Lightweight hunting rifle set up

H

HankBC

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Kamloops, BC
Thinking of trading a couple rifles in and dropping down to one main rifle for hunting.

Currently have a Sako A7 stainless in .270 for deer. Really like this gun so far, so it may be fough to let go!
A Tikka T3 in .338 Win for moose and hopefully elk.

Shot some other rifles lately trying to figure out a fit, finish, and caliber. Currently leaning towards the 7mm Rem mag. Seems to be a good workhorse/ do it all with good ballistics.

I’ve looked at a few different light guns lately, most recently being the Kimber mountain ascent. Something about the fluted bolt made the action feel strange, and while being light I was wondering if it may be too light..? Used my fathers Sako 85 Finnlight, but we can’t seem to find a cartridge that groups well with it. Also heard of ejection issues (which we haven’t experienced yet) that scare me away from that.

I don’t qualify myself as a ‘gun nut’ quite yet, and don’t know enough to decide which route to go. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
Cole
 
Cannot speak to the 7mm personally, but I know some who like it as a BC do all. Finnlights are great rifles, as are (in my experience) Kimbers. I've read enough of the bad stuff, feeding issues, accuracy issues etc. I've owned 3 and still own two Montana's, a 338WM I had chopped down and irons added for a guide gun, and a scoped 300wsm as my all around hunting rifle. Hard not to love a lighter, slimmer model 70. Mine have been great, but I have found them to be finnicky with ammo, and take a little more shooting discipline due to the weight and slender barrel profile. Barrels heat up quick, especially with magnums, but its not the rifle you buy to benchrest gophers all day long.
I will personally trade that off with a slender lightweight rifle to carry up and down mountains all-day. Recoil is pretty manageable in the 7lb 300wsm, and not too horrendous in my 6.5lb 338wm either.
 
of the Kimbers, I'm a Montana Fan! not sure if the 8400 was in 7 REM mag, or just WSM stuff, without googling id be sure theres a 7 rem mag in Kimber somewhere? otherwise the 280 Ackley the ducks nutz
 
I like a smaller caliber rifle for Deer (to try and minimize meat damage) and a larger caliber for Moose. I would categorize Elk with Moose. But might categorize Caribou with Deer. However if one has an opportunity to hunt Grizzly then that might deserve something like a 375 H&H or a 458 WM. That type of hunt could be done with less but who would chance loosing an animal or facing an unwanted response from a grizzly that refused to go down. Also, And with that level of power in a rifle (375 , 458) could be used for bison too. And a 45-70, 35 Welan or 9.3 x 62 with a hotter load could fit in there also.

It takes time and experience to develop an understanding about what different calibers can do. One does not have to own too many rifles to cover the spread of what one expects to hunt over a number of years. Sometimes something becomes available at a great price and can be obtained for a reasonable price.
 
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There is someone on outdoorsmenforum who was fluting bolts and barrels, and their is wildcat composites out of sherwood park, my suggestion is to keep it if you like it, and make it lighter.
 
My tikka lita 7RM wearing an MDT LSS XL shoots a true 1/2 MOA five shot group with hand loads. It's plenty light but I find it a little much for thin skinned game like deer and antelope. Great chambering though - it loves those ELD 162s.

I had a Kimber Montana and I found it to be very fussy about ammo. Can't speak to the MA though.
 
I'd likely put the A7 in a lighter stock and flute the barrel, I'd have a hard time to give up a .270 I have confidence in for a 7mm magnum. I am on the opposite coast and don't get to hunt moose often, likely won't kill an elk in the next 5 years and my main rifle is a 7mm Rem mag so take that for what it is worth. I see you have a Tikka t3 338 Winchester so I would say recoil is no stranger to you, consider stepping up to a .30 cal magnum.

An important question that hasn't been asked but is worth asking is do you handload, or are you willing to start?

I do like that 700 AWR but its a touch heavier than I consider a light weight.
 
I don’t hand load, but am planning on starting that at some point in time. I’d like to nail down what calibers I’m shooting before I purchase all the equipment.

I like that 700 AWR, but I think it’s too heavy for the category I’m looking for. A pound does make quite a difference. I think around 6-6.5 lbs is the magic number currently at not being too light or too heavy. Not worried about recoil since this isn’t a bench gun, but a hunting rifle. I find when I’m lined up on a critter I never feel the recoil. If it’s too light, I hear things about how it won’t sit very well free hand, and being able to see my heartbeat through a Scope is a bit extreme.

I understand a 7RM can be overkill for deer, but I don’t enjoy chasing animals. I passed up 3 okay deer this year since I didn’t like the shots they gave me. I’m pretty careful about placement since I wrecked some white tail blackstrap when I was younger and hated myself for it. Love that meat! Do you guys believe the actual force of the impact is going to be enough to wreck the meat on deer?

Both the .270 and .338 shoot well, and have been reliable in use. So I could probably be convinced to trade up stocks and save for two sets of optics. I just like the idea of learning one gun extremely well and investing in the best optics I can afford for it.
 
Why not try a Rem 700 mountain rifle in 7mm-08 pr s model 7 in the same caliber. A Winchester featherweight in 270 will lay them down in quick order too. If you can put up the coin, an HS Precision or Cooper rifle may be a better choice as well.
 
I've killed moose with a 270, shot one for years. Get a good quality bullet in the heaviest grain possible with your barrel's twist rate and reload for it. You'll for sure be able to pick up some velocity and accuracy over factory loaded rounds. With modern powders the good ol 270 seems more and more of a viable option. Can always upgrade stocks and glass for it.
 
Warden70 said:
Why not try a Rem 700 mountain rifle in 7mm-08 pr s model 7 in the same caliber. A Winchester featherweight in 270 will lay them down in quick order too. If you can put up the coin, an HS Precision or Cooper rifle may be a better choice as well.
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I sold my late 80's Rem 700 Mountain Rifle to a buddy in 270 W .
He has shot 6 Moose with it since 1992.
He used the reloads i made for it.
140 Grn BT Ballistic tips iirc.
Shoot the Remington or go for a Kimber.
Whelen Lad puts his Kimberly through its paces and does wonders with it.
Rob
 
Well....
I have 8lbs scoped and loaded Ruger in 30-06 that shoots with excellent trajectory, accuracy, it's 180gr bullet don't destroy meat and in my hands is plenty for any game.
I am 65 years old and hunt in the mountains of BC not at all complaining about rifle's weight in addition to my 10lbs+ back pack.
My hunting buddy is 70 years old and climbs the hills even faster than me with same rifle and comparable weight.
I think some CGNers either need to hit the gym or loose some weight or both.
This talk about shaving couple of oz here and there is laughable....
GR8 2c worth and I am sticking to it.
"My circus and my monkeys...."
 
gunrunner8 said:
I think some CGNers either need to hit the gym or loose some weight or both.
This talk about shaving couple of oz here and there is laughable....
GR8 2c worth and I am sticking to it.
"My circus and my monkeys...."
Click to expand...
A number of people on here likely could do to hit the gym or loose weight, but a number of us have also just embraced the fact that there is better technology available now. The same reason you don’t take a horse and buggy to work or correspond with pigeons these days. Just because it’s been done a certain way for ever doesn’t mean it can’t be different. Progress I believe is the term
 
gunrunner8 said:
Well....
I have 8lbs scoped and loaded Ruger in 30-06 that shoots with excellent trajectory, accuracy, it's 180gr bullet don't destroy meat and in my hands is plenty for any game.
I am 65 years old and hunt in the mountains of BC not at all complaining about rifle's weight in addition to my 10lbs+ back pack.
My hunting buddy is 70 years old and climbs the hills even faster than me with same rifle and comparable weight.
I think some CGNers either need to hit the gym or loose some weight or both.
This talk about shaving couple of oz here and there is laughable....
GR8 2c worth and I am sticking to it.
"My circus and my monkeys...."
Click to expand...


Well said, not sure why you wouldn’t stick with the Sako 270 and Tikka 338
Good hunting calibres and fairly light weight already.
 
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