Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles If you were going to only own one ultralight, what would it be?

My Ultra-light is an accurized 7mm-08 Remington Titanium.

With it, I feel TOTALLY prepared for anything British Columbia can throw at me.

I shoot Barnes X's and TSX's from 120 grain to 175 grain in it.

I have a Weatherby Ultra Light in 270,shoots about an inch with factory Hornady 140s for three shots. I can't imagine anything really getting the job done much better than this rifle.

My buddy has one in 280 and he likes his too.


Britt

Not to compare the farm here in CT to Wyoming but I have Montana's in 308, 243 and 270 WSM and a M70 7mm WSM with a Bansner on it thats not too heavy.

If the carry and hunt is not that steep or long then the Kimber magnum only weighs 7 lbs scoped and it has long legs. If it's real hard going or forest then a 84M is so sweet. As Dober says get the Montana and save your money for something else.

Another vote with Dober and the others recommending a Kimber 84M.

Mine is a 7-08, and just couldn't be much better as a lightweight.

It shoots lights out, and handles like a dream. The recoil with 140's still feels mighty close to 243 levels to me - don't discount stock design in a lightweight if you're going with something with much juice.

DJ

Another vote for 7-08, mine is a 700 Ti I carry when I want to go light.

I was always a bigger caliber guy until I saw friends in Colorado taking Mule Deer and cow Elk year after year with their "little" 7-08.

That would really be sweet! A 6.5-284 would be nice too in Forbes' longer mag box.

Two comments- plus one to Dober's thoughts; the little Kimber would be a great choice.

Second, I have a Rem M700 MTN LSS in 7mm-08, and it's NOT a light rifle, mainly because of the stock. Don't get me wrong- I like it, a lot. But it's no lightweight.

-jeff

I started using the Tikka T3's in 2004 and thought it was the Cats Meow for a lightweight rifle. They are real light and shoot exceptionally well in the accuracy department and arent finicky about ammo. But after having some durability concerns with them decided to sell a few of them and buy one rock solid SOB lightweight mountain rifle. The three I went specifically to look at were the Rem Ti, the Kimber Montana, and the Sako FinnLite. While handling each of them and shouldering them, working the bolt and such the guy behind the counter handed me a ULA and I about chit! I couldn't believe how light it was but when I looked at the $2300 sticker I about chit once again. I just couldn't justify that much money for a niche rifle that I would surely beat the crap out of in a matter of time no matter how hard I tried. They are fine rifles and I still fondle that ULA from time to time as they usually have one in stock. In the end I went with the Kimber Montana and dont regret it one bit.

A Tikka T3 lite in .270 WSM would be a nice rig in the 6 pound class.

THanks for all the comments guys.


With all the T3's popping up, I'm going to make this comment:

I will never, and I mean never, buy a T3. With the M695 and the M795 Tikkas in the stable there is no comparison between what a "good" Tikka was, and what the T3 is. Don't get me wrong, you guys might love your T3's and have awesome luck with them; I just will never own one.

I've been eyeballin the Kimber Montana's for a long time now, I'll have to go see if I can make one blush in the store just to feel how she'll fit.

That's really impressive, as far as that load goes. I shoot 55gr of IMR-4350 out my 280 with 140 gr BTs, and that is a few grains over book max for that. Do you have a long throated chamber or anything?

Here is a picture of AlaskaCub with a Kimber. Of all the pictures posted here this is my favorite.

Out of my own collection, the one ultralight I would keep-if I could own only 1 rifle would be my Kimber Montana 308win.

Be careful, as I have stated before you will have a hard time hunting with any of your heavier guns after you get used to the Ultralights! You will have a bunch of safe queens!

There's one thing extra you should think about.

Tikka GUARANTEES 3 shots into an inch at 100 yards.
Kimber GUARANTEES NOTHING.

I feel safer with a Kimber. I am not fond of how Beretta handled the last Tikka/Sako problem.

That is a fine ram and a great photo.

To come back to the topic at hand, my NULA is a .338-06. When I run out of bullets I'm going to rebarrel to plain ole 30-06. It will then be perfect for all of my future needs.

Kimber in 7-08. Iffen it does not shoot, you can get it rebarreled rebedded and still have a nice chunk to put down on a hunt.

your point being... ???

I'll definately check out a Montana if any of the gun shops I'm in over the next month has one in stock. If I go with a Montana, most likely will just get it in 7wsm so it will match up with my heavy target gun.