Short and light hunting carbine build?

D

diegocn

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I hunted with my CZ527 in 7.62x39 last year with great success. It's short and light weight, worked really well for the under 50 yard brush hunt. However I do feel under-gunned due to the caliber. So I've been thinking to get a similar rifle in more powerful calibers but retains similar characteristics of the CZ527. The rifle will be used for black bear and deer.

This is the list of requirements I gathered:

  • Bolt action 308 Win caliber
  • Under 6 pound without optic
  • 14~18 inch sporter/pencil barrel
  • Detachable box mag (for easy unload)
  • Under 2 moa
  • Capable to reach out to 200+ yard
  • Use normal type of scope (not scout scope)
  • Has external safety.
  • Option to upgrade to a good trigger.
  • Has iron sight, preferable can use iron sight along with the optic (see through or side mount)
  • Budget is $1000 without trigger/optic upgrade.

I couldn't find anything factory that meets these requirements. Most 16~18 inch barrel bolt gun uses heavier barrel profile (for example Rem 700 SPS Tactical).

What about build my own? What's a good place to find a sporter barrel in 16-18" range? What action to start with?
 
You could always get something like a Kimber hunter and just chop a few inches off the barrel. Otherwise a Rem model 7 action would be a good starting point. Either option puts you over budget, but the only lightweight rifles under $1000 are Savages.

You'll have trouble with the iron sight requirement though unless you go full custom, must lightweight factory rifles don't have them. Any mounts that allow you to use the irons will put the scope too high for a good cheek weld though...

Long story short, what you want doesn't exist. You'll either have to remove some requirements or increase your budget a fair amount.
 
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Problem with chopping barrel is I cannot legally go below 18.5 inch? Or at least this is how I understand our law works?

I can ditch the iron sight requirement.

Would something like a rem 700 or savage action plus a short barrel work? I like the 700 action as it gets all the after market goodies from the precision shooter crowd. With a rem 700 sps going $700 used I thought it shouldn't be a problem getting one with sjorter barrel for the same price?
 
You might want to check out a Remington 783 16.5 “ in 308. No open sights but checks all the other boxes and my .223 is better than 1moa. Might be a little over 6lbs but not much.
 
diegocn said:
Problem with chopping barrel is I cannot legally go below 18.5 inch? Or at least this is how I understand our law works?

I can ditch the iron sight requirement.

Would something like a rem 700 or savage action plus a short barrel work? I like the 700 action as it gets all the after market goodies from the precision shooter crowd. With a rem 700 sps going $700 used I thought it shouldn't be a problem getting one with sjorter barrel for the same price?
Click to expand...

You can cut it to 18" (18.5 only relates to semis being NR.) Best to leave a smidge more in case you #### it up and need to redo the crown or something though.

The Ruger American Ranch could fit the bill if the brake is removable, I'm not sure if it is or not though. (just googled it, they are removable)

fraserdw said:
Hog Hunter in an MDT chassis.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't that weigh well over 6lbs?
 
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If you remove the iron sight requirement I'd go with a used Kimber Hunter off the EE. It's the same barrelled action as a Kimber Montana (without the great stock). It has a fantastic adjustable trigger you won't need to upgrade it.
 
The suggested list so far:
Remington model seven - I found there's a model seven threaded model #85922 that has 16.5" barrel, weights 6lb, goes for $899 CAD new. This might be the perfect rifle although it doesn't come with a detachable mag.
Remington 783 16.5" - I only found a heavy barrel one at 8lb, it's over weighted.
Savage Hog Hunter? - don't see any listed that's light or short.
Ruger American - there's a predator model #26974 with 18" barrel weighing 6.2lb for $529USD MSRP. Slightly overweight but good on budget. My 2nd favourite right now.
Kimber Hunter - Wow these rifles are light. There's 22" barrel one listed at under 5lb! I don't know too much about Kimber rifles, have to do more research.

A few other ones I found along the way, that came close but failed some requirements:
Ruger Hawkeye Compact Rifle # 37139 - 5.7lb - 16.5" - $979 USD MSRP
Savage 110 lightwegiht hunter #19209 - 5.5lb, 20" - $1009 USD MSRP
Mossberg mvp scout #27778 - 16.25" barrel - 6.75lb - has iron sight - MSRP $623 USD

All and all, thanks everyone for the input so far. Learned a few more things along the way.
 
Two things to note. First, the 783 HB w/16.5"barrel is not 8lbs, its a bit over 6 (i think it's under 6.5lbs but Im not certain the exact weight). Not sure why remington lists them so heavy, my 24" 7mag isn't 8lbs bare. Maybe the full size heavy barrel rifles are 8lbs, but the 783 shorties are not.

Second, the Ruger American you want to look at is the American Ranch, its 5.5lbs, 16" barrel and like $730.
 
Tikka Battue Light. Everything you want. Great Trigger, super accurate, excellent integral tikka mounting rail (if you want to use it), open sights. Has 20" barrel though. You could look for a used on on EE
 
Suther said:
Two things to note. First, the 783 HB w/16.5"barrel is not 8lbs, its a bit over 6 (i think it's under 6.5lbs but Im not certain the exact weight). Not sure why remington lists them so heavy, my 24" 7mag isn't 8lbs bare. Maybe the full size heavy barrel rifles are 8lbs, but the 783 shorties are not.

Second, the Ruger American you want to look at is the American Ranch, its 5.5lbs, 16" barrel and like $730.
Click to expand...
I think the weight listing is wrong on the ranch, handling one at Cabela’s and some research I’ve done I’d say 6+ ( I should have weighed it ) I also should have bought last year when they had on sale for $599!
 
Weighed my 783 heavy barrel .223 scoped it’s 7lbs 14oz with Leupold 4.5x14. Bigger hole in the 308 barrel and 1.5x5 scope and you’re on target and not much over a grand ! If you can tell I really am impressed with this low dollar rifle you’re right:)
 
I’ve been trying to build this exact rifle to spec....pretty much

I recently purchased a Remington model seven. 16.5 in 308. It was extremely light and extremely accurate however it didn’t tick all the boxes for me so up it went. Dispite it being the “better rifle” it never had irons so I part ways
Sad to see it go. At under 7.5lbs fulled kitted and loaded it will definitely be missed...

After a couple weeks of debating I decided to go with a savage 110 hog hunter - GEN 2 20” med/heavy barrel with irons and a detachable box mag.

I think I got lucky as this rifle is currently unavailable in Canada (if anyone can find them post where)
It’s just over 8lbs kitted and loaded and well within my 1000$ budget
Also have to say the action is as smooth or smother Then the rem700 action
My vote is for a affordable Savage !
 
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I wanted to post pic of both but the images keep getting flipped all over when I add them. Sorry fellas

First image is the hog. The second was the rem model seven


It’s gonna be hard to tick all the boxes and still be around 6lbs. I don’t mind the extra weight if I get all the other goodies. And shooting 8lbs off hand isn’t to bad.
 
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Does anyone make a detachable magazine kit for the model 7? Sorry for the derail but I just curious and figured someone in this thread might know.
 
I don't get it ...

If one has say a 700 or model 7 they really like but it lacks irons .... what's the difficulty with enlisting a gun smith to install them ?
 
diegocn said:
I hunted with my CZ527 in 7.62x39 last year with great success. It's short and light weight, worked really well for the under 50 yard brush hunt. However I do feel under-gunned due to the caliber. So I've been thinking to get a similar rifle in more powerful calibers but retains similar characteristics of the CZ527. The rifle will be used for black bear and deer.

This is the list of requirements I gathered:

  • Bolt action 308 Win caliber
  • Under 6 pound without optic
  • 14~18 inch sporter/pencil barrel
  • Detachable box mag (for easy unload)
  • Under 2 moa
  • Capable to reach out to 200+ yard
  • Use normal type of scope (not scout scope)
  • Has external safety.
  • Option to upgrade to a good trigger.
  • Has iron sight, preferable can use iron sight along with the optic (see through or side mount)
  • Budget is $1000 without trigger/optic upgrade.

I couldn't find anything factory that meets these requirements. Most 16~18 inch barrel bolt gun uses heavier barrel profile (for example Rem 700 SPS Tactical).

What about build my own? What's a good place to find a sporter barrel in 16-18" range? What action to start with?
Click to expand...

Sounds exactly like the Ruger Scout with a synthetic stock. Not hard to mount a scope traditionally and lose the scout rail. If you want, you can add an XS rail and have both.

Of course if you want to stay in the family... the CZ Range Rifle is exactly that as well.

Except maybe weight. But under 6lbs and under a grand... that's a tall order.

But i've never found any manf weight to be terribly accurate anyway.

Not sure why you feel undergunned with the x39 at 50 yards. Deer and bear aren't terribly hard to kill and if you reload the x39 can dump out some decent terminal performance.

Of course, I would never discourage anyone from a new rifle either.
 
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