Build components for lightweight rifle

[The Fish Box]

With the new interest in smaller cartridges the idea of a sub 8lb all done up bolt action rifle seems like an interesting idea.

I have attempted to build some lighter guns 10.5 pound 338 terminator and 270 wsm, but it seems impossible to get below that unless you go all titanium this/that and then ditch the nightforce scopes.

Could you guys post up your rifles with a component list to get into this weight range.

 

[JohnJohnson]

What exactly do you want out of it that you couldn't get with a Seekins Element + NF scope + bipod?

 

[Antares]

No need to ditch the NF. Here's a Tikka with an NXS 2.5-10x42. All stainless, no titanium. 7lbs 14 oz.

 

[The Fish Box]

What barrel contour and length?

 

[Antares]

Factory Tikka sporter contour chopped to18" and threaded. You could do a fatter profile and get down to the same weight with some fluting.

 

[IAm_Not_Lost]

Most 20” sporter profile bolt guns with a lightweight stock plus a reasonably lightweight scope are going to be sub 8lbs pretty easily.

You could pretty much grab any sporter 20” in whatever medium to smaller caliber you want, throw it in a carbon stock, Talley scope rings, a Leupold 2-7x, 3-9x, or 4-12x, and a lighter bipod and you’ll be sub 8lbs.

 

[TaperPin]

A lot of stocks are 2 lbs - that’s an easy one to shave weight, but it can feel excessive when the credit card comes out to pay for it.

Same for the scope.

 

[The Fish Box]

Ya I don’t want to be to spendy. My 270 is a terminus Apollo lite, hart#4 24”, manners thumbhole carbon, topped with a nxs 3.5x15.

I guess a lighter contour and shorter barrel sheds the extra 2.5 pounds?

 

[Antares]

Also, you could easily save 10 oz with a different scope.

 

[The Fish Box]

What scope is going to be as reliable or at least close to it for long range work?

 

[Stocky]

What scope is going to be as reliable or at least close to it for long range work?

What's long range? The Mavens 26oz punching paper more zooms nicer but realistically the seize targets most shoot at 1000 12x zoon is plenty. I backed of to 10-11x shooting the 223 at 1000m last weekend so I could see a wind flag in the bottom of my FOV as it was shifting left to right. No problem whatsoever what I needed to aim at. Realistically most targets are well over an moa at that range anyway.

 

[khuber84]

I just ordered parts for a lightweight.......
Lone peak Fuzion Ti: 21oz
Peak44 bastion: 24oz
M5 bdl, mag box, trigger: 7oz
Utilizing a 20" Ace #2 sporter, should be right at 6# prior to any glass.

 

[Bert01]

No finished pictures but this is a long action 700, stockys VG2, Ace number 3 contour 20”, trij tenmile 3-18 ffp in talley one peice bases, grayboe bottom metal, @8.25 pounds. So if I had tried to make anything light weight it would’ve been sub 8. 2800fps for the first box of factory 180 eldm if anyone is curious.

 

[The Fish Box]

@Stocky six or seven hundred yards is what I would consider long range for this build.

 

[J_Jacobson196]

Factory Tikka sporter contour chopped to18" and threaded. You could do a fatter profile and get down to the same weight with some fluting.

Like Antares suggested, a fatter and fluted profile at 18" can get you right down their in weight and still be super stable to shoot.
This is a 7lb 223AI (not scoped) with a Swan fluted 18" SS barrel, the contour is very close to a PBB .850.

 

[J_Jacobson196]

The easy button to press on a light weight build is definitely a T3x Lite with an SHV 3-10.
Tikka 7mm08 cut to 18"
Sportsmatch T084 Rings
T3x Lite stock with vertical grip
Waters Rifleman Bottom Metal
T3x Plastic Mag
Lumley bolt handle.
NF SHV 3-10
Just over 7lb.

 

[LargeAvos]

No finished pictures but this is a long action 700, stockys VG2, Ace number 3 contour 20”, trij tenmile 3-18 ffp in talley one peice bases, grayboe bottom metal, @8.25 pounds. So if I had tried to make anything light weight it would’ve been sub 8. 2800fps for the first box of factory 180 eldm if anyone is curious.
View attachment 764748

Two questions for you:
1- what’re your feelings on the Talley rings. Seems people don’t like to even consider due to reliability issues.
2- wtf do you do for work, I see 2 pallets of Pringles and a Kuka robotic arm in the background…

 

[effinalders]

I have a couple that might qualify.
1 is a Kimber Hunter in .280ai that I removed the gel from the buttstock as seen elsewhere on this forum. Now it weighs close to Mountain Ascent weight. Topped it with a Vortex LHT FFP scope.

2 is a Howa Superlite 16" barreled action in 6.5CM. Put a Stocky's CF stock on it. I haven't put a scope on it yet, but plan to go with a very lightweight no frills scope.

 

[DiabeticKripple]

Defiance Anti-X Long Action
IBI Carbon Hunter 24” barrel
7 PRC
Vortex Razor HD LHT
Vortex Rings
Hawkins Precision M5 DBM
Pure Precision Altitude

8.5lbs

You could save more weight with a shorter, thinner steel barrel.


(McMillan Game Warden stock in pic, still 8.5lbs)

 

[Bert01]

Two questions for you:
1- what’re your feelings on the Talley rings. Seems people don’t like to even consider due to reliability issues.
2- wtf do you do for work, I see 2 pallets of Pringles and a Kuka robotic arm in the background…

1. I have never had any issues with them but do believe the others that have. I have about 10 sets on rifles currently and will probably start looking at other rings, but I’m not swapping them all out.

2. I’m the senior controls engineer at an OEM robotics company. No telling what we have laying around lol