What's the craze now for an ultralight hunting rifle for NA big game excluding grizzly and brown bear? I've been thinking about building one for a while now, but there seem to be a bunch of factory options out now for the taking. What are everyones thoughts on these? Cal selection for me would be between 6.5CM and up .
Ultralight Boomsticks
- Thread starter rifleman338
- Start date
pete dobinson
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Courtenay BC.
Kimber Montana or Barrett Fieldcraft. Check out Precision Optics online.
I went and handled one of the new Tikka T3X Superlite's with the green Cerakote and muzzle brakes that are out now and it did feel crazy light compared to what I'm used to. the dealer did not have any Kimbers to compare it to though. I do remember checking out the Barrett Fieldcraft UL at Shot last year which seems to look like a star performer but I don't know anyone who has or used one.
No point in building a long action UL. I've been messing around building an UL switch barrel on a savage lw hunter action. One BBL is .243 win and then one in 284 win for bigger stuff. Finished weight, non scoped with the 243 is 5lbs 3 oz, with the .284 bbl should be around 5.5 lbs.Think the .284 would fit your needs for anything that walks in NA, and shoots plenty flat with moderate recoil. I bought it as a 243 planning on pulling the barrel, but honestly pretty impressed with the little .243s capabilities, and plan on using that bbl on everything but elk and maybe bears. Well, I guess that could change once insee how the .284 bbl shoots...
If I was buying one finished, I'd get a Kimber Montana in 7mm08 or maybe 6.5 CM.
If I was buying one finished, I'd get a Kimber Montana in 7mm08 or maybe 6.5 CM.
After chasing the ultralight dragon for a while, I come to realize that it was the compactness of a rifle that pleased me, more so then my rifles weight. After packing a standard muzzle breaked T3 magnum for years, I built a compact 5 1/2 lb T3 non magnum. The weights, I can not notice a difference hardly, but the compactness and maneuverability, is night and day. Just something to think about when chasing the light weight rifle craze.
What is everyone describing as lightweight. I have a sub 8lb scoped Winchester 7mag that I feel fits this bill. It's wearing a McMillan edge stock with pencil Barrell, Talley lightweights with a 3-15 luepold vx5hd, and obendorph aluminum bottom metal.
LongBomber
CGN Regular
- Location
- Fernie, bc
When I think ultra light it would be 6 1/2 pounds scoped with 3 rounds included. T3 is light, but not that light. A kimber ardonak (sp?) with a vx2 compact 3-9 would be an example of ultra light to me.
Hard to get lighter than a kimber montana without spending more $$. Set of light rings and a 10-12 ounce scope and you are pretty much there.
Hard to get lighter than a kimber montana without spending more $$. Set of light rings and a 10-12 ounce scope and you are pretty much there.
T3 6.5 swede (pick your caliber) barrel chopped to 20” and fluted, wildcat stock with a flip flop pad, 5 1/2 lbs ($1650 give or take to this point, bought the rifle lightly used). A cost effective way to get into a light weight compact rifle.
I wouldn’t recommend the flip flop pad for any magnum cartridge tho.
I wouldn’t recommend the flip flop pad for any magnum cartridge tho.
I find the actions very smooth and reliable. Every T3 I have shot was very accurate. The T3x has replaced a few of the plastic parts with metal and the T3x has modular/swappable grips which is nice. Wildcat composites now offers light weight stocks for the Tikka which will help to bring down the weight. It's really a good rifle. You can buy or build lighter rifles but for the money you get a decent weight rifle with a proven reputation for accuracy.
Some people just don't mind having the #### kicked out of them, I guess.
Grizz
Very true. You can certainly pay a price with increased recoil when you get really light rigs. Not sure it is really worth it myself but to each their own.
I’ve found the same , i really enjoy packing a short carbine.I’ve noticed an inherent accuracy in short stiff barrels as well.
