Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

[robtattoo]

Even then though, like I said, I'm not sure how much advantage it will have in the long run. The 5.56, 6x45 and HAM’R can do a hell of a lot, it seems.

Thanks!
Yeah, the more I thought about it, the more I figured that the TMK does literally everything I need. Hell, a .223 bolt gun has been my primary go-to for 90% of my hunting the last 5 or 6 years anyway!
6x45 is very much still on my radar & if the right deal in a barrel ever shows up, ol' Brownie will get some new parts installed. But for now, I'm not going waste energy, trying to chase one down.

 

[Thegman]

With my tikka in 30 nosler. A 210gr ablr going 3030fps. Bear was 50 yards, but rolled into a brush/blowdown canyon. I’m hoping some eager ravens take me to him.

Oh, and good luck with finding that bear. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Choot]

Well after getting a scythe ti suppressor and reading thru this forum, I took some parts I had and ordered some more and put together a solo 300 blk for deer hunting. Not as light as some here, and mite swap some parts out, but here’s where I’m at now. Weighing in at 4lb 15oz

 

[4090Sharps]

Well after getting a scythe ti suppressor and reading thru this forum, I took some parts I had and ordered some more and put together a solo 300 blk for deer hunting. Not as light as some here, and mite swap some parts out, but here’s where I’m at now. Weighing in at 4lb 15oz

If you want to ditch the buttpad on that stock for some hypalon, lemme know and I can send you some.

 

[Taudisio]

Oh, and good luck with finding that bear. Let us know how it goes.

I gave her hell. No luck. I had two ravens circle, see me and they spooked off. I thought I caught a wiff of him, but still no dice. Sucks. I’ll go back in there next Friday and have the birds take me to him. I’ll put my tag on it and get a cool skull at the least.

On the other note…..6x45 functioned flawlessly! Recoil was about the same as the 5.56, but I had minimum loads made up with a slow velocity powder. I really wanted to get the rounds down the tube to check my brass with the comparator to see how small I actually sized them. I was nervous because I bought a bucket of once fired brass from local LE for $1.95/lb (250 pieces for $5.30) I made 3 samples of LC, Fed, and AAC brass. No pressure signs. Next step it to pick a brand and do some ocw testing! Go figure I hit the chain on my portable steel plate the first shot, but got it roughly sighted in offhand at 50 yards.

 

[Taudisio]

I realized I pushed the shoulder back farther than I would like to reload, so I made up 100 rounds, with 10 to pressure test. I had some powder I wasn’t interested in using from 2014, and some fiocchi primers that I haven’t been happy with. So I’m only out $25 for a box of bullets.
Anybody interested in “windowing” your magazine, the ASC flexes far less than the DURAMAG once it is done which is a plus for the ASC. I’ll give a better range report when I get home from shooting rocks in the mountains.

 

[Thegman]

Thanks for the mag tips. What COAL can you get now that you've windowed them?

Also, are the Duramags at least functional after windowing?

 

[Taudisio]

Thanks for the mag tips. What COAL can you get now that you've windowed them?

Also, are the Duramags at least functional after windowing?

I haven’t checked yet.
Yes, flawlessly.

This afternoon was awesome and terrible at the same time. The rifle was the awesome part. I’ll save the bad part for another time once I’m not so angry.

On the rifle, shooting and functioning flawlessly. I was smoking the steel at 100 yards. I hit pressure before max load, I’m guessing it’s due to the soft primers, hence why I am trying to use them up. I have 3000 other primers to play with (#41, 400s, and GMM) once these last 150 are gone.

 

[Thegman]

I haven’t checked yet.
Yes, flawlessly.

This afternoon was awesome and terrible at the same time. The rifle was the awesome part. I’ll save the bad part for another time once I’m not so angry.

On the rifle, shooting and functioning flawlessly. I was smoking the steel at 100 yards. I hit pressure before max load, I’m guessing it’s due to the soft primers, hence why I am trying to use them up. I have 3000 other primers to play with (#41, 400s, and GMM) once these last 150 are gone.

Yeah, those primers are catering pretty bad before there's much signs of any real pressure. I wonder if looking at head space on the sized brass and maybe firing pin hole diameter on the bolt and firing pin diameter would be worth checking?

I did have some primers pop like that on some Hornady factory 350L once. I called Hornady and they said the lot should be fine. I think I ended pulling the bullets and reloading the cases with different primers and they were fine. I guess your 41s should let you know if it's the soft primers or not. Glad the rifle is running well otherwise!

 

[Taudisio]

Yeah, those primers are catering pretty bad before there's much signs of any real pressure. I wonder if looking at head space on the sized brass and maybe firing pin hole diameter on the bolt and firing pin diameter would be worth checking?

I did have some primers pop like that on some Hornady factory 350L once. I called Hornady and they said the lot should be fine. I think I ended pulling the bullets and reloading the cases with different primers and they were fine. I guess your 41s should let you know if it's the soft primers or not. Glad the rifle is running well otherwise!

I was checking them as I was going. It was fun seeing the pressure signs creeping up with every small jump of powder. They were the only primers I could find a while back. I tried them in the 6arc, it was piercing primers well below book max. I’ll pull the other loads, and load them with the 41s, along with the load that pierced the primer to try it again. I still think I am getting close to real pressure. The max load had powder up to the bottom of the neck. The two over were in the neck. The hodgedon data shows the COAL at 2.350. I have not gone above 2.305. The loads I made yesterday were 2.295-2.305 (tip differences). So I think the compressed loads will pressure spike quickly. They still fit in the 20 round DURAMAG I did not window. I’ll check the max coal in the window mags on wed/thurs.

 

[Taudisio]

I got in some shooting this morning between chasing turkeys. New primers/powder and just the max load has a flat primer (I’ll push it harder now that I know). The lower 30 cases are the same load, at minimum powder charge. You can see how much the primers vary with pressure signs. Some show nothing, some are flat, some are even cratered. They are all the same load. I have another 100 to burn through. Last time I buy fiocchi primers. No matter how good of a deal. Only reason I shot 9, there is a loaded round out in the woods with 4 primer strikes with no bang.

Side note, never found the bear or signs that it died. I found a bigger one on Friday and got it to the butcher/taxidermist yesterday.

EDIT to add: 2.373 fits in the windowed magazine and the TN arms mag well.

 

[Thegman]

Thanks for all the info, that's useful stuff!

You must have a lot of bears there, or you're really good at finding them, or both.

(I want to read a story about you taking one with the 6x45)

 

[Taudisio]

Thanks for all the info, that's useful stuff!

You must have a lot of bears there, or you're really good at finding them, or both.

I’ve seen 9 in the last week looking over 3 clear cuts at dusk. There are A LOT of bears in southern Oregon.

Just got done pressure testing some over max rounds. Still not enough pressure sign for me to be concerned with. I’ll take it to the range next weekend and get some groups/velocities. I tried .3gr over what I plan to shoot groups with at the range and feel comfortable shooting all of them.

 

[StupidLightweight]

I tried to resist the urge, but the temptation to install the IMI Defense folding stock was too much, so I folded.

While the folder adds weight compared to other stock options, the reduced size sure is nice. It's well built, too. As this sits with optic and magazine, total weight is just below 3 pounds, 6 ounces.

 

[Taudisio]

It’s pouring here so I didn’t bother with the chrono, but found out the rifle likes the nosler ballistic tips more than the exposed lead rounds. Best group looked to be .75” with a flier at 1.25”. I didn’t pull the targets but took the photos through the spotter. Now I’m going to have to swap brass, as 2 of the primer pockets blew out without any other pressure signs.

The rifle recoils more than my 9 pound 30 nosler, and I’d guess I was only able to hold about 1” for groups with the heavier trigger and 5x scope. I did smack the 300 yard plate with the only shot I took at it. I have a geissele I need to put in my other ar that currently has a rise 140 in it. I’ll put the 140 in the ultralight. It will be worth the few ounces, and a SSA-E trigger seems like a waste to put in a bolt action.

 

[cumminsbassguy]

44 pages later and you guys have twisted my arm enough that I'm going to offload my RAR and build one of these bad Larry's. 7.62x39 doesn't tickle me like it used to

 

[Thegman]

44 pages later and you guys have twisted my arm enough that I'm going to offload my RAR and build one of these bad Larry's. 7.62x39 doesn't tickle me like it used to

You'll never look back...

 

[Thegman]

I tried to resist the urge, but the temptation to install the IMI Defense folding stock was too much, so I folded.

While the folder adds weight compared to other stock options, the reduced size sure is nice. It's well built, too. As this sits with optic and magazine, total weight is just below 3 pounds, 6 ounces.View attachment 705588View attachment 705590 View attachment 705591

3# 6oz...you're a sick man, StupidLightweight...haven't even added your helium chamber yet...

Those stocks look really useful.

 

[Thegman]

It’s pouring here so I didn’t bother with the chrono, but found out the rifle likes the nosler ballistic tips more than the exposed lead rounds. Best group looked to be .75” with a flier at 1.25”. I didn’t pull the targets but took the photos through the spotter. Now I’m going to have to swap brass, as 2 of the primer pockets blew out without any other pressure signs.

The rifle recoils more than my 9 pound 30 nosler, and I’d guess I was only able to hold about 1” for groups with the heavier trigger and 5x scope. I did smack the 300 yard plate with the only shot I took at it. I have a geissele I need to put in my other ar that currently has a rise 140 in it. I’ll put the 140 in the ultralight. It will be worth the few ounces, and a SSA-E trigger seems like a waste to put in a bolt action.

Those primers are 41s? And piercing? That's pretty weird. I wonder what's going on with that? Like you say, they aren't showing much for pressure signs. Might be worth checking FP protrusion and looking with a hand lens for any nicks in the FP tip, and FP hole size in the bolt. Just thinking out loud as that's pretty strange.

That rifle recoils more than your 300? Either that 300 has a really good brake or I've been shooting light rifles so long I've forgotten what heavier rifles recoil like. My 308 Montana and Tikka 30-06 recoil more than any of my ul-ul's.

 

[Taudisio]

Those primers are 41s? And piercing? That's pretty weird. I wonder what's going on with that? Like you say, they aren't showing much for pressure signs. Might be worth checking FP protrusion and looking with a hand lens for any nicks in the FP tip, and FP hole size in the bolt. Just thinking out loud as that's pretty strange.

That rifle recoils more than your 300? Either that 300 has a really good brake or I've been shooting light rifles so long I've forgotten what heavier rifles recoil like. My 308 Montana and Tikka 30-06 recoil more than any of my ul-ul's.

Yes they are 41’s, they aren’t piercing. I thought the AAC brass was crimped (there was a ring around the primer that must have been a poor excuse for a crimp), so I used a crimp remover and made the pocked super loose. I threw them all out. I have a batch of 50 LC brass that was waiting on deck. If you look close at the two that popped (bottom right), there is a flash hole right where the primer meets the brass. I can check the pin protrusion if it makes you happy though!

My nosler wears a suppressor. The UL is a faster impulse. A snap vs a push per se. Then hard plastic on my shoulder gives me a little bruise when I shoot a good amount of rounds.