Hello, I am starting to research a lighter weight budget deer rifle, I am looking for opinions on the Howa Mini and Ruger American compact, calibres I am considering are 6.5 Grendel or Creedmoor and 7 08. I am a Vanguard fan so I like the Howa mini action but not the magazine setup [I know there is an expensive floor plate kit available], I also like Ruger rifles but I know the American is not a 77, I was looking at the Compact Ruger because of the flush magazine. Looking for comments from people that have owned either. This will be a rifle that gets carried in thick rough normally dry country, shots under 200 yards. I want a loaded with scope weight around or less than 7lb. I have a few deer rifles Husqvarna and Vanguards just want something a bit lighter and shorter for when we walk a bit more in the rough country.
Light budget rifle opinions
- Thread starter Milt Dale
- Start date
- Location
- Haliburton County, Central Ontario
This ^^^
islandhunter
CGN Regular
- Location
- princeton b.c.
Ive had a ruger m77 compact stainless 308 since they were first introduced. It gets picked quite often as I head out the door, very handy and Ive killed lots of deer with it. Also have a 16.5" cz527 in 6.5 grendel(daughters) which is a really nice little unit but I prefer stainless generally.
Too bad... I just sold a MINT Ruger M77 Mark II Stainless Compact in .260 Rem... would have been perfect for you. You are right in that the American rifles are definitely not up to the quality of the M77's. I have a few Ruger M77 RLS rifles, in .243, .30/06 and .358 Win... they are compact with 18.5" barrels, but I would not consider them true light-weights.
The bottom two are .30/06 and .358.
The bottom two are .30/06 and .358.
Attachments
- Location
- Southern Vancouver Island
Ruger American Compact in 7-08 Rem would fit the bill for me at least. I'd give the stock a coat of Krylon Fusion in matte Spanish Moss though.
https://ruger.com/products/americanRifleCompact/specSheets/6909.html
https://ruger.com/products/americanRifleCompact/specSheets/6909.html
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I have a Weatherby vanguard compact in 6.5 creedmoor if that might fit the bill. It has a shorter lighter barrel profile, only fired 4 rounds, I picked it up for my boy, but we ended up going the 243 route instead as he is still pretty small.
Prophet River has a Howa 1500 with carbon composite stock with a shown weight of 6.2 #. Seems about a #2 barrel, they are pretty slim
PR also has some special packages with Hogue stocks, great starting point for some custom izing, have a .308 on the way
PR also has some special packages with Hogue stocks, great starting point for some custom izing, have a .308 on the way
Weatherby Fan
CGN Regular
- Location
- Maple Ridge,BC,Canada
Check out the new RUger American Gen II looks pretty cool at 6.5 lbs
https://ruger.com/products/americanRifleGenII/specSheets/46901.html
https://ruger.com/products/americanRifleGenII/specSheets/46901.html
A couple of em not working properly.
One that had a follower that would dip at the tail and the nose of it would ride up over the front of the magazine. Another that had some play in how it fit the rifle and if anything moved it at all, it wouldn't feed.
Or it might work fine. Put your money in and pull the handle haha
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I had the same issues with a savage axis ii
duncansuds
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Weyburn, SK
I grabbed one of the 6.5 mini from Joel used with a disclaimer about possible feeding issues, it’s been 100% reliable under field conditions and had a true work out in the field this year. It did 6 animals this fall and has had about 110rds through it so far.
I would still and will be changing the mag well and mag. The release for the mag is in the dumbest place I could think to put it… on the true balance point of the rifle, so it’s under a constant threat of falling out.
I would still and will be changing the mag well and mag. The release for the mag is in the dumbest place I could think to put it… on the true balance point of the rifle, so it’s under a constant threat of falling out.
duncansuds
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Weyburn, SK
Never had an extraction issue, or a feeding issue actually…. It’s been perfect, but a little over 1 moa for groups. For issues , Just the stock that cracked at the wrist…. But I shipped that stock off to the distributor yesterday morning for a warranty carbon Fiber replacement for that walnut stock.
I’m sure in that CF stock and some load development, it will be my favourite rifle in the safe. I just can’t get over how easy it is to shoot, low noise, low recoil and hits harder than my .308 at 400y
I’m sure in that CF stock and some load development, it will be my favourite rifle in the safe. I just can’t get over how easy it is to shoot, low noise, low recoil and hits harder than my .308 at 400y
Crazy aint it! One of those things you really have to shoot to experience!
And happy to hear that. It seemed to happen with me a lot more using live rounds than the virgin brass I'd put in to see how it does with cases.
Really curious to hear how it does with a better stock or how it would have done bedded. Just over 1 MOA is not bad at all considering the fit was not the best. Bet it really comes to life for ya.
What 6 animals did you take with it?
duncansuds
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Weyburn, SK
I’m almost certain of it… I have been preaching the word of Alexander Arms little cartridge … I’m still excited enough about this caliber , almost don’t see the point in anything else for big game under 400y.
It is pretty cool what a well designed, high bc/sd bullet can do at pretty moderate velocities.
Would completely agree if I wasn't so deadset on flinging monos haha
What have you shot with it so far? I'm happy its gone somewhere its so appreciated and used. Things a BB gun that puts stuff down lol
