Help me put this rifle on a diet

[Blue_dog]

Help me put this 7 PRC on a diet ahead of an August Alaska sheep hunt. It’s weighing in right at 10 lbs with the suppressor.

Here are the details. I’m planning to knock off 3oz with the hang guard and would love options for a lighter mag.

Any other suggestions I’m missing?

XLR 4.0 Chassis ergo grip; folder ; - 40oz

Proof Barrel 20’ - 44oz

Defiance LA ~ 30 oz

Timney Calvin Elite 700

NF NX8 2.5-20 MOAR - 28oz

5 rd mag ~ 7oz

Banish BC - 8 oz

 

[deadwolf]

Ergo grip is pretty heavy, smoke grip is not heavy

lighter mags are available

you could always swap the 28oz scope out for something lighter like an NXS 2.5-10x42 at 20ozs. You’ll be fine with 10x magnification.

I love shooting suppressed but for this particular hunt maybe you leave it home.

Get rid of the bag rider too


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[Thegman]

What weight are you trying hit?

Pretty tough to make any big difference without a lot of work and changes, I think.

You could just stop by and borrow my 308 Montana. That would save you 4.5 pounds.

 

[SloppyJ]

Changing to a carbon stock can knock off 10-12oz but she's still gonna be pretty thick.

 

[Blue_dog]

What weight are you trying hit?

Pretty tough to make any big difference without a lot of work and changes, I think.

You could just stop by and borrow my 308 Montana. That would save you 4.5 pounds.

The lower the better within reason

 

[Blue_dog]

Ergo grip is pretty heavy, smoke grip is not heavy

lighter mags are available

you could always swap the 28oz scope out for something lighter like an NXS 2.5-10x42 at 20ozs. You’ll be fine with 10x magnification.

I love shooting suppressed but for this particular hunt maybe you leave it home.

Get rid of the bag rider too


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Agree on suppressor - maybe swap the suppressor for a break?

 

[Blue_dog]

lighter mags are available

Any rec on mags?

 

[deadwolf]

Any rec on mags?

Just switching to a 3 round accurate mag would save a little.


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[waspocrew]

Agree with the above, how much do you want to spend to drop weight? I’d leave the can home and swap to a brake. Could also go with something like a Manners LRH (30 oz or so).

Or… use a different rifle if you have one. I think this is a great excuse to buy a Seekins Element (or other light rifle).

 

[Blue_dog]

By leaving the suppressor at home, changing the mag, and grip I can lose almost a pound. I’ll consider the scope change which gets me to 8.5lb.

Is there a barrel is should have went with instead of the Proof?

I know I’m splitting hairs, but what about a carbon bolt handle?

Bolt Knob (Intermediate) - Genuine Carbon Fiber

Bolt Knob (Intermediate) - Genuine Carbon Fiber

lumleyarms.us

 

[huntnful]

If making the best shot possible on your once in a lifetime hunt is important to you, and you're confident in the current setup, I would just leave it alone. 10lbs is a great weight for managing that cartridge's recoil, as well as rifle stability.

But if you're dead set on lightening it, I would go straight to that heavy chassis. 10oz+ right off the bat by putting it in a nice carbon stock.

Swap the scope to a trijicon tenmile 3-18 and save a few more ounces, and get a better hunting scope IMO.

Swapping to a muzzle brake will also save 5oz and help mitigate more of the recoil than the suppressor as you lighten the build up. as well as make your overall length a decent amount shorter.

 

[Mikey_B79]

What weight are you trying hit?

Pretty tough to make any big difference without a lot of work and changes, I think.

You could just stop by and borrow my 308 Montana. That would save you 4.5 pounds.

I'd agree with this. For the purposes of "lightweight sheep rifle", the set up is altogether sub-optimal. Different stock w/floorplate, different scope, ditch the suppressor, might get to a decent hunting weight. Or just buy a better tool for the job.

 

[Thegman]

Other than taking off a couple pieces that aren't really required, there really is no easy button on this one. It's gone a long way down the road to become what it is, and lightweight was not the goal (not that there's anything wrong with it, just wasn’t the goal, obviously).

Maybe like the analogy of putting a bunch of money into building a street rod and then deciding you want it to be good at off-roading for a special trip. There's so much to change to make it half-way competitive in that arena it may not be worth it for one trip off road. Maybe just drive slow and know it will at least be faster than anything else for the last 100 yards (or bring a few hundred extra bucks and have your guide carry it. Then it's really lightweight...make sure they're $100's though and not $1's, $1's would be 100x heavier...).

 

[TaperPin]

I’d swap the stock with a Brown Precision Pounder with blind magazine, get a 26” #2 barrel, lighter scope, leave the can. You can put it back to being a heavy fun gun after the season.

 

[BAKPAKR]

The Peak44 Blacktooth stock will save you over a pound. I am pretty sure @Shooter264 uses one on his sheep rifle. And, I would ditch the suppressor and throw a set of ear plugs in your pocket.

 

[camelcluch]

The Peak44 Blacktooth stock will save you over a pound. I am pretty sure @Shooter264 uses on on his sheep rifle. And, I would ditch the suppressor and throw a set of ear plugs in your pocket.

Will this really save a pound. Add bottom metal and all that? If it does, im super interested. The long action mg chassis is 17 ounces.

 

[StupidLightweight]

I wouldn’t change a thing. It obviously is your best rifle, which is why you’re taking it on a dream trip. Use the best setup you have. I guarantee you, a year after the hunt, you won’t remember the weight of the rifle.

 

[BAKPAKR]

Will this really save a pound. Add bottom metal and all that? If it does, im super interested. The long action mg chassis is 17 ounces.

I have handled a couple of the Peak 44 stocks but I don’t yet own one. Several people have told me that it is right around 20 ounces. The Hawkins Hunter DBM is listed at 3.4 oz. I guess you would have to add an ounce or two for bedding. The magazine for that bottom metal is listed at 3.2 oz.

 

[Ajsomp]

How much do you want to spend? You could certainly lighten the stock by getting a carbon stock (Stockys, MDT, Rokstok) and get a lighter scope - those are two “big ticket” items that usually add up. I personally wouldn’t ditch the suppressor unless you were hunting somewhere you couldn’t have it or really wanted the lightest gun possible. In which case you could probably save just as much getting a whole new gun like a kimber etc.

 

[HoneyBadger2484]

Polymer Mag may save. I think MDT has some available.

https://mdttac.com/300wm-mdt-aics-la-polymer-magazine-3-rnd/

Also a lighter scope with similar reliability and function like a Mark 4HD would lighten it up.