Ultralight hunting rifle, help needed

[mudygmc]

Hey guys I am looking to add an ultralight pack rifle to my arsenal. I am wanting something under the 6lb mark. I am having a hard time finding much info on UL rifles. I am wanting something for say a 7-800yd elk rifle. I am thinking a 24in. barrel is the length I want. I am thinking a 7mm in SAUM or WSM. I was hoping to push a 162 eld-x in the 3,000fps range. I would like to keep it under 4k for a build if i could. Could go a little more if needed. Seems most UL packages out there are in standard calibers. I think I need a little more for the performance I want. A 280AI I think is going to be right there with a 7mmRM which is a little less than i want. NULA Melvin Forbes has some great rifles in my range. I havent called him yet to see foresure if he can build a short mag in his rifles. I am thinking the 160 class bullet range. Decent KE and still fairly flat at that speed. I think it will be a bit better than a 140 class in a 6.5. I am not looking for the 180-195 bullets. Wont get the performance in a short barrel and I have a 300WM that loves 212's at 2930fps. Looking for something light between my 6.5 creedmoor, 260AI and my 300WM. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Adam

 

[lilharcher]

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/all-carbon-curtis-axiom-build.197065/#post-1393111

Can cut additional weight by going with a Ti action and an even lighter carbon fiber stock (really like the Stocky's AG Composite 26 oz stocks or the M50 stocks, which are a few ounces more; both are Carbon Fiber). I love your choice of calibers w/ 162 gr pills.......you will have no issue achieving 3,000 fps in 7 SAUM on a S/A. I'd top it with a Leupold VX5HD, which is the best weight to features ratio.

 

[martinakl]

Budget would be a great place to start. lightweight builds seem to add up quickly. I'll be into my current lightweight build for over $4K, once said a done (before optics). Lone Peak Ti action, carbon barrel, Manners Elite Stock and all the misc parts like bottom metal, brake, trigger, etc.

Factory option:
Kimber Montana or Mountain Assent might be worth a look. I don't know if a critter would know the difference between a 280AI, 7mm WSM/SAUM, 7mm mag with a 160 grain bullet.

You could probably re-barrel a used Kimber (270 WSM, 300 WSM, 325 WSM) into 7mm WSM/SAUM. I bet you could find a donor rifle in 270 WSM or 325 WSM pretty cheap.

Kimber Pro's
Great triggers, great stocks, long mag box (WSM rifles).

 

[lancetkenyon]

.280AI will get you to your speed with a hotter load. My 26" barrel pushes a 175 Elite Hunter @ 2975fps. Right on the edge of pressure though.

R700 LA BDL (you could lose 8-10oz w. a TI action)
Fluted bolt, carbon fiber bolt knob, alloy bolt shroud, TI firing pin
Proof Sendero Light @ 26" plus Hawkins brake
Manners EH1
Rem aluminum BDL metal
Shilen Match trigger
Seekins alloy 20MOA Picatinny base
Seekins alloy 30mm "low" rings
Premier Heritage Light Tactical 3-15x50

8lbs 15oz scoped

7SAUM or 7WSM won't get you any more than a 7RM. Just do it in an SA, but then the bullets will be way back in the case.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Hey guys I am looking to add an ultralight pack rifle to my arsenal. I am wanting something under the 6lb mark. I am having a hard time finding much info on UL rifles. I am wanting something for say a 7-800yd elk rifle. I am thinking a 24in. barrel is the length I want. I am thinking a 7mm in SAUM or WSM. I was hoping to push a 162 eld-x in the 3,000fps range. I would like to keep it under 4k for a build if i could. Could go a little more if needed. Seems most UL packages out there are in standard calibers. I think I need a little more for the performance I want. A 280AI I think is going to be right there with a 7mmRM which is a little less than i want. NULA Melvin Forbes has some great rifles in my range. I havent called him yet to see foresure if he can build a short mag in his rifles. I am thinking the 160 class bullet range. Decent KE and still fairly flat at that speed. I think it will be a bit better than a 140 class in a 6.5. I am not looking for the 180-195 bullets. Wont get the performance in a short barrel and I have a 300WM that loves 212's at 2930fps. Looking for something light between my 6.5 creedmoor, 260AI and my 300WM. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Adam

Don't know what rifle to recommend, but as far as cartridges go, the .280 Sherman with a 26" 1:8 twist barrel, would be my recommendation. That way you can push anything from 140-195 grain bullets. The new 175 Berger Elite Hunter would be a great option for both speed and LR performance.

 

[jibnast]

A fusion TI, proof sendro light CF and a carbon fiber stock of your choice. The bullets I would be looking at the Warner 151 with a higher BC than the 162's

 

[snookntarpon]

titanium actions are STICKY. working the bolt has been a nightmare for me and i will not buy another. Others may have had a better experience, but I know many that have not.
SnT

 

[lancetkenyon]

A TI action with a steel bolt is not sticky at all. I have shot quite a few of them, in some mean cartridges w. heavy loads (7RM, 28 Nosler, .3000RUM), along with som emilder stuff like 6.5CM, .280AI. Lone Peak Razor TI and Fuzion TI, and Big Horn TL3 TI. Smooth as butter. In fact, I ordered myself a Fuzion TI for my 6CM build I am working on I liked them so much.

The Pierce TI w. TI bolt is very sticky. One in a 6.5 SAUM and one in a 6.5CM. Both were very sticky. The 6.5SAUM almost took 2 hands to open even with mild loads. 140 @ 3090 from a 26" barrel.

 

[ssssnake529]

I have a Christensen Arms Summit Ti/TH in 6.5 Creedmoor.

https://christensenarms.com/summit-ti/

It's under 6 pounds, shoots 1/2 MOA, and has a thumbhole stock. (Also available in a regular stock if you prefer that style.)

If you are willing to go to the under 7 pounds class, then I would recommend R Bros rifles. My R Bros shoots 1/4 MOA and costs less than the Christensen. It's a few ounces heavier than the Christensen.

https://rbrosrifles.com/rifle-packages/lw-hunter/

If you are planning on shooting a lightweight rifle, you should be aware that it may require different shooting techniques to obtain accuracy compared with a heavier rifle.

This article https://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/Hold+that+Forend.html

is a good place to start when considering shooting techniques with a lightweight rifle.

 

[Weatherby Fan]

The cheapest way to achieve a rifle under 6 lbs is pick up an used Kimber Montana 84L and put a Benchmark #1 contour SS 5R barrel of your length/caliber choice on it, you have everything you need in the rifle already,Excellent Adjustable Trigger, Kevlar Carbon Fibre stock which is easy to alter to your liking and an all stainless controlled round feed action,

Have the action trued and squared and barrel chambered in 280Ackley and your laughing to the range with a tack driver, shoot the rifle after its built to see if recoil is an issue, you can always add a brake but best to shoot it first to see how you make out with the rifle.

 

[Deleted member 103481]

Guys the post says OP wants to keep it below $4k if possible

 

[Crowe284]

I'm not really a ultra lightweight guy but this is pretty impressive. Could probably loose more weight if you went with different bottom metal. I stumbled across these guys searching the web. Looks like they build some hammers.

 

[Fraser Hunter]

Contact John at Mesa Precision Arms in Grand Junction Colorado.Phone(970)424-0979.Email [email protected]. I have 3 Rifles from his shop and they all shoot lights out.Very competitively priced compared to everyone else.

 

[mudygmc]

I appreciate all the info guys. When looking I am kind of amazed on how many custom rifle builders there are. They offer some great rifles. Not much in the light weight pack rifle though. And the prices on some rifles is way beyond my pocket book. Much over 4k is really hard for me to justify. I am sure they are great rifles but I have many 200$ savages some rebarrelled some not that are 1/2moa rifles. 4k plus for a little smoother action and trigger is hard to justify for virtually the same outcome. To each their own I know. Trying to find some reasonable options. Talking with a couple guys from here I might have found a rifle pretty close to what I'm looking for. A used 7saum for just over 2k. Definitely keep the info and ideas coming. If this isnt the rifle for me I will still end up building one.