Rifle and Scope?

[HornPorn]

The input has been great so far, So let me ask this guys, I was looking at the Kimber and the Tikka but a friend with pretty good knowledge and smart gut is telling me that they are so light in the barrels that after 1 shot that the barrels are to hot for an accurate follow up at longer ranges, His answer is the Christensen but the quality has gone down with the buy out and now the ridgeline is so much of a production gun and if you want the 1/2 MOA that you now have to go to the custom route, Oh and now you are at 3k on top of that. Is there a lightweight TRUE 1/2 MOA out there that I wouldn’t have to spend 4 or 5k on to get it. I know, I know but I’m a retired Marine and I can shoot it and really want one for Christmas. Prices have just gone crazy and inflation is killing all of us.

Id pick up that Ridgeline 7mm-08 in the classifieds for $1500 and then put a NF 2-10x42 on it. Sight it in with 140 gr ballistic tips for your sheep hunt, but keep 160 gr accubonds in it until it’s time to shoot your sheep (if in Grizz country and you desire some extra peace of mind.)

 

[Ferrulewax]

I have been playing around with this idea, maybe I’ll eventually build it out:

Tikka Superlight .243 or 6.5cm ~6# 3oz 800$
UM action milling and bolt fluting (-4oz) $250
Mtn gear bolt handle (-1oz) $100
Lumley bolt shroud (-.5oz) $35
Titanium action screws (-.3oz) $10
Cut barrel to 16” (-7 oz) $150
Stockys VG or rokstock lite (-10 oz) $550
Total: 77oz or 4.8lbs

SWFA UL (9.5 oz) or trijicon accupoint (13.5oz) $3-500
Sportsmatch rings (3.5oz) $60
Total: 13 or 17 oz

Scythe Ti with flat end cap 8oz $1000

Should be close to the 6lb mark.

I just have to keep reminding myself that money spent on hunts and time spent on skill and fitness is much more important than cool gear

 

[z987k]

The rokstock is a rather heavy stock and the maven 1.2 is a rather heavy scope. I have a tikka wearing both. It doesn't go sheep or goat hunting.

Pierce SkeleTi in a echelon stock(very similar ergonomics to the rokstock, just 3/4 pound lighter) with a douglas featherweight barrel wearing a trijicon accupoint and an ab raptor up front. 4lbs 13oz all in.
Pick a cartridge, literally all of them work, but if you build something this light I can't imagine going bigger than 6.5cm and would recommend less.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

The input has been great so far, So let me ask this guys, I was looking at the Kimber and the Tikka but a friend with pretty good knowledge and smart gut is telling me that they are so light in the barrels that after 1 shot that the barrels are to hot for an accurate follow up at longer ranges, His answer is the Christensen but the quality has gone down with the buy out and now the ridgeline is so much of a production gun and if you want the 1/2 MOA that you now have to go to the custom route, Oh and now you are at 3k on top of that. Is there a lightweight TRUE 1/2 MOA out there that I wouldn’t have to spend 4 or 5k on to get it. I know, I know but I’m a retired Marine and I can shoot it and really want one for Christmas. Prices have just gone crazy and inflation is killing all of us.

Your pal is misinformed. Some combo of this thread:

Cold bore zero versus (very) Hot bore zero “test”

Discussions around “cold bore shifts” and “cold bore zeroes” versus “warm or hot barrel zeroes” are constant. So is the belief that barrels “walk” when they heat up or that groups open when they heat up. After having multiple discussions, @Ryan Avery and Jake @Unknown Munitions and I set up a...

rokslide.com

And this podcast:

will help you see that his concern about barrels only being good for one shot is nonsense.

 

[handwerk]

I just finished putting together a few customs based on kimber 84M's that turned out well , topped with NXS 2.5-10x42's the 6 CM is at 6 .75 lbs and the 6.5 CM is 7.25, both have 22" proof CF barrels.
I wouldn't want them any lighter.

 

[cbeard64]

If building rifles is fun for you go for it. Lots of guys love building rifles. Good on them.

But if not, it’s absolutely not a necessity. It’s not 1970 anymore. There are lots of factory rifles that are amazingly accurate. I daresay most of them are these days. Repeatable, precision machining is dialed in to an incredible degree compared to years past.

Go shoot a Tikka T3. Heck even a cheapo Ruger American Rifle or even a Savage Axis (much less a Sako, Weatherby, and on and on and on….). They are plenty accurate. Sure, there are still some poor rifle brands around but just do some research and avoid them. Most rifles today will outshoot the vast majority of the guys behind them.

 

[schmalzy]

The input has been great so far, So let me ask this guys, I was looking at the Kimber and the Tikka but a friend with pretty good knowledge and smart gut is telling me that they are so light in the barrels that after 1 shot that the barrels are to hot for an accurate follow up at longer ranges, His answer is the Christensen but the quality has gone down with the buy out and now the ridgeline is so much of a production gun and if you want the 1/2 MOA that you now have to go to the custom route, Oh and now you are at 3k on top of that. Is there a lightweight TRUE 1/2 MOA out there that I wouldn’t have to spend 4 or 5k on to get it. I know, I know but I’m a retired Marine and I can shoot it and really want one for Christmas. Prices have just gone crazy and inflation is killing all of us.

I’d ask your friend to prove it. That 3k could buy a ton of range time and/or test running and lightening the rest of your kit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pacoalcracker]

I bought a CA Ridgeline FFT Ti in 308 about 18 months ago and the same in 7PRC about 6 months ago. I'm not sure what you mean by quality going down as both of my rifles look fantastic, no quality issues, are lightweight and shoot great. The 308 does 1/2" with factory Federal blue box and the 7PRC 3/4" with factory Hornady eld-x and eld-m. That is with neither barrel broken in yet. Not quite as accurate as my Bansner custom in 300WSM but they weren't 5K either. I wouldn't overlook a gen 1 Remington 700 Ti or a Kimber Montana. Weatherby makes some fine rifles as well. 6.75-7.5 lbs scoped, slung and loaded make for a fine set-up. I do like carbon barrels and they do have advantages. Really light rifles are not for everyone though.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

The input has been great so far, So let me ask this guys, I was looking at the Kimber and the Tikka but a friend with pretty good knowledge and smart gut is telling me that they are so light in the barrels that after 1 shot that the barrels are to hot for an accurate follow up at longer ranges, His answer is the Christensen but the quality has gone down with the buy out and now the ridgeline is so much of a production gun and if you want the 1/2 MOA that you now have to go to the custom route, Oh and now you are at 3k on top of that. Is there a lightweight TRUE 1/2 MOA out there that I wouldn’t have to spend 4 or 5k on to get it. I know, I know but I’m a retired Marine and I can shoot it and really want one for Christmas. Prices have just gone crazy and inflation is killing all of us.

Your friend doesn't know what he's talking about.

 

[Smoke10]

The input has been great so far, So let me ask this guys, I was looking at the Kimber and the Tikka but a friend with pretty good knowledge and smart gut is telling me that they are so light in the barrels that after 1 shot that the barrels are to hot for an accurate follow up at longer ranges, His answer is the Christensen but the quality has gone down with the buy out and now the ridgeline is so much of a production gun and if you want the 1/2 MOA that you now have to go to the custom route, Oh and now you are at 3k on top of that. Is there a lightweight TRUE 1/2 MOA out there that I wouldn’t have to spend 4 or 5k on to get it. I know, I know but I’m a retired Marine and I can shoot it and really want one for Christmas. Prices have just gone crazy and inflation is killing all of us.

What is the "longer range" maximum distances you are willing/planning to hunt at?


These are the 100 yard groups (handloads) I'm getting with a Weatherby Mark V Hunter. Not 1/2 MOA, but still sub MOA.
The full description of my rifle setup is in an earlier reply in this thread. MSRP for my setup(not including the bipod) at today's prices is ~$2,765.

The lighter barrel does get hot faster, but its not as drastic as your friend describes.

 

[Meknowy]

The input has been great so far, So let me ask this guys, I was looking at the Kimber and the Tikka but a friend with pretty good knowledge and smart gut is telling me that they are so light in the barrels that after 1 shot that the barrels are to hot for an accurate follow up at longer ranges, His answer is the Christensen but the quality has gone down with the buy out and now the ridgeline is so much of a production gun and if you want the 1/2 MOA that you now have to go to the custom route, Oh and now you are at 3k on top of that. Is there a lightweight TRUE 1/2 MOA out there that I wouldn’t have to spend 4 or 5k on to get it. I know, I know but I’m a retired Marine and I can shoot it and really want one for Christmas. Prices have just gone crazy and inflation is killing all of us.

I have a Christensen Ridgeline FFT in 6.5 PRC and absolutely love it. Plenty will criticize Christensen, but I've had zero issues, it's super easy to shoot, and sub-MOA. My kid is dead accurate with it as well. I have a Leica Amplus 6 2.5-15x50i scope on it. About 7# with a sling on it, and you could drop weight some with a lighter scope.

 

[Marbles]

Tikka. My T3x Lite barrel hold the same group even if it is hot enough to burn flesh.

I've had a Kimber, not likely to buy another.

I've had a Christensen, WILL NOT buy another.

For a light scope, S&B Klassik. I just ordered a Maven RS1.2, but it is a bit heavier.

My answer (Tikka) is a basic Rokslide bitch answer. I think I'm at 8 pounds with scope, muffler, and sling at the moment. But the scope is an SWFA 3-9, so on the lighter side.

 

[carsonkeys]

My main tikka is a 18.5" 6.5 cm with the vertical grip module, Area 419 mounting system, SiCo Omega 300, SWFA 3-9, and Sportsmatch rings and weighs 8.81 lbs empty. A full hunting set up with a 3 rd mag, spare 5 rd mag, and 10 rounds of ammo weighs 9.67 lbs.

 

[Grassymike]

Tikka T3x compact in 7mm-08 with a 3x9 Burris Fullfield 2 scope in Burris steel rings for Tikka dovetail. Seven pounds 6 oz. and one dead Bighorn.

 

[peaceful_ruler]

A Tikka T3X factory stock is right at 29 oz. That is very reasonable.

My choice would be....

Tikka T3X Superlite in .270 Win 6# 3oz
-$10 spring and $20 vertical grip if you want and a backfire recoil pad while you're at it

Talley Extra Lows in 1" +2.2 oz

Leupold Mark AR Mod 1 3-9x40 Firedot-G TMR +12.5 oz
OR 4-12x40 Mildot P5 AO +15 oz
(do you prefer illumination or parallax adjustment?)


Granted the scopes are discontinued but they are easily found....

We are talking a sub 7.5-8# setup loaded with 4 shells. Chamber up some Hornady Precision Hunter 145 grain Eld-X and easily kill goats or sheep past 500 yards where it's still delivering over 1400 ft/lbs of energy.


Personally, too much lighter than 7# and you start getting punished with the recoil.

 

[mtbraun]

I'll be using a Christensen Ridgeline in 7mm Rem Mag shooting 160gr accubonds. Topped with a Z5 5-25. 1/2 MOA, light and comfortable to carry. Under $4k. Personally I don't see a lot of value in trying to drop a pound or more on the rifle setup. Lots of easier and cheaper ways to save total carrying weight.

 

[Macintosh]

The input has been great so far, So let me ask this guys, I was looking at the Kimber and the Tikka but a friend with pretty good knowledge and smart gut is telling me that they are so light in the barrels that after 1 shot that the barrels are to hot for an accurate follow up at longer ranges, His answer is the Christensen but the quality has gone down with the buy out and now the ridgeline is so much of a production gun and if you want the 1/2 MOA that you now have to go to the custom route, Oh and now you are at 3k on top of that. Is there a lightweight TRUE 1/2 MOA out there that I wouldn’t have to spend 4 or 5k on to get it. I know, I know but I’m a retired Marine and I can shoot it and really want one for Christmas. Prices have just gone crazy and inflation is killing all of us.

I dont know the first thing about sheep or sheep rifles, but I do know that none of my lite barrel contour tikkas shift poi when hot. I havent shot it as much, so cant say for sure, but Im less confident in my wifes kimber. I think your friend is full of it at least on the tikka.

 

[cuerro viejo]

The input has been great so far, So let me ask this guys, I was looking at the Kimber and the Tikka but a friend with pretty good knowledge and smart gut is telling me that they are so light in the barrels that after 1 shot that the barrels are to hot for an accurate follow up at longer ranges, His answer is the Christensen but the quality has gone down with the buy out and now the ridgeline is so much of a production gun and if you want the 1/2 MOA that you now have to go to the custom route, Oh and now you are at 3k on top of that. Is there a lightweight TRUE 1/2 MOA out there that I wouldn’t have to spend 4 or 5k on to get it. I know, I know but I’m a retired Marine and I can shoot it and really want one for Christmas. Prices have just gone crazy and inflation is killing all of us.

Tikka t3 stainless light and in any legal SA caliber. If for some odd reason it doesn’t shot, rebarrel and you are still well under 3

 

[tuffcity]

97.25 oz (hair over 6 lbs) Kimber Montana with Leupold 3-10 BCD in 6.5 CM. Proven ram(s) killer.

 

[Mtncowboy]

My Browning Xbolt Hell's Canyon Speed 6.5cm with a Leupold VX6 3-18 is a 100% factory rifle and I LOVE it! It is light (just a hair under 8 pounds w/o sling), feels great, and shoots fantastic. You could get that rifle, a VX5 scope and be at half your budget price, and use the rest of the money go on more hunts!