Potential Lightweight Hunting Rig

[BVold]

As the title suggests I am looking into putting together a lighter-weight rifle to fill a role in my closet. This gun would be mainly a deer and antelope rifle, maybe pulled out for a cow elk hunt, or if by some random chance a sheep tag was obtained. I have 2 options in mind, either the 25 SST with a 131 blackjack or one of the 130s bergers, or a 6.5 SS with either the 147elds or 156 bergers. In a perfect scenario, I would want the 25sst to get up to around 3100fps and the 6.5ss to get up to 3000fps in either a 20 or 22" barrel. My max hunting distance is right about 6-700 yards, and on the ballistic app both projectiles carry enough speed and power to go that far and beyond with provided speeds above. For a weight, I envision sub 7lbs, preferably between 6-6.5lbs, but beggars can't be choosers.

The overall questions I have are:
1)Why would you lean towards the 25sst or the 6.5ss
2)Do you think the velocities listed are achievable in the short barrels such as 20 or 22" if the right power is used?
3)Any component recommendations?
4) Lastly, any other short action cases that you think fit the bill for what I am looking for? I have looked at most of the wsm's, saum's, creedmoors, and prcs.

Initial Component thoughts I have are:
Barrel: CarbonXI or Proof- Proof has a better reputation, but CarbonXI's featherweight barrel is lighter than Proof's Sendero Light
Action: Pierce Engineering Titanium SA
Stock: Peak 44- I know it is not the lightest, but it keeps a little bit of verticality in the grip and is still only advertised as 20oz
Scope: Swarovski Z5 3.5-18- 16 oz and has a turret
Jewell Trigger
Talley rings

 

[zr600]

Actually I think I would trust the carbon six barrel more then the proof. I think you have a good list going. You have benchmark, carbon six, bartlein, could contact Pederson llc for a carbon barrel too he wraps muller works and rock creek barrels.

 

[BEEMAN]

I think you should be able to make your weight. Especially with a titanium action. I did a semi light weight 280 AI this winter that's close to your goals. You didn't say if 6.5 was bare rifle, or scoped.

 

[Marky_mark]

I would go with the 6.5prc
You won't have to pay the inflated price for brass or dies. Lapua makes brass for the prc

 

[Mark37082]

Sounds like a fun project. Keep us posted on your progress. Welcome to the forum.

 

[Tidus56]

Of your choices I would go 25 SST. I would use the 133 or 135 bergers they seem to be available pretty frequently. The blackjack line is too hard to get a hold of. I feel like the recoil of a 25 SST will be mild so it should be nice in a light weight rifle.

Action is up to you, I would do defiance ANti or Nanook if it was me. I am not really interested in a TI action tho.

The 25 PRC would also fit your needs. The SST doesn't need a medium length action but the PRC likely will just keep that in mind.

Maybe DM @lancetkenyon for info on the 25SST. When I build mine he is the resource I hope to utilize as he loves his based on his posts.

 

[dogz]

I would go with the 6.5prc
You won't have to pay the inflated price for brass or dies. Lapua makes brass for the prc

Dat would be the smart move aka the easy button

 

[Jud96]

Of your choices I would go 25 SST. I would use the 133 or 135 bergers they seem to be available pretty frequently. The blackjack line is too hard to get a hold of. I feel like the recoil of a 25 SST will be mild so it should be nice in a light weight rifle.

Action is up to you, I would do defiance ANti or Nanook if it was me. I am not really interested in a TI action tho.

The 25 PRC would also fit your needs. The SST doesn't need a medium length action but the PRC likely will just keep that in mind.

Maybe DM @lancetkenyon for info on the 25SST. When I build mine he is the resource I hope to utilize as he loves his based on his posts.

Pierce Shadow. Lightened steel and smooth as glass. No chattering in the bolt either because there's no bottom flutes.

To the OP, when you order the action, I recommend the Skele-Ti with integral lug. The short action is 15.6oz and the long action is 17.1oz. They're the lightest actions on the market and very well made. I'm a little biased though.

For cartridges, personally I'd do a long action. There's less than 2oz of weight difference and you open up a whole lot of possibilities for cartridges. If you want to stick to a short action, then I'd just do the 6.5 PRC. Lapua, ADG, and Peterson make brass and it's a great cartridge.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I have a 25SST and two 6.5SSs.
For deer/pronghorn, either will do just fine.

Here are my takes on each.

25SST:
If you want a 20-22" barrel, the 25SST should hit 3050-3100 with a 133 Elite or 135 LR Hyb. Totally forget about the 131 Blackjacks. They have been on backorder for almost 2 years, with probably hundreds of thousands (2k for myself alone) already paid for and on eternal wait IF a shipment ever comes in....my guess is it won't.
Recoil is very marginal. Almost beyond physics for some reason. I push a 133 at 3199 in my 26" 10# 25SST. And that is an easy load with H1000. Other powders will get more speed too.
Here is a quick video of my 25SST for recoil reference.


6.5SS:
To get 3000 in a 20-22" 6.5SS with a 156 is possible, but you will be running them warm to hot! But, even at 2900 (which is easily doable), those numbers look really good still, especially at your yardages. I push a 156 @ 2916 in my 20", and my hunting load is 3068fps in my 26". Recoil in my 9.5# 26", even with the 156 at 3003fps, is significantly more than my 25SST. And in my 8.5# 20", when run hot with a 156 @ 3001 (brass does not last at those speeds), recoil is even more pronounced. So I actually run a 130 OTM @ 3075 in my 20".

26" 6.5SS w. 156 @ 3003fps


20" 6.5SS w. 130 OTM @ 3075fps


I think, in a 20", a 140 would be about perfect for deer/pronghorn, and should be plenty for even elk at reasonable distances. I can get 3035fps easily with a moderate load of RL23. I hit 3100 with them, but was getting warm. And running the numbers between a 140 @ 3035 and a 156 @ 2916, out to 700, flip a coin.

As for actions, I have a couple Lone Peak Fuzion TI, a couple Kelbly Atlas Tac, a couple Defiance Deviants, a couple Defiance AnTi X, and now a couple Kelbly Nanook.
While the Defiance Devaint and Kelbly Atlas Tac are not a "lightweight" action, they are extremely smooth. With the Kelbly being the smoother of the two.

Now, as for my "Lightweight" actions (2 @ AnTi X, 2 @ Fuzion TI, 2 @ Nanook), if I could trade out my AnTi X and Fuzion TIs for Nanooks, I would be one very happy camper. I would 100% suggest the Nanook first, Fuzion Ti second, and AnTi X third as far as smooth. The downfall with the Fuzion Ti (besides price point) is it has a longer feed ramp that seems to catch bullets below it and not let them feed sometimes. Plus, limits COAL more than the others.

 

[BrentM]

Just for an fyi I run a 18" barrel and 135 a tips at 3000 in a 6.5 prc. You can hit your goal speeds in my opinion without much worry

 

[Tidus56]

Just for an fyi I run a 18" barrel and 135 a tips at 3000 in a 6.5 prc. You can hit your goal speeds in my opinion without much worry

Do you run a can or brake on this short barrel? I am just curious.

 

[BrentM]

Do you run a can or brake on this short barrel? I am just curious.

Yes. TBAC ultra 7 and Dominus. Just got the dominus and tested it out last week. It's about an inch shorter so I may use it more than the 7. I really got the dominus for use on the 11.5' TC contender pistol.