Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Lightweight hunting rifles

Thinking about buying a lightweight rifle, probably chambered in 25-06 or 280/280AI. The Kimber Montana and Subalpine both caught my eye. Any other options out there with a $1500 price tag or lower? I don't have any experience with Kimber rifles, but I'm assuming that they're fairly accurate for the price you're paying?

Edit: I have also looked at the Weatherby ultralight models

Also check out the Barrett Fieldcraft.

Kimber Montana or Barrett Fieldcraft. Kimbers are hit or miss. I've never had an inaccurate one, but others have.

I'd look at a custom/semi custom too, but that would be price dependent.

Fieldcraft, a little north of $1500 but worth it!

In all likelihood, you will enjoy whichever you choose.

You might search for a Forbes.

Kimber Montana in 25-06 is a sweet little package.

How light do you want? I have a M70 FWT .30-06 in McMillan Edge and my Daughter's faux Howa Alpine .308 both weigh right at 7lbs scoped. I put both together for under $1500 combined.

Kimber Montana or Barrett Fieldcraft are two top choices. I think the Fieldcrafts are better to go out of the box and I believe they still make the 25-06. Lots of others but those are the top two off the shelf.

Another option is to go with an Edge stock on a 700, especially for the long action. The extra mag box length on the 700 is nice to have there....but it won't be as light.

Ideally I'd like to stay <7 lbs scoped



Is it for sale?

Here’s the least expensive 25/06 Barrett I could find on GB.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/844811926
Still a few listed.

Sorry, it is not for sale. But, I think it is a good example of what is easily available from Kimber.

Had a Forbes,In 25-06 That I Should Have Never Sold..I've Had The Kimbers as Well, I Just Don't Care For Wing Type Safety.. Last Year I Put Togather a Mountain Rifle And Have Been Well Pleased. 700 S.S. With Mountain Rifle Edge Stock, Jewel Trigger And Quik Clip Bottom Metal. 6.14 All Up With 4 Rounds.. Talley L.W's And Swarovski 3-10-42..Shoots Good And Is a Pleasure To Carry..

My tikka T3x lite stainless 30-06 was 6lbs 1oz or maybe 2oz out of the box. Add Talley mounts, add Leupold vx-3i of your preferred magnification and your right at 7lbs or so for way under $1500 even paying full retail for brand new.

I will say I vastly prefer the Kimber Montana 308 at 5lbs 2oz .... but that gap narrows a bunch when you go to an 84L Kimber.

The stock on the Kimber Montana is much more rigid than the tikka and IMO nicer feel.

Montanas go for sale used for not much more than a new tikka.


7lbs is a very doable target without anything crazy. Heck a browning xbolt hunter or tikka hunter fluted is barely over 6lbs bare, and those are walnut stocked guns .... same with Kimber 84L classic.

Just some thoughts.

I own the following...
Rem Ti’s- might be the best handling of the bunch. My 270 is scary accurate.
Kimber Montana’s... probably my favorite. All are 1/2” or better shooters with certain factory loads.
Weatherby ULW’s- Love these as well. Only con I can think of is the bottom metal widens out more than ADL stocks. Otherwise great rifles. They shoot great.
Barrett Fieldcraft- Very nice rifles. I like the Basner style stock probably more than anything.

All are great options....

Can you elaborate on what you mean?

My concern is I don't want to get a "chintzy" feeling stock. I've held a few Kimber Montana's and have been impressed with their quality. I held a Kimber hunter model and I wasn't impressed.

Montana, Fieldcraft, Forbes, and NULA/ULA all have excellent stiff lightweight stocks. All are blind mag. Fieldcraft, Forbes, and NULA/ULA are full-length bedded to the action/barrel. Montana's are bedded to a slave action, but all I've had are quality. The Hunter stock is crap....but functional.

I have an excellent condition Montana in 308 coming to me now. Found it on GB for $800 with both Talley LW's and a pic rail. It's one of the older non-threaded that I prefer. They can be found.

ETA: I believe BenfromNY means that a LA Montana is about 5 lbs 10 ozs, which is closer in weight to the Tikka. I much prefer a SA 84M with a 22" barrel versus the 84L with a 24". A 7mm-08 would definitely ring the bell and you'd save about 8 ozs over the 280AI.

So would $900 for a clean Montana 84L be a decent deal?

Not too bad. New ones can be had for $1100.