Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Poor man's mountain rifle?

When the Gander Mountain poor boy Ti's were on sale, they were tough to beat, for sure. At $600 or less, a bargain.

I've got 2 and have no complaints - they both shoot really well - much better than I expected out of the light tubes.

I could see the Ti stock/ Youth ADL working real well...I'd like the beef in the barrel. My only question might be muzzle blast with the shorter tube. I've gotten where I dislike muzzle blast more than recoil.

How is muzzle blast in the 308/7-08/243 in y'all's 20 inchers?

DJ

DJ- good point, with my 308 it was just fine for the most part but if I recall right the 130's with the ball powders I tried I noticed a bit.

Dober

I been circling around since last summer trying to zero in on the right rifle for me, and I think this may be it. If for some reason I can't get along with it, or I need something worse, I will shoot you a PM first.

Thx, am thinking you'd really be better off with a 7/08 or something like that...<g>

Dober

Much obliged, Dober. Have had a few short barrels ring my ears over the years...In fact, they're still ringing...Can y'all hear that???? Grin...

DJ

txduckman,

CAS and I built exactly what your posting about for a youth hunt contest.

I've got a 7-08 Gander special and 2 of the Cabelas mountain guides, 1 in 22-250 the other in 243 AI. While I love the guns and they shoot great, if Gander starts them out at $850 or so, I'd go Kimber Montana all the way.

But when they were $5-600 they were the best "poor mans" mountain rifle going. Of course next year they'll be even higher so this will seem like a bargain...

I was nearly positive that the 7mm/08 was going to be it. Had a Howa carbine and an SPS youth chambered that way last summer, but at the last minute they just didn't seem "right".

I think it was something to do with the .308 was better or something?

Dober, have you weighed those barrels yet?--I'm interested. I suppose I could tear down my early 90's mountain rifle to the barreled action and weigh it, but I don't have any 20 inch barreled M700's.


Casey

"The Poor Man's Mtn Rifle" (That's exactly what I call it, too)

--M700 standard contour barreled action-22 inch bbl (keeps muzzle blast more tolerable in standard cartridges, still gets that bit of extra velocity)

--M700 ADL tupperware stock. Lightened and strengthened with aluminum arrow shafts and accraglass. Flip-flop recoil pad.

--Aluminum triggerguard, or even lighter is the Remmy plastic/synthetic triggerguard.

--Leupy fixed or 2x7 variable.

--Talleys, or Weaver bases and Weaver rings, or Weaver bases and Burris Zee rings.

The flip-flop recoil pad saves about 4-5 ozs over a decellerator pad. I've removed 4+ ozes from the tupperware stock, and I know I can take that further and save more weight while making the tupperware stock even stronger.

The flip-flop recoil pad takes a bunch of weight off the rear, the standard contour bbl keeps weight up front, the rifle balances and points MUCH better.

Bought an old M700 ADL in 270 for $325 a couple years ago. Got $35 in the stock plus $25 in accraglass. $3 in the recoil pad. 9-10 hours in messing with the stock, fitting the flip flop pad, bedding the action, painting it.

Weighs the same as my early 90's M700 ADL SS Mtn rifle with the synthetic tupperware stock.


Casey