Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Lightweight Rifles

I am going to rebuild my Model 7, 7-08 and desire to finish with a sub 6 pound gun. Current plans are: trued action, PTG spiral fluted bolt with lightweight Rem bolt skeletonized further, Jewell trigger, Bansner or Mcmillan Edge stock - probably a Bansner ADL, 20 inch barrel - probably Kreiger. I hunt and guide in the Adirondacks of NY so don't need more barrel length.

Shouldn't be a problem to easily come in under weight, except that I really love the looks of a fluted barrel. From everything I can see on the top barrel maker's sites, everyone starts fluting at a #4 or similar contour at .650 to .690 at the muzzle. I've done some initial calculations on Dan Lilja's barrel weight calculation program and it looks like pretty much 3 pounds of fluted barrel.

Does anyone have any first hand experience with "lightweight" rifles and fluted barrels? If so, can sub 6 pounds be achieved with a 20" fluted barrel and the components listed? I know that R. Hart does a model 7 lightweight at just over 6 pounds with a non-Edge McMillan stock.

A lighter barrel that's longer for more velocity has no appeal for me on this rifle.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Frank Shaw

I'm not sure my rifle exactly fits your description of a lightweight, but for reference maybe its helpful.
I had Karl at Kampfeld put together a 7mm08 for me based on a model 700 action - it started out a CDL. It has a #3 Contour Shilen finished at 24. He fluted it and did his action lightening on it. It currently sits in a B&C Alaskan Ti stock, which weighs 31ozs. Per Karl he said the rifle only when he was finished weighed 6lb. 10oz. I recently ordered a McMillan Edge for it to shave off 7-8 ozs so should be just over 6lbs finished.

Karl had no problem fluting a #3 contour - the flutes look great, and the rifle balances nicely and shoots under 1/2 inch groups with Fusion ammo - when I can get it done right that is - I'll admit I'm not a great shooter.

He is currently building a .243 for me that will have a #3 Contour Lilja which he will flute so I know he can do it on a lighter weight than a #4.
Anyway, hope that helps a little.
Good luck.

OM, what bottom metal are you running? The "Alaskan" Ti stock at 31oz+bottom metal has to be heavier than the "original" Ti stock+ADL trigger guard, right? I'm not criticizing your build, I'm just trying to figure some weights out. I want to say that my first "old" Ti stock was in the 22-24oz range and I didn't realize the "alaskan" was that much heavier. Thanks.

The easy option to a 6lb rifle is to get yourself a 700 Youth in 7/08 and restock it with a Ti take off. I did that a while ago with a 308 and it was incredibly nice and user friendly rig. Plus it had the barrel weight out front that I like.

Just a thought.

Dober

Buy a Model Seven XCR in 7-08 and drop it in an EDGE stock. Finished with a scope it will be slightly over 6lbs, but very close...

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...h/true/New_EDGE_just_arrived#Post3326086

I have a Model 7 being worked up by Harold Fredd consisting of a SS 7 Action, bolt fluted/skeletonized by Karl, LW firing pin, 25" Shilen Remington standard sporter contour barrel fluted by Karl, Wyatts box, and a Mcmillan Hunters Edge with 1/2" pad.

Will be a 6.5-284 deer slayer when completed. Switch the caliber to 7mm-08 and you will be set.

If no one offers the barrel you want fluted, get one that will finish around .600-.625 at 20" and send it to Karl to be fluted. Should be right in your ball park weight wise.

Fluted barrels aren't the lightest weight way to go. You have to have a minum barrel dia to contain the pressure, and that will be as deep as the flutes can go. If you want lighter, you have to turn down the barrel dia. If you want light, then go with the lightest barrel contour, forget the flutes.

The advantage of flutes is a stiffer barrel for a given barrel weight, not the lighest possible barrel.

You are going to put a 3 lb., 20 inch barrel on a custom rifle with a very light synthetic stock and a ligntend action ? My first thought is that is alot of weight out front. If it turns out like that, you can't turn the barrel down to lighten it and you probably can't, or don't want to, shorten it much either.
Is this 6 lb. rifle, six pounds with scope ? If it is, I don't see how that will work or make you happy. E

On this 7mm-08, it has the factory Remington CDL bottom metal which is exactly like BDL I think. The stock I currently have on this rifle I got from Stockys, and he sells a Alaskan II and the one he calls a Alaskan Ti I think. Anyway, the Alaskan II which has the full bedding block is the heavier of the 2, I really like this stock, it fits me nice but like you I figured it should be lighter than 31ozs but I weighed it and sure enough thats what it weighs. I have a 2nd one the Alaskan Ti from Stockys - its the one with a partial bedding block on a LVSF .223 and it weighs 26 ozs so a little better.

I did just ordered a McMillan Edge for the 7mm-08 to shave off weight - when I had Karl build this I tried to save a couple dollars on the stock - dumb idea for this build - live and learn:)
But to answer your question - yah its way heavier than the old Ti stock.

This rifle came in just under 6#. Note the barrel-not fluted.

First generation Remington Ti in 7mm-08. 5.25 lbs. Ultra-light Leopold 3x9X33 adds 8.8 ounces. Rings and mounts a few more ounces. All told - just under 6lbs.

Not a custom - but it might be another option.

Hey guys, I don't want to be ungracious, but if you read the original message carefully, you'll understand I've given this rifle a LOT of thought. It is not my first custom build and I realize that a #1 contour is lighter than a #4 fluted, and that if I put a Bansner or Edge stock on the Model 7 barrelled action I currently have that I could easily make the weight I'm looking for. That is not what I'm looking for.

From a strictly utilitarian standpoint, what I want to do is a waste of money. My current Model 7, 7-08 stainless/synthetic currently shoots about .75 with 140 Sierras and Varget. Of a pretty sizable number of whitetails I've shot over the past couple of decades, maybe one was over 100 yards. That one was not 150 yards. The last 2 I shot were with a 6x223, one at about 100 yards and one at about 20 yards. The closest was shot at about 6 yards with a .250 Savage.

I'm looking to build the rifle I want, not the rifle I need.

So, has anyone built a sub 6 pound rifle on a stainless model 7 action with a fluted 20" barrel? If so, how satisfied were you with the finished rifle in terms of balance and accuracy?

To OregonMuley above who suggested having Mr. Kampfeld fluting a completed #3 contour barrel, Thank you for that input and that is an option. The gunsmith who will do my work builds benchrest competition guns as well as hunting rifles and built a rifle that placed in the Benchrest Supershoot within the past few years. He knows what he's about. His position is that any external barrel work that's completed after the barrel is finish lapped will have impact on final bore /groove dimensions due to removed material affecting internal dimension. As I understand it, all the top barrel makers complete all eternal contouring work before the barrel is finish lapped. This may have negligible impact on accuracy, I don't know, but because my funds are limited, I'm looking for maximum achievable accuracy without making any mistakes.

YukonAl's sheep rifle above is beautiful and will probably be very similar to what I end up with if I can't make the fluted barrel thing work

Thanks again,

Frank Shaw

Burn your money, get whatever it gets you or take BCBrian's advice & get an old model Ti; then if you want it even lighter, put it in an Edge stock.

That'll get the rifle down to right at 5 lb.; of course if you just want to blow money, have at it.

Don't think you're really interested in solutions anyway as your mind is already made up.

MM

MMan, I don't want to get into a "back and forth" with you, but my mind definitely isn't made up and, with a daughter in college, I certainly don't have money to burn. My initial post was to ask if anyone had successfully built a custom gun at under 6 pounds that had a barrel that was fluted by the barrel manufacturer. It appears not, which is probably the answer to my question.

As I posted, I have a gun that meets my "needs" but not my "wants" which is what I thought this forum on custom guns and wildcats was about, since custom rifles and wildcat calibers seem to generally meet wants more than needs.

If a number of members have had excellent results from having finished barrels fluted, then I guess my gunsmith's opinion is not necessarily valid. As I said above, I don't know. I do know I trust him. I have Kampfeld's site bookmarked, so I guess I should ask him directly. It will be more expensive to have him flute a finished barrel than a maker such as Kreiger flute their own barrel. Again, I don't have money to burn.

The Remington Ti is the action I wish I had, but at a current $2,225 or so retail for a complete rifle plus the cost of an ultralight stock, it's outside my meager means.

This may be the last custom rifle I have built. I know I can restock my current gun or go with a light contour barrel. I didn't know if it could be done on a fluted barrel. Looks like probably not. I do want to end up with a gun that is custom to me. My current Model 7 stainless/synthetic is not far off. A Kimber Montana is probably closer and could probably be bought cheaper after sale of my current gun than a custom could be built. It wouldn't be custom though.

Sorry if I offended anyone.

Frank Shaw

Brian, beautiful rifle.

No offense, at least not on my part...........just mixed signals.

Not custom, but if you look hard & long enough, a Ti or Kimber will turn up at around $900-1100.

You can always post a WTB ad as well.

I have a dupe of BCBrians gun with a 2.5x8........shoots 3/4" after a little TLC.

Good luck in finding what you seek.

MM

A Sako Finnlight SM weighs 6 3/8 out of the box. That's not sub 6 but it is still pretty light with zero 'smith work needed. And, that's a 24" fluted s.s. barrel.

Just thought I'd throw that in there.

Frank,

Mike Rock at Rock Creek isn't afraid to flute a barrel, that I can assure you. He'll go deep on his #3 contour. I've had several rifles with fluted barrels. Though I've never weighed before and after flutes, the two fluted Rocks that I have are the only ones whose weight seemed noticeably decreased by the flutes, meaning the weight was significantly lighter than the sum of its parts using the un-fluted barrel weight.

Fshaw,

Another option is to order the Edge inletted for your current M7 SS barrel. You already said it shoots well and are looking for a light weight build. The factory tube is about as light as it gets. If you do that, you can use the left over $$$ for a light weight firing pin and bolt fluting.

Down the road, when you get bored, you can always order a new tube and open up the barrel channel as applicable.

You say you don't want to shell out $2200 for an alaskan Ti. Can't say I blame you I dont either. However about a week ago I saw a first gen Remington Ti, for right about $1000, which sounds about right. For another $300 or so you could get a take off lvsf 7-08 barrel trim it and screw it on. Swap out the shroud if it has the wart. Clean up the trigger, and there you go.
It should easily meet your weight, and have thestainless fluted barrel and the fluted skeletonised bolt. If you sell off your model 7 for $500 or so you would be into the whole thing for about the price of the fluted kreiger barrel and ptg bolt. Not counting the gunsmithing and everything else. Probably at least a grand cheaper than what you are discussing. Or if you want to continue with all the upgrades. Figure you can get another $150 or so out of the Ti stock, the Ti actions I have seen and or heard about have been very square from the factory, which is a plus. You would save another &75-$125 on bolt work instead of fluting yours or $200+ if you went ptg.
Plus if you went with the Ti you could use a maker fluted barrel saving a little more there. I think If you really take all things into consideration it wouldn't be much if any more expensive to start out with a good Titanium action and would open up some more options. With that said you could meet your specs with what you have now but plan on a little more work.

Fluted and Lightweight don't go together very well.

Fshaw, unless you are going with chromemoly, you cannot get a Krieger in 7mm bore, smaller than a #5 contour. They won't make stainless any smaller.

Thanks. I found that out after contacting them. I would have sworn that I've seen pictures of lighter weight Kreigers, but I guess not. I ended up contacting the guys at Hart Rifle barrels and ordering a #3 contour that they will lightly flute. A good friend has a Rem 7 built in 284 with a Hart #3 at 21" in a High Tech stock with that barrel contour. With Talleys and a 3x9 Nikon Monarch his comes in at 6.75 pounds. That's light enough for me and the rifle balances extremely well both in the hand and at the shoulder. I'm having the exact configuration built in 7-08 and plan to go with a Leupold Ultralight 3x9.

Gun is at the gunsmith now. Guiding rabbit hunters on the weekend to pay for it and a Ingram knife. I'm pretty excited about both.

Thanks again.

Frank

Krieger used to. I had a #2 in 7mm.

Little Late But,Heres You One. Model 7 #3 20" Lija Barrel, Flutted By Karl. Mcmillan Edge. Talley Mount and Swarovski AV3-9-36 Rifle Weighs 6.23 All Up And Ready to Go...

Kampfeld fluted my 7mm08 Remington 700 Mtn. Guide rifles very lightweight 22" barrel. Weighs 6.5 lbs with Leupold 2.5-8 VX-III, Leupold low rings, Vero Vellini sling. (Fluted/skeletonized bolt) Shoots sub-inch groups with many loads.

I don't have a lot of experience with true light weight rifles but what I have seen is that very few LW rifles will weigh in at much less than 7.5 to 8 lbs ready to pull the trigger. The rifle, mounts, rings, scope, sling and ammo, all add up in a hurry. True a 7.5# rifle is better than a 9# to tote all day,especially when you get older.