Lightweight Mountain Rifles - How does yours shoot?

S'long as two of em go nearest of each other then the third can kinda go wherever she wants :)


as above, Ultalights are not benchresters, nor should they shoot anywhere near as good over a string of shots.


you hunt.. You need 1 good shot, and maybe a couple back ups.... 1 inch or 2 inch doesn't matter a dime when that things on the run full of adrenaline departing the nearest Saddle.


:)
 
cam1936 said:
Does anyone have a picture of a single target with perhaps 5 or so separate groups on it? As pretty as a single small group is it sure doesn't tell much.
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A hunting rifle - what i would want is 5 different mornings, single shot, on same target. Precise zeroing and a single clean cold bore shot is what counts in a hunting rifle. Shooting groups is a different game. Often time the "groups" are about the shooter, not the rifle, certainly not about "hunting".
 
Potashminer said:
A hunting rifle - what i would want is 5 different mornings, single shot, on same target. Precise zeroing and a single clean cold bore shot is what counts in a hunting rifle. Shooting groups is a different game. Often time the "groups" are about the shooter, not the rifle, certainly not about "hunting".
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I've done exactly that with a few of my rifles. Place them outside with ammo on a cold fall morning (so everything gets to ambient) and take a single shot. Leave the target up for 5 days and take 1 shot each morning. Of course this is when I lived in a spot that I could shoot off my back deck. I agree, it is the ultimate test of bench accuracy for a hunting rifle.

As for the second part of your post, at no point did I imply anything about what counts in a hunting rifle. Want to know what counts? How accurate you are in field positions and conditions. I guarantee it ain't 1/2 MOA. What I'm saying is there is an awful lot of cherry picked groups on the Internet. Want to prove you have a 1/2 MOA rifle? Post a target that shows an average. I'm not trying to say anything about field shooting or what is, or isn't, an important atribute in a hunting rifle.
 
You guys can quarrel over anything you like of course but the point of the thread wasn't to get competitive, just get a general idea of how your lightweight shoots and share some pics. I would love to post some random groups and /or shots over time but I've only put 12 rounds through the gun (certainly no test of time or consistency!). End of the day, it's a hunting rifle. If it serves its purpose of putting meat in the freezer that is all that matters. This isn't precision shooting thats a different thread ;)
 
Here is my little Mt rifle, a Highly modified Kimber Montana .243, now a .260, 5lbs 2 oz all up, 4 down. bit light to shoot well,
How's it shoot, likely pretty good, but I struggle to consistently get good groups, 3/4 four shots one day, 1.5" next time, But mostly about an 1' with 120 Bt and slightly more with 125gr Partion, I have had it back in NZ for six months now, and have given up careing, now have 25 head of game, all one shot kills, (mostly goats,) but a pig and 4 deer, every animal has been an off hand shot, at close range, 75m max, the joys of bush hunting,
img0848.jpg
 
cam1936 said:
Does anyone have a picture of a single target with perhaps 5 or so separate groups on it? As pretty as a single small group is it sure doesn't tell much.
Click to expand...

All shot on different days... The last nice one was a serious attempt at me properly going through my shooting drills... (FWIW) This hits the mark at 400 and damn close at 500. Good for sheep season!!







 
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cam1936 said:
Does anyone have a picture of a single target with perhaps 5 or so separate groups on it? As pretty as a single small group is it sure doesn't tell much.
Click to expand...

A single group at 100 doesn't tell much, granted, but then again I don't put a lot of stock in 100 yard groups telling much of anything anyway. I've seen far too many loads fall apart when the distance stretched out, and far too many loads that weren't the best at 100 easily pull out in front of the others when the range was increased to believe that. It sure would be easier if it did.

Anyway, people will do what they do, and believe what they believe. Here's a totally meaningless 100 yard group that just happens to be out of a Kimber 300 WSM. It doesn't indictate much more than that the gun isn't broken but did sort of make me grin for a minute or so. 180 Ballistic tips and H4350.

 
southernman said:
Here is my little Mt rifle, a Highly modified Kimber Montana .243, now a .260, 5lbs 2 oz all up, 4 down. bit light to shoot well,
How's it shoot, likely pretty good, but I struggle to consistently get good groups, 3/4 four shots one day, 1.5" next time, But mostly about an 1' with 120 Bt and slightly more with 125gr Partion, I have had it back in NZ for six months now, and have given up careing, now have 25 head of game, all one shot kills, (mostly goats,) but a pig and 4 deer, every animal has been an off hand shot, at close range, 75m max, the joys of bush hunting,
img0848.jpg
Click to expand...

What mods did you make to get down to that weight?
 
Dogleg said:
A single group at 100 doesn't tell much, granted, but then again I don't put a lot of stock in 100 yard groups telling much of anything anyway. I've seen far too many loads fall apart when the distance stretched out, and far too many loads that weren't the best at 100 easily pull out in front of the others when the range was increased to believe that. It sure would be easier if it did.

Anyway, people will do what they do, and believe what they believe. Here's a totally meaningless 100 yard group that just happens to be out of a Kimber 300 WSM. It doesn't indictate much more than that the gun isn't broken but did sort of make me grin for a minute or so. 180 Ballistic tips and H4350.
Click to expand...

x2. One needs to confirm performance at the ranges you intend to shoot. Otherwise it is an exercise in punching paper!
 
Dogleg said:
A single group at 100 doesn't tell much, granted, but then again I don't put a lot of stock in 100 yard groups telling much of anything anyway. I've seen far too many loads fall apart when the distance stretched out, and far too many loads that weren't the best at 100 easily pull out in front of the others when the range was increased to believe that. It sure would be easier if it did.

Anyway, people will do what they do, and believe what they believe. Here's a totally meaningless 100 yard group that just happens to be out of a Kimber 300 WSM. It doesn't indictate much more than that the gun isn't broken but did sort of make me grin for a minute or so. 180 Ballistic tips and H4350.

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I bet you had a grin! Nice group. I believe if your rifle won't group tight at 100 yds, it will not group at longer ranges.
 
Dogleg said:
A single group at 100 doesn't tell much, granted, but then again I don't put a lot of stock in 100 yard groups telling much of anything anyway. I've seen far too many loads fall apart when the distance stretched out, and far too many loads that weren't the best at 100 easily pull out in front of the others when the range was increased to believe that. It sure would be easier if it did.

Anyway, people will do what they do, and believe what they believe. Here's a totally meaningless 100 yard group that just happens to be out of a Kimber 300 WSM. It doesn't indictate much more than that the gun isn't broken but did sort of make me grin for a minute or so. 180 Ballistic tips and H4350.

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That's some fine shootin'
 
cdn shooter said:
What mods did you make to get down to that weight?
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I didn't build it, bought it off JessS on Alberta outdoors, one of his builds, Biggest saving would be the manners ultra light stock, I weight it few years ago, think 13-14 oz, lighter firing pin, light weight talleys and ultra light VX2scope, sum machining on action, I believe, aluminum bolt knob, 22 inch barrel,
I like it, but think that its a bit light to shoot well, would be happy with a rifle at about 6lbs for a Mt rifle if I was to do it over again.
 
4lb bare rifle? Is that with the barrel on or off? ;)

Insane. I thought a S/A mountain ascent at 4lb 13oz was cutting it pretty sharp but you're nearly a pound under
 
southernman said:
I didn't build it, bought it off JessS on Alberta outdoors, one of his builds, Biggest saving would be the manners ultra light stock, I weight it few years ago, think 13-14 oz, lighter firing pin, light weight talleys and ultra light VX2scope, sum machining on action, I believe, aluminum bolt knob, 22 inch barrel,
I like it, but think that its a bit light to shoot well, would be happy with a rifle at about 6lbs for a Mt rifle if I was to do it over again.
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Are you sure it started as a montana? It has a fluted barrel like the mtn ascent.
 
vancouverbc said:
4lb bare rifle? Is that with the barrel on or off? ;)

Insane. I thought a S/A mountain ascent at 4lb 13oz was cutting it pretty sharp but you're nearly a pound under
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It's doable. I can have mine at 6lb 1oz with talleys. Vx2 3-9x40 and four rounds. So he's shaved 5oz on the scope and 8oz on the rifle. And if its a mtn not a montana he'd only have to take off another 3oz. Pretty freakin light!
 
Starting to shoot some groups as our local winter league has their first meet next week.

This is shot from a 6.5 lb all up, Kimber montana in .270 win. I got the rifle in late summer and the stock cracked after less than a box so back it went. Got it back the other day and so I'm finally getting a chance to work on things.

100m off elbows, 130gr speer.


Best group of load testing 110 vmax
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Load test 55-58gr imr 4350 and the 110 vmax
[URL=http://s1107.photobucket.com/user/mycrf450/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_36.jpeg.html]
 
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