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Joined: Jan 2007
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900 |
[quote=RickF] IMO however, they are a superior all-around wilderness wandering rifle when properly kitted. ![[Linked Image]](http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa326/bradmacmt/Gun%20Stuff/m70-270fwt_zpsuugfqcm9.jpg) Its older, heavier brother: ![[Linked Image]](http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa326/bradmacmt/Gun%20Stuff/m7030-06.jpg) That's the only kind I'm interested in if I am going to build a rifle for BG hunting. I'll hunt either of those. 
The 280 Remington is overbore.
The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 20,824
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2009
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"Ultimate" actually leaves a lot of room for interpretation... The "ultimate" custom lightweight is really anything your heart desires... you'd have to be very specific to come up with a winner here. The "ultimate" factory Lightweight is undoubtedly the Kimber Montana... The "ultimate" value Lightweight is probably the Tikka SL... The "ultimate" Custom/Semi-Custom is probably the NULA... or the Rifles, Inc. Strata... Is it the "ultimate" LW Deer rifle... or Elk rifle... or Sheep rifle? Because those can certainly be different in dimension, weight, and caliber. Here's my "ultimate" Lightweight... and pretty much "ultimate" hunting rifle in general. It's not the lightest "Lightweight" on this thread... but so far, it's the only one you can shoot without plugs and/or muffs... Kimber Montana in .300 WSM, cut to 17" for use with a suppressor. With the can attached: it's the same length as your average 24" barreled '06. It only weighs 7.5lbs all up, with rounds, sling, optic, and suppressor. It shoots 200s/208s at 2750 and 155s at 3050... does it easily sub-moa, with recoil similar to that of a .270 Win. It sounds like a .22 lr when you shoot it... but it's fully capable of clobbering any critter that I ever hope to hunt. ![[Linked Image]](http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/DDP2005/6C54D87C-9F6F-4FDF-970E-02D804CF67E4_zpswo51xukt.jpg) Shoots several bullets like this... at 100 ![[Linked Image]](http://i352.photobucket.com/albums/r325/dogdownproductions/50ED2DD0-C739-466F-BD83-5651DFE94CCD_zpscowyviyq.jpg) ... to 700 ![[Linked Image]](http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a21/DDP2005/BF6B85C6-454D-41BE-ACA9-C3099588A9BC_zpspk6n7n5b.jpg) Good thread. This suppressed Montana is a very interesting take on a lightweight hunting rifle. I think for true wilderness backcountry use, such as a backpack type hunt the pr-64 M70 with open sights and quick detach scope mounts makes a lot of sense to me. Many of these types of hunts take place in grizzly country, so a long action round also makes sense. If packing in by horse you can skip the open sights a just carry a Leupold fixed power spare in q.d. rings for a back up. Never know when a horse wreck could damage your scope.
Originally Posted by Judman
PS, if you think Trump is “good” you’re way stupider than I thought! Haha
Sorry, trump is a no tax payin pile of shiit.
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,263
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 30,263 |
Bob, I agree (and have said it many times) an M70 mid-weight is as ideal an all-around rifle as one can find. Light-weights, like my Kimber's, are much more specialized tools and not as user-friendly as a mid-weight. But all things are a compromise of sorts, weighted in one direction or another. An "ultimate lightweight" is not an all-around rifle, though I think one could argue a muzzle heavy NULA or Kimber MT with a no 2 contour is certainly closer to an all-around rifle than those with a lighter barrel.
“Perfection is Achieved Not When There Is Nothing More to Add, But When There Is Nothing Left to Take Away” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 32,312 |
Agree with all that. One notable positive when I rebarreled my Kimber 8400 MT from .325 WSM to 7 WSM was that it became noticeably less whippy feeling up front... the balance point moved forward. Wonder if I'd notice more of that going from .284" to .264" bore.... Basically it equates in terms of weight to a 24" long metal "straw" with .010" thick walls.
I think Jordan is going with a bit heavier barrel on his 8400 next re-barrel. He's got a barrel maker who will do the Kimber profile, but a bit heavier from the shank forward.
The ultimate SCOPE for our mythical ultimate light rifle is a more interesting question to me, anyway. My 7-08 MR has a 2.5-8 Leup on it; my Kimber 7 WSM has a NF SHV. The Nightforce is much heavier but also much more capable, at least as the range stretches out there.
The CENTER will hold.
Reality, Patriotism,Trump: you can only pick two
FÜCK PUTIN!
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,481
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2006
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Yeah, I've got a KS Arms 7mm 8" twist 5R tube in the safe waiting to go on a 7WSM Montana. It's a contour dupe to the end of the fore-end, and then tapers to 0.600" at 24". Should improve balance a bit, with a slight muzzle bias more to my liking. But this is a utility killing rifle, at 7.5lbs with scope, not an "ultimate lightweight". My 7-08 Montana at 6.5 lbs scoped fills that role for me, and goes sheep hunting whenever I do.
Jeff's question of the ultimate scope for the ultimate lightweight rifle is an interesting one. While some here tend more toward a slightly heavier rifle in the name of reliability, I do the same with scopes. My Kimber setups could easily each drop 0.5+lbs if I were to go back to Talleys and Leups, but I've had far more failures in the field with scopes than rifles, so I tend to cut weight on my rifles and add it to my scopes. Instead of M70's with Leups, I end up with Montanas and SWFA SS's.
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,739
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,739 |
Good post Jordan. I can appreciate that logic.
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 33,683
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 33,683 |
After buying and hunting last fall with my 270 Montana I could easily dump everything I own short of my SS M70 375 H&H and be good.
Conduct is the best proof of character.
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 35,900 |
After buying and hunting last fall with my 270 Montana I could easily dump everything I own short of my SS M70 375 H&H and be good. True.
The 280 Remington is overbore.
The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,065
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,065 |
That has been a good prescription for me, .600-.610 24" at the muzzle and less on the shank with the 7s & 6.5.
Action, stock & scope determine where it is going from there.
Defend the Constitution
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,757
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2006
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Here's my ultimate 6.5 SAUM light weight. Pierce Ti action with lightened bolt handle. McMillan Game Scout Edge fill, Brux #3 fluted 8.5 tw, Wyatt's box, Timney trigger. It weighs 6 lbs bare, 7 1/4 lbs or so scoped in Talleys. Built by Cloud Peak Gunworks in Basin, WY. JLK 130's shoot little groups and kill stuff good. Disclaimer: fireplace and moose antler not mine. ![[Linked Image]](http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a230/sambo3006/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1095_zpsvghifdw5.jpg)
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,652
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,652 |
I went with a long action. Colt Light Rifle Benchmark 24" fluted barrel in 6.5-06 NULA stock ![[Linked Image]](http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d177/cowboybart/Colt/000_0748_zpsd7fe163e.jpg) I ended up putting a 13 oz Burris on it.
Some is Good---More is Better----Too Much is Just Right
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 366
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 366 |
For the 49th State, just a compact stainless Ruger American rebored to 358 win with a fixed leupold 2.5x20 scope.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 28,411
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 28,411 |
"Ultimate" actually leaves a lot of room for interpretation... The "ultimate" custom lightweight is really anything your heart desires... you'd have to be very specific to come up with a winner here. The "ultimate" factory Lightweight is undoubtedly the Kimber Montana... The "ultimate" value Lightweight is probably the Tikka SL... The "ultimate" Custom/Semi-Custom is probably the NULA... or the Rifles, Inc. Strata... Is it the "ultimate" LW Deer rifle... or Elk rifle... or Sheep rifle? Because those can certainly be different in dimension, weight, and caliber. Here's my "ultimate" Lightweight... and pretty much "ultimate" hunting rifle in general. It's not the lightest "Lightweight" on this thread... but so far, it's the only one you can shoot without plugs and/or muffs... Kimber Montana in .300 WSM, cut to 17" for use with a suppressor. With the can attached: it's the same length as your average 24" barreled '06. It only weighs 7.5lbs all up, with rounds, sling, optic, and suppressor. It shoots 200s/208s at 2750 and 155s at 3050... does it easily sub-moa, with recoil similar to that of a .270 Win. It sounds like a .22 lr when you shoot it... but it's fully capable of clobbering any critter that I ever hope to hunt. Shoots several bullets like this... at 100 ... to 700 In your list, throw in the Savage Lightweight Hunter, Model 16. 7-08 in that has proven itself real well. Add a Swaro Z3 on it.
The degree of my privacy is no business of yours.
What we've learned from history is that we haven't learned from it.
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,369
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,369 |
this is a great thread... the discussion about open triggers, detachable scopes, iron sights, etc a couple pages back for a hard use wilderness rifle makes me wonder why the older Ruger Mark IIs with iron sights never come up in these best rifle discussions...
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300 |
Stand by...I have a germ of an idea for the ultimate lightweight, and its about to festering a full-blown infection..gonna take a couple months though...
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,369
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,369 |
or Winchester XTRs in 7x57...
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,651
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,651 |
What is everyone's opinions on the ultimate light weight hunting rifle? Caliber ? Barrel length? Stock? Action?
I have a short action titanium, standard 308 bolt face. Can't make up my mind on what to build. I want it to be light but still be able to make a 5-600 yd shot if needed.
Leaning toward a 260 ackley with 130 Bergers or 708 ackley Depends on what I'd be hunting. For Daughter #1 we went with a 22" Ruger Hawkeye in .308 Win for antelope to elk. Not exactly a lightweight but not heavy either. No really lightweight rifles for me, either, although I have a 6.25lb Ruger Scout. Accurate little rifle and will do almost everything i've done over the last 35 years, antelope to elk. Considering getting a synthetic stock for my M77 .257 Roberts. My .30-06 skeleton stocked MKII is a pleasure to carry.
Coyote Hunter - NRA Patriot Life, NRA Whittington Center Life, GOA, DAD - and I VOTE!
No, I'm not a Ruger bigot - just an unabashed fan of their revolvers, M77's and #1's.
A good .30-06 is a 99% solution.
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,883
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 20,883 |
I know a guy who considers a 10 lb rifle to be his ultimate lightweight. His others are up to 13 lb.
My lightweights are 6.5-7.5
"I never thought I'd live to see the day that a U.S. president would raise an army to invade his own country."
Robert E. Lee
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,972
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,972 |
I know a guy who considers a 10 lb rifle to be his ultimate lightweight. His others are up to 13 lb.
My lightweights are 6.5-7.5 I like a lightweight 6.5-7.5 as well. So far I actually like right at 7 lbs scoped as a good compromise the best.
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2008
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Depends on the hunt and what not but for backpack hunting its either gonna be my 6.2 pound scoped 338-06 or my 4.4 pound (yes that is with a scope) 358 win.
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