Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Light weight project underway

I got into a light weight build a few months ago when I purchased a Colt Light Rifle, here in the classifieds. It started out life as a 270 Win - but that had to change! I also bought a Benchmark 6.5 barrel here in the classifieds about 6 months ago. I didn't have a plan for the barrel - just knew it was a good one. I talked with the great folks at Benchmark (mainly Chris) and they offered to take my blank in on a trade for a light weight barrel. Last week I got freight to that part of the country and stopped in to Benchmark with my barreled Colt rifle and the Benchmark blank. After a discussion we decided on a #2 contour with shallow flutes, finishing at 24" in 6.5-06. While the extra 2" of barrel length will add some weight, I feel it will balance better and fits a long action better. I'll leave the 22" barrels for the short actions.
NULA is going to provide the stock or stock it for me and I don't know if I will need the NULA trigger or not. The factory Colt trigger, while a little heavy at 3.5lb was crisp with no creep. I have Talleys for it, I just need to find a lightweight 1" scope.
I have a heavier barreled 6.5-06 with a Douglas barrel that shoots OK, but not great. I think I'm gonna set that barrel back and clean up the throat. That one is now gonna be the Ack Imp version.

Let me know where I went wrong on the build and if you have a light scope recommendation. Maybe 10X or 12X on the high side, but 9X would surely work.

I'd got 6x42 Leupold with M1 turret

Bart get the 6x42 w/long range dots and call it good. powdr

Well I dug thru my spare scopes and came up with a few that might work.
CO Redfield 2-7 WA (TV view) w/Accu-Track
Leupy Compact 2-7x33 Duplex
Burris FFII 3-9x40 Balistic Plex
Weaver steel tube 2.5-7 (might be too heavy)

I'll have to put them all on a scale and see what one will work. The Redfield is just back from a refurb at Ironsight and I'm leaning toward that one.
SWFA says that the 6X Leupy is 13.2 oz.

Bart- the Burris is 13oz but real good optically and the reticle works. I have a few....

I vote w/Daveh...had one and sold it. Still kicking my behind for that. Everyone should have a FFII on the shelf for a back-up scope or testing. powdr

i just came in from shooting my wifes model 600 that i put a 260 mtn rifle take off barrel..

i was thinking i need to build me a lightweight 6.5-06 on a colt action, then i see this post,,,

cant wait to see results

I put a Leupold 6x36 on my CLR. Seems to fit quite nicely.

Kaiser Norton

Looks like the scale made a fool of me. Here are the weights:

Weaver 2.5-7x36 = 11 oz
Redfield 2-7 x36 = 11.2 oz
Leupold 3-9x 33 Compact = 10.4 oz

I didn't weigh the FFII because it is currently on my heavier barreled 6.5-06. When that gun becomes the Ack Imp version I have a Redfield Illuminator 4-12x50 for it.

With not an ounce separating them I don't think it would matter which scope I pick. I like the reticle in the Redfield, but I can get a Stony Point turret knob for the Leupold. Once the Burris comes off the Mauser, I'll weigh it and that might make my decision easier.

Bart I'd just go ahead and jerk that Burris after hunting season and mount it on the new gun. With the dots and the velocity of the 6.5 you'd be set to 450-500yds. powdr

How light is that Colt Light Rifle naked?

Never weighed it before I pulled it apart and gave it to Benchmark Barrels - guess I should have.
I know the stock is 42 oz vs NULA's 18oz. I don't know if that is w/ or w/o a pad. I'm guessing the barrel will shave a little weight but not too much - maybe 3 oz.

42 ounces?! Yikes.
Do you mean 24 ounces?

Cowboybart,
My 6.5 wildcat weighs 6lb 13 oz ready to go. The scope is a 1" scope but larger than any mentioned. That might be off set by my trigger being twenty ounces instead of 3.5lb.

I am curious what your rifle weighs finished.

have you given the 260ai a thought? I did the 6.5-06's and then tried the ai. I am getting similar velocities, but no mag box constraint. not sure what the colt box is like....but its worth a thunk considering you have to buy dies anyway......and speaking of, ive had stellar luck with lee collett dies for sizing the neck and a redding or wilson body die for fl sizing.

I am considering the 260AI, but on a Marlin XS7 action. I already have dies for both the 6.5-06 and the AI version. Eventually I will need dies for the 260 AI.

Unfortunately 90% of my rifle projects start out with the cheapest part - I find a set of oddball dies for $25.

6/284
358 Norma
30 Newton
375 H&H AI (those dis were $75 but are Neil Jones dies!)
257 AI
7x57 AI
30-06 AI
416 Taylor
...

lee collets.....cheap cheap, and good stuff.

I have Lee Collets in 30-06 AI, 243 and a few other standard cals. I do like them, but eventually I do like to base size the brass.
For the 260 AI I might be able to use 6.5 WSM to neck size and the 7x57AI or 30-06 AI to base size. That is how I'll start until I find a set of $30 dies for it.
I just picked up a set of $26 6.5-284 and a set of $20 6.5 Rem Mag dies. I don't "need" either or even have a desire for the 6.5 RM, but they were cheap. I'll sit on them for a year or 2 and if I can't find a rifle or justify building one, I will sell/trade them.

Brand of 6.5 RM dies?
Round made year I was born - like the Ruger #1

They are Lee.
Picked them up at a pawn shop for $20 + governor's cut.