Ultralight hunting rifle

[TxLite]

Funny, I was going to actually roll the dice on a Mesa but walked into bass pro of all places who had a used youth Model Seven in 7-08 for $300.. made up my mind for me haha.

I have 1 other Mesa on my 7-08 and it’s been fantastic for me. Hoping this one works out as well

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Buy this rifle and pile of ammo and go shoot. If I had $2,500 to spend on another rifle right now this would be the one. Comes in 7mm-08 as well.

Sako 85 Finnlight II Stainless Bolt Action Rifle - 6.5 Creedmoor - 20.25in

Sako 85 Finnlight II Stainless Bolt Action Rifle - 6.5 Creedmoor - 20.25in - Building on the famous Finnlight name, the Sako 85 Finnlight II is an icon reborn. The lightweight composite stock is manufactured with aerospace grade RTM technology making the rifle light to carry. Additionally...

www.sportsmans.com

 

[Firedad]

I appreciate the suggestion but that is not 7 prc nor does it come in 7 prc.

 

[SDHNTR]

Meh. I built a 5.5lbs .260 Rem with a 20” bbl. Seemed like a good idea on paper, but it’s mostly been a flop. It’s a joy to carry, but I can’t reliably hit shit with it past about 350 ish. Give me a 7-7.5lb rifle any day. Still light enough to carry without it being burdensome, and much more shootable.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Meh. I built a 5.5lbs .260 Rem with a 20” bbl. Seemed like a good idea on paper, but it’s mostly been a flop. It’s a joy to carry, but I can’t reliably hit shit with it past about 350 ish. Give me a 7-7.5lb rifle any day. Still light enough to carry without it being burdensome, and much more shootable.

You’re talking rifle and scope for the 7-7.5 lb I assume? A 5.5 lb rifle, by the time you add scope, rings, bases, full magazine, etc you have a 7ish lb rifle.

 

[Firedad]

That 7-7.5lb with scope rifle is ultralight to me. 7-8lbs complete is the goal

 

[Zerk]

If you blind hunt, there are plenty of calibers that do well w/ shorter barrel and suppressor. For instance, you can get a 16” 6.5 grendel or 308, put a 6” suppressor on it, be to ~22” barrel length and still maintain great portability.

If your shots are only to 200yds or in, You could also build an AR pistol. Say a 300blk w/ a 10.5” barrel and a 6” suppressor.. thats my night hunting setup w/ a thermal. Very easy to get in and out of vehicles, portable, etc.

I don’t shoot without a suppressor now and I HIGHLY encourage them.

I want shorter than 22". 18" is nice. But if I had to settle for 22" with suppresor it would something to think about. I am not paying 1k. If I could get one cheaper maybe I would think about, or I might replace a scope too.

I was thinking mayb 308 they say they do better with short barrell than 30-06.

I am not into the smaller calibers. I know we have very good bullets these days, and people go on and on about shot placement, We shoot deer and bear with bows. But I am hunting in the snow belt, and may see one buck for very short time. I have done quite a few quartering shots.

Being I am able bodied enough still, I have no desire to go to small calibers. I just don't see a reason to. I understand long range hunting less recoil, but I hunt 30-50 yards. I am not part of the trend to see how small of bullet you can get away with, Again I understand you shoot it in the heart it really doesnt mater. But I hunt thick woods, where I may not see another deer. Plus tracking in thick woods, 100 yards feels like a 1000.

A suppressor would be nice in a blind.

 

[grog24]

That 7-7.5lb with scope rifle is ultralight to me. 7-8lbs complete is the goal

Christensen Arms Mesa FFT 7mm PRC 22" 1:8" Burnt Bronze Bbl Carbon w/Green & Tan Rifle 801-01191-00

Christensen Arms Mesa FFT 7mm PRC 22" 1:8" Burnt Bronze Bbl Carbon w/Green & Tan Rifle 801-01191-00 For Sale

www.eurooptic.com

CA Mesa available in 7prc..
Now with the money you saved, go get a suppressor

 

[SDHNTR]

You’re talking rifle and scope for the 7-7.5 lb I assume? A 5.5 lb rifle, by the time you add scope, rings, bases, full magazine, etc you have a 7ish lb rifle.

No. Those are bare rifle numbers. That lil .260 is 6 lbs 14 oz all up. Too light. Needs another 2 lbs total to get to my sweet spot.

 

[HuntHarder]

I just bought a CA. I find this concerning. Triggers shouldn't break. I am always concerned when someone says the company had great customer service, because that means you needed it.

How many shots before it broke? Hopefully I can bless it before hunting.

Agree. Trigger tech triggers in CA. I have them in most of my other rifles, I guess all good companies have small issues.

Happened to my North Dakota buddy. Fairly new rifle, Iirc, only a couple hundred shots.

 

[Firedad]

22” barrel + 6.25” harvester Evo = 28.25”. That’s what you are willing to carry in the elk mountains?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

No. Those are bare rifle numbers. That lil .260 is 6 lbs 14 oz all up. Too light. Needs another 2 lbs total to get to my sweet spot.

That’s very light all up. My preferred weight is 7.5 ish lbs all in.

 

[Zerk]

Agree. Trigger tech triggers in CA. I have them in most of my other rifles, I guess all good companies have small issues.

Happened to my North Dakota buddy. Fairly new rifle, Iirc, only a couple hundred shots.

I find a couple hundred rounds concerning, Infant mortaility should set in before that I would think. Manufacturers call it the bath tub curve. Things fail in the begining, and then end of life.

 

[atmat]

I’d honestly just look into Mesa FFT or Ridgeline FFT. The only differences I’m aware of are a carbon fiber barrel and side baffel brake on the Ridgeline FFT vs stainless barrel and radial brake on the Mess FFT. I think Ridgeline is also a couple ounces lighter. Whether that’s worth $500 is up to you. Either get you under $2500 though.

 

[id_jon]

22” barrel + 6.25” harvester Evo = 28.25”. That’s what you are willing to carry in the elk mountains?

I carried a 26" barrel plus a 7" can for two years in a kifaru gun bearer. Now I'm carrying a 20" barrel with the same can, honestly not that much difference. Once it's long enough to hit your hat bill, its all the same to me. Hand carrying would probably be a huge difference though.

 

[highside74]

Savage ultralight is available in 7 prc. Factory blue printed action mated to a proof barrel. Order a Manners Elite stock and chassis system about $1000. Send your barreled action and bottom metal to them and they will fit everything together. With a Leupold VX6hd 3-18 it will weigh right at 8lbs and shoot .5 moa for sure.

 

[Firedad]

Savage ultralight is available in 7 prc. Factory blue printed action mated to a proof barrel. Order a Manners Elite stock and chassis system about $1000. Send your barreled action and bottom metal to them and they will fit everything together. With a Leupold VX6hd 3-18 it will weigh right at 8lbs and shoot .5 moa for sure.

I looked at the savage. I own a savage in 6.5 cm and have a hard time loving the low quality action. It is an accurate rifle I’ll give it that.

 

[Firedad]

I carried a 26" barrel plus a 7" can for two years in a kifaru gun bearer. Now I'm carrying a 20" barrel with the same can, honestly not that much difference. Once it's long enough to hit your hat bill, its all the same to me. Hand carrying would probably be a huge difference though.

If I’m walking into an area I’ll pack it. Otherwise it’s in my hands

 

[Formidilosus]

I want shorter than 22". 18" is nice. But if I had to settle for 22" with suppresor it would something to think about. I am not paying 1k. If I could get one cheaper maybe I would think about, or I might replace a scope too.

I was thinking mayb 308 they say they do better with short barrell than 30-06.

There are no cartridges “that do better with a shorter barrel”- they all lose 20-30fps on average per inch with optimized loads.

Including 300 and 338 mags from 17”-36” barrels. 308wun from 13.5” to 30” barrels. 6.5’s from 12.5 to 26” barrels.


Long barrels suck to maneuver, and MV doesn’t matter at 30-50 yards anyways.

A suppressor would be nice in a blind.

There is no comparison between suppressed and unsuppressed. You do not need a $1,000 suppressor to be functional. There are $400-$500 cans that work well. Cut whatever rifle barrel as short as you need (over 16”) to be comfortable with the length and be happy.

 

[Formidilosus]

What is the best way to acquire an action? Not a lot of used tikkas that I’m finding for a price worth messing with vs just buying a new one. Cabelas has the standard t3x for $599. Are their rifles actions all the same just with different colors and features elsewhere?

Yes the actions are all the same- the bolt faces are different based on diameter. The length of bolt travel is determined by the bolt stop which can be shortened or replaced. A $599 Tikka with a magnum bolt face can easily be turned into a 7PRC.


Having seen and used a bunch of each of the rifles you asked about-

Deciding between a factory seekins element, tikka semi custom build or a full custom built on a Pierce Shadow action

Seekins: generally little to no issues, they shoot well. Their Achilles heel is the Remington based trigger. It is much more likely to fail or have issues in snow and ice than others, and none of them are truly drop safe. That’s all Remington based trigger- though some are better than others.

Custom: Basically any. The same as Seekins. Most of the aftermarket actions are decent to good, but they suffer varying degrees of reliability in adverse weather and dust/sand; and all suffer the Remington trigger.

I am not emotional at all about rifles and equipment. I have have had dozens of “custom” rifles and used them hard by Antunes definition- most “customs” are nothing more than screwed together components. The issue is seeing repeated failures in those rifles at a rate of 4-5 times more than other rifles/actions. Which leads us to-

Tikka: Extremely good action. Extremely reliable in adverse weather. Feeding, function, and feel is as good or better than any common custom I have used. Bolt bind is nearly non existent. Trigger is extremely reliable and durable; drop safe, and as from the factory will adjust easily down to 2.5-2.75lbs. Can go lower with a spring.


A Tikka with a T3 counter dupe 18” barrel (20”, etc. though shorter is better) with flare for suppressor, a suppressor, and Stocky’s VG CF stock is about the best money spent on a rifle. It has all the advantages and none of the drawbacks of your other options.