Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

[180ls1]

My 20" 6.5c barreled action + trigger is 55oz.

 

[packgoatguy]

https://lighterpack.com/r/zcukrp

Also, there is a stainless option if brownells ever gets them back into stock.

Great info! Thanks! Looks like a pretty reasonable price to get into a bolt rifle with a 4.5lb bare weight!

Does the 16 inch barrel on that barreled action come with a threaded muzzle? Any idea what thread pattern it is and the outer diameter of the barrel? Also, what was done to the Stocky's stock to get it down to 15.8oz?

 

[BREAKCONTACT]

What handguard is that? Which barrel did you go with?

Nice rifle

It's a homemade handguard. If you search my posts in this thread I document it. It'd just a round barrel nut I found with cutouts for a gas tube in it and a round section of CF tube. The clamp is what I actually made, but I found an aluminum one that I'd bet is only a few grams heavier than my home made CF one.

It's a faxon, they make the lightest 20", it's ~26oz iirc.

 

[Ferrulewax]

Great info! Thanks! Looks like a pretty reasonable price to get into a bolt rifle with a 4.5lb bare weight!

Does the 16 inch barrel on that barreled action come with a threaded muzzle? Any idea what thread pattern it is and the outer diameter of the barrel? Also, what was done to the Stocky's stock to get it down to 15.8oz?

I had the barrel cut and threaded, unfortunately, it only comes in a 22 inch sporter or a heavy barrel. I think my stock originally came in at 18 ounces, biggest thing was removing the recoil pad and putting on a piece of thinner foam. I did some drilling and sanding too but the weight loss was negligible. I would get the barrel channel for the bull barrel if had to do it over again.

Ultimately, it’s a fairly expensive project for a inexpensive little action, but I really enjoy the rifle.

 

[180ls1]

The 16” Superlite come threaded and $399 on sale from brownells. Stocky also sells the blem spotter carbon stocks for $299.

 

[packgoatguy]

Anyone have an accurate weight on just the howa mini action? (No barrel or stock... but including everything else; bottom metal, trigger, action screws)? Or a weight on a take-off barrel? I'm curious how they compare to a kimber 84m action weight-wise.

 

[Te Hopo]

Anyone have an accurate weight on just the howa mini action? (No barrel or stock... but including everything else; bottom metal, trigger, action screws)? Or a weight on a take-off barrel? I'm curious how they compare to a kimber 84m action weight-wise.

@Stocky I think I saw on an NZHS thread you'd compared these two?

 

[ACHILLES]

Anyone have an accurate weight on just the howa mini action? (No barrel or stock... but including everything else; bottom metal, trigger, action screws)? Or a weight on a take-off barrel? I'm curious how they compare to a kimber 84m action weight-wise.

Bare receiver 12.38 oz
223rem Bolt 9.06oz
Trigger 1.59oz
Jefferson outdoor bm with action screws 2.4oz

 

[KyleR1985]

So, how light can a Kimber Hunter be? A build thread.

It’s not going great but not poorly either. I can’t find a front one that looks like it’d fit flush, but that one is super light anyway. I got a titanium one from ti64.com for the rear screw. Though, it may be a hair short. I got a 7/8” long one, may have to try a 1”. Forgive dirty scale lol...

rokslide.com

 

[Thegman]

Any thoughts on an UL or ULUL bolt action 223 rifle? Not quite sold on the ar style side charge ULUL rifles yet and my searching of threads hasn’t turned up many options other than a T3x or a howa mini. I’m a big fan of the kimber Adirondack rifles but they were never offered in 223 from what I can find. I am sold on the 223 for hunting big game but want a more traditional rifle to pair it with over the solo/shaw ar combo. Thanks.

Some good advice given on UL 223 bolt actions. IMO, it's a waste of time and money though trying to get an UL-UL out of a bolt rifle. It will cost more than a significantly lighter UL-UL AR based rifle, but you should be able to get in the 4.5# range without too much difficulty and too much money.

 

[juju]

Re: handguards: Just jamming a tightly fit carbon fiber tube has held up for years for me. The barrel nut I used was a previous version of the smooth nut from this vendor: https://clarkcustomguns.com/product-category/ar15/ I intended to epoxy it on, but didn't need to. This has worked for several years now.

I may do this again if I do not find a smaller diameter version.

Re: carrying, zip tying a Blue Force Gear Burnsed Socket works if you can stand the weight.

 

[packgoatguy]

Bare receiver 12.38 oz
223rem Bolt 9.06oz
Trigger 1.59oz
Jefferson outdoor bm with action screws 2.4oz

Thanks! Exactly what I was looking for!

 

[packgoatguy]

So...

23.03oz howa mini action (without bottom metal, but including bolt and trigger, ready to bolt into a chassis)

So, if I recall correctly on action weights for comparison:

21.1 oz kimber 84m (with fluted mountain ascent bolt, and including trigger)
22.72oz MacBros Element (including triggertech & bolt)

28.5oz Factory length 84m mountain ascent barrel in 308win

36.2oz Factory length tikka stainless lite barrel (not fluted) in 308win

Kimber Mountain Ascent 308win BA is 3lbs 1.2oz at factory length, and 2lbs 12.4oz (44.4oz) at 16 inches

Christensen Ridgeline Titanium Action 308win with 22 inch carbon fiber barrel threaded 5/8x24 (no brake) weighs 3lbs 8.5oz

Tikka 223rem tikka Barreled Action: 3lbs 9oz (factory fluted "superlite" barrel cut to 16, threaded 1/2x28 with a 5/8x24 adapter, fluted bolt, and ultralight mtngear bolt knob)

47.3oz MacBros Element with 18 inch fluted 6mmCM barrel and Triggertech Trigger, including bolt.

I think the lightest action I've seen pics of was the kimber 84m that @StupidLightweight had skeletonized. If I remember correctly, it was about 17oz including bolt and trigger.

 

[Trackselk]

Some good advice given on UL 223 bolt actions. IMO, it's a waste of time and money though trying to get an UL-UL out of a bolt rifle. It will cost more than a significantly lighter UL-UL AR based rifle, but you should be able to get in the 4.5# range without too much difficulty and too much money.

I agree, I spent $2&$3k on the 2 kimbers I built. Add another $1k if you count the change to 22Creed for a total of $4k on the mountain ascent, and my ULUL AR is coming in just over a pound lighter for just over $1k total, and I can swap calibers for what, $200 a barrel!?

 

[Trackselk]

I figured I'd post this up to help you all lose an ounce for cheap. I'm going to take one of these aluminum mags (listed at 4oz) and make a 2-3 round ULUL mag, with a finish goal of under 2oz. I may also try a pmag, but I want to window it for longer COAL, so I think the aluminum will be a lot better, and looks like it will be lighter also.
There's a good write up somewhere online on chopping mags down for "flush fit" which i can post a link for if you can't find it. I need to go find it again myself...

Here's the link for the mag:

Duramag Speed AR-15 30 Round Aluminum Magazine - .223/5.56 NATO

Grab a reliable Duramag 30 Round Aluminum AR-15 Magazine from AT3 Tactical. Huge variety of colors, and free Shipping on Orders Over $99!

www.at3tactical.com

Lastly, I've read that the old school GI aluminum mags are even lighter, if the listed weight was accurate anyhow...

Edit: also, cutting the mag to hold only 2-3 longer COAL rounds takes very little cutting, so I don't think it's going to compromise the reliability much at all

 

[packgoatguy]

In regards to the lightest possible (non AR) bolt action rifle build... theoretically with a titanium or skeletonized action, 17oz including bolt and trigger is possible. A 13oz stock is possible. And if a 17oz 16 inch pencil barrel works for an AR15... maybe someone could make one that lightweight for a kimber or Rem700 style action. So...

Theoretically:
17 oz bolt/action/trigger
17 oz Barrel
13 oz stock

That would be a 47oz (sub 3lb) bare bolt 223rem action rifle.

However, I think the bottom end of the 223rem AR15 bolt rifle ULUL possibilities is under 2.5lbs, maybe even 2.25lbs with a full 16 inch barrel. So, I doubt it would realistically be possible to beat (weightwise) the AR15 platform with a traditional bolt action rifle.

 

[Luke S]

I'd love a lighter bolt action but I think the big appeal of the AR is its so easy for your average Joe to build and to replace parts if they don't work out right. And generally cheaper.
The other big thing is length. I think the shortest non SBR non chasis bolt action would be around 34.5 inches (shortest action, shortest LOP I could use etc). That is still long enough to get hung up in brush. It's better than a long rifle but it's still something. Even a Savage 22 Rascal (even shorter) was annoying strapped to a pack.

A AR with a folding stock and 16 inch barrel is barely taller than my backpack. If I take it apart it's even shorter and I can do a pistol version to get even more compact. So the current niche for my AR is as something that I strap on the pack and forget about. If I like it I may stop there. If I still want a bolt action I might fiddle with Howa mini but more for hunting and less for hiking.

 

[Trackselk]

I'd love a lighter bolt action but I think the big appeal of the AR is its so easy for your average Joe to build and to replace parts if they don't work out right. And generally cheaper.
The other big thing is length. I think the shortest non SBR non chasis bolt action would be around 34.5 inches (shortest action, shortest LOP I could use etc). That is still long enough to get hung up in brush. It's better than a long rifle but it's still something. Even a Savage 22 Rascal (even shorter) was annoying strapped to a pack.

A AR with a folding stock and 16 inch barrel is barely taller than my backpack. If I take it apart it's even shorter and I can do a pistol version to get even more compact. So the current niche for my AR is as something that I strap on the pack and forget about. If I like it I may stop there. If I still want a bolt action I might fiddle with Howa mini but more for hunting and less for hiking.

Great points! I'm thinking of the folder going in a case and my packgoats carrying it on those rugged pack ins and outs..

 

[Luke S]

Great points! I'm thinking of the folder going in a case and my packgoats carrying it on those rugged pack ins and outs..

Yes. You could do it with a chasis rifle too of course but then you lose the traditional rifle feel so why bother? I get that an AR might be less accurate as a platform but I'm not taking 500 yard shots with an super light rifle so that isn't super important.

 

[Trackselk]

Yes. You could do it with a chasis rifle too of course but then you lose the traditional rifle feel so why bother? I get that an AR might be less accurate as a platform but I'm not taking 500 yard shots with an super light rifle so that isn't super important.

I agree on the chassis rifle, but just ask packgoatguy about his 700 yard gong. These things have great accuracy potential. I'll be working up from 400 to maybe 500 if I can be 10 for 10...