where to start for a lightweight custom

[60x]

So for all you guys with the ultimate lightweight mountain guns.. Where do you start.. Like my dad always tells me I have champagne tastes on a beer budget so running out and buying a 5k gun is out of the question(at least in one lump sum).. Soo is there a starting point... Where did you all start.. To add to the frustration I am a lefty.. I will likely have a stock ultralight weatherby soon but that will still likely top 7 1/2 plus once its dressed out.. Ive seen some incredible guns on here and I am curious how you got to that point...
appreciate any input

Dave

 

[jpolson]

Have you looked into the Forbes Rifles? They are the "slightly less custom" division of New Ultra Light Arms. Melvis Forbes formed both companies. Just a thought.

http://forbesriflellc.com/

 

[teflonhunter]

Forbes and Kimbers are light and not too bad on the wallet. I actually have a Forbes model 20 308 on the way.

 

[jpolson]

Forbes and Kimbers are light and not too bad on the wallet. I actually have a Forbes model 20 308 on the way.

Agreed. Have the Montana in 300wsm. If I ever find the need for something smaller...I will probably look into a Forbes.

 

[Craig Van Arsdale]

Im pretty happy with my Kimber Montana in 300WSM with a Swarovski Z3 4x12x50 and talley light weight rings its just over 7 lbs. I don't run a sling on mine so add a little extra bullets and its a pretty good lightweight option for the price. The Kimber Mountain Ascent is even lighter at 4lbs 13 OZ in .308 model. Something to think about at least although neither of them are customs.

 

[Salmo-Priest]

Buy a used Kimber Montana in .308. Cost you about $850.

 

[Floorguy]

I am on a budget so mine will be more of a project. I am probably going to go with a tikka super light and lighten it up from there one step at a time. Flute the bolt, ti and carbon bolt handle, possibly see about skeletonizing the action some Talley ultralight rings, mpi extra light weight stock and possibly cut the barrel to 21 inches. I figure it will be custom to me.

Weight loss break down:
Stock up to 15 oz from 28 to 13-16oz
Bolt fluting from pro precision rifles @ 1 oz per his email
Bolt handle swap @ .5 oz from Lumley arms
Barrel chop @1oz

Tikka lists the super light at 5.8 lbs I figure the chop and swap will get it down to around 4.8lbs and with a leupy ultralight 3-9 and talleys should still be under 6 lbs

 

[luke moffat]

Florguy,

Let us know what you end up with. What caliber are you doing that with? I would be you end up at 6.25-6.5 all up but thats just my guess. The MPI doesn't account for sling studs and recoil pad so the gap will be narrower than that. But still not a bad deal!!! Should be a fun project.

 

[Salmo-Priest]

Does the Tikka Super lite come SS/Syn? Or SS/Walnut?

Thanks

 

[Brock A]

Does the Tikka Super lite come SS/Syn? Or SS/Walnut?

Thanks

My Tikka super lite I just picked up is a SS/Syn

 

[60x]

I am on a budget so mine will be more of a project. I am probably going to go with a tikka super light and lighten it up from there one step at a time. Flute the bolt, ti and carbon bolt handle, possibly see about skeletonizing the action some Talley ultralight rings, mpi extra light weight stock and possibly cut the barrel to 21 inches. I figure it will be custom to me.

Weight loss break down:
Stock up to 15 oz from 28 to 13-16oz
Bolt fluting from pro precision rifles @ 1 oz per his email
Bolt handle swap @ .5 oz from Lumley arms
Barrel chop @1oz

Tikka lists the super light at 5.8 lbs I figure the chop and swap will get it down to around 4.8lbs and with a leupy ultralight 3-9 and talleys should still be under 6 lbs

Do you have a gunsmith in mind to do the work? This is exactly what I've been thinking of doing( starting a project that is) I just don't know where to start.

 

[60x]

Thanks for all the input.. Those forbes do look sweet!

 

[Floorguy]

Salmo ss/syn or blued/syn I haven't seen the wood stocked models

Luke probably right. It doesn't count the increase in weight for an aluminum bolt shroud replacing the plastic one. Not sure I will put sling studs in or just fill the holes the stock will probably be the last thing I get. The Lumley bolt handle is an extended/"tactical" style knob I plan on cutting and reprofiling. The caliber will be 308 Thought about the 7mm08 and 260AI or bigger like 30-06 but decided to stop over thinking it. Now all I have to do is come up with the money for the rifle before SW gets one in stock.

 

[luke moffat]

60X,

My brother did a break down and a bit of a backstory on what I did to get my rifle to weigh less than a Kimber Mountain Ascent.

http://www.thealaskalife.com/guns/kimber-rifles/

 

[60x]

Thanks Luke!!! I read that before but forgot about it. That is a great read!!!

 

[Floorguy]

Do you have a gunsmith in mind to do the work? This is exactly what I've been thinking of doing( starting a project that is) I just don't know where to start.

PPR for the fluting the bolt handle and bolt shroud I believe I can do myself. The stock work I can try to do myself or talk my dad into working with me on. Cutting the barrel not sure who I would go with but AK custom gunswithing on old Seward, WWG or Doug up in Fairbanks. The beauty with doing what I have planned out is there isn' a lot of actual 'smithing work that needs to be done. The bolt fluting is $107 with shipping. The bolt handle and knob is @$70 alum bolt shroud @$70. Basically what I have been doing is looking at what I want done and spending a couple hours on Google. I think I could get a regular t3 and have more extreme fluting done and cut the barrel to 20 inches to shave more weight the price per gram would be getting too high for me.

 

[60x]

PPR for the fluting the bolt handle and bolt shroud I believe I can do myself. The stock work I can try to do myself or talk my dad into working with me on. Cutting the barrel not sure who I would go with but AK custom gunswithing on old Seward, WWG or Doug up in Fairbanks. The beauty with doing what I have planned out is there isn' a lot of actual 'smithing work that needs to be done. The bolt fluting is $107 with shipping. The bolt handle and knob is @$70 alum bolt shroud @$70. Basically what I have been doing is looking at what I want done and spending a couple hours on Google. I think I could get a regular t3 and have more extreme fluting done and cut the barrel to 20 inches to shave more weight the price per gram would be getting too high for me.

Priceless info I appreciate your time... Love to hear how it goes. This is certainly doable especially considering tikka is lefty friendly!
Dave

 

[luke moffat]

Oh yeah forgot you were lefty restricted. I write and eat lefty but shoot (bow/rifle) right handed as well ans throw baseball and what right handed. Basically I'm all messed up. Though I did shoot my bros lefty Forbes left handed 2 weeks ago and it felt almost a little too natural...uh oh.

 

[60x]

Yeah sometimes being a lefty is a pain. Especially when there are several major companies that don't even acknowledge our existence.

I'm gonna stop by SW today to check out a tikka.. Gotta be careful though, my collection of weatherby's might not speak to me

 

[60x]

Well did the rounds and checked out the tikkas and gotta say it was refreshing to see a nice selection of choices in calibers for lefties... The 300wsm caught my eye but I got distracted by a 338-378 weatherby... Probably not a lightweight mountain gun but it's lighter then my 416 that i hunted goat with