Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 6.5mm CM Sheep Rifle.

Yep. Definitely not lightweight by 2018 terms, once the accouterments are bolted on. Mid-weight. Also, not sure about the usefulness of a ten round magazine on a sheep rifle, unless the sheep being hunted are a flock of suffolks. Three round flush fit mags are an option, fortunately. Rifle looks well built, anyway.

The DBM was not my first choice either, but the client wanted the ability to clear the rifle effortlessly, which I do get. Deep snow, heavy mits. A 5 or10rd mag is easy to grab and stuff in a pocket and if you drop it, it's less work to find it.

Regardless, custom means the client decides and dictates what he/she wants. Not me shoving parts down someone's throat.

Racing to the bottom as far as weight goes, this certainly isn't the lightest rifle out there. I never intended it to be. It's light by our standards. I am of firm belief that at some point you've tipped the scales far enough. If grown men can haul crew served weapon systems up and down mtns in Derkederkastan, then I feel pretty good that were setting a guy up with a very utilitarian piece that still feels good and doesn't look ridiculous at the sub 7lb class.

I still think of 8oz as just a half bottle of soda pop, not the difference between success/failure, a good time/total disaster.

While I agree with you that the super light rifles are more difficult to shoot as well as a little heavier rifle, and I like a 7-8 lb all up rifle for hunting, the military hauling heavy stuff argument is silly. Those guys complain all the time about carrying too much weight, and I would've killed for modern lightweight backpacking gear instead of the heavy, bulky, outdated crap we carried (though I understand the lifespan issues of some lightweight gear). There are all sorts of injuries from carrying too much weight on deployments. If someone is permanently disabled from carrying too much junk on deployment, it doesn't really matter to the military, because those guys eventually get pawned off on the VA for treatment.

Curious if you've done much in the way of backpack hunting? Those half bottle of pop weights add up fast on the mountain.

If you kind of guy who back packs in cans of soda 8 1/2 pounds of rifle is nothing. I’m pleased to see that no one felt the need for a muzzle break on this nice utilitarian poker otherwise

Curious if you've done much in the way of backpack hunting? Those half bottle of pop weights add up fast on the mountain.[/quote]

Very little, however I have hauled stuff around on my back.


USMC: 1990-1996, 1371

Security Contractor for USDoS/DOD: 2006-2009





Yes, Hauling stuff around up and down a mtn certainly does add up and weight is important. Again, and as I stated previously, this was/is a rifle built to the specification dictated by the client. I am not a gun manufacturer. I do not put "40 watt range plasma lasers" on the shelf and tell everyone to buy my crap cause it's the lightest, baddest, whatever. We offer a service and if what I can do suits you, then were happy to help.

"It does what it's told." lol.

Keep in mind, all of this is pretty easy to quarterback from the comfort of an office chair and a keyboard. Fact is, a very, very, very small percentage of folks actually have the means&resources to go chase a Big Horn through the Tetons, a Marco Polo in Uzbekistan, etc.

Chad,
Thank you for your service.

I won’t presume to speak for pgoat (although I suspect he agrees...)
I was not knocking the build or the customers specs. I know you build very high quality customs and do a damn good job. My only issue was with calling it a “lightweight.” I’d call it midweight. But call it whatever you want; you built it.

And you are correct in your statement about means and resources; and among that segment fewer still are carrying all their own gear (meaning guided situation where they aren’t packing a full camp and food for a week on their back) where the 1/2 -2 pounds actually makes a difference. For those who do, it can (aklanche excluded!) and weight adds up as pgoat noted.

Cheers.

Very nice build.

Plenty of folks on this site have spent time in the mountains hunting wild sheep. On sheep hunts I’ve carried rifles that weighed around 6 3/4-7/12 lbs all up, and a rifle weighing around 9 lbs. If I go again, the rifle will weigh 7-8 lbs all up.
I agree with AKwolverine. Not knocking the rifle in the slightest, as I bet it shoots great and looks well built, but the definition of a midweight is more apt. The audience on other sites, such as those catering to wannabe snipers, might consider it a lightweight.

Nice work Chad.

Yes!!

Call it what you want, but that's a heck of a nice rifle.