want a heavier profile, #4 or larger, in 26" that's not that light of an option. I'd say get a new Christensen carbon barrel in 1:9. Get a stocky's carbon, they're nice, or go with mcmillan or manners. You could do the Christensen/stocky's combo for 1150 and be at total weight of less than 5# between the two. I built a rifle with a razor titanium action, 28oz mcmillan, and with a 26" #5 benchmark in 7mm rifle is just barely under 8#. Had I gone carbon(proof or Christensen) , it'd been under 7#.

 

[CarbonLead]

What are you shooting for total rifle weight minus optics? If you're wanting something that you can put more than a few rounds through before it heats up, you're going to want a heavier profile, #4 or larger, in 26" that's not that light of an option. I'd say get a new Christensen carbon barrel in 1:9. Get a stocky's carbon, they're nice, or go with mcmillan or manners. You could do the Christensen/stocky's combo for 1150 and be at total weight of less than 5# between the two. I built a rifle with a razor titanium action, 28oz mcmillan, and with a 26" #5 benchmark in 7mm rifle is just barely under 8#. Had I gone carbon(proof or Christensen) , it'd been under 7#.

I was looking for under 7lbs and close to 6lbs action/barrel/stock. I don't mind have to let the barrel cool. I don't plan on it being and everyday shooter or range queen. It will be one for spot and stalk hunts and that's probably it.

 

[L.Sherm]

I was looking for under 7lbs and close to 6lbs action/barrel/stock. I don't mind have to let the barrel cool. I don't plan on it being and everyday shooter or range queen. It will be one for spot and stalk hunts and that's probably it.

Your gonna have to go carbon to achieve this weight. Lightweight cost money.

 

[FatBoy...]

I have been kicking around my lightweight build. I was thinking I wanted to keep the rifle under 7# without scope or ammo. For giggles I just weighed my 788 with a TIS sling, cheap mounts and a super light Swift 3-9x40 scope. 8.2# without ammo. Maybe I should expect to carry a touch more... The 788 is a light rifle in all respects.

 

[highdrum]

Earlier this year I had a 6.5 saum built, Razor-ti action, 24" proof sendero light, mcmillan hunter edge stock, runs a bdl bottom metal. Bare rifle is 6lbs 2oz. Add the 19oz luepy and tallys and it's right @ 7.5#" all up. Components into this build with smith work I'm over 4k w/o optics. There is nothing economical about being at the 6#+- bare rifle weight. My suggestion if you're wanting to do this on a budget, get a tikka-t3x super light in 7mm or 300 win, get a mcmillan edge stock, and add an aics style bottom metal, should put you in the 6.3#+- range and have a total of 1400$ into the gun.

 

[L.Sherm]

Do you already have the action? If you do is the action already had the work done to it that you describe?

 

[CarbonLead]

Earlier this year I had a 6.5 saum built, Razor-ti action, 24" proof sendero light, mcmillan hunter edge stock, runs a bdl bottom metal. Bare rifle is 6lbs 2oz. Add the 19oz luepy and tallys and it's right @ 7.5#" all up. Components into this build with smith work I'm over 4k w/o optics. There is nothing economical about being at the 6#+- bare rifle weight. My suggestion if you're wanting to do this on a budget, get a tikka-t3x super light in 7mm or 300 win, get a mcmillan edge stock, and add an aics style bottom metal, should put you in the 6.3#+- range and have a total of 1400$ into the gun.

Isn't the Tikka t3 superlite and lite models 6-6.5 from the factory anyhow?

 

[CarbonLead]

Do you already have the action? If you do is the action already had the work done to it that you describe?

I have the action but it is not trued yet. My neighbor is a retired gunsmith/machinists/gunsmith school instructor. So my gunsmithing bills are pretty cheap.

 

[IdahoCTD]

A Tikka action with the factory mag box and bottom plastic (can't call it metal, it's plastic) weighs 2lbs 1oz. A LA BDL Remington weighs 2lbs 6oz. A edge fill McM Game Scout for a LA Remington weighs a couple ounces less than a edge fill Tikka McM Game Scout (1lb 10oz versus 1lb 12oz). So there really isn't a huge difference between the 2. The Tikka factory rifles are light because their barrels are super light. A 26" Sendero Light Proof weighs just under 3lbs with a muzzle brake after chambering and it will fit in a McM Game Scout but it is a tight squeeze. If you fluted the bolt I think you could come in about 6 3/4lbs for the bare rifle using a Remington action. A couple places just had sales on the Proof Barrels last week. I bought one for 692.00 shipped. I'm building a 300wsm on a Tikka with a Proof Sendero Lite and it will be in a edge fill McM Game Warden. I should be between 6.5 and 6.75lbs for the bare rifle and hopefully 8 to 8.25 for the complete gun with a VX6 4x24 Leupold. To do the same in a steel barrel you'd need to use a #3 and have it fluted. The down side to the Christensen (which were on sale last week for 480.00) or the Proof Sendero contour barrels is you need a stock with a larger forend because of the barrel diameters. I could save a couple ounces by stuffing the Sendero Lite in a Game Scout but decided to order a Game Warden instead. The weight difference is pretty minimal for the fatter forend.

 

[highdrum]

A Tikka action with the factory mag box and bottom plastic (can't call it metal, it's plastic) weighs 2lbs 1oz. A LA BDL Remington weighs 2lbs 6oz. A edge fill McM Game Scout for a LA Remington weighs a couple ounces less than a edge fill Tikka McM Game Scout (1lb 10oz versus 1lb 12oz). So there really isn't a huge difference between the 2. The Tikka factory rifles are light because their barrels are super light. A 26" Sendero Light Proof weighs just under 3lbs with a muzzle brake after chambering and it will fit in a McM Game Scout but it is a tight squeeze. If you fluted the bolt I think you could come in about 6 3/4lbs for the bare rifle using a Remington action. A couple places just had sales on the Proof Barrels last week. I bought one for 692.00 shipped. I'm building a 300wsm on a Tikka with a Proof Sendero Lite and it will be in a edge fill McM Game Warden. I should be between 6.5 and 6.75lbs for the bare rifle and hopefully 8 to 8.25 for the complete gun with a VX6 4x24 Leupold. To do the same in a steel barrel you'd need to use a #3 and have it fluted. The down side to the Christensen (which were on sale last week for 480.00) or the Proof Sendero contour barrels is you need a stock with a larger forend because of the barrel diameters. I could save a couple ounces by stuffing the Sendero Lite in a Game Scout but decided to order a Game Warden instead. The weight difference is pretty minimal for the fatter forend.

You should end up right @ the 6.8# area, based on what I built, Tikka action vs my titanium action, and similar barrel setups. I also purchased 3 proof barrel on black friday for the same price. I bet they came from Texas! Evolved ballistics? Will be a good shooter. The Tikka action is great for short and intermediate cases since you can get Magnum bolt face and a short action setup and just put a different bolt stop in with long action mag and load up to 3.6" with aics bottom metal, or 3.34 with factory mags, which work well for long oal wsm or saum cases. I am looking into building a t3 that's currently a 270wsm into 7mm blaser mag.

 

[L.Sherm]

You have the action makes sense to go with your action. With your budget around a 7lb. Rifle is more realistic. When you talk 6lbs or close to I don't think you will achieve that for 1,000. If you can get a barrel and stock that will meet that criteria please let me know. Personally I won't go less than a #3 or a 4 that is fluted and not very deep at that. The only barrels that I have fought for accuracy are pencil thin barrels no more for me, that is of course my opinion. A 6 lb 7 mag is probaby gonna have some recoil so if your not used to it without a brake then it's all for not alot of things to consider when building a lightweight rifle.

 

[IdahoCTD]

AICS mags kind of defeat the purpose as they add considerable weight. If I'm going to build a magnum longer then a short mag I'll build it on a Remington or a clone. My reamer for the 300wsm is over 3.2" COAL touching. That means with a 2.5" case like a 7RM it would be easily too long for a Tikka mag box with bullets seated out long.

 

[highdrum]

Running the Tikka t3 with the long action bolt stop and the 300 wm magazine let's you seat a saum/wsm up to 3.34" length. Do it actually works really well for long oal short & mid length cartridges.