New Build - Looking for Weight Saving Ideas

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TheNatural21

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I used to have a nice semi that was my well rounded field gun, but then Trudeau happened. So I've decided to build up a bolt action to replace it. I'm planning something accurate, reliable, light enough to carry around, with good ergonomics, and capable of long strings of fire. I'm thinking ranges of 50-800 yards. Not a long range rig, but it will see some mid range target shooting. It could also see some close range hunting shots in dense woods. Similar concept to the lighter weight crossover PRS/hunting rifles I've seen in magazines, but it probably wont actually get used in PRS competition (although similar styles of shooting on my own). With my current build list I'm a little too heavy so I'm looking for economical ways to save some ounces. I already have most of the components, just not the barrel.

Updated Build List (after the weight saving ideas in this thread):
Short action receiver, bolt, and trigger from Savage 110 Tactical with an aftermarket titanium bolt knob - 32oz (based loosely on numbers I've found floating around a Savage enthusiast site)
Athlon Ares BTR 2.5-15x50 - 27.3oz (as per Athlon website)
DNZ 2 piece scope rings - 3.7oz (weighed myself)
18" IBI Carbon Fiber Barrel, 308Win - 31.8 oz (weighed myself, including thread protector)
MDT LSS XL Gen 2 Chassis - 27.2oz (Weighed myself, including grip screw)
MDT SRS Skeleton Lite Buttstock - 22.5oz (Weighed myself without the LOP spacers)
Ergo Grip - 3.4oz (weighed myself, not including grip screw)
MDT polymer magazine - 4oz (weighed myself)

And I might put a brake back on
Muzzle Brake - 2.2oz (weighed myself)

Total is 151.9oz estimated without muzzle brake.

Info from original post:
The rail and scope rings seem like a place to save a few oz. I looked at DNZ's two piece mounts but my receiver is tapped for 8-40 screws and the DNZ's come with #6 screws. Doesn't seem like a big deal but I'd need to find someone with the right counterbore bit and some competence to modify the mounts (small town so nobody local). If I went that way it would save 6.5-7.5oz

The bolt handle is the big BA style Savage one. I like the size, but according to internet sources it weighs 5.6oz. The small Savage hunting ones weigh 2-3 oz and there are some aftermarket big tactical ones in the same weight range (or less) with aluminum or carbon fiber knobs... but I can't find a suitable one in Canada, or in left hand.

Any other ideas? I've looked at ultralight carbon fiber grips and buttstocks but they seem like an expensive way to save weight, and I'm a little worried I'll be sacrificing some comfort/ergonomics which I don't want to do.
 
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Funny because I recently had the same idea in 6,5x47L, but money is stopping me for the moment.
Checked your weights and will ressemble mine.
Was going with manners stock but ends up pretty much the same weight.

My scope for such a rifle was going to be NF 2.5-10x42, which is exactly 7oz lighter than what you listed.
Maybe a more compact scope is the key?

10 power is plenty for gong shooting at 700-800 (using a big enough one of course),
And being small compact helps for close range dear shots.
 
Thanks for the input guys. Keep it coming!
MartyK2500 said:
Funny because I recently had the same idea in 6,5x47L, but money is stopping me for the moment.
Checked your weights and will ressemble mine.
Was going with manners stock but ends up pretty much the same weight.

My scope for such a rifle was going to be NF 2.5-10x42, which is exactly 7oz lighter than what you listed.
Maybe a more compact scope is the key?

10 power is plenty for gong shooting at 700-800 (using a big enough one of course),
And being small compact helps for close range dear shots.
Click to expand...
Good catch with the scope. I looked at the new light weight Vortex HD LHT 3-15x42 which would save 8.1oz while retaining basically the same features. I briefly thought about the Vortex Razor HD Gen 3 1-10x24 too, which would save 5.8oz and be pretty cool, but I'm not in that price tier. Either way, a lighter optic is going to cost $200/oz or more and I figured there would be cheaper ways to go. If I didn't already have the Athlon it would be different, but I think I'll stick with it for a while. It's a nice scope, although a bit on the heavier side for this purpose.
45C said:
Drop the barrel down to 16 and get a Aero Precision Mount.
Click to expand...
Possible on the barrel. Looking at some of the velocity vs barrel length tests online it starts to lose velocity much faster under 18 inches, but I guess I don't need a lot of velocity for this purpose.

The mount looks like a good idea. 3.3oz, would cut 3.7oz from my total. Not the lightest scope mounting solution but looks like it wouldn't give up anything in rigidity.
mikeelliot said:
XLR carbon chassis is only 12oz...
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XLR's website says 27oz for the carbon chassis, without a grip or buttstock. They quote the magnesium Element 3.0 at 16oz plus buttstock and grip, which I believe is their lightest. Can't argue with being able to save some weight with the magnesium chassis, especially if coupled with carbon fiber buttstock and grip, but I just bought the MDT and I like it.
 
Found a couple other ring options this morning. Heavier than the DNZ by a bit, especially considering the pic rail stays for these, but they look really solid. Nightforce xtrm ultralight or Warn Mountain Tech, 3.7-3.9oz in medium height 30mm. Not cheap options, but per oz saved they're a better deal than a lighter scope.
 
30-06 nitro said:
IMHO, muzzle break is not required.
Click to expand...

Yeah wanted to mention this, anything bolt action that's used in the woods has a recessed crown that's it, don't want a brake if shooting bare ears!
Same applies with my NR semi autos, flash hiders and that's it, don't want to go deaf.
 
The DNZ mounts might be set up for 8-40's as well. Give them a call, it's a common thing to set the counterbore for bigger screws since its not really any difference to them.
 
I ordered a Lumley carbon fiber bolt handle. They're ~1.2oz, which will save 4.4oz for about $100. Pretty cheap way to shed weight! I was worried about the attachment method between the steel collar and the carbon fiber handle, and I still am, but apparently the collars are threaded the same as Kimber 8400's. If my carbon fiber handle isn't up to the task I can get one of the aftermarket Kimber 8400 titanium handles and use it on my Savage with the collar from the Lumley handle and still keep it under 2oz.
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Ditching the brake might work. I think I'll order the barrel threaded and throw a thread protector on it for hunting season and a brake when I want to shoot a couple hundred rounds at targets. From experience, a 10lb 308 bolt action without a brake feels soft shooting for a few rounds, but by the end of a qualification shoot (which was 100-200 rounds in various positions) my shoulder started to get a little tender. Although that's with 180 grain bullets rather than the 155's I use for punching paper at home.

buji88 said:
The DNZ mounts might be set up for 8-40's as well. Give them a call, it's a common thing to set the counterbore for bigger screws since its not really any difference to them.
Click to expand...

I just gave them a call and tried to order a mount drilled out for #8-40 screws which they can do for $40, but they said the two piece mounts for the Browning A Bolt 3 are the same as the Savage except the screw size. So.. if I can find those at a retailer I can keep my order in Canada and not pay the extra $40!

If I can find the DNZ mounts I'll be able to cut a total of 11-12oz for around $200. That should put total rifle weight just under 10lbs, which I think is a good balance between being able to carry through the woods and shoot off hand while also being able to mitigate enough recoil to be fun to shoot all afternoon. If I wanted to go lighter it sounds like I could get it to 9lbs with some of the suggestions in this thread! (Lighter scope 8oz, ditch muzzle brake 2oz, go down to 16" barrel maybe 3oz?). Not sure I want to do that though.
 
MartyK2500 said:
That bolt action handle is cool.
Kept it in note for when I build that ultralight rifle one day...
Click to expand...

There isn't much info on them, but one reviewer said he broke a couple. Apparently the carbon fiber is wrapped around an aluminum bolt that threads into the collar and the aluminum threads didn't like fast aggressive bolt manipulation. Just one negative account is all I saw, but the company that makes them has changed the design for their right handed bolt handles and it looks a lot stronger. Titanium handle with the regular 5/16 threads on the end and a threaded on carbon fiber knob. Unfortunately they haven't updated the lefty version yet. Maybe clearing out stock first?
 
Burris XTB 2pc steel base likely save 1oz here.

Some lighter alum rings... that will certainly save a few ounces

SCS composite buttstock

LSS chassis.

Yes, some new parts but they would be lighter.

Jerry
 
Mystic Precision said:
Burris XTB 2pc steel base likely save 1oz here.

Some lighter alum rings... that will certainly save a few ounces

SCS composite buttstock

LSS chassis.

Yes, some new parts but they would be lighter.

Jerry
Click to expand...
Thanks Jerry. Lighter scope rings is what I'm chasing down now. Do you have access to DNZ products?

I considered the SCS composite buttstock and the shorter LSS when I was ordering the slightly bigger stuff from you, but decided the few oz wasn't worth giving up the longer forend and better looking (imo) buttstock. I think the combined difference for both was about 8oz... Which I admit is enough to make the weight goal, but not as much as I thought there should be when looking at them.
JBD said:
burris signature rings with 20 moa offset and ditch the rail.
Click to expand...

A Google search didn't turn anything up, how much do the sig rings weigh? With them being steel I wasn't expecting them to be lightweight.
 
In search of the same thing I took a 308 rpr I had laying around and put a collapsible stock and trijicon 1*8 on it. Under 10 lbs pre scope. Felt a lot like lugging a semi around.
 
I'm having some trouble tracking down the DNZ rings in Canada... bummer.

b_w. said:
In search of the same thing I took a 308 rpr I had laying around and put a collapsible stock and trijicon 1*8 on it. Under 10 lbs pre scope. Felt a lot like lugging a semi around.
Click to expand...

A 1-8, especially a nice one, would be good enough for most of the shooting I plan with this rifle but I think I'd be a little disappointed with the lack of top end every once in a while. I find that I shoot with the current scope set to about 12x fairly often. That 1-10x Vortex really caught my attention; the 1x is always nice in dense woods and I could probably live with topping out at 10x, but it's a little out of reach financially at the moment. Perhaps one day.

I'm probably very similar to the weight of your RPR right now. I believe I'd be a hair under 10lbs without scope and rings (12lbs scoped). It's a fun and perfectly functional rifle, just a bit heavy to lug around. Losing 6" of barrel and going from a varmint contour to carbon fiber wrapped should make a huge difference.
 
Excellent news... I "found" a few more oz. I was using the CarbonSix barrel weight estimator tool to get 39oz for an 18" carbon wrapped barrel... but I emailed IBI and they said their 22" 308 prefits weigh 2.2lbs (which is 35.2oz) and Proof Research lists their 20" 308 savage prefit at 36oz. Perhaps the CarbonSix estimator is overly conservative.

I wanted to stay under 20" barrel length partly for weight savings, but mainly for handling. It seems like I'll still end up ordering a custom CarbonSix for the length I want (it doesn't sound like IBI does anything shorter than 22"), but it's nice to know it'll probably come in a little lighter than I thought.
 
Bolt handle arrived today and shaved 4.5oz. Over 1/4lb!! It's the same length as the big BA style handle that replaced it so did not change bolt lift at all.

Old Bolt Handle @5.7oz:
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New Bolt Handle @1.2oz:
CsWOtbt.jpg


New Handle Installed, rifle @11.6lbs including mag(on a bathroom scale of questionable accuracy. My small scale tops out around 11lbs):
sKWhVmk.jpg


I ordered the DNZ mount from them directly. A bit more expensive with shipping from US and our current exchange rate, but finally was able to order what I wanted. That should shave another 6.5oz. The big weight saver, the barrel, should knock off 1.5+lbs and get me under 10lbs.
 
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