Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Lightening up a Ruger Hawkeye Guide Gun

So I have exhausted my search for a lighter weight rifle without sacrificing much performance from my Guide Gun in 375 Ruger. I love everything about it, except it's 9.5 lb total weight loaded up. The recoil doesn't bother me and I think I would be okay with less weight too. I would like to drop it by about 1.5-2 lbs. My scope is already down to 13 oz and even if I go another step down with that, it would only be a 3-4 oz reduction.

I am aware of Extreme Rifle Works in Texas, that has taken the same rifle down to less than 6 lbs naked, but I am curious if similar work, but not to such an extreme, can be done by most gunsmiths for a modest cost?

A side question, does anyone how much weight, and from where could the most weight be trimmed without sacrificing any strength and reliability?

Thanks

The majority of a rifles weight is in the barrel & stock.

Start & finish your endeavors with those 2 items.

If your guide rifle has a laminated stock just by changing it to a Walnut stock will be lighter or you could go with a McMillan edge with a light weight fill. Fluting the barrel is one way to cut weight from it.
If you don't want to change a laminated stock you can always drill some (2) 1" holes in the butt under the butt plate/recoil pad to lighten it or cutting slots in the forearm like Boyd's does.

That is certainly where all of the "cheap" weight loss comes from.

Does McMillan do Edge fill on a stock for an Alaskan?
It certainly wouldn't seem to be the place I'd be looking to lose a few ounces.