the lightest rifle??

CoonT said:
.243 bullet too light to kill a deer at 300 yards.

I don't think it should be used to hunt deer at all. imo.
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Tell that to all the antelope and deer that died from a 243 at over 400 yards... I shot one moose at 300 yards with a .243... through the boiler and stopped inside the hide on the far side.
 
CoonT said:
Well I don't want to sound like one of those .45 elitists out there (you know the type, eh) but I think the calibre that basically won WW1, should be the standard by which all deer hunting should be measured (especially when out to 300 yards, and doubly especially when we're talking sub $1000 here).
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What rifle from ww1 was 45 cal. I believe you are thinking about 30 cal rifles.

Also are you really susgesting a 458 winmag or 460 weatherby for deer?

Or are we all falling into your trap.
 
guntech said:
Tell that to all the antelope and deer that died from a 243 at over 400 yards... I shot one moose at 300 yards with a .243... through the boiler and stopped inside the hide on the far side.
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I don't know. .243 just doesn't have that reliable .45 punch.

My dad missed this buck one time, it just ran right off like nothing even happened. He blamed it on the miss. I blamed it on the inadequate calibre.



Especially since the OP is looking for a light, compact rifle; imo it's always best to compensate a light rifle with a nice heavy bullet.
 
I have what you need/want. Its a .308 Winchester, Kimber Hunter. Weighs 6lb 1oz with a 20 MOA rail, mounts and a 50mm 3-9 scope.

All stainless, synthetic stock, accurate, controlled round feed. The Hunter has a polymer/silicone sound deadening fill inside the stock. It was removed and instead filled with foam. Which reduced the weight of the factory rifle by 9 oz. Its at least 6 oz lighter than the Remington 700 Titanium($6,000 rifle alone) for sale now on EE. It's got a great trigger and is likely just as accurate.
 
Especially since the OP is looking for a light, compact rifle; imo it's always best to compensate a light rifle with a nice heavy bullet.
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Hey man, don’t knock it until you try it. :onCrack:

For under 1000 bucks it has to be a rem model 7 or tikka, if either of those is under 1000 bucks these days

Kimber hunters are nice guns but I think mine was around 1400 bucks
 
conor_90 said:
Hey man, don’t knock it until you try it. :onCrack:

For under 1000 bucks it has to be a rem model 7 or tikka, if either of those is under 1000 bucks these days

Kimber hunters are nice guns but I think mine was around 1400 bucks
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My .308 Kimber was $1100 used(EE here) including two sets of scope mounts(one new). My .30-06 Kimber was $1325 new, shipping and taxes in.

A used Tikka for under $1000 in a short action cartridge will fit the OP needs. .243,.308, 7-08 Tikkas are the working man's Sako
 
Superlite Handi in 243 about right. Energy with 100gr bullet just over 1000 ft-lb which is marginal but enouh. Go with quality bullet like a nosler partition. Recoil on light rifle a consideration. Personally I would not optimize for weight but by the numbers would get it done. Fixed power simple scope.
 
The Kimber Montana weighs 5 pounds 6 ounces, but they are pricey.

I've got a Husqvarna Model 4100 270 from the 1950s and it weight 6 pounds 6 ounces. I sure love that one and its 7 x57 sister for a carrying-around rifle.

They are around if you look hard enough.
 
blargon said:
I bought a Savage LW Storm 6.5CM for my daughter to hunt with. Bare rifle is 5.6 lbs according to their site. I havent weighed it with the talleys and VX2, but it certainly is light. $899

https://savagearms.com/content?p=firearms&a=product_summary&s=57073
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Hmm. That is a lightweight option, and it has an adjustable LOP. My son is pretty short for 14 years old, but this could be a great fit with no real compromises. And in 6.5 CM I would likely use this as well. And I have a spare 3-9x40 kicking around.

Hmm.
 
I remember one time in the late 90s, back when they were still Prairie Gunworks, when I handled a tidy little bolt rifle built on their Titanium short action in 308. Nestled in a Wildcat stock and with a barrel of 18.5", that was the lightest rifle that I have ever handled, before or since. Not sure how I would have scoped it if it had been mine, but probably a 1.5-5x Leupold. I believe that it was a hair over 4 lbs. Not sure how you could have built a rifle lighter.
 
Weatherby Vanguard Compact 7mm-08 at Prophet River 800.00 Plus tax 6.5lbs

Tikka T3X lite blued $965.00 6lbs 3oz

Browning AB3 composite stalker 6lbs 9oz $780.00

Ruger American 6lbs 3oz $680.00

Check out Howa Superlite 4lbs 7oz 6.5CM or .308 win, Im sure its over your $1000 budget but maybe save a little longer !
 
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6.5x55swm said:
what would be the lightest rifle compact rifle that can kill a deer at 300yds that would be under $1000, a H&R single shot in 243 comes to mind
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I'd go for the Ruger American Compact meself. Only 6 lbs and the buggers shoot bloody accurate for the price. The money saved can go towards a 2-7x32 Bushnell Elite scope to top 'er off. Ye can ditch the blade safety on the trigger as well if need be. The ergos on these be fine fer me old 6' frame.
Ruger American Compact.jpg
 

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