Ultralight bolt action - build one? Or just buy a Howa Superlite?

[Astute Observer]

I need someone to talk me out of making a bad financial decision.

So I'm currently obsessed with building an ultralight bolt action brush rifle. I'm thinking 5 lbs and a 12" - 14" barrel. I'm debating whether to buy a Howa Superlite and cut, crown and thread the barrel... Or build something with the following components list.

Component	Name	Min Weight (oz)	Max Weight (oz)	Price
Action	Terminus Apollo Lite TI	20.00​	20.00​	$1,825.00​
Barrel	IBI carbon prefit 14"	36.0?​	40.0?​	$1,350.00​
Barrel Nut	IBI barrel nut	2.65​	2.65​	$55.00​
Stock	Wildcat Composite	16.50​	21.00​	$450.00​
Rings	Warne Hyperlite	2.33​	2.33​	$160.00​
Scope	Leuopld VX Freedom 1.5-4x	9.60​	9.60​	Already Own​
Brake	PVA Ultralight Jet Blast	1.37​	1.37​	$170.00​
Bottom Metal	Hawkins Precision Hunter DBM	2.80​	2.80​	$325.00​
Magazine	MDT Polymer 3 round / 10 round	1.38​	4.80​	Already Own​
Trigger	Triggertech Special 2-stage	1.5?​	1.5?​	$360.00​
TOTAL		5.88 lbs​	6.63 lbs​	$4,695.00​

Meanwhile, a Howa Superlite with a 16" barrel would weigh 4.3 lbs (68.8 oz), obviating the need to buy the stock, action, barrel, barrel nut, bottom metal and magazine. All in with optic, rings and brake it would come to 5.12 lbs. So it's even lighter too, and that could be reduced even further by cutting the barrel to 12" with a crown and threading by a gunsmith. EDIT: Yeah, realized that's illegal. Nevermind.

All in the cost would be about $1800, so less than half the price.

What would the Howa be giving up?

Howa has a 90° bolt throw instead of 60° that the Terminus Apollo Lite TI has...

The Howa would only take the proprietary 3 round mag, no option for a 10 round.

The Howa trigger would be far inferior to the Triggertech trigger

The Howa isn't available in all the custom calibres (was thinking .338 Federal)

So - convince me not to blow my money on a custom rifle.

 

[Nismojunky]

I wouldn’t chop the barrel as you loose velocity and thus accuracy, depending on the distance u plan on shooting to

 

[Astute Observer]

Well - Eastern Ontario, really dense bush around where I'm at. So I'm looking for a light, short distance brush gun. My blind is difficult to get to, that's why I want it short and light - but even then once I'm there, it's not a long distance. All shots within 100m at most. A 12" .308. or even moreso a 12" .338 Federal still packs a wallop sufficient for deer

 

[FLHTCUI]

Just buy one and see how you like it and go from there.
You will now your likes and dislikes and whether you want to build and improve based on your findings and not someone else's.

 

[LittleBoyLefty]

Your real cost on the Wildcat will be higher. Even if you do all the finishing and bedding yourself.

Sounds like a fun build.

I like the idea of the Howa SL, but the one I handled was rough.

 

[obsessed1b]

Don't cut a barrel past 18.5" or you'll end up with owning a prohib....factory 12" barrel good to go cut down 12" barrel and you'll be on Canada's mist wanted. Lol

 

[True Shadows]

Why does it need to be so short? The SIG Cross is only 5.9lbs with a 16 inch barrel and the stock folds. Maybe consider something that has a folding stock and keep the barrel length? Just food for thought...

https://www.sigsauer.com/cross-trax.html

 

[SuperCub]

The Howa would only take the proprietary 3 round mag, no option for a 10 round.

Why would one buy an uber ultralight hunting rifle only to want the option of a 10 round mag?

 

[Astute Observer]

Don't cut a barrel past 18.5" or you'll end up with owning a prohib....factory 12" barrel good to go cut down 12" barrel and you'll be on Canada's mist wanted. Lol

I thought that was shotguns only... And that a gunsmith could legally cut, crown and thread a rifle barrel.

Google tells me you're right and I was operating under a false impression.

 

[Astute Observer]

Why would one buy an uber ultralight hunting rifle only to want the option of a 10 round mag?

It's not an important option. Only because I have 3 and 10 round MDT polymer mags already, and the custom rifle would accept the AICS mags.

 

[SuperCub]

Don't cut a barrel past 18.5" or you'll end up with owning a prohib....factory 12" barrel good to go cut down 12" barrel and you'll be on Canada's mist wanted. Lol

Short barrel ultralight rifles suck. They don't handle well, harder to shoot well off the bench and they're bloody blasty to shoot.

Buy a rifle in the 6.5lb range that handles well with a 20-22" bbl.

 

[True Shadows]

I thought that was shotguns only... And that a gunsmith could legally cut, crown and thread a rifle barrel.

Google tells me you're right and I was operating under a false impression.

Yeah I believe they have to come.e from the manufacturer that length or some other silly rule like that.

These are sold by RDSC and perfectly legal.

https://rdsc.ca/firearms-ammunition...ech-owl-700-chassis-cobalt-kinetic-green.html

 

[Astute Observer]

These are sold by RDSC and perfectly legal.

>8 lbs, yikes!

But yeah, point taken about length and the legal implications of manufactured vs cut. I'll go with a custom carbon barrel from IBI regardless of which option I choose, they do make a Howa prefit as well as Rem 700.

 

[True Shadows]

I still think a SIG cross would do perfectly fine for your use case. It's light, accurate and folds... Unless you just have extra money to blow then go for it

 

[Astute Observer]

I'd definitely prefer a Sig Cross over that JTAC ScreechOwl thing. Worth considering, I'll go back to the excel sheet and weigh it as an option (pun intended)

 

[keith mokry]

I would stick with 16” brl as 12 (308)gets little noisy and loss of vel is 2400-2450 fps . 16” in 338 200g should get 2500fps. I have both brl lengths

 

[Evanguy]

Savage lightweight storm looks like a good one. I almost bought one before I ended up with a sub moa vanguard high country

But the howa super light is crazy light and no doubt a beautiful rifle

 

[griffin86]

Don't cut a barrel past 18.5" or you'll end up with owning a prohib....factory 12" barrel good to go cut down 12" barrel and you'll be on Canada's mist wanted. Lol

You can’t cut a rifle or shotgun barrel down less than 18” or else it’s prohibited.

 

[remington jim]

https://www.howausa.com/howa-super-lite/

For your needs as described ! 308 Near Perfect . Way cheaper too - Take the extra money and buy a BETTER scope !
I’ve owned 3 or 4 of those JUNK FX scopes ! JMO Find a Leupold VX 3 1.5 - 5 scope Have a GOOD smith touch up the Factory trigger . Also have it glass bedded properly too .

 

[truetotheend]

Build the custom rifle if you want something 1 of a kind. I own most of what you have listed and a couple lightweight builds myself.

Action- I own Mac Bros ti, Rem ti and Defiance anti so comparable
Barrel- I own a few carbons the same IBI 16" in .308 and other Paradigms 6.5@ 18&20" long and a Proof sendero
Stock- I own a custom Wildcat, and a lighter weight Paradigm stock @ 16oz
Scope- I have it on my 1895 in 45-70, but wouldn't use it on a bolt action as I find the 4 power top end to limit the long range effectiveness

Rings, brake, dbm, magazine and trigger- I have and use all. Decent Rings. Great brake for weight, reduction and less concussion than others. Dbm I prefer my Mdt or a Apa or Curtis with the mdt polymer as it's truly flush fit on the stock. I do like the Hawkins with its proprietary mags. Trigger great choice 2 stage.

Your action is high quality and it's a well known manufacturer.
Your barrel is a good candidate for repeat fire as I have found it to be more consistent than other lightweight carbon barrels. 16" in .308 is a loud punchy setup and the shortest I use, but I can shoot 5rd groups and it shoots and shoots well. Your shorter barrel may vary your results.
The Wildcat stock can be finished plain and light, however I added a raised comb and palm swell grip, and cut the foreend down a couple inches. Mine still finishes around 25oz.

As for a Howa Superlight I have no hands on experience. Had a friend with a 1500 that he liked and it shot good. I have heard the stories of some factory lightweights Howa and Kimber that couldn't shoot groups consistenly because of the pencil barrel and I've had Remington 7 do the same thing.

Anyways to each his own, build or buy whatever you like or can afford. Nothing like owning a custom rifle especially if it's exactly what you imagined.