I have zero need but have an itch for a short fast handling light weight thumper. My thought is something larger than .30cal used for deer and hogs under 100 yards in thick woods and river bottoms. Light weight and handy is number one criteria. I'll likely mount an Aimpoint H1 or 1.5X scope on it.

My thought is something along the line of a Ruger 77/44 or Deerfield carbine, though the 44 mag doesn't really excite me. The discontinued Montana in 338 Federal would be a top choice for me ,perhaps with a cut down barrel. A short 45/70 lever would fit the bill nicely though I really prefer bolt rifles.

Anyway,anyone have some suggestions for something I have overlooked?

Find a short action of your preferred flavor and have one of the barrel makers stick a 358 Win barrel on it at 18-20" length. Top it with your aimpoint and you'll have just what you need. Not a hard kicker. You can find ammo out there or reload to whatever flavor bullet you prefer using easily found brass.
Knocks piggies over like the hammer of Thor.

You have any rifles on hand your willing to use?

If you want a real thumper take a look at this Savage. Available in 338 win and 375 Ruger.


http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/116ALASKANBRUSHHUNTER

358 Winchester in a Ruger Hawkeye or Ruger Frontier if you could find one. I love my Hawkeye.

Rebarrel(or rebore) a short action to .358 Win and put it in an Edge. I had mine cut at 21". I think it's 6.5lbs scoped.

This .358 has killed a lot of stuff. I shoot it very little but hunt it a lot.....

Find a free weekend and come shoot it.

Spend some time with a 45/70 guide gun from Marlin I bet after a bit you'll fall in love.

I do like the idea of a slick 358 Winchester, the short action BLRs always fit me well.

338 federal and 325wsm rifles seem to sell cheap around here as they are not very popular.

45/70 sounds perfect for your task.

I also think a 308 or '06 with 220s or 240s would work pretty well.

If you don't like levers try a model 7 in 358 Winchester or 338 federal

I have a BLR and 77 Hawkeye 358, either would fill the bill.

How about a Marlin 336 35 Rem?

If like the 45/70 but you really want a bolt action you should look at the 450 Marlin.

My Frontier .358 is the right size but weighs 8.5 scoped.

Does McMillan do Edge fill in Ruger stocks?

lightweight is subjective, but this is less than 7# before ammo

I really like that one. It's about what I had in mind. Is it a model 700? What scope? The weight is about what I was thinking of.

Where you located? Likely more than a weekend away but thanks for the kind offer. Always fun to visit new places and meet new friends.

...here is the original lightweight thumper...

Model 7KS in .350 Rem Mag....7# as you see it....

Since you mentioned 338 Federal, Savage offers the Hog Hunter with a 20" barrel and sites.

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/11HOGHUNTER

I put mine in a standard Ruger synthetic stock and it is a lot nicer to shoot...

Bob

Yep! That would satisfy my definition.
And the .358 would be right there with it - though mine isn't necessarily a lightweight.

I sure would like to have a model 7 in 35 Rem.

A Sako Finnlight in 338 Federal has 500 more FPE than a 358WIn, and the 358Win is a slammer. 338 can send a 210 grain pill down range with 3200+ fpe, so that is thump in the woods.

...only when the .358 is loaded down....which it is, intentionally, vs factory .338. The .358 hand loaded, will do way more than the fed, because there's way more bullets it can use.

I'm over in the NE corner of AL.

It's a Model 7, a few oz's lighter than a 700 but if I was doing it from scratch I'd go with a blind mag 700. At the time there was a 4x Leupold on it. Just switched it out for a 6x and need to get it sighted in.

The more I look into this project ,the more the 358 Win appeals to me.

I don't know if there is enough meat in the barrel, but a Howa Alpine in .243, 7mm-08, or .308 rebored might fit the bill. 6.7 lbs scoped is the listed weight of the .308 Win and they either have a detachable magazine or standard floor plate to choose from.

These 2 work for me

19" 35 Whelen




Marlin 336ER

This is what you need. You can find factory loads that are "mild to wild" or you can reload that way on the cheap. There is not an animal in the world you can not take with a correctly loaded 45-70. You just have to get in range and make the shot. When we go shooting, my grand kids love to shoot the 45-70s.

Doug Turnbull makes a short lever gun chambered in .475 Turnbull that he calls the Thumper model.

H & R Handy Rifle in .45-70, 18.5 barrel. Short, handy, and quite the Thumper. Lots lighter than any of the the lever guns. Hand load for it and adjust the load to your comfort level.

Model 7 KS in .350 is quite nice.

Other than what has already been suggested, how about a Sako Black Bear in 9.3x62? 20" barrel, light, fixed sights, and plenty of whomp.

Also a Marlin lever in 444.

Hey guys, I just saw that Kimber is offering the 338 Federal in the Adirondak.
http://www.eurooptic.com/KIMBER-3000801-Kimber-84M-Adirondack--2016--338-Fed-3000801.aspx#tab-2
What do you think the velocity of 200 grn. would be out of the 18" barrel? Could it be too much of a good thing at under 5 lbs,considering the 3oz weight of an Aimpoint H1?

You should be able to gain nothing over a 308 with more recoil to boot. What's not to like!

Kind of what I was expecting.LOL

I really truly love my Model 7 in .358 Win. Obviously you'd have to build it, but that ain't no thing. Building one on a regular M700 short action would be easier and arguably better. If you do that, include an extended mag box like the Wyatt's. The extra COAL will come in VERY handy, trust me.

Browning Mirco X-Bolt or A-Bolt (here come the comments about Brownings...) in 7-08 or 308.

Bought one and that is my woods rifle.

Have you thought about a .338/06?

Nice pair. I had the 356 in the 94 BB several years ago.

I made a 338Fed from a Rem600. It was a 308. I prefer something that is not majnstream. My 338F shoots 200gr Hornady SPs at 2600 from a 21" barrel. It is 6.5 pounds all up and ready to go with a McM Mountain Rifle swirly. It does not kick any more than the 308. Everybody that has ever borrowed it, wants to buy it. I am not selling it!

RH

I've got a Montana in 7mm-08. I just have an itch for a larger bore,something less mainstream.

CDNN may have the answer.

https://www.cdnnsports.com/338rcm-hkm77prcm-20-sts-syn.html?___SID=U

I've built two .358's, one w/22in barrel and one w/23in barrel. I could maybe go 21in but just can't go 20in or lower. It's just my personal preference. I think the gun looks better and it does add a little to the velocity. I love the cartridge but now have a 338Federal. May just try and trade for a .358. powdr

I think a Model 7 .358 with a 20.5" barrel would be a sweet little thumper.

You are looking for short range gun a .358 win with 200 gr. T-TSX running at 2500 fps with a 50 yard zero is .03 high at 100 and only 4.75 low at 200 yards 200 yards would yield 2150 fps and just over 2000 ft lbs this is the very definition of a short range thumper

Mine is 20" but it is still sweet.

The barrel is off getting reprofiled to standard Rem spec so that I can easily mess with other stocks.

I will reiterate, the COAL limits of a M7 can be annoyinging with .358 (unless you went DBM).... For instance, you won't be trying the 200-gun Accubond. The ogive will be in the case mouth. If built on a regular SA M700 you could get around that.