pete dobinson
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Courtenay BC.
What makes a Kimber a good mountain rifle also makes it a good do all hunting rifle imo. If for some reason I could only have one rifle it would be my Kimber MA.
Lightweight Hunting Rifle Suggestions
- Thread starter DFerguson
- Start date
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I really wanted to like full size ultralight rifles, but the only factory Ultralight that I've tried is a 6 lug Weatherby in .25/06, and I couldn't get used to the balance which seems very light in the muzzle. Perhaps its an old dog and new tricks sort of thing, but eventually I traded it off. A pal of mine has another 6 lug Weatherby in .280. At first he loved the rifle, but over time he's become a little put off by the fact that he's only found one bullet it would shoot, a 168 Berger backed with a maximum charge of H-100V. He's taken both caribou and moose with this thing, and claims it kills like the finger of God, so I'm not sure why he's dissatisfied as long as it continues to perform with that bullet. I've tried to convince him we should try to full length bed the barrel in an attempt to stabilize the harmonics, but he hasn't jumped on this idea, I guess he's scared of screwing up the one load that will shoot in it.
One of the things that makes the Kimbers stand out in my opinion is that they are balanced perfectly. It handles, and carries beautifully.
Ultra lights often balance well because the pencil barrel is complemented by a really light stock. They can still be hard to shoot though just because they lack a heft that makes things more stable.
I use a Rhodesian sling from Andy's leather. I find it helps a lot and with lots of practice it's no problem shooting a 6 lb scoped rifle from field positions.
I use a Rhodesian sling from Andy's leather. I find it helps a lot and with lots of practice it's no problem shooting a 6 lb scoped rifle from field positions.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I’m on the other side of the fence and find 4-6lb rifles wonderful for off hand and field position shooting. Light barrels are more choosy on their loads but not ridiculously so, and well, well worth the weight saved.
This blows my mind. For me I found the exact opposite. Of all the lightweights in its weight class, I found the weatherby to point/handle the best. And that wasn’t even a close call. The longer barrel (compared to most ultralights), that isn’t super thin makes them incredibly user friendly to me. Shooting any of the 6-lugs I’ve had next to some of my other ultralights like my titanium’s was a major eye opener. Both can be shot consistently and accurately - but the WBY was MUCH easier to shoot. And that’s one of the reasons if I was building or buying another ultralight today, to actually use, I would likely buy another wby and restock it with a wildcat again. The titanium’s and a handful of others I put together were lighter, some considerably but none as nice to shoot. Just my $0.02
Yeah, that a lot of money into gear, but if your full time marching up and down the mountains and have expendable income for that hobby it probably makes a lot of sense, and once you get used to something light and efficient it would probably be irritating to switch to anything else.
We all like expensive gear, but things get dropped, lost, stolen and broken too, as nice as it is to have a $4000 bicycle for example, there's something to be said for a $400 when it gets stolen or damaged as well, I like that enfield mountain rifle build in that sense too.
I agree with this. We spend our lives and tens of thousands of rounds shooting 6lb 22lr’s and hit extremely will with them. Then we can’t seem to hit the broad side of a barn door with a 6.5lb rifle? Take about in your head. Yes, prone, behind a ten pound rifle is easy, but what about getting a rifle into position off your hind legs? Over a limb? Steep up or downhill? Off a knee? At 15 yards?
I watched my 15 year old son, two nights ago, manoeuvre into position on his knees with pack in one hand, rifle in the other to shoot this bear off his knees over his upright pack with his little Kimber. He would not have done it as fast with an 8.5lb rifle and may not have got it done.
Not being able to hit with a 6lb rifle is a shooter problem not a rifle problem.
And the 223 is a viable mountain round!
My adirondack weights about 5.5 pounds with a scope and rings, I see online that the SU16 is 5 pounds bare.
pete dobinson
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Courtenay BC.
I've compared my Kimber MA with all of my other heavier rifles and I've found that the Kimber points better for me offhand. They're very well balanced.
Balanced, points real well, but without sling I shoot heavier, front weighted rifles better. With my arm in the loop of the Rhodesian sling I shoot the ultra lights just fine. Must just be me.
I shot a Moose at 170 yards with my 6 lb scoped sheep rifle. I was squatting in my rubber boots trying not to have the river touch my butt. Did just fine with the loop sling.
I shot a Moose at 170 yards with my 6 lb scoped sheep rifle. I was squatting in my rubber boots trying not to have the river touch my butt. Did just fine with the loop sling.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Won’t be long and that’s all you’ll see the serious mountain hunters carrying.
There's been one on the EE since Apr 3...
- Location
- North Coast BC
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Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I sold my Adirondack to a member here not long ago too, and my three MAs sold on the EE, they’re not rare. Represent a better value than trying to build a Kimber starting with another make, in my eyes, and will resale better when the next idea hits you.
