Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

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This thread and the kimber thread has given me some bad (or good?) ideas on modifying bolt action stocks to lighten them up. I'll probably try it with an extra Tikka factory stock I have. I don't have money for building one of these at the moment anyway, so it will help scratch the itch to an extent. But probably just serve as a gateway drug 😅
 
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I'm pretty sure @StupidLightweight had good success with straight pull SPC based cases. My reason for wanting it is any x39/PPC based cases in an AR end up with a paper thin extractor and those are prone to breaking especiallywhen someone starts chasing speed. It's why Hornady specified 52ksi for semi auto loadings for 6arc. You can safely take a spc case up to 58ksi, and 6x6.8 has an almost identical capacity as a 6arc, all else being equal, you should be able to take a 6x6.8 up to a higher pressure(speed) without breaking or blowing something up. X-caliber also chambers this cartridge in their pencil barrel.
Thanks for the info, I'll have to go back and review those posts.

I was looking at the capacity and pressures too--it seems like a really good compromise overall. Increased case capacity, higher pressure, more robust parts, but probably have to go with somewhat lighter projectiles due to the placement of the neck and shoulder. I could live with that compromise.

Looking into 6x6.8, it seems easy to form as well. 6.8 SPC bushing dies with an appropriate 6mm bushing and you're all set.
 

BRWNBR

WKR
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Day late to the show here…

416 ruger guide gun iron sights is 5lb 11oz. Highly altered by rock stienhour of extreme rifle works. A joy to shoot and even more so to carry. It’s not truely a guide gun, which is what I do here in Alaska.
Light rifles are the only way to go.
 

_S_R_

Lil-Rokslider
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Day late to the show here…

416 ruger guide gun iron sights is 5lb 11oz. Highly altered by rock stienhour of extreme rifle works. A joy to shoot and even more so to carry. It’s not truely a guide gun, which is what I do here in Alaska.
Light rifles are the only way to go.
Do you mind share pics of the beast?
I can’t imagine recoil from such a light rifle.
 
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I've never done anything with the SPC case, but it should work better than the Grendel family. A 6x6.8 barrel would be wicked. As stated above, the smaller .427 bolt face (SPC) results in superior lug strength compared to the hogged-out Grendel's .445, though for our applications, the biggest benefit would be the slimmer case.
 
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I've never done anything with the SPC case, but it should work better than the Grendel family. A 6x6.8 barrel would be wicked. As stated above, the smaller .427 bolt face (SPC) results in superior lug strength compared to the hogged-out Grendel's .445, though for our applications, the biggest benefit would be the slimmer case.
Thanks for the clarification!
 
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To answer my own question....
30 HRT is based on the 6.8 SPC case, so probably not a good straight pull candidate.

So much for that hypothesis...

Sorry to hear it's not working like it should. I've run 7 barrels on 3 different solos and the only one that acted like that was the 30 HRT barrel. 223 Wylde, 5.56, 300 HAM’R, 300 BO and 350L have all extracted effortlessly, with zero issues at all...not that that helps you at all...hmmm.

Grasping at straws here...I do grease my bolt lugs on my ARs pretty liberally. I don't know how much if any this helps, but worth a try if you don't already.

One other question: How easy is it to extract an unfired cartridge after chambering?

I haven't.... but I'm intrigued. 6.8 SPC brass from Starline is substantially cheaper than 6mm ARC brass, and maybe (someone set me straight) the 6.8 SPC case would work well with the Solo 300 upper.

Sounds like their barrels are made to order, so could probably get a skinny barrel without a gas port drilled.
 

180ls1

WKR
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A quick-detatch stock makes for a pretty compact package. With the foam cheek riser it's about 3.1oz, without the foam it was about 2.5oz including the threaded buffertube part.

Who is going to make an attachment where a guy can use a collapsed trekking pole?

This could even be used as a forend and buttstock.

I get one for coming up with the idea lol.
 
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BRWNBR

WKR
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Do you mind share pics of the beast?
I can’t imagine recoil from such a light rifle.
Light rifle recoil is a mystery to people because most live on charts and data and not real life application. I have had numerous sub teenage kids shoot my rifle and enjoy it. My son hunted rabbits with it. Light rifles only recoil fast. Not heavy or hard. Object in motion that is light requires less energy to stop. Imagine a dump truck going 30 hitting a brick wall. Then, Imagine a corvette doing 100 hitting the wall. Wall will likely withstand the corvette. My 9lb 416’s all were more punishing to shoot than my 5lber.

It’s the rifle on the right.
 

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Thanks for the info, I'll have to go back and review those posts.

I was looking at the capacity and pressures too--it seems like a really good compromise overall. Increased case capacity, higher pressure, more robust parts, but probably have to go with somewhat lighter projectiles due to the placement of the neck and shoulder. I could live with that compromise.

Looking into 6x6.8, it seems easy to form as well. 6.8 SPC bushing dies with an appropriate 6mm bushing and you're all set.
Yeah, my looking at numbers and going off of neck shoulder of 77 otm in 223 flavor and 108 eldm in 6 arc flavor, up to the 100gr class of projectiles should be open to the 6x6.8 without being seated too far into the case. I still haven't heard back on if satern would do a pencil profile 6 max so I'm probably going to go this route to get a 6mm legal build cobbled together.
 

Taudisio

WKR
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I'm pretty sure @StupidLightweight had good success with straight pull SPC based cases. My reason for wanting it is any x39/PPC based cases in an AR end up with a paper thin extractor and those are prone to breaking especiallywhen someone starts chasing speed. It's why Hornady specified 52ksi for semi auto loadings for 6arc. You can safely take a spc case up to 58ksi, and 6x6.8 has an almost identical capacity as a 6arc, all else being equal, you should be able to take a 6x6.8 up to a higher pressure(speed) without breaking or blowing something up. X-caliber also chambers this cartridge in their pencil barrel.
This is the reason I was digging into the 24nosler. Debated rim, more case capacity. Assuming the brass holds up, a fella could run pressure up around the same limit as a 5.56 since it’s the same bolt iirc. Xcaliber did not have a reamer and I believe nosler ditched the cartridge when the 6arc rolled around. I saw brass for it going pretty cheap and figured they are going to discontinue it all together.
 
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This is the reason I was digging into the 24nosler. Debated rim, more case capacity. Assuming the brass holds up, a fella could run pressure up around the same limit as a 5.56 since it’s the same bolt iirc. Xcaliber did not have a reamer and I believe nosler ditched the cartridge when the 6arc rolled around. I saw brass for it going pretty cheap and figured they are going to discontinue it all together.
Yeah I saw that one too. I remember seeing Johnny's reloading bench having issues with the 22 nosler, that kinda steered me away from them. From what I remember, I don't think it has any case capacity over the 6max, I think the hassle of sizing down 350l brass would be worth it over going those nosler cartridges, it seems to have more staying power due to the straight wall states. Maybe the spc will go away but I think it has enough fans from lwrc to keep it going. Magpul is still making the specialty mags for it.
 

The Guide

WKR
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This is the reason I was digging into the 24nosler. Debated rim, more case capacity. Assuming the brass holds up, a fella could run pressure up around the same limit as a 5.56 since it’s the same bolt iirc. Xcaliber did not have a reamer and I believe nosler ditched the cartridge when the 6arc rolled around. I saw brass for it going pretty cheap and figured they are going to discontinue it all together.
The issue I saw with the 24N was that even with the best powders you were slow and the stuff that made any speed came with a compressed load. The 24N is 200 fps slower in every weight class when compared to the 6 ARC loaded at AR pressure. I wish there was a Howa Mini Action sized action that was big enough to run the WSSM cases in. A micro magnum if you would. With fast twist barrels on a micro magnum action, the WSSM cases would be fun to play with.

Jay
 
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The issue I saw with the 24N was that even with the best powders you were slow and the stuff that made any speed came with a compressed load. The 24N is 200 fps slower in every weight class when compared to the 6 ARC loaded at AR pressure. I wish there was a Howa Mini Action sized action that was big enough to run the WSSM cases in. A micro magnum if you would. With fast twist barrels on a micro magnum action, the WSSM cases would be fun to play with.

Jay
You can still get a wssm upper. The company I found for the 6x6.8 barrel will still chamber a wssm one, and jard sells a wssm upper with bolt and barrel extension.
 
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This 80,000psi steel/alloy case stuff is interesting. Did you guys see the 7 backcountry? Would solve a lot of problems here.
Fascinating technology. If they bring a .223 Peak Alloy case to market, we’d be rockin’ and rollin’ and Thegman would be killing griz and moose with his .223. Oh wait, he already is — and with brass cases!

In truth, an 80K psi .223 would be scorching. Fingers crossed.
 

ezwy

Lil-Rokslider
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Fascinating technology. If they bring a .223 Peak Alloy case to market, we’d be rockin’ and rollin’ and Thegman would be killing griz and moose with his .223. Oh wait, he already is — and with brass cases!

In truth, an 80K psi .223 would be scorching. Fingers crossed.
There’s a company called phantom defense that might be doing some 223 like this. Haven’t used them so no personal experience. But had a friend tell me they might start selling loaded 69 gr tmks that I’m going to buy and try.
 
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Dec 16, 2020
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Idaho
What holds the stock in the receiver? Is it just a friction fit?
Friction fit. But the collar keeps it from rotating. I thought about a button to line up with a corresponding hole, like a telescoping pole... but I didn't want any play between the carbon fiber tube and the aluminum anyway, so a tight fit made more sense. But it doesn't take a lot of effort to put it together or take it apart.
 
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Does anyone know if the solo300 upper has a "lifespan" to it? I don't know anything about ARs but I thought I'd read that the upper usually has a round count lifespan due to the materials used.

Could the life of a solo300 be shorter with a higher pressure round like 5.56/223 since it was designed for 300blk?
I'm pretty sure it is just the same as every other aluminum upper out there. I've compared side by side... don't see any difference. He just added a left side port where a lot of side charging uppers put it on the right side. The majority of his innovation appears to be in the ball bearing setup that rides on top of the bolt carrier to help keep tension on it when in battery. Other than that, you could pretty much diy/mimic everything there with regular milspec parts.
 
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