The short magnum business really is an oxymoron. The point of shorter cartridges in a hunting rifle is making up a lighter and handier rifle via a shorter action wedded to a lighter barrel. The short magnums really need a longer barrel, and the rifles need to weigh 8 1/2# or more to accomodate the barrel length, as well as recoil.
A short action matched with a light short rifle fit; the short magnums simply don't.
I beg to differ... my Kimber MT weighs under 7lbs 3oz's ready to rock and doesn't kick that much. But the stock design is tops and the action is specifically designed around the cartridge. Because the action is fairly small, even with a 24" barrel it's the equivalent OAL of a long action M70 with a 22.75" barrel. It's a match that works well...
