Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

[Thegman]

Y'all better get busy with those UL-ULs! Time to see your action shots!

This was another black bear from yesterday evening with the Little Big Gun. Not my best shooting, but still got it done pretty well.

Had to gut him and go back up the mountain today...glad I wasn't dragging an 8lb rifle to boot.

This is after half-freezing on the mountain overnight while propped up on some bushes.

 

[The Guide]

Y'all better get busy with those UL-ULs! Time to see your action shots!

This was another black bear from yesterday evening with the Little Big Gun. Not my best shooting, but still got it done pretty well.

Had to gut him and go back up the mountain today...glad I wasn't dragging an 8lb rifle to boot.

This is after half-freezing on the mountain overnight while propped up on some bushes.
View attachment 771847

You get a bunch of chances on bears. Your family must enjoy bear meat! Do you eat the grizzly too? Just curious.

Jay

 

[Thegman]

You get a bunch of chances on bears. Your family must enjoy bear meat! Do you eat the grizzly too? Just curious.

Jay

I have eaten grizzly, but not too often. It's okay here (no fish) but not as good as black bear. I eat black bear sausage 5 days a week.

I gave my grizzly last year to neighbors and they made it into sausage. It was okay, but even ground, the meat seemed stringy and "tendony".

We mostly hunt grizzlies to help keep the population down a little bit. This place is crawling with grizzlies...but I’d definitely rather have bears around than not. I don't really even like to shoot black bears in the spring anymore. The meat is fine, but not much fat. I'd rather leave them be until fall. Spot and stalk fall black bear is easily my favorite hunting.

 

[The Guide]

I have eaten grizzly, but not too often. It's okay here (no fish) but not as good as black bear. I eat black bear sausage 5 days a week.

I gave my grizzly last year to neighbors and they made it into sausage. It was okay, but even ground, the meat seemed stringy and "tendony".

We mostly hunt grizzlies to help keep the population down a little bit. This place is crawling with grizzlies...but I’d definitely rather have bears around than not. I don't really even like to shoot black bears in the spring anymore. The meat is fine, but not much fat. I'd rather leave them be until fall. Spot and stalk fall black bear is easily my favorite hunting.

We are only allowed spot and stalk in Montana, no baiting bears. There is some hound hunting allowed in the spring now but that is an entire lifestyle. We can use mouth calls but no electronic calls. Wish we could use e-calls. Haven't done much bear hunting since I moved to the flat part of the state. Still haven't taken a fall bear either. Going to try and get out before general season and look around for some before it gets cold and they go to bed. What is your favorite black bear sausage?

Jay

 

[Thegman]

I don't have any recipe per se. I just use salt, sugar, sage, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and maybe rosemary and/or anise seed as well. Kind of just eyeball it. Fry some up to see if it needs any more of anything, which it usually doesn't. Not an exact science to be sure!.

 

[The Guide]

I don't have any recipe per se. I just use salt, sugar, sage, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and maybe rosemary and/or anise seed as well. Kind of just eyeball it. Fry some up to see if it needs any more of anything, which it usually doesn't. Not an exact science to be sure!.

More of a breakfast style sausage that would still make a great spaghetti or lasagna meat?

Jay

 

[Thegman]

More of a breakfast style sausage that would still make a great spaghetti or lasagna meat?

Jay

That's exactly how I was thinking of it the other day making it. Sort of a good-for-everything spicy Italian-Breakfast sausage hybrid.

 

[JBradley500]

I had one of those "woah how did that happen" moments. This is 5 rounds with 77 TMKs and a 1x microprism optic. My next 5 round group was 1.275". Both the best I've shot with this rifle I believe.

 

[Taudisio]

I had one of those "woah how did that happen" moments. This is 5 rounds with 77 TMKs and a 1x microprism optic. My next 5 round group was 1.275". Both the best I've shot with this rifle I believe.

View attachment 772568

That’s awesome! Load data, or factory ammo specs?

 

[JBradley500]

24 g varget. Cci 450. 2.26".

 

[Thegman]

Damn good shootin'!!!

 

[grappling_hook]

No, still holding out for a "no gas port" tapered barrel like the OP has.

Thinking of that myself. Unfortunately Shaw still only has HBAR contours on their site, and they didn't respond when I emailed a couple of weeks ago asking about an unported 223 option.

 

[_S_R_]

Unfortunately Solo raised prices to the point it’s almost not worthy.
Barrels 24 cal or bigger hard to find
Lightweight budget friendly brace doesn’t exist.

 

[Taudisio]

Unfortunately Solo raised prices to the point it’s almost not worthy.
Barrels 24 cal or bigger hard to find
Lightweight budget friendly brace doesn’t exist.

If I am remembering correctly, I think it went up $19 from when I got mine. You can fabricate your own slick side upper fairly easily. Or get a bear creek arsenal upper for a lot less, but more weight. I think the “kali-key” is another route you could go. I could assemble a kali key upper receiver/bcg for under $250, but I have no experience with how well they work.

 

[Peckq710]

Thanks for the info!

 

[_S_R_]

Thanks for information

 

[_S_R_]

Hi guys,
I've been stalking this thread for a while and figured it's time to chime in. I build and sell the Solo 300 upper. Thanks for all the interest and support.

Elijah Duray
Owner, Solo 300
View attachment 762311

Any plans to produce different calibers?

 

[ebrownw2]

I finally made time to circle back to this project. I won’t say I’m happy with it until I shoot it (will report back how that goes) but it came together just under my target of being under 4lbs with a scope.

TN Arms polymer receiver
NFA polymer lower parts kit
Solo 300 upper
Custom barrel made from a Green Mountain
223 Wylde 1:7 blank
Jag 7.5” ultralight handguard
Hogue grip
Trigger tech black diamond 2.5lb
Used a set screw for the rear takedown pin spring
I think I got the skeletonized buffer tube from Palmetto.
Don’t recall where that little buttstock came from but this thread led me to it.
Aluminum 10rd mag

Sighting device options:
SWFA 2.5-10x32 in an Aeromount
Aimpoint micro H2 2moa ina Larue QD

Unloaded weights:
rifle alone 3lb 2.6oz
W/aimpoint 3lb 9oz
w/swiffer 3lb 15oz

I have the parts here to go a tad lighter but they required compromises I wasn’t willing to make. It will be an evolving project and I now have a couple boxes full of parts for future tweaking.

 

[Thegman]

I finally made time to circle back to this project. I won’t say I’m happy with it until I shoot it (will report back how that goes) but it came together just under my target of being under 4lbs with a scope.

TN Arms polymer receiver
NFA polymer lower parts kit
Solo 300 upper
Custom barrel made from a Green Mountain
223 Wylde 1:7 blank
Jag 7.5” ultralight handguard
Hogue grip
Trigger tech black diamond 2.5lb
Used a set screw for the rear takedown pin spring
I think I got the skeletonized buffer tube from Palmetto.
Don’t recall where that little buttstock came from but this thread led me to it.
Aluminum 10rd mag

Sighting device options:
SWFA 2.5-10x32 in an Aeromount
Aimpoint micro H2 2moa ina Larue QD

Unloaded weights:
rifle alone 3lb 2.6oz
W/aimpoint 3lb 9oz
w/swiffer 3lb 15oz

I have the parts here to go a tad lighter but they required compromises I wasn’t willing to make. It will be an evolving project and I now have a couple boxes full of parts for future tweaking.

View attachment 773217View attachment 773218View attachment 773219

That thing is sweet! Great job. What does the barrel weigh? Do you have any pics of the barrel and contour details? What was the cost of the barrel after finishing it?

 

[180ls1]

I finally made time to circle back to this project. I won’t say I’m happy with it until I shoot it (will report back how that goes) but it came together just under my target of being under 4lbs with a scope.

TN Arms polymer receiver
NFA polymer lower parts kit
Solo 300 upper
Custom barrel made from a Green Mountain
223 Wylde 1:7 blank
Jag 7.5” ultralight handguard
Hogue grip
Trigger tech black diamond 2.5lb
Used a set screw for the rear takedown pin spring
I think I got the skeletonized buffer tube from Palmetto.
Don’t recall where that little buttstock came from but this thread led me to it.
Aluminum 10rd mag

Sighting device options:
SWFA 2.5-10x32 in an Aeromount
Aimpoint micro H2 2moa ina Larue QD

Unloaded weights:
rifle alone 3lb 2.6oz
W/aimpoint 3lb 9oz
w/swiffer 3lb 15oz

I have the parts here to go a tad lighter but they required compromises I wasn’t willing to make. It will be an evolving project and I now have a couple boxes full of parts for future tweaking.

View attachment 773217View attachment 773218View attachment 773219

Would you shoot some real world groups at various ranges to see how the two optics compare? I would be very curious how that plays out.