Mine in 28N weighs 6lb 5oz, with a MBM Ti 5Port another 2oz on my electronic scale. Shoots .3" if I do my part and under .5" all day long with 160AB's at 3300-3350fps. Buddy picked up one in 280AI a couple weeks ago and his is 5lb 15oz.
Thinking about building a light hunting rifle
- Thread starter nksmfamjp
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
I think peeps are complicating it unnecessarily. I am pretty sure @nksmfamjp has set up for LRH/S already. He is considering buying/building a 7MM-08 with a 16" barrel; I could be wrong, but I do not think he will use it for LRH/S. My WAG is hunting/shooting suppressed.
snox801
Well-Known Member
Those are nice numbers. Are your action a bit rough. I usually love savage but this was very out of the ordinary. Thing shot so good with factory ammo I actually was sad because I was shooting it with some customs and it was hanging right in with those. Very impressive rifles for the cost. I noticed they use the proof sendero light barrel as opposed to the sendero. They are lighter so I'm curious if they will walk after a few rounds. I didn't notice it so maybe worth considering that over the sendero.
snox801
Well-Known Member
I assumed he will use it for some long range work also. Based on his asking if they can be shot well. I may be wrong but he seems to be a guy that could make anything work at 2-300 yards.
The lighter you go the harder it is to get more distance. I don't have a need for one but I've really thought about seeing if I could build the absolute lightest rifle possible. 300 and in style. Which may be his goal and if so I would love to see him build one and send him all the things I've learned while building my two ultra lights. I wanted to be able to stretch mine out a bit so didn't want to get under that 6.5lbs ready to hunt weight.
I'm tore between a bolt action super short barrel titanium everything and trying. To build a insanely light AR in 6.5 grendel.
He has one thing right is sure is fun to dream and talk about this stuff.
2-300Y is doable.
cabelasken
Well-Known Member
Some 15 years ago, I wanted an ultra light and purchased a titanium remington 700 in 7-08. Best groups I could achieve was about 1 1/4" with a lot of trying. So, I thought a new barrel would help, so I shipped it off to Pac Nor and had similar contour and length barrel installed. Again groups came in at around 1 1/4". So, i spent an hour discussing my options with a very proficient bench rest shooter who also made custom guns. His answer was the gun may be too light for my abilities at the range, much less in the hunting fields. Previoulsy, he had built 3 customs for me that weigh from 7 3/4 to 8 1/4 lbs ready to hunt in calibers 284 win 300 wsm and 338 wm. I am able to print 1/2" groups at the range with all. So, I have found that no matter how much I would like to have a 6 lb rifle to carry in the field, when it gets time to make the shot, I need a rifle that weighs at least 7 1/4 to 7 1/2 lbs to guarantee success.
I was at one time obsessed with light weight rigs. I my mind it was the lighter the better. I came to realize there is a threshold where a rifle becomes light enough to be carried for those longer days and longer treks. That realization finally landed at 8.5lb ready to hunt. Anything heavier really was uncomfortable and anything lighter became more unstable if attempting precision at longer range. Everything we do in this hobby comes with compromise.
I agree...I'm at exactly 8lb ready to hunt and I went with a 23oz scope not a light one. I have only verified Velocity/BC to 1000yds with no long range groups. I flat cannot find the elusive fairy farts to load and finalize testing for long range groups. I had to change my normal style/method of holding the rifle to maximize it's accuracy capabilities. Only time I shot it non-braked was break in with 175gr and it was not any worse than my 300RUM.
That sounds like my journey. Went thru a lot of them to settle on one. By ditching both my bipod on my rifle and the little monopod I was using for my bipods, I'm not much heavier for a full tripod I can glass and shoot off. Plus when you clamp into a tripod, you have essentially added several pounds to the front making it shoot more like a 10-12lb rifle.
nksmfamjp
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2004
- Messages
- 3,200
Yea, you hit the nail on the head. I have a 300 Sherman for most hunting needs and a 28 Sherman Magnum for longer range.
I was kind of pondering the idea of buy vs build on a lightweight rifle.
That said, with some health issues, I feel another year less than 5 mi from the truck. At that walking range, the 300 is perfect! I think it is 10.5lb scoped.
nksmfamjp
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2004
- Messages
- 3,200
Fred Moreo can smooth it quite a bit with his True&Time. It does not make a custom action, but it helps quite a bit. Just pick your trigger first. Don't forget to ask him to go through your trigger and set the weight.
nksmfamjp
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2004
- Messages
- 3,200
Yea, I'm thinking good shooting to 500-600 yds at the range. Success there would drive my distance in the field. Which I would guess closer to 4-500 yd limit.
snox801
Well-Known Member
That's double with as light as you can make it.
You will notice the difference around 600 but still easy enough. My lightweight 30 Sherman I ran to 1300 and it was tough but with a bit of practice I could hunt with it for sure
You will notice the difference around 600 but still easy enough. My lightweight 30 Sherman I ran to 1300 and it was tough but with a bit of practice I could hunt with it for sure
I was invited to a hog hunt, I wanted a short lighter 308 than any of my AR10s. In the safe is a fluted varmint that was 26 inches. I cut it down to 16.5, threaded for the FA762SS brake/suppressor adapter. With the can screwed on barrel is 24 inches.
I will thread the bolt handle knob for ease of bolt manipulation.
I will thread the bolt handle knob for ease of bolt manipulation.
