Light Tactical Rifle

JonnyRossco

JonnyRossco

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Ok, so I've ironed out the details. It may seem a little strange, but I'm going to put together a light weight tactical rifle in 6.5-284. I have a Pierce Ti action, a Christensen Carbon Barrel, and a McMillan A5. I believe that without rail and scope, it should come in around 7.75 lbs. I'm really not sure why I'm doing it other than just because!

Has anyone attempted such a build? And if so, how is it shooting?

JR
 
I just recently bought a proof CFW 20 barrel,tac 30 action,Cadex chassis,Timmey trigger and was going to send it to Chou brothers to be assembled. But I sobered up and sold it all.LOL. But I think it would have been the nicest .308 on the block. Good luck with your build .
 
SA or LA?

mag fed or single loading?

There is good potential in most of the parts you mention... Not sure how positive the chambering will be.

Have you looked at the PRS series and the types of chamberings now popular?

Not knowing the end use goals, I may be out of step but there are plenty of chamberings that offer a better use of the parts.

Light is going to be the direction for alot of shooting on the go so there is nothing really wrong with the concept.

Let's see what you had in mind for the build.

Jerry
 
Mystic Precision said:
SA or LA?

mag fed or single loading?

There is good potential in most of the parts you mention... Not sure how positive the chambering will be.

Have you looked at the PRS series and the types of chamberings now popular?

Not knowing the end use goals, I may be out of step but there are plenty of chamberings that offer a better use of the parts.

Light is going to be the direction for alot of shooting on the go so there is nothing really wrong with the concept.

Let's see what you had in mind for the build.

Jerry
Click to expand...

LA mag fed...

Not really interested in the PRS concept for the moment. I don't plan on taking it to any competitions either. I spend many hours at the local range tuning up, and than basically out into the back country in search of 1000 plus yard shots.

I spent many hours pondering chamberings and landed on the 6.5-284 for its long range capacity. Originally this action was going to be used for a straight hunting rifle, but I have since changed my mind and decided to use it here instead in a this semi light weight tactical whatever it will be.

With all of the above said, I'm mostly interested in how others light weight target rifles are shooting in similar chamberings.

Thanks,

JR
 
I notice that the McMillan A5 weighs three and a quarter to three and a half pounds. Would it be the best choice for a light weight rifle totalling seven and three quarter pounds?
 
tiriaq said:
I notice that the McMillan A5 weighs three and a quarter to three and a half pounds. Would it be the best choice for a light weight rifle totalling seven and three quarter pounds?
Click to expand...

I already have it and when put on the scale it tips out at 50oz on the nose. I thought about putting it in an HTR with the Edge fill, but the price is forbidding right now! I may change it out in the future, but for now I will just have to use it.

The action weighs In at 19oz, barrel 48oz, and A5 50oz which leaves 7oz for bottom metal. Now that I consider that, it's probably going to be closer to 8 lbs including bedding. Either way though, it will be light for a Tactical rifle.

JR
 
Reminds me of an article from way back when. A fellow was building a precision rifle that was light enough to hunt with. I recalled that he had a heavily fluted barrel and a special light weight A5. I think the A5 was made of graphite. Bah I am getting old.
 
JonnyRossco said:
LA mag fed...

Not really interested in the PRS concept for the moment. I don't plan on taking it to any competitions either. I spend many hours at the local range tuning up, and than basically out into the back country in search of 1000 plus yard shots.

I spent many hours pondering chamberings and landed on the 6.5-284 for its long range capacity. Originally this action was going to be used for a straight hunting rifle, but I have since changed my mind and decided to use it here instead in a this semi light weight tactical whatever it will be.

With all of the above said, I'm mostly interested in how others light weight target rifles are shooting in similar chamberings.

Thanks,

JR
Click to expand...

Your performance will be limited by the accuracy of the barrel and your load tuning. If built properly, you have the base to shoot as well as any heavy barreled rifle. Barrel weight doesn't indicate accuracy potential.... just how long you may be able to maintain that accuracy during fire.

Unfortunately, I have yet to see any volume of results which show CF wrapped barrels able to match the accuracy of top tier match barrels. So it really depends on your expectations on what is "good".... and how good that barrel will be.

There is alot of working going on to make lighter contour match barrels as stable as their heavy barrel cousins when lots of shooting is done... some very exciting results but it all takes time to prove that it is more then just luck.

Jerry
 
Mystic Precision said:
Your performance will be limited by the accuracy of the barrel and your load tuning. If built properly, you have the base to shoot as well as any heavy barreled rifle. Barrel weight doesn't indicate accuracy potential.... just how long you may be able to maintain that accuracy during fire.

Unfortunately, I have yet to see any volume of results which show CF wrapped barrels able to match the accuracy of top tier match barrels. So it really depends on your expectations on what is "good".... and how good that barrel will be.

There is alot of working going on to make lighter contour match barrels as stable as their heavy barrel cousins when lots of shooting is done... some very exciting results but it all takes time to prove that it is more then just luck.

Jerry
Click to expand...

Quite simply put, I do not expect it will shoot as well as a similarly contoured all steel barrel. I do however suspect that it will shoot better than a barrel of equal weight and length in all steel. It is more than anything an experiment. I believe there are a lot of half truths posted on this and other forums and blogs regarding CF wrapped barrels. I will accurately and without bias, post my experience when the time comes.

In any case, I plan to build this rifle as a switch barrel just in the event that the CF barrel does not shoot. Or if it does in fact shoot well I may pull it and save it for 500 plus yard deer hunting.

Like said previously, I'm mostly curious what experience others have had with not only CF barreled rifles, but with light weight rifles in general.

JR
 
Light quality barrels shoot as well as heavy quality barrels. This is well proven.

My PRS type 6XC using a #4 Shilen... no problem with groups under 1/2MOA. Out to 1000yds, it has proven to be similarly accurate

Most I ran consecutive was 17rds and the last shot went into the hole that was the main group.

A barrel is only as effective as the bore consistency, rifling consistency and stress... more material allows this to stay stable longer... usually.

I look forward to your results of the CF barrel.. I hope it does all that you want.

Jerry
 
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