Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

[Taudisio]

Cut a few grooves in my NFA lower to allow 2.400" OAL with my windowed mags. Hello, 88 ELDM! Could maybe get a little more OAL but the NFA is getting thin on material up there. I think 2.45" would punch through the lower. How does the TN Arms compare?

The upper and barrel extension will take a little massaging but should be good after that.

According to GRT, I should be able to push the 88s to 2650 with my 20" barrel, keeping things above 1800 fps at 5000' out to 675 yds. Not that I'm shooting that far on game...

I havent cut grooves into the lower, just the windowed mag got me to 2.375” as max in the lower. Seating long, got 2697fps average with the 87gr vmax in the 16” 6x45. Jam is 2.370” with that bullet in my chamber, and I pushed my load back to 2.355” coal aka 1.885” cbto. I don’t want to worry about the tips rubbing and ease the chance of setback. I think I could gain another 50 fps with another powder, but isn’t necessary for my purposes.

 

[Thegman]

Cut a few grooves in my NFA lower to allow 2.400" OAL with my windowed mags. Hello, 88 ELDM! Could maybe get a little more OAL but the NFA is getting thin on material up there. I think 2.45" would punch through the lower. How does the TN Arms compare?

The upper and barrel extension will take a little massaging but should be good after that.

According to GRT, I should be able to push the 88s to 2650 with my 20" barrel, keeping things above 1800 fps at 5000' out to 675 yds. Not that I'm shooting that far on game...

That 88 ELDM load would be pretty impressive. What twist is your barrel? 1 in 7 ?

 

[Taudisio]

View attachment 738756

Here is it in its final form. I was interested in using 300bo as a hunting round, especially with the fast twist and new ammo that's been coming out that opens up at subsonic velocities so unlike you heathens I kept with the Solo300 naming! My goal here was short barrel, lightweight, suppressed, compact and simple. I could pull more ounces out of it but there were a few things I didn't want to skimp on like the Larue Trigger. As pictured this is 3lbs 11oz. Suppressor should kick that to 4lbs 6oz or so.

I took the upper out a few weeks ago and dialed in the prism. Minus the action being stiff, it shot great. Too bad my wife tossed the evidence. Time to take her out for the paper plate test!

Build List
Solo300 with Faxon 7.5 1:5t barrel
KVP Konza Handguard
Primary 3x prism
TN Arms lower
Larue MBT2
Hogue grip, some AT3 stock knockoff my buddy gave me.

This looks like a slick little combo! What suppressor are you planning to run? Should be a fantastic sub 200yard rig! The 3x seems like a perfect pair to round out the whole thing. What bullet were you planning to use?

 

[PistolPete]

That 88 ELDM load would be pretty impressive. What twist is your barrel? 1 in 7 ?

Yep, 1:7.

 

[Thegman]

View attachment 738756

Here is it in its final form. I was interested in using 300bo as a hunting round, especially with the fast twist and new ammo that's been coming out that opens up at subsonic velocities so unlike you heathens I kept with the Solo300 naming! My goal here was short barrel, lightweight, suppressed, compact and simple. I could pull more ounces out of it but there were a few things I didn't want to skimp on like the Larue Trigger. As pictured this is 3lbs 11oz. Suppressor should kick that to 4lbs 6oz or so.

I took the upper out a few weeks ago and dialed in the prism. Minus the action being stiff, it shot great. Too bad my wife tossed the evidence. Time to take her out for the paper plate test!

Build List
Solo300 with Faxon 7.5 1:5t barrel
KVP Konza Handguard
Primary 3x prism
TN Arms lower
Larue MBT2
Hogue grip, some AT3 stock knockoff my buddy gave me.

Agreed, that's a slick little rig. I do really like the 300BO. It seems like it always gets overshadowed by something a -little- bigger, a -little- faster, a -little- "better" but it's a damn good cartridge within it's operating ranges. Handloads can bring a lot out of that cartridge. There's only about 50 yards of velocity difference between my HAM’R and BO loads for the same bullet.

 

[Trackselk]

I havent cut grooves into the lower, just the windowed mag got me to 2.375” as max in the lower. Seating long, got 2697fps average with the 87gr vmax in the 16” 6x45. Jam is 2.370” with that bullet in my chamber, and I pushed my load back to 2.355” coal aka 1.885” cbto. I don’t want to worry about the tips rubbing and ease the chance of setback. I think I could gain another 50 fps with another powder, but isn’t necessary for my purposes.

Which mags are you 2 using? I'm hoping the light pmags can make it to 2.375"!?

 

[PistolPete]

Which mags are you 2 using? I'm hoping the light pmags can make it to 2.375"!?

I have Duramags; I think you need to use steel, since it's thinner. I've not tried windowing a PMag though...

 

[Taudisio]

Which mags are you 2 using? I'm hoping the light pmags can make it to 2.375"!?

I have a duramag and asc, both steel so they still hold together when they are “windowed”. I don’t think a polymer would work and I don’t want to ruin one. Aluminum MAY work, but I haven’t tried it. I could see the feed lips easily separating. The steel flexes as it is.

 

[Taudisio]

I have Duramags; I think you need to use steel, since it's thinner. I've not tried windowing a PMag though...

I have a feeling you will see 2700 with the 88’s long and with a 20” tube. How heavy is the complete rifle that long?

 

[PistolPete]

I have a duramag and asc, both steel so they still hold together when they are “windowed”. I don’t think a polymer would work and I don’t want to ruin one. Aluminum MAY work, but I haven’t tried it. I could see the feed lips easily separating. The steel flexes as it is.

Also, I only window mine enough to hold 3-4 long rounds. Probably helps the mag hold together and I don't need any more in there anyway.

I have a feeling you will see 2700 with the 88’s long and with a 20” tube. How heavy is the complete rifle that long?

2700 would be great. I haven't gotten the barrel back from getting profiled, but I gave the smith some very skinny dimensions (0.600 tapered to 0.450 at the muzzle). I'm hoping for 20-24 ounces? I guess I could math it out if I was real concerned.

 

[Taudisio]

Also, I only window mine enough to hold 3-4 long rounds. Probably helps the mag hold together and I don't need any more in there anyway.


2700 would be great. I haven't gotten the barrel back from getting profiled, but I gave the smith some very skinny dimensions (0.600 tapered to 0.450 at the muzzle). I'm hoping for 20-24 ounces? I guess I could math it out if I was real concerned.

I windowed both to 10 rounds. Both have been flawless, the duramag does seem to be holding up a little better as the black paint on the asc has started to wear off. I would go all duramag if I did it again.

 

[Thegman]

View attachment 738988
I windowed both to 10 rounds. Both have been flawless, the duramag does seem to be holding up a little better as the black paint on the asc has started to wear off. I would go all duramag if I did it again.

"I would go all duramag if I did it again."

Well, that makes me feel a little better about being a dumb-ass...

 

[gtriple]

Anybody know if the new Solo300 will be in stock soon? I'm excited to finish this build and get it to the range.

 

[Thegman]

It will be soon, but I've been saying that for a month...but sooner or later I'll be correct.

I know they're being machined and may be close to being anodized. I'll see if I can find out anything about an ETA.

 

[Thegman]

Looking like somewhere in August for the current ETA for the uppers. Apparently the CNC company building them is slower than anticipated. I imagine after the first batch it will be a lot easier for them to keep up and stay in stock.

 

[David Walter]

I have a newly built solo300 with a 16” 300 HAMR and 7” handguard for sale.

Works great, shoots great, decided to go in a different direction

PM if you’re interested.

Anybody know if the new Solo300 will be in stock soon? I'm excited to finish this build and get it to the range.

 

[gtriple]

Looking like somewhere in August for the current ETA for the uppers. Apparently the CNC company building them is slower than anticipated. I imagine after the first batch it will be a lot easier for them to keep up and stay in stock.

Are they changing/improving anything?

 

[gtriple]

Regarding 4X rimfire optics, I have a handful of Weaver Classic 4x28 and one Leupold 4x28. The Leupy is smaller and lighter, but that's where it ends. When you find them used, the Weavers are twice the scope for half the money. It's one of my all-time favorite optics.

• Eye relief is shorter so field of view is larger
• Magnification seems true 4X while Leupy seems more like 3X or so
• Crosshair of Leupold is really thin

What do you think about handgun scopes?

 

[StupidLightweight]

Handgun scopes on handguns make sense, but using long eye relief scopes (whether scout or handgun versions) on rifles comes with pros and cons. After using them as well as consulting with the foremost expert on scout rifles, I believe they're a poor choice for hunting if traditional mounting options exist.

The good:

1. Fast target acquisition. When set up properly, it's like using a red dot with magnification.
2. Easy access to the receiver for loading or carrying with hand wrapped around midsection.

The bad:

1. Long eye relief destroys field of view. This is why you never see much more than 4X, and 2.75X is usually the top end of usable.
2. Light transmission. This shocked me a decade ago when I played around with scout scopes. Because the image is so far from your eye, light loss is dramatic. How bad? In low light, they become almost unusable. This is the biggest drawback to using a long eye relief optic on a rifle.

 

[JBradley500]

Has anyone thought about a folding bolt handle for the Solo 300? I thought there might be something like the Primary Arms folding magnification lever that could be fitted but I'm coming up short after that. I wouldnt hate trying something like that to keep the bolt from rubbing/opening on my gut when walking in the brush.