Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 8lbs

So after buying a lightweight rifle 7RM and loving it figured out to be 7.8 lbs completely up not a featherweight by any means. My brother wants to purchase a rifle to end up at the 8lb or so mark. LA SA doesn’t matter however has to be 280 AI power level or higher.

What would you a recommend, his budget all up scope and rifle is 1300?

Kimber Montana

XCRII 7RM McMillan Classic, Talleys, 6x42 M1

8lb 1 oz IIRC.

Kimber Montana with the same scope and rings is 6lb 8oz
Tikka T3 30-06 same scope and rings is 7lb 2oz
Faux Ti 260 same scope and rings is 6lb 12oz


I think if I could have any of those 4 back, it'd be the Kimber. But if you asked me tomorrow, the answer might be different.

Can you provide any more details on type of hunting he does (assumption on my part that this is a hunting rifle), game species, and expected range? Those are some fairly wide parameters you have set.

Knowing nothing of the above, assuming this is a hunting rifle, and assuming he is ok with synthetic stock - I’d probably be looking at a Tikka T3x in ‘06 or 7 mag, a set of sportsmatch rings, and a SWFA ss 3-9.

Hard to go wrong there.

I believe my model 70 Extreme Weather is only a bit over 8# with talleys and a 2.5-8x36. Can put it on a scale later to verify.

My Winchester EW 30/06 is 8 lbs 5.5 ounces with Talley's and a conquest 3x9 and is a pig, my Kimber Montana 280AI with Talley's and 3.5x10 VX is 6 lbs 4.4 ounces and handles great. Much of the bad with the EW is the stock all of the great in the Montana is the whole package.

I agree the EW won't come close to the Kimber when it comes to weight but the OP did state he was looking for suggestions around the 8# mark.

Kimber montana but an 8400 short mag, should put him around there.

Tikka T3x, 7 Mag stainless, DNZ one piece, SWFA 3-9x42, think I am showing 7 lbs, 8 oz empty, sling and add a little weight. Over budget, but, a CA Ridgeline with rail, rings and Zeiss 33-15x44, 7 lbs 13 oz, getting closer..
CZ 550 in a B&C with Leopold, up to 9 lbs..
A Montana in 7 Mag, 300 or 338, should be right around the 8 lb mark..

Synthetic is ok. Everything but big bears on the menu.

I'd do a Montana 84L in 280AI to get the weight around 7 pounds.

Another nice option. My take on the OP's original post was he wanted something that would end up about 8 pounds. However, as others have pointed out, the 8400 Kimber Montana would get him there. Supposedly Kimber is chambering the 7 mag in the Montana now. This would be a nice option, but would probably be tough to find used and not leave him very much money for a scope budget. A 300 WSM, however, can often be found on the used market for around $900. This would allow for an increased scope budget - an SWFA 3-9 on Black Friday would be real close to budget in that scenario...

I'd forgotten I had a 270 WSM Montana at one time. If IIRC it was 7lb 2oz, same as the T3. Same scope and rings. And a R700 7-08 24" in a McMillan classic was 7lb 12 oz.

Damn I've had some stuff go through my fingers. At least the scope and rings are consistent. Ha!

Similar to my T3X 7 RM, 4-12X40 AO (diff scope) but 7 # 9 oz all up.
(Only 3 oz more than my T 3 270.). Already killed 1doe in Antlerless only season
Regular 5 week, 6 weekend Deer season starts in 2 weeks.

Jerry

edit to correct. 3 Three oz more NOT 6 oz. (FMD)

My Winchester m70 extreme weather 30-06, Talley lightweight lows and meopta meopro 3-9x40 is 8lb 2oz. My kimber Montana 308 with Talley lightweights and a vx3i 2.5-8x36 (skelotonozed titanium bolt handle) is 5lb 11oz. I also have a tikka t3x superlite with a warne Lou twin tech rail, nightforce uktralite rings and a nightforce shv 3-10x42 which right there at 7.5lbs.

It's a bit confusing when folks are discussing "Montana's". Are we talking MRC's or Kimber Montana?

For myself, Kimber Montana, should have clarified..

Both of mine were Kimbers