after building a 6 pound scoped bolt action in 6.5x55 i figured i also need a light weight rimfire to go with it, well not so much used at the same time as have both of them in my safe for when wanted.
i kicked around the idea of an old cooey 39 lightened up, or buying something like a ar7, then i seen this little mossberg 702 youth in the back of my safe that i had put a 10" barrel on while ago.
it weighed 4 pounds from factory, a little less with the shorter barrel but it was bigger diameter so pretty close
i took it apart last night to see where i could save weight. made a game plan in my head then took it all to work this morning
what i ended up doing was,
-changed pins for roll pins
-shortened the mag to 7 rounds to make it more stream line with the rifle (lighter too)
-made four 3mm wide 1mm deep cuts into the bolt
-removed what i could from the bolt handle
-turned the barrel super thin, just in front of the receiver its 12.5mm and tapers to 11.5mm over 9" (1" tenon)
-skeletonized the trigger guard/assembly
-removed a 8mm wide 4mm deep slot from top of receiver
-machined 1/2" holes in receiver below the stock line
i would have put more holes in the receiver but i didnt want to let any dirt in anywhere that wasn't already open.
it is 27" long with a short lop of 12.25" but its not so bad with the shape of the stock and lack of recoil
the stock weights 1 pound 1oz, so i still plan to remove what i can from the stock and then find out where else to remove weight to make the rifle weigh 1pound 15oz
so im shooting for under 2 pounds all said and done, i also need iron sights on it, ill make something for a rear slight that sits in the slot in the top of the receiver so gain some sight radius
the main plan is to be able to strap this to a backpack and not even know its there
what do you guys have for light weight backpacking rifles?
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i kicked around the idea of an old cooey 39 lightened up, or buying something like a ar7, then i seen this little mossberg 702 youth in the back of my safe that i had put a 10" barrel on while ago.
it weighed 4 pounds from factory, a little less with the shorter barrel but it was bigger diameter so pretty close
i took it apart last night to see where i could save weight. made a game plan in my head then took it all to work this morning
what i ended up doing was,
-changed pins for roll pins
-shortened the mag to 7 rounds to make it more stream line with the rifle (lighter too)
-made four 3mm wide 1mm deep cuts into the bolt
-removed what i could from the bolt handle
-turned the barrel super thin, just in front of the receiver its 12.5mm and tapers to 11.5mm over 9" (1" tenon)
-skeletonized the trigger guard/assembly
-removed a 8mm wide 4mm deep slot from top of receiver
-machined 1/2" holes in receiver below the stock line
i would have put more holes in the receiver but i didnt want to let any dirt in anywhere that wasn't already open.
it is 27" long with a short lop of 12.25" but its not so bad with the shape of the stock and lack of recoil
the stock weights 1 pound 1oz, so i still plan to remove what i can from the stock and then find out where else to remove weight to make the rifle weigh 1pound 15oz
so im shooting for under 2 pounds all said and done, i also need iron sights on it, ill make something for a rear slight that sits in the slot in the top of the receiver so gain some sight radius
the main plan is to be able to strap this to a backpack and not even know its there
what do you guys have for light weight backpacking rifles?
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