How to lighten up a rifle?
- Thread starter harv3589
- Start date
I would flute the barrel, maybe even chop it at 22" and restock it with a Wildcat....probably drop 1-1/2 pounds real quick. Fluting the bolt will lose 2 ounces at most, the short action bolt I fluted lost a bit over an ounce.
Or....sell it and get a 700 Titanium in 270 or 30-06, seeing as they don't make it in 280, the game will never know the difference but you will
..or get a Model Seven in 7mmSAUM....
Or....sell it and get a 700 Titanium in 270 or 30-06, seeing as they don't make it in 280, the game will never know the difference but you will
..or get a Model Seven in 7mmSAUM....sunray said:
fluting the bolt will not affect the headspace..... :roll:
A 7mm Rem Mag doesn't recoil enough to knock a kid off a tricycle :lol:
a non-issue IMHO.
harv3589 said:
I just weighed a factory synthetic for a LA 700.....36 oz.
What does the B&C weigh? I have a B&C here for a LA 700 that weighs more than the Remington factory synthetic...41 oz.
B&C does makes stocks that are lighter than this one.
Got to the gym, will make that rifle feel ligher J/K.
I was told by Rick @ ATR he will not flute a finished barrel. Because chances on warping the barrel, also I think he says doesn't shave much weight off.
Talk to him about it.
I was told by Rick @ ATR he will not flute a finished barrel. Because chances on warping the barrel, also I think he says doesn't shave much weight off.
Talk to him about it.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
Best way to lighten will be in the stock. Blind mag, composite stocks can run around 20ozs. This saves you at least 1 lb. Metal work will help but that could also develop accuracy issues.
Fluting will help but can be an issue with hammer forged barrels. No way to know until you do it. If you go this route, keep the flutes 2 or more inches from the muzzle. You could chop the barrel down a bit too. Turning it down instead of fluting is another option.
You could also swiss cheese the action. This was done very successfully by a few 'light' rifle builders in the US.
Light scope and rings can save 1/2lb too. Shouldn't be much of an issue getting to 6.5 to 7lbs with scope.
If you are having someone do all this work and with parts, the costs will quickly add up and that Ti rifle may not be all that expensive afterall.
Jerry
Fluting will help but can be an issue with hammer forged barrels. No way to know until you do it. If you go this route, keep the flutes 2 or more inches from the muzzle. You could chop the barrel down a bit too. Turning it down instead of fluting is another option.
You could also swiss cheese the action. This was done very successfully by a few 'light' rifle builders in the US.
Light scope and rings can save 1/2lb too. Shouldn't be much of an issue getting to 6.5 to 7lbs with scope.
If you are having someone do all this work and with parts, the costs will quickly add up and that Ti rifle may not be all that expensive afterall.
Jerry
- Location
- calgary alberta
Fluting a finished barrel is very chancey as ir recountouring a finished barrel, chances are poor that the rifle will ever shoot well again. The machining after a barrel is finished and has been shot can cause all kinds of unwanted stress in the barrel. It may in fact be lighter, but if the gun shoots poorly what have you gained. To swiss cheese an action and bolt can be just plain dangerous, you are messing with the integrity of the action, depending on the caliber you are playing with 50000 lbs or more of pressure.
Change out the stock, that can save some weight, replace the rings and bases with 7075 aluminum bases, just as strong as steel but 1/2 the weight, also some optics are much heavier than others.
Lastly spending some time at the gym will not only make the rifle feel lighter, but will enhance your shooting and general fitness for high terrain or demanding conditions hunting :mrgreen:
Change out the stock, that can save some weight, replace the rings and bases with 7075 aluminum bases, just as strong as steel but 1/2 the weight, also some optics are much heavier than others.
Lastly spending some time at the gym will not only make the rifle feel lighter, but will enhance your shooting and general fitness for high terrain or demanding conditions hunting :mrgreen:
- Location
- calgary alberta
The B&C stocks are at least in their medalist line well made, but heavy. I would drop Ian Robertson at Robertson Composites ( he is on this forum) a line and see what he has available.
Brown Precision and McMillan both also make well made durable, light to ultra light stocks, but are pricey. (what isn't now?)
I have found that the lighter a rifle is to carry the harder it is to shoot well, obviously there is a point where it becomes an issue. I built a 7mm on a titanium action, had a real thin contour, fluted barrel and 16OZ Brown glass stock, titanium rings and bases blah blah blah, and found it nearly impossible to hold steady, the entire rifle with optics weighed just under 6lbs, nice to carry, not bad for recoil, just could not hit much with it unless on the bench, so I sold it. Its surprising how much an extra couple of lbs will change how well a guy can shoot a rifle, stuff like breathing and pulse really become an issue in an ultralight.
If at the gym that often you must be in GREAT shape, nice to see someone going the distance before #####in about rifle weight for a change :mrgreen:
Brown Precision and McMillan both also make well made durable, light to ultra light stocks, but are pricey. (what isn't now?)
I have found that the lighter a rifle is to carry the harder it is to shoot well, obviously there is a point where it becomes an issue. I built a 7mm on a titanium action, had a real thin contour, fluted barrel and 16OZ Brown glass stock, titanium rings and bases blah blah blah, and found it nearly impossible to hold steady, the entire rifle with optics weighed just under 6lbs, nice to carry, not bad for recoil, just could not hit much with it unless on the bench, so I sold it. Its surprising how much an extra couple of lbs will change how well a guy can shoot a rifle, stuff like breathing and pulse really become an issue in an ultralight.
If at the gym that often you must be in GREAT shape, nice to see someone going the distance before #####in about rifle weight for a change :mrgreen:
What scope have you got on it :?:
A 4x12x50AO MONDO OPTICAL VIEWING INSTRUMENT is going to add alot more weight then a fixed 4 or 2x7. :!:
Also those big/wide leather slings are very heavy. I use a plane old 1" nylon sling :idea:
SC......................
A 4x12x50AO MONDO OPTICAL VIEWING INSTRUMENT is going to add alot more weight then a fixed 4 or 2x7. :!:
Also those big/wide leather slings are very heavy. I use a plane old 1" nylon sling :idea:
SC......................
I have a 700 ADL here in .264 Mag. 26" SS Gaillard magnum contour bbl, Bushnell 3200 3x9 in a McMillan fiberglass stock.
It weighs 8lbs on the nose, unloaded. :shock:
A 700 in .270 w/a 22" bbl and a smaller scope in a Mac stock would weigh alot less than mine :idea:
It weighs 8lbs on the nose, unloaded. :shock:
A 700 in .270 w/a 22" bbl and a smaller scope in a Mac stock would weigh alot less than mine :idea:
alberta tactical rifle said:
I can't stand this BS anymore :roll: .....I'm gonna take one of my existing rifles and flute it. I should be able to set up for fluting some time before Christmas.....I know it will shoot the same afterwards...anyone who believes this crap about fluting and stresses has never made real chips in a real machine shop.
I've bored out an inch or more of material on stuff that has a finished OD with a .002 tolerance...no change in size on the OD with properly stress relieved material. Barrels are no different. We routinely thread OD's on pieces with .002 tolerances on the bore....no change..and the amount of material removed from a barrel is proportionally less than we are doing..
I think most gunsmiths that preach this BS either don't have a milling machine or simply can't do the job :?
hey...SC...nice rifle..
- Location
- calgary alberta
Well this shop has PLENTY of machine equipment, over 1/4 million dollars worth to be specific, and increasing all the time, it comes in handy while MAKING actions, rings and rails and muzzle brakes ALL of which is produced here in house. Anyone who has been to my shop can attest to this.
If you would care to put your money where your mouth is, I will happily send you the chips and tailings from this weeks machine work, if YOU pay the freight and back up your insults with FACT. I have an advertised location that folks can come to, and see. I don't hurl insults from behind a shield of anonimity that the internet affords and you hide behind. I have been in the gun making business for over 20 years, are you even in the business?? , and what REAL world experience do you bring to the forum???
I am NOT saying it CAN'T be done, but there is a pretty good chance unless the smith you choose has considerable experience at this, the end result will not necessarily be good.
I have LOTS of barrels here that someone else has fluted , then when the rifles accuracy dropped off after the fluting, was forced to rebarrel the gun.
In most instances real precision rifles shoot better WITHOUT the fluted barrels, more machining typically creates more stress in the steel, as a machinist you should be aware of this FACT, hence my statements.
Ask some of the better barrel makers what they think, about fluting AFTER the fact, and ask yourself how many bench rest shooters , that actually win, use fluted barrels??
Threading the OD of a chunk of pipe is not quite the same as a longitudinal cut along the length of a barrel, Have at it, use a REAL ACCURATE and expensive piece to experiment on, and let us all know how well it turns out. :mrgreen:
