I posted some info on the 77TMK thread about my experience on trying out the 77TMK on this black bear. There was some interest in the rifle used so I'm posting some info about the whys and hows on some of what I've put together over the last year or so.
I've been carrying lightweight bolt rifles around the mountains for a long time and have thought about how to make the lightest rifle I could, just to see what's possible, if nothing else. The lightest bolt rifle I've had was a 4# 9oz 308. That was pretty costly and there didn't seem to be a way to get much lighter without a lot of machining, cutting and $$.
The AR platform seemed like a good place to look having an already lightweight aluminum upper receiver,, lightweight relatively inexpensive barrels available and all the lightweight parts available...and the ability to easily put them together.
Anyway, here's a couple I've put together. Most are still getting modified as I figure out what works best for my purposes, or have been since the pictures were taken, but this hopefully give the basic idea.
This is the rifle in the picture above that took the black bear, in it's initial iteration I put together with what I had on hand at the time. I jokingly refer to as the Red Ryder. The bare rifle is only about 12oz heavier than a Red Ryder BB gun and feels more like you're holding a BB gun than a rifle you might use for big game. It's lighter, by about 1/2 a pound, than a 22LR Henry Survival Rifle if you've ever handled one of those.
Front to back, here's what it was and some of the tweaks since then:
Wilson Combat Ultralight 5.56 barrel (now wearing a Faxon 223 Wylde pencil barrel to see if I could get 75 ELDM to shoot well at AR OAL length - still didn't work well, but the 77 TMK does, and probably would in the Wilson as well, I just didn't have any at the time)
Guntec aluminum gas block cut down and reversed to seal the gas port (cut off too much apparently as it was leaking). Put another unmodified one on for now.
NFA 5" lightweight handguard. This is probably too short for shooting off a pack and is probably too short to carry well on a sling...but it was what I had in the parts drawer. I've since put a cut down 10" version of the same on. That will be replaced with a 10.5" Jag Composites Ultralight CF handguard. The 10.5 JC handguard is a bit lighter that that 5" aluminum handguard. I have one on my 3#10oz 5.56 gasser. They're super lightweight and work well so far.
TN Arms Carbon 15 lower. These weigh 4 oz. and have threaded brass inserts in the receiver for the buffer tube/stock and hand grip. There are lowers that are even a little lighter, but they're not reinforced as well. I did have an NFA receiver crack on the top of the buffer tower on another build so decided to go with these. So far so good.
NFA polymer LPK. These have worked fine for me so far in multiple builds..
Solo 300 bolt action upper. These use a shortend, aluminum bolt carrier and don't require any springs, buffers, etc. in the buffer tube so can use any kind of stock.
A good place to mention why I decided to build as a straight pull bolt AR rather than a gasser:
A little easier to make a lighter build.
Easier to keep track of and recover brass.
Simpler than a gasser.
Not finniky like super lightweight ARs can be. I've built an ultalight AR as I mentioned above. It's a great rifle, but I do have to be sure gas is tuned for the specific load, etc.
Nothing getting dirty from the gas system.
I've hunted with bolt rifles all my life and never felt handicapped by that in any way. For the hunting I do, if I need multiple, rapid follow up shots, I've just screwed up. And, I can run this faster than any turn bolt if that matters...which it probably doesn't.
Hogue 15° grip. These only weigh 1oz and are only about $20.
A2 buffer tube with a Farrow Tech butt that attaches in place of the A2 stock. About 5oz total. There are other stocks about the same weight, but wanted to see what could be done on the cheap.
Hopefully that sums this one up okay and some here find the idea interesting. I'll post something shorter on the next build.
I've been carrying lightweight bolt rifles around the mountains for a long time and have thought about how to make the lightest rifle I could, just to see what's possible, if nothing else. The lightest bolt rifle I've had was a 4# 9oz 308. That was pretty costly and there didn't seem to be a way to get much lighter without a lot of machining, cutting and $$.
The AR platform seemed like a good place to look having an already lightweight aluminum upper receiver,, lightweight relatively inexpensive barrels available and all the lightweight parts available...and the ability to easily put them together.
Anyway, here's a couple I've put together. Most are still getting modified as I figure out what works best for my purposes, or have been since the pictures were taken, but this hopefully give the basic idea.
This is the rifle in the picture above that took the black bear, in it's initial iteration I put together with what I had on hand at the time. I jokingly refer to as the Red Ryder. The bare rifle is only about 12oz heavier than a Red Ryder BB gun and feels more like you're holding a BB gun than a rifle you might use for big game. It's lighter, by about 1/2 a pound, than a 22LR Henry Survival Rifle if you've ever handled one of those.
Front to back, here's what it was and some of the tweaks since then:
Wilson Combat Ultralight 5.56 barrel (now wearing a Faxon 223 Wylde pencil barrel to see if I could get 75 ELDM to shoot well at AR OAL length - still didn't work well, but the 77 TMK does, and probably would in the Wilson as well, I just didn't have any at the time)
Guntec aluminum gas block cut down and reversed to seal the gas port (cut off too much apparently as it was leaking). Put another unmodified one on for now.
NFA 5" lightweight handguard. This is probably too short for shooting off a pack and is probably too short to carry well on a sling...but it was what I had in the parts drawer. I've since put a cut down 10" version of the same on. That will be replaced with a 10.5" Jag Composites Ultralight CF handguard. The 10.5 JC handguard is a bit lighter that that 5" aluminum handguard. I have one on my 3#10oz 5.56 gasser. They're super lightweight and work well so far.
TN Arms Carbon 15 lower. These weigh 4 oz. and have threaded brass inserts in the receiver for the buffer tube/stock and hand grip. There are lowers that are even a little lighter, but they're not reinforced as well. I did have an NFA receiver crack on the top of the buffer tower on another build so decided to go with these. So far so good.
NFA polymer LPK. These have worked fine for me so far in multiple builds..
Solo 300 bolt action upper. These use a shortend, aluminum bolt carrier and don't require any springs, buffers, etc. in the buffer tube so can use any kind of stock.
A good place to mention why I decided to build as a straight pull bolt AR rather than a gasser:
A little easier to make a lighter build.
Easier to keep track of and recover brass.
Simpler than a gasser.
Not finniky like super lightweight ARs can be. I've built an ultalight AR as I mentioned above. It's a great rifle, but I do have to be sure gas is tuned for the specific load, etc.
Nothing getting dirty from the gas system.
I've hunted with bolt rifles all my life and never felt handicapped by that in any way. For the hunting I do, if I need multiple, rapid follow up shots, I've just screwed up. And, I can run this faster than any turn bolt if that matters...which it probably doesn't.
Hogue 15° grip. These only weigh 1oz and are only about $20.
A2 buffer tube with a Farrow Tech butt that attaches in place of the A2 stock. About 5oz total. There are other stocks about the same weight, but wanted to see what could be done on the cheap.
Hopefully that sums this one up okay and some here find the idea interesting. I'll post something shorter on the next build.
