Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Lightweight rifles

Just saw your post 30/06 you won't be shooting much past 350-400 yrds so weight won't really matter

Check out the new savage 110 ultra lites in 30-06. They weigh in at 5.8lbs and come with a proof research CF barrel that is threaded.

I don’t know what the current prices of kimbers are but I’ve got a 84m 308 that is a breeze to carry. A synthetic stocked stainless would be tough to beat in my opinion. It shoots about anything I’ve tried in it under an inch.

+1

However if you must have a new light weight try the new Howa Super Lite in 308 WCF at 4.7lbs. Howa accuracy, especially in 308 WCF, will rival rifles costing thousands of dollars more.

Howa Super Lite

I am a little late to this party, but for the lightweight part... a Kimber Montana is my choice, Tikka's are good, owned a couple, but the Montana's fit me better.

I am a big Model 70 fan, and have a Classic FWT in a McMillan Edge FWT stock.
I also have a Kimber Montana in 338Federal.

Both with Talley lwt rings and Leupy 2.5-8's.
Model 70 is 7# 2oz
Kimber 5# 13oz

I plan on doing some backpack deer hunting this fall. I will be carrying the Kimber in 338 Federal loaded with 180gr bullets.

Find a Kimber Montana in the cartridge of your choice and have at it.

I just picked up a Weatherby Backcountry Ti. Won't find much lighter in a production rifle.

Depends on what the OP considers lightweight. My SS classic FWT .30-06 is 7lbs 2oz scoped with VXIII 2.5-8X36, just a touch over 7.5 with mountain sling and 5 rounds. I did drop the barreled action in a used McMillan Edge with a blind mag.

Doubt he could do that in his budget these days, but I was well under that when I did it. Honestly, I solo hunted with a 10lb suppressed .308 this last elk season and coverd a lot of terrain with it. It wasnt as nice to carry, but I managed and was still successful.

Cost is the main issue. Otherwise, I would buy the weatherby hunter in 3006. Under 7lbs in unscoped and 24 inch tube. But $1500 bucks. I just want a sub 7lb rifle in 3006 with a 24 inch tube. Not an easy thing to find. Weatherby discontinued the Vanguard backcountry that would have fit the bill but they are no longer made.

And that’s a shame. I have an initial iteration Vanguard Back Country in .30-06, the all-stainless version. Wonderful rifle, the only one I have that rivals my Tikkas.

So, in the interest of availability, buy a Tikka. I have several, they all shoot amazingly well.




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I am leaning toward the tikka. It has 90% of what I want except the 24 inch tube. I even thought of a 300 win mag version, which gets me the 24 inch tube then loading the 300 down to top end 3006 speeds.Which would be a little above 300 win starting loads Which could work. But it would take handloading for all of my ammo for that rifle. A 3006 would allow factory and handloads as an option. Of course Tikka does not have a custon shop or any 3006 rifle with a 24 inch tube.

But not a good option if hunting dark timber. Every hunt is a series of choices and compromises based on past experiences.

The Element is a very different route towards lightweight. I hunted one a lot this past season and was impressed with it.

Curiosity has me shipping it off today to lose about 6-10 oz's off the stock....we'll see how it turns out in 3-4 months.

Shooting them accurately takes a little getting used to. Factor in the fact that altitude can cause heavy breathing and the ever present wind and it can make holding even a heavy rifle on target difficult.

My first "guided hunt"('93) was a Combination Mule Deer/Antelope hunt out near Laramie, WY. We hunted the MD up in the hills early/late, and the pronghorn during the day. I had a Mod 700 Mountain Rifle in .280 (reamed to the A.I.) shooting the Nosler 150 BT at 2950fps. The wind down on those "short grass" prairies blew me/rifle and all making hitting extremely difficult. I finally shot my Pronghorn by wrapping myself up in a snow drift fence to get steady! Up in the mountains, (like I hunt over here) I was just fine.

I have also tried one of the first Ruger 77 Ultralites (.308) in the 80s. shooting deer in the woods (under 60yds) was fine. At 200yds, even leaning against the side of my jeep, I could not hit a 2 liter pop bottle, not even close!

A Custom MGA in a braked 340wby (6.5 pounds give or take) kicked the guts out of two Premium scopes, at the worst possible times. Upon return to America, I had it rebarreled to 338WM a bit heavier and Mag Na Ported., using only Barnes 185 XLC. It was manageable then, but only in the mountains, the prairie wind thingy.

So yeah...decide what/where you want to hunt and figure in as many variables as you can. I find the Sporter Weight better as an "all around" myself. i.e C.A. Mesa in 300WM/2.5x8 scope= perfection "for me". (although I love the Bergara B14 Hunter in 300WM also) Mod 70 FWTs/Mod 700 Mountain rifles about as light as I want anymore, especially for the occasional antelope. A "Sendero" style rifle is very good for, well, "Sendero's and Prairies" Have a ball though!

Tikka T3X Lite Synthetic Stainless 30-06 Sprg 22.4in JRTXB320 on Gunbroker $849.00

Did you draw your tags?

There is a Kimber hunter pro in .308 for sale in the classifieds right now, should leave plenty in your budget for glass...

Husqvarna. Strongest model 98 lightest I am quite sure they are 24 inch tubes?

The Kimber hunter looks to be the ideal rifle, in price and weight and features. Under 1K and hopefully attainable in the market. I did notice they claim to have a match chamber in the rifle. Is that a real thing in a hunting. I have read in this thread that some Kimbers are accurate. Do they come from the factory with a test SUB MOA target included?

Weatherby Ultralight in 30-06, 5 3/4 lbs plus a scope.

wht state?

the kimbers are known for the barrels heating upbetween 3 shot groups quickly because they are so thin they normally have to be cooled for quite a while or the groups will open up