Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Lighter Rifle

Without dropping a boatload of cash on a custom rifle, what factory rifles would make a decent weighted mountain rifle for Mtn goats? thanks!

Used Weatherby Ultralight!

See my post in Big Game rifles forum.

See my post in Big Game rifles forum...

What do you call a boatload of cash? A Kimber is just over $1000 and a lot less than most customs. That would be my 1st choice. My 308 is still under 6 lbs with a Leupold 2.5-8X36 on it.

Remington Mt rifle is an option. I like the Winchester Fwt, but it is not that light in a factory stock. It, or most any of the common bolt guns can come in between 7-7.5 lbs scoped if you put them in an Edge.

If you can live with some of the lesser priced budget guns consider these

Tikka T-3, can be right at 7 lbs ready to hunt.

Any of the Savage rifles with a blind magazine are just over 6 lbs. Same with the Marlin XL-7 Even the Ruger American is just over 6 lbs.

Tikka T3 Lite w/ a compact scope. Mine wears a 2.5-10x24 Nightforce.



It gets carried in typical goat country:



this one is in .308. The barrel has been trimmed back to an even 20"s

Bob, your post is under reloading

Forbes 24 B

Kimber Montana at ~$1000, or Forbes 24 B at ~$1500.

donsm70

Ruger Ultralight, Rem M7, Ruger American is pretty light too.

My T3 fluted barrel super lite is listed at 5.8 lbs, not bad for a gun I paid $550 for new and shoots 1" groups at 200 yards.

With it a VX-2 2-7x33mm CDS and talleys it is under 7 lbs. ready to hunt.

Kimber Montana or Forbes rifle if you can stand the grip (When I held one I found it to be really, really uncomfortable).

Big fan of the Kimber Montana. I have one in 300WSM and with A Leupold 2.5-8x36 in Talley LW it is 7lbs.

Savage Lightweight Hunter

This gets my vote.

Look for a remington mountain rifle, old style with floorplate, get a used TI stock, open up for floorplate, bed in TI stock, work up a load and go hunting.

Or go buy the Kimber or Forbes rifler.

My vote is for the Tikka T3 in one of the .308 case variants. I had one in 300 WSM and wished I had got it in 7-08 260

Which rifle are you referring to?

I have a couple of Montanas and a couple of NULAs, and really like them. I have not handled a Forbes, but thought the stocks were similar to NULAs.

donsm70

I was referring to the Forbes. Similar stock to the NULA. Really closed chunky grip for me. Others obviously like them, and I wish I could like them, as I like the concept..... but I much prefer the Kimber.

I think a FWT M-70 in an Echols Legend would be great.

Check out the open grip on the Legend.

DF