Lightweight Rifle on a budget.

[Sealee12]

Tikka All day Every Day - That said you can find deals online....I Just picked up a T3x light stainless in 6.5 PRC from Eurooptic for $729. Decent price nowadays.

 

[_S_R_]

Everyone forgot about Kimber hunter
Remove gel and you get 5.2lb rifle

 

[ScreamingPotato]

OP, not exactly lightweight but my Bergara SP with Credo fully rigged is 8lbs 13oz without ammo. I totes it all over the mountains this year and shit an Elk with it and I'm not in that great shape.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Browning X bolts on crazy sale some calibers as low as 450$

Where did you see one that cheap?

X2. I might be tempted to pickup one in 223.

 

[_S_R_]

Where did you see one that cheap?

Lock & Loaded had it few days ago in 6.5.

 

[SchwarzStock]

You guys made me curious about my Sauer break-open. I weighed it and without scope and rings it is 2.35kg, the scope with rings is 0.530kg, total 2.88kg or 6.33lbs. I wold not take it for hunting pigs or Stags though. cartridge is in the 32-40 Winchester class

 

[peaceman]

I like the Tikkas and the Kimber Montana/Ascents (if you find a good used one if looking for cheap).

 

[bojangles808]

Tikka in a 20 oz stockys sporter or 23oz stckys vg would be a good low budget build

 

[TaperPin]

Tikka is a safe bet - lots of satisfied users. It feels kind of European, not that there is anything wrong with that. The stock sucks so you’ll want to plan on a replacement eventually.

Buying a used Remington for $350 and down the road upgrading the stock, trigger and barrel is my favorite route. My current 6.5 has a Christensen take off barrel and their profile is fairly light.

If you buy used, shoot it 1,000 times and sell it next year for what you paid, that’s a free rifle. Free. And a first mountain rifle is kind of like a first girlfriend, no matter how much thought goes into picking her, after a year you’ll be ready for something different that more closely matches what you really like.

 

[Wapiti1]

OP, not exactly lightweight but my Bergara SP with Credo fully rigged is 8lbs 13oz without ammo. I totes it all over the mountains this year and shit an Elk with it and I'm not in that great shape.

Don't sell yourself short. Shitting a whole elk is a feat few have accomplished and lived to tell the tale.

To the OP. Budget and expectations would help. There are a few decent factory options that have been mentioned. There are also builds where you sell parts, buy parts and get to a frankenrifle that makes you happy. Give us some specs and we'll happily spend you money.

Jeremy

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Don't sell yourself short. Shitting a whole elk is a feat few have accomplished and lived to tell the tale.

To the OP. Budget and expectations would help. There are a few decent factory options that have been mentioned. There are also builds where you sell parts, buy parts and get to a frankenrifle that makes you happy. Give us some specs and we'll happily spend you money.

Jeremy

LMAO I swear this damn phone is killing me!

 

[Wolfshead]

I have a Tikka T3x compact (.308 win.) with a 20” barrel it’s 38” long if I remember correctly and it weighs less than 7 lbs with a 1.75-5x32 scope, unloaded.
You can get the same in 6.5 creedmore.
My rifle handles very similar to my model 94 just a little heavier.

 

[Canadahunt]

I have a Tikka T3x compact (.308 win.) with a 20” barrel it’s 38” long if I remember correctly and it weighs less than 7 lbs with a 1.75-5x32 scope, unloaded.
You can get the same in 6.5 creedmore.
My rifle handles very similar to my model 94 just a little heavier.

Looking for feedback.

I am trying to make a lightweight hunting rifle for whitetail still hunting in the woods (mostly quick shots). I don't plan to shoot beyond 200m, and I would like to get it close to 7 lb with scope, and x
close to $1,000.

I got a super cheap Savage 110 SA on sale with rebate $300 USD with bushnell Engage scoped included.

It has a sporter contour 22" barrel and the plastic bottom metal that seems weaker but is light.


I am thinking of:

1. Replacing the scope with a used Leupold ultralight 2.5x20mm (6.5 oz, net $170 after selling the Engage)

2. Replacing the rings with talley lightweight low rings (2 oz, $80)

3. Getting a Stocky's carbon fiber hunter stock, ideallyused (21 oz, $419 on sale)

4. Maybe DIY shortening the barrel down to around 18.5" (save 4 oz or so)

I think that the Savage 110 SA and 22" sporter 6.5 cm barrel are around 4.5 lbs together.

Feedback?

The Stocky's barrel only saves about 7 oz. over the plastic factory stock, and it is expensive (to me), but I am hoping that it will have improved function. But honestly, the rifle is more accurate than I am in the plastic stock. Are there better light, rigid stock options that don't cost more. Is it worth it?

 

[Huntaddicted]

Tikka gets a lot of love here. Looks like the stock is a built suspect too. On a budget, that might be the case with most otc rifles.

If the goal is to stay under 1k you may wanna check out

Browning as stated here
Howa makes a decent carbon stalker for that price. They run pretty good.
Kimber Mtn Ascent has good reviews. never shot one though.

 

[180ls1]

Looking for feedback.

I am trying to make a lightweight hunting rifle for whitetail still hunting in the woods (mostly quick shots). I don't plan to shoot beyond 200m, and I would like to get it close to 7 lb with scope, and x
close to $1,000.

I got a super cheap Savage 110 SA on sale with rebate $300 USD with bushnell Engage scoped included.

It has a sporter contour 22" barrel and the plastic bottom metal that seems weaker but is light.


I am thinking of:

1. Replacing the scope with a used Leupold ultralight 2.5x20mm (6.5 oz, net $170 after selling the Engage)

2. Replacing the rings with talley lightweight low rings (2 oz, $80)

3. Getting a Stocky's carbon fiber hunter stock, ideallyused (21 oz, $419 on sale)

4. Maybe DIY shortening the barrel down to around 18.5" (save 4 oz or so)

I think that the Savage 110 SA and 22" sporter 6.5 cm barrel are around 4.5 lbs together.

Feedback?

The Stocky's barrel only saves about 7 oz. over the plastic factory stock, and it is expensive (to me), but I am hoping that it will have improved function. But honestly, the rifle is more accurate than I am in the plastic stock. Are there better light, rigid stock options that don't cost more. Is it worth it?

Sell it for $300, buy a Brownells Howa 16" superlite barreled action for $400. Buy a blemished stockys stock for it $300.

Same $$$ but roughly 1-2lbs lighter?

 

[EastHumboldt]

I’ve got a Tikka T3X stainless in 7 mm-08. 7.5 lbs with sling, 40 mm scope, and 5 round loaded magazine. All I did to “customize” it was swap in a vertical grip and a limbsaver air tech recoil pad. Spits 150gr projectiles at 2770-2800 fps sub moa. I paid a premium for the rifle because I didn’t want to wait for a sale at around $ 1k and another $70 for the grip and recoil pad. About $500 for a good scope here on the classifieds. All in less than $1600.

I haven’t carried it on a hunt yet, but I’ve carried its big brother (The same rifle chambered in 30-06) for 4 years and maybe 200 miles on foot in western mountains at elevations of 8-10,000 ft. Even this little sweetie will feel heavy at the end of a hard day, but I’m sure a lot less than a 10 pounder. I’m 67 years old and not a pro athlete.

 

[Canadahunt]

Sell it for $300, buy a Brownells Howa 16" superlite barreled action for $400. Buy a blemished stockys stock for it $300.

Same $$$ but roughly 1-2lbs lighter?

Good point.

The brownells Howa 16" superlite barreled action looks like a good option.

But it costs $460 and weighs 4 lbs.

I read elsewhere that the Savage 110 action + barrell is around 5 lbs. (I had wrong numbers in my earlier post).

if I cut 6" off the savage barrel then I save about 6 oz. (But I think in Canada barrel needs to be 18" to be legal)

That means the howa superlite barreled and action are about 12 oz. more light, but $260 more.

But the savage action and barrel are only $200 (after selling the package scope).

I know people here aren't Savage fans, but $200 for a new barreled action is hard to beat and frees up a lot of funds for the stock and scope on a budget build.

 

[Canadahunt]

(By the way, I am not trying to hijack this thread. I am new here and not sure if I am able to start new threads.)

 

[180ls1]

Good point.

The brownells Howa 16" superlite barreled action looks like a good option.

But it costs $460 and weighs 4 lbs.

I read elsewhere that the Savage 110 action + barrell is around 5 lbs. (I had wrong numbers in my earlier post).

if I cut 6" off the savage barrel then I save about 6 oz. (But I think in Canada barrel needs to be 18" to be legal)

That means the howa superlite barreled and action are about 12 oz. more light, but $260 more.

But the savage action and barrel are only $200 (after selling the package scope).

I know people here aren't Savage fans, but $200 for a new barreled action is hard to beat and frees up a lot of funds for the stock and scope on a budget build.

They go on sale for $399 somewhat frequently and are 3lbs, not 4.

 

[Canadahunt]

Good to know about the sales.

The Brownells website says 4lbs for some reason. Not trying to argue, just to understand.