Thinking about a new light rifle for next year deer season Conditions 200 yards max on the range I’ve got a model 7 action and a 700 action (short) available Ideas on caliber and barrel length Leaning towards a 358 win build Barrel length 18.5 to 20” I’ve got a Leupy ultra light 3-9 with long range reticle for it or a 2.5-8x36 as well Throw me some ideas out there on stocks as well Always interested in views and opinions
I used to have a Remington 788 in 308 with an 18” barrel that was handy in a deer stand. But to be honest, I have a Winchester M70 Featherweight 30-06 that has spent plenty of time being used in the same setting, and it was never what I would consider too long or too heavy. I have a friend who uses his Ruger M77 Ultralight 270 Win for the same thing. It has a 20” barrel and is a very handy deer rifle. So, anything 18-22” barrel, and any cartridge 6MM ARC all the way up to 30-06 is suitable….if you try to land on the middle of those numbers, you end up with a 20” barrel chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor or 7mm-08! Not a bad place to be.
I cut the barrel to 19" on a Tikka T3 chambered in 308. It weights exactly 7 lbs with a Burris FF-II 3-9X40 on it. I'm thinking about going to a 1-4X20 on it for next year. Would be closer to 6.5 lbs.
I'd use the model 7 action. The action is a little shorter and lighter than the SA 700, but it actually has a larger loading/ejection port making it easier to load/unload.
IMO 308 is better than 358. The 308 will shoot handloaded 200 gr bullets that will do anything you can do with 225 gr 358 bullets plus you have the versatility to shoot 150-180 gr bullets that make it more versatile. A 358 bullet is less than the thickness of a dime larger in diameter than a 308 bullet. It doesn't make a hole enough bigger to matter and in similar bullet weights the 308 will penetrate deeper.
From a 20" barrel you still have enough MV from a 308 to use it out to 300-400 yards. It's not just a close range gun.
Most people don't really want the truth.
They just want constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth.
I think a T3x compact in 7mm-08 is on my soon to acquire list for treestand hunting.
I have this rifle in both 308 and 7mm-08. The 308 wears a Bell and Carlson stock. The 7-08 I put a factory black/grey laminate stock on. They handle very well and are very accurate. There is a $75 rebate on them right now so it would be hard to beat the price. Good Luck to you! Rick
i bought a used T3 compact in 6-5-creed for my grandson, has 20 in barrel, I am amazed at how well it shoots federal 140 grain bullets, its pretty light with an old zeiss conquest 2.5 x 8 in talley LW rings on it. Thinking about swapping out the scope to something with a bit more power, the Athlon scopes look pretty good. I am reloading for it but have not developed a load that shoots 5 bullets into a big hole at 100 yards off the bags yet, the federal factory load at about $2 a shot will do that. The guy I bought it from had two of them, and he told me up front he "changed" a trigger spring and it was the worst one he had. It shoots as good as a 6.5 CTR I have.
Hopefully Mainer comes along to share his experiences with short barreled .308 and .358 rifles with heavy bullets. The man has done some experimenting on critters with them in pursuit of perfection.
I like 250s in my 20.5" .358 and 200s in my 18" .308. If forced to only have one, for me it would be the .358 since I have to deal with brown bears.
My favorites are both pre64 M70's, one a 7MM carbine the other a FWT 358. I mostly hunt with single shot rifles these days and they are short and handy in a box blind. You might consider a 35 Whelan but if your looking for a one gun battery you won't be dissapointed in the 308.
I have a Remington 660 in 308 with an Ashley peep mounted that’s kinda fun. I slimmed down the stock and put a nice pad on it. It needs to be redrilled and tapped as it has one of the three holes partially stripped. I have considered reboring it to 358 or 338 federal. Leaning towards the 338 since I have a good supply of bullets already. Another consideration is to mount a scout scope forward on the medium heavy barrel and see how that works out. I have always been interested in a scout rifle and I do have a Leupold scout scope to try out. Decisions Decisions.
Its not always easy to do the right thing, But it is always the right thing to do.
I think a T3x compact in 7mm-08 is on my soon to acquire list for treestand hunting.
I have this rifle in both 308 and 7mm-08. The 308 wears a Bell and Carlson stock. The 7-08 I put a factory black/grey laminate stock on. They handle very well and are very accurate. There is a $75 rebate on them right now so it would be hard to beat the price. Good Luck to you! Rick
I have a T3x lite SS in 7-08 but being thick in the upper body and short on neck it gets tight in a tree stand in late season. I should probably just get a compact stock and bed my action for it but then I wouldn’t get to buy another rifle.
A local shop had a used t3x compact in .308 on the 21st by the 22nd it was gone, I should have snagged it.
But then, I do have a new in the box Ruger 77 International in 7x57 to play with. Can’t decide if I can live with the walnut/stainless combination though. I guess I should mount up a scope and try it out.
Its not always easy to do the right thing, But it is always the right thing to do.
SS Model Seven 308w 18 1/2'' barrel and a Ruger Ranch 16 1/2" 450 bushmaster both are great in the thick stuff. I've grown to really like the compact small rifles.
PRESIDENT TRUMP 2024/2028 !!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Bristoe The people wringing their hands over Trump's rhetoric don't know what time it is in America.
Deer are easy to kill, shoot 'em in the heart, lungs, or CNS and you'll be punching tags regardless of the caliber or cartridge headstamp IF you use a bullet that is proper for the intended purpose.
Build it is whatever caliber and cartridge configuration that moves you. You don't need a cartridge with a large case capacity like a SAUM or WSM, and therefore more velocity potential, if you're limited to 200 yards.
My short and handy deer rifle is a BAR MK3 dbm in 308 w/ 10 rnd mags…deer drives actually. For that reason I shoot the Lapua 150gr mega sp and it’s an awesome deer bullet.
Also have a featherweight (push feed) model 70 and a Mauser M12 Impact that shoots the same bullet very well.
I like the 308, great killing effects on deer sized game with that 150 Mega.
My Tikka T3 Compact 20” .243 fitted with a newer T3x full-size stock with vertical grip seems to go with me more than any other. The Burris FFII atop seems to create a perfect combo. Here, the 5-round mag is in it, but most of the time the 3-round mag is in it, and the 5-round in the pack at the ready.
Swapping out the Talleys for some Sportsmatch rings might be the only thing that would make it better.
18” 6.8 SPC on a 700. This was built before my suppressor phase but am considering getting the bbl threaded. Other than that, it’s perfect for all deer hunting under 300 yards.
ruger American ranch in 6.5 grendel, Hornady black 123 gr eld-m factory ammo, easy sub-moa off the shelf everything, have taken deer to 420 with mine (drt pass through, 1800 fps impact), rifle has good weight to watch things in scope and be quick to reload and fill another tag, it's also 52,000 psi cartridge and for some reason the game isn't spooked by it so getting follow ups is easy but also filling more tags at the exact same time is a real thing, have even had second shot at a coyote at 140 after first one missed at 80, if you're allowed suppressors this may be moot...I wish, but we have hunted the grendel for 6 seasons and you notice the benefits of burning less powder at lower pressures when it comes to hunting, may be the perfect deer cartridge in the world and it has enough bullet to step up to bigger game also, would love a suppressor on the grendel also, would be an awesome coyote calling set up suppressed, it's already an awesome coyote set up as is, its a great little rifle in a great little cartridge, solid 500 yard deer rig
The OP asked for opinions, so here are mine. My favorite short barreled deer rifle is my Marlin Guide Gun, .45-70 w/ Leupold 1-4 shotgun scope (coarse crosswires and parallax adjusted for 75 yards.)
That said, I’m not as enamored of short, light rifles as I used to be. Short barrels cost velocity, increase muzzle blast, and don’t hold as well for offhand shooting. As far as being “handier” goes, I think that’s more perception than reality. A couple of inches of barrel might make it easier handling for a small kid. For a full grown man? Not really. A couple of my single shots have 26” barrels, most of my bolt guns have 22 -24 inch, a couple down to 20”.
I also tend to favor somewhat meatier stocks these days. My hands are pretty good sized and, through decades of rough treatment at work, play and some stuff that can qualify as either, are not quite as articulate as they used to be. I like something to get hold of. The Remington Alpha 1 .308 I recently acquired checks a lot of boxes for me. I did the unusual (for me) thing of weighing it, largely due to some discussions here. With the FFII 3-9 I put on it to get started, it weighs 8 pounds 3 ounces. The day that’s too much rifle for this old man to carry around all day is the day I’ll quit this stuff and take up TV watching.
I think the M7 would be great for that application, 20 “ barrel. 358 is great and will have a little recoil in a lite gun but that not bother you. If recoil is a problem go with the 7mm-08 or 308. I think the 358 is fantastic.
I bought my sons a Weatherby Vanguard “Youth” in .243 when they were little. It killed a lot of deer. Weatherby now calls it the “Compact,” perhaps marketing it also to smaller adults, including women.
20” bbl; 6.5 lbs. It came with 12.5” LOP; but has a spacer bringing it up to 13-5/8”. I lost the spacer, but a thick add-on recoil pad does the same.
It is SUPER accurate and not very expensive.
It comes in: .243, 6.5 CM, 7mm-08, 350 L, and .308.
There are other wonderful options, but that would be one I would consider, given how accurate and reliable it has been with certain loads.
I only have one short barrel rifle, a Marlin CS 336 in 30/30 topped off with a very old Weaver 3 x steel tube. That's my brush rifle for everything loaded with 150gn TSX's at 2456fps.
When truth is ignored, it does not change an untruth from remaining a lie.
I just picked up a Steyr .308 full stock with 20" barrel. The only short barrel bolt gun I have. Do have some Marlin levers with 20" barrels. Have a great day. Jim
As the Tikkas get around 20" and under do you guys find em hard to hold steady? Shooting a short, very light rifle is a bit of a challenge for me. Most of my rifles that were 16-20 inch had heavier barrels than that, which defeats the "lightweight" purpose
Not that say a Howa mini has a super heavy barrel
Think the only rifle I have that qualifies right now is a Weatherby Vanguard in 350 Legend with 20" barrel but again, not lightweight. The Howa 1500 Mini has a 16" barrel and is lighter.
Last edited by Igloo; 12/30/23.
But I'm a broken man on a Halifax pier, The last of Barrett's Privateers
I turned my Remington 700 in .223 into a 7TCU for this very application.
Went with a Remage setup using a Wilson barrel from Ragged Hole Barrels, #4 contour, 18" long and threaded for use with a suppressor. Stocky's fiberglass stock, which I am probably going to change out to a Stocky's VG2 stock sometime here in the near future. Kept the BDL arrangement, but replaced the .223 spacer in the mag box with a piece of 1/4" aluminum flat bar stock, cut to fit and epoxied in. Using the regular .223 follower, I can load out to over 2.550". My go to load is a 120 grain Nosler BT over 23.2 grains of H4198. I am probably going to have to find a new load soon as H4198 has disappeared.
I have changed out the scope since this picture to a Sightron S1 3-9X40.
A Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70! If not that my handgun…..but now the range is reduced to under 150, and preferably under 100! memtb
You should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everything goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." -Bob Hagel
“I’d like to be a good rifleman…..but, I prefer to be a good hunter”! memtb 2024
I have a M7 that I barreled with a Douglas I turned to the Remington SAUM contour and chambered for 300 Savage. It was an aborted heavy barrel 300WSM blank that had already been cut pretty short and by the time I cut the chamber off and started over I ended up with a short finished length, I think it’s right at 18”.
Bedded the whole works into a Bansner Sheephunter.
It shoots great and is a dream to carry. But it really doesn’t handle very well, hard to shoot offhand. And it’s pretty loud. I think after I thread it and put my silencer on it will be much better both balance and blast wise.
My 700 I duped the same contour on and chambered for 7TCU but cut at 20” balances and handles much better. For bolt rifles not being used with a suppressor I would never go less than 20” again.
I generally prefer a 24” barrel for hunting rifles but I do have a Savage 99 E in .308 WCF with a Leupold M8-4x on top. It is a delight to carry and works great in timber and mixed open country.
Remington model seven FS. .308, 18.5" barrel, brown precision stock. 6.2# as pictured. I have plenty of hunting rifles but almost always grab this one.
Looks like you have enough actions and scopes to build 2 rifles. I'd do a 308 or 708 on the model 7 and a 358 on the 700. A 250 savage would be a sweet heart on that model 7. Look at banser for the stocks.
This will probably make you cringe , but I have been using a Ruger American compact in 308 that has accounted for several deer . Short , light , and pretty darn accurate. Most any load I work up for it shoots 1.25” down to .6” Vortex 2-8x32 with side focus makes it a very workable and compact deer rifle Kenneth
But if Remington is we’re you wanna be , contact urban rifleman and he’ll make the barrel configuration you want and the barrels he used do shoot , I can vouch for that Stocks , inny , Minnie , minny , moe Lots to choose from , I like a good looking wood stock property bedded and floated , Remington made some decent looking laminate stocks Kenneth
Hard to find; but if you find one , Buy It Weatherby Mark V Stainless Carbine, 7mm-08 ,6 lug, 20" barrel. Mine is 7lbs/1oz with a Zeiss Diavari Victory 2.5-10x42. Perfect whitetail rifle, IMO.
This will probably make you cringe , but I have been using a Ruger American compact in 308 that has accounted for several deer . Short , light , and pretty darn accurate. Most any load I work up for it shoots 1.25” down to .6” Vortex 2-8x32 with side focus makes it a very workable and compact deer rifle Kenneth
But if Remington is we’re you wanna be , contact urban rifleman and he’ll make the barrel configuration you want and the barrels he used do shoot , I can vouch for that Stocks , inny , Minnie , minny , moe Lots to choose from , I like a good looking wood stock property bedded and floated , Remington made some decent looking laminate stocks Kenneth
Ruger Americans don't make me cringe. But I'm not an elitist snob like Shrapnel either
Syrian Mauser 98 bought in 1982, Sporterized with a hacksaw and a horse rasp. 19’ish barrel with Williams peep rear and remounted stock front 8x57. 200 speer over top of pulled 198 grain Portuguese machine gun ball ammo.
This will probably make you cringe , but I have been using a Ruger American compact in 308 that has accounted for several deer . Short , light , and pretty darn accurate. Most any load I work up for it shoots 1.25” down to .6” Vortex 2-8x32 with side focus makes it a very workable and compact deer rifle Kenneth
But if Remington is we’re you wanna be , contact urban rifleman and he’ll make the barrel configuration you want and the barrels he used do shoot , I can vouch for that Stocks , inny , Minnie , minny , moe Lots to choose from , I like a good looking wood stock property bedded and floated , Remington made some decent looking laminate stocks Kenneth
Ruger Americans don't make me cringe. But I'm not an elitist snob like Shrapnel either
Shrap is the kinda guy that would pull out to blow into his own belly button.
JMR: Model 7 action 2 lbs. 2 oz. Model 700 short BDL action 2 lbs. 4 0z. Many more after market custom parts for 700. Model 7 has 3 base screws (if I remember correctly) while the Model 700 has 4.
Rem M7, 260Rem, Manners MH8, Timney Trigger VX3HD 2.5-8X36, 20" PacNor 3 groove 1:8 in a 2B profile. A little over 7lbs all up:
Rem M7, 350RM was a CS from the custom shop, now in a Manners MH8, VX3 2.5-8x36, 20" Rem factory Magnum profile, under 7lbs loaded with sling:
Not lightweight, but my new woods rifle for drives & still hunting. Rem 7600, barrel chopped to 19" rebored (JES) to 358Win, added synthetic furniture, VX3DH 1.5-5x Illuminated Twilight Hunter", 7lbs 13 ounces all up:
“Might does not make right but it sure makes what is.”
Model 700 mtn 25-06 dm one for my favorite deer calibers and very handy rifle. Have a model 6 260 that's pretty nice as well but just doesn't have the smoke the 25-06 does.
Some of my favorites I own or have owned: Kimber Montana 22" .308 Win Howa Superlite 20" .308 Win Christensen Ridgeline FFT 20" .308 Win Remington Model Seven SS 20" .308 Win Salvage Lightweight SS 20" .308 Win Christensen Mesa FFT 20" .308 Win Ruger Ultralight SS 20" .270 Win Kimber Subalpine 30-06 ......Hb
My Marlin 1895 45-70 guide gun, had not used it for a couple of years because I was using my new .270, but broke it out this year made a nice off hand shot at a little over 100 yards, she went down like lightning struck her. I tooe a lot of hogs and deer with it over the years.
Last edited by oldtimr1; 01/01/24.
The more I get to know people, the better I like dogs, life is short, eat dessert first.
No favorites necessarily, they all handle nice in their own way and any one of them could quickly gain a soft spot if carried regularly as a single use firearm.
What I currently have in the shorter category. All wood stocked rifles.
Savage 170 carbine 30-30 18" barrel.
Remington Model Seven 6mm. 18.5" barrel.
Remington 788 7mm-08 carbine. 18" barrel.
Remington 788 308 carbine. 18" barrel.
BLR 257 Roberts. 20" barrel.
Savage 99a saddle gun, 250 Savage. 20" barrel.
Ruger M77 ultra light 250 Savage. 20" barrel.
Winchester M94 XTR 30-30. 20" barrel.
One is alone in a land so vast, there is only the mountains, the wind, and the eyes of God.
Still liking my little Remington 660 frankenrifle with its 20" 7-08 spout and Edge-fill stock. It's a pleasure to tote around when on foot.
If doing it over today, I'd just buy an SS700 sporter in 6.5CM or 7-08, chop it to 20", and bed it to a light McMillan. This assumes no suppressor use. If there's a can involved, the barrel would be shorter.
My two are on 700 short actions with 21" barrels, but fairly stout. One, the oldest, is a 7mm=08 the other a .300 Savage. Built them when I was doing lots of whitetail hunting in Pa. and W. Va. Haven't hunted either since the camp was sold in 2015. All they have done in the west is collect dust.
My favorite is probably a bone stock kimber montana in 243. It shoots well and me and my kiddo have killed a pile of stuff with it stoked with 95 NBTs.
I got my dad a stainless synthetic model 7 for Christmas in probably '99 or 2000. He refuses to use any other rifle, even after gave him a nice lightweight custom on a 700 action. I must admit it is a short handy little thing.
Still liking my little Remington 660 frankenrifle with its 20" 7-08 spout and Edge-fill stock. It's a pleasure to tote around when on foot.
If doing it over today, I'd just buy an SS700 sporter in 6.5CM or 7-08, chop it to 20", and bed it to a light McMillan. This assumes no suppressor use. If there's a can involved, the barrel would be shorter.
I got the cousin of yours a couple years ago in OK with my M7 350RM:
I shed about 1.5Lbs from the laminated mannlicher to the Manners.
“Might does not make right but it sure makes what is.”
Lever action carbines are the only short barreled hunting rifle I can abide. I'm tall yet they seem so lively! I have used 20" bolt rifles i.e. Ruger UL 308; M1 Carbine (almost useless),and a CZ 527 221FB . I want to add that the few 18" Mod 742 30-06s I helped rheir owners zero were super loud and flame throwers near dark. These shortys all seemed too whippy for me, though were handy, I'll give you that! I like the little Model 7s in a synthetic stock, but reworked some and have a 24" barrel put on. Light, slim, trim, they are pretty fast! Stock Mod 7? No way.
It’s my sons but I love carrying it when he isn’t with me. Model 700 youth 7-08, McMillan edge ADL, trigger tech, milled follower, Zeiss 3-9 in talleys. Old pic of it
Out of all I’ve had, I’ve yet to keep an M7 around. I regret parting with a savage LWH, but there’s a used one close by tempting me. I generally grab my Adirondack with a Montana stick in 6.5….yeah, I’m more of a 308/7-08 or even 358 type, but it kills stuff and comes in at a hair over 6#, with scope, mounts, sling, loaded magazine, and a LW suppressor. Personal preference only, but I’d take a 700 or many other actions over a M7. If I had a spare M7 action, it’d probably become a smaller cased chambering, 6.8, Hammer, Arc, 300 Savage, 35 REM, etc. The 700 would be for the normal stuff.
Thompson Center Contender Carbine, SSK 1:7 223 barrel.
“Go afield with a good attitude, with respect for the forest and fields in which you walk. Immerse yourself in the outdoor experience. It will cleanse your soul and make you a better person” -Fred Bear
All of these guns look easy to carry and deadly. RZ.
Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. Winston Churchill.
Ruger Hawkeye Compact .308 w/ 16.5” barrel has been my go to. Almost like carrying a pistol it’s so tiny yet I easily get about 2700 FPS with a 150gr handload.
My go-to short barrel walking deer rifle the last few years has been a Kimber Montana in .308 that has been chopped and threaded to 18". Makes for one sweet lightweight deer slayer.
Honerable mentions that I also throw into the mix... M77 Compact in 7mm-08...16.5" barrel has lots of muzzle blast Marlin 30TK in 30-30.... awesome lil lever carbine with irons Ruger American stainless compact in .308....bought for my kids...pulls double duty when the weather is especially nasty. Accuracy is way above it's weight class.
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same... President Ronald Reagan
My favorite short-barreled deer rifle is my Ruger No. 1 RSI chambered in .275 Rigby (bottom). With a 20" barrel & a slender forearm, it has a nice compact feel:
1903a3 cut the barrel 19 inches stock was already short put a weaver k3 shoots really tight groups for me anyway bubba had already done a lot so didn’t matter if I put more bubba in
JMR: Model 7 action 2 lbs. 2 oz. Model 700 short BDL action 2 lbs. 4 0z. Many more after market custom parts for 700. Model 7 has 3 base screws (if I remember correctly) while the Model 700 has 4.
They went to 4 screws several years ago. The original model 7's did only have 3 holes and required one piece bases.
The biggest advantage the model7 has is the longer loading/ejection port even though the action is a little shorter. Makes it a lot easier to load/unload the rifle. I'm sure the 700 is the stiffer action and the better basis for a target rifle. I think the 7 makes for a better hunting rifle.
Most people don't really want the truth.
They just want constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth.
My go-to short barrel walking deer rifle the last few years has been a Kimber Montana in .308 that has been chopped and threaded to 18". Makes for one sweet lightweight deer slayer.
Honerable mentions that I also throw into the mix... M77 Compact in 7mm-08...16.5" barrel has lots of muzzle blast Marlin 30TK in 30-30.... awesome lil lever carbine with irons Ruger American stainless compact in .308....bought for my kids...pulls double duty when the weather is especially nasty. Accuracy is way above it's weight class.
You're certainly on to some things here: I very much enjoy my 18" barreled Adirondack, especially when it's wearing its woods load scope, a VX II 1-4. It's almost too light for effective snap shooting, but sure carries nice. Another one to cover some miles with and come out shooting is the Marlin TK converted to .444.
The middle one. 450 Bushmaster. Ruger American ranch. 2x7x32 Nikon slug gun BDC which matches my load's trajectory. Got a nice whitetail buck last year at 160 yards
I haven't hunted much with short barrels. I usually use 22-24 inch barrels but in saying that i have used short rifles. I like the Ruger #1, mine was a 1970's 7x57. Shot 175gr SP at 2600 fps out of the 22 inch barrel.
I did buy a new Sauer 101 with a 20 inch barrel, that i look forward on using in the field.
I really like the 50’s F model Savage 99’s. They are light and quick pointing.
Yup, I've always been a carbine kind of guy because I climbed a lot of trees and those 18.5" Remington 760 and 742's and 19" barrel Winchester 88 or 100's seemed perfect. Then a mint condition '57 .300 Savage 99F showed up and with a 1.5-5x20 Heavy Duplex Leupold, that 99F points like my index finger. That barrel at 22" isn't "short", but the whole package is so perfectly balanced and comfortable to carry that a better walking around rifle I've never owned. Now if I was only 20# lighter and 20 years younger, I might actually walk around more using it.
My other auto is a .45
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory
Remington 700 Titanium 7mm-08 McMillan Edge bedded Jewel Trigger Barrel cut and crowed to 20” Bolt skeletilized and cerekoted Lightweight trigger guard Setup with scope 5 lbs 15 oz
Remington Model 7 FS 7mm-08 18.5” barrel McMillan Stock Timney Trigger Bolt and shroud fluted 4th hole drilled for scope base Whole gun cerakoted including stock
I have to tell you. I am loving that ceracote job on the stock of your model 7. Who did the work?
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same... President Ronald Reagan
My go-to short barrel walking deer rifle the last few years has been a Kimber Montana in .308 that has been chopped and threaded to 18". Makes for one sweet lightweight deer slayer.
Honerable mentions that I also throw into the mix... M77 Compact in 7mm-08...16.5" barrel has lots of muzzle blast Marlin 30TK in 30-30.... awesome lil lever carbine with irons Ruger American stainless compact in .308....bought for my kids...pulls double duty when the weather is especially nasty. Accuracy is way above it's weight class.
You're certainly on to some things here: I very much enjoy my 18" barreled Adirondack, especially when it's wearing its woods load scope, a VX II 1-4. It's almost too light for effective snap shooting, but sure carries nice. Another one to cover some miles with and come out shooting is the Marlin TK converted to .444.
The Marlin 30TK is such a sweet rifle to carry and shoot. I find myself packing it almost exclusively when wanting a lever 30-30 in the woods thus leaving my beautiful 336 at home in envy of its smaller cousin.
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same... President Ronald Reagan
Always been fond of carbines for the type hunting I prefer; climbing stand and slowwww stalking. Down to 3 now:
Ruger M-77 RSI tanger in .308 with Browning 2-7X scope made by Burris.
Winchester M-70 Carbine (1984push feed with 20” barrel) In 30/06 with older Redfield compact 2-7X a cousin sold to me for $25
Marlin Glenfield model 30 in 30/30 with 3/4 tube and iron sights. Bought from my Dad’s younger brother Lt Col Bobby Joe for $150. He didn’t like it because it didn’t have a safety. Probably had been fired 6X. 10 year old granddaughter is using it now.
Others I have owned: Remington 742 Carbine in 308, Remington Mohawk 600 ? In 243; Winchester 94 Trapper in 30/30, Spanish Mauser 93 in 308 NATO with a 7.62 X 39 adapter epoxied in breech. Had to sell off some while awaiting disability from a stroke that caused short term memory loss. Wish I had em back.
I just bought this rifle last month from the local Sportsmans Warehouse. It's a Ruger American compact in 7-08. (18 inch barrel and 12.5" length of pull) I can't hunt deer with it in Iowa, but if I get some ammo loaded I might take it with me to Texas and go pig hunting next week. kwg
For liberals and anarchists, power and control is opium, selling envy is the fastest and easiest way to get it. TRR. American conservative. Never trust a white liberal. Malcom X Current NRA member.
My Kimber Hunter .257 was new to me this uear, but I see it getting used a lot in the future. But my all time favorite carrying rifle for stalking, droves, etc is my W94 BB in 375 with a Williams Peep. Slickest carrying, shooting, short range thumper I've ever handled
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, used up, worn out, bottle of Jim Beam in one hand and a .45 in the other, loudly proclaiming WOW-- What a Ride!"
I love the looks of these but have never come across one in person. Do they actually stamp them "ultra lite"?
The ones that I've seen are only labeled "Ruger M77 Hawkeye®" without any other designation. The Ultra Light rifles appeared in the 2009 catalog as a series with 20" barrels & no sights. The interesting thing to me is that the Compact model that was also listed had a 16.5" barrel and were all lighter than their Ultra Light counterpart. So Ultra Light didn't signify "lightest available".
On those Rugers , they didn’t mark them ultra light . They just had shorter ,lighter barrels and the black tip on the stock. They made them as early as the tang safety versions.
I love the looks of these but have never come across one in person. Do they actually stamp them "ultra lite"?
As mentioned above. No, they are not stamped "Ultra Lite". The true M77RL(S), M77RL(S) MK II, HM77RL have a short barrel shank. The shank is not long enough for the caliber designation stamp as on the standard models. The caliber designation is stamped forward of the shank.
The CR's also have a short shank. I haven't seen one, but expect they would be stamped forward of the shank also.
If it's in your budget, you might want to try a NEW NULA by Wilson Combat with a 20 inch barrel. Great accuracy and light enough for an old man (78) to carry. Mine is in 308. You can get the rifle in 3 barrel lengths.
Short light rifles are my favorite rifles. Several years ago I decided to build my ultimate what was referred to as "mountain rifle" back then. I love Mausers so I tracked down a G33/40 action. Went with a Douglas barrel in featherweight contour, chambered in 30-06 cit to 21" I decided on a blind magazine to save weight. Sorted through stacks of English walnut blanks for the right combo of lightweight and figure. Weight came in at 7.25 lbs. with scope and sling. Things didn't work as well as I had hoped. Accuracy was lets say finicky, my best load was a 200 gr Nosler partition and recoil was stout. So I decided to re-barrel in 7x57, McGowen barrel this time , same fwt contour and now I have found the sweet spot!
Originally Posted by Judman PS, if you think Trump is “good” you’re way stupider than I thought! Haha
Short light rifles are my favorite rifles. Several years ago I decided to build my ultimate what was referred to as "mountain rifle" back then. I love Mausers so I tracked down a G33/40 action. Went with a Douglas barrel in featherweight contour, chambered in 30-06 cit to 21" I decided on a blind magazine to save weight. Sorted through stacks of English walnut blanks for the right combo of lightweight and figure. Weight came in at 7.25 lbs. with scope and sling. Things didn't work as well as I had hoped. Accuracy was lets say finicky, my best load was a 200 gr Nosler partition and recoil was stout. So I decided to re-barrel in 7x57, McGowen barrel this time , same fwt contour and now I have found the sweet spot!
Few years back I picked up a Marlin 336Y in .30-30 from HillamHawk here on the fire. They "Y" stands for "youth", of course...16.25" 1:10 twist Microgroove barrel; short length of pull on the buttstock. I sent it to Regan Nonneman and had it rechambered to .307 Winchester. Sent the stock out to JohnBoy for deep forest green with black webbing paint. Picked up an XS picatinny rail with patridge front blade and rear peep. And finally a set of Leupold quick release rings for the Leupold VX2 1-4x20 that I bought from jsgwoodsman. All in all, it is a lightweight, hard-hitting little bugger that is a joy to carry. When I'm sneaking and peeking, I can hold it by the pistol grip pointed right at the ground along my right side while I work my way through heavy or snow-covered brush. It's so light and handy, you hardly know it's there. Nice tight groups with 170gr Nosler Partition RN over Varget, Accurate 2015 or Norma 200. Shot a buck with it two years ago. Looking forward to more.
"Keep your mouth shut, work hard. Life is tough. Work through it.” -- Stetson Bennett, Quarterback, Georgia Bulldogs
Few years back I picked up a Marlin 336Y in .30-30 from HillamHawk here on the fire. They "Y" stands for "youth", of course...16.25" 1:10 twist Microgroove barrel; short length of pull on the buttstock. I sent it to Regan Nonneman and had it rechambered to .307 Winchester. Sent the stock out to JohnBoy for deep forest green with black webbing paint. Picked up an XS picatinny rail with patridge front blade and rear peep. And finally a set of Leupold quick release rings for the Leupold VX2 1-4x20 that I bought from jsgwoodsman. All in all, it is a lightweight, hard-hitting little bugger that is a joy to carry. When I'm sneaking and peeking, I can hold it by the pistol grip pointed right at the ground along my right side while I work my way through heavy or snow-covered brush. It's so light and handy, you hardly know it's there. Nice tight groups with 170gr Nosler Partition RN over Varget, Accurate 2015 or Norma 200. Shot a buck with it two years ago. Looking forward to more.
No thanks. My 336Y is still a 30-30 and it kicks like my 30-06. No way I'd want it to be a .307
I've been using a Ruger M77 RSI in 243 for the past 35 years for most of my deer hunting and switch up between 7x57 and 6.5x55 in the same RSI configuration for elk and moose. I love carbine rifles and even more if they are dressed in full wood stocks. The Ruger RSI's are hard to beat for a handy little carbine.
i put together a 358 on a remington 600 action, 19" barrel and a 1x5 burris in quick attach rings, with a peep sight and ivory bead front. its a bastard to shoot off the bench, but its a deer and hog stomper.
For inside 200 yards, which is 99% of what I do, I moved up from the .358 Win. in a Savage 99 to a 16" re-barreled Savage 99 in 450 Bushmaster. Also have 2 commercial Mauser 98s a 16" and 18" barrel in 450 Bushmaster. I have not had a deer or hog run since switching to the 450 bm, but if they did there would be one hell of a blood trail. I couldn't be happier with the 450 Bushmaster.
I've been using a Ruger M77 RSI in 243 for the past 35 years for most of my deer hunting and switch up between 7x57 and 6.5x55 in the same RSI configuration for elk and moose. I love carbine rifles and even more if they are dressed in full wood stocks. The Ruger RSI's are hard to beat for a handy little carbine.
Short light rifles are my favorite rifles. Several years ago I decided to build my ultimate what was referred to as "mountain rifle" back then. I love Mausers so I tracked down a G33/40 action. Went with a Douglas barrel in featherweight contour, chambered in 30-06 cit to 21" I decided on a blind magazine to save weight. Sorted through stacks of English walnut blanks for the right combo of lightweight and figure. Weight came in at 7.25 lbs. with scope and sling. Things didn't work as well as I had hoped. Accuracy was lets say finicky, my best load was a 200 gr Nosler partition and recoil was stout. So I decided to re-barrel in 7x57, McGowen barrel this time , same fwt contour and now I have found the sweet spot!
I don't know how important the barrel length is to you but I'm loving up on my Kimber Hunter in 308. All my other deer rifles have been pretty much ignored since I bought the Kimber.
Wag more, bark less.
The freedoms we surrender today will be the freedoms our grandchildren will never know existed.
The men who wrote the Second Amendment didn't just finish a hunting trip, they just finished liberating a nation.
I recently picked up a first year Rem 700 in 6mm I'm going to try next year. It's shorter than what I'm use to and fairly light. I guess I'll see if it becomes my "favorite".
I have a Rem. 788 carbine in 7mm08. It’s not particularly light but it’s very handy and shoots like a laser .
No, she's not so much a lightweight but a really short handy rifle nonetheless. I hear guys say you have to shoot a bunch of 5 shot groups to prove a rifle's worth. This one will put the first two shots from a cold bore on a dime (or less) every time if I do my part. To me that's what makes a good hunting rifle.
Last edited by Brokenarrow; 01/25/24.
Your life is made up of two dates and a dash, Make the most of the dash.
I have a Rem. 788 carbine in 7mm08. It’s not particularly light but it’s very handy and shoots like a laser .
Yeah, they suck. (sarcasm) I have one, got it on paper with a couple shots and went to 100 with a generic load that worked in a couple other 7mm-08's and it put 5 just under an inch first time shooting at 100.
Adjusted the seating depth .020 and tried it again with the same load, this time 5 went just under 3/4. Like any other 788, unless there's something wrong, they shoot.
One is alone in a land so vast, there is only the mountains, the wind, and the eyes of God.
My brother had an original Wood stocked Model 7 in 308 with a compact 4 power scope. That was a handy rifle. Darn thing kicked hard though. Nice to carry and hunt with. No fun to shoot at targets.
My all time favorite was my old Rem 660 in 308! But son somehow got it so trying out a new one. Have an old 700 Rem had re-barreled to Rem 260 with a 22" Lilja barrel. Try it out next year but really feels nice right now and shoots pretty well considering I can't find the powder I am wanting!
Thinking about a new light rifle for next year deer season Conditions 200 yards max on the range I’ve got a model 7 action and a 700 action (short) available Ideas on caliber and barrel length Leaning towards a 358 win build Barrel length 18.5 to 20” I’ve got a Leupy ultra light 3-9 with long range reticle for it or a 2.5-8x36 as well Throw me some ideas out there on stocks as well Always interested in views and opinions
Sounds like a good plan. I have one similar. Model Seven CDL in a Wildcat stock with 2.5-8X Leupold. This one is a 350 Rem Mag. The 358 will do just as well.
Last edited by rembo; 02/02/24.
"after the bullet leaves the barrel it doesn't care what headstamp was on the case" "The 221 Fireball is what the Hornet could have been had it stayed in school"
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