Super light hunting rifles

trackerman

Folks,
Anyone gone down the road of a custom build super light riflel stalking and mountain?

I've watched several videos where guys in US and Australia rake a Tikka T3 action, then add a carbon stock and carbon barrel.

I'm just wondering how much weight saving could that achieve ?
And being in Ireland, just how practical is it to get carbon stocks and barrels ?

For reference...The T3x superlite is about 2.9kg from factory.

Thanks

alanmc

trackerman wrote: »

Folks,
Anyone gone down the road of a custom build super light riflel stalking and mountain?

I've watched several videos where guys in US and Australia rake a Tikka T3 action, then add a carbon stock and carbon barrel.

I'm just wondering how much weight saving could that achieve ?
And being in Ireland, just how practical is it to get carbon stocks and barrels ?

For reference...The T3x superlite is about 2.9kg from factory.

Thanks

I don't know about the Carbon stocks, but you can definitely get the Carbon wrapped Proof Research barrels here. Seen a bunch of em in Midlands. Nearly got one from Doms Custom Rifles myself.

Feisar

A Sako Carbonlight is 2.39kg, that's getting down there, I don't know how much a carbon barrel would drop weight further.

Richard308

Christensen arms with scope 6-24x56 and steel mag is 3.3kg

cookimonster

I picked up a Savage 11/111 Lightweight Hunter in .243 in Adree sports..... that was light - 2.7Kg

https://ardeesports.com/collections/centrefire-rifles/products/11-111-lightweight-hunter

You don't have to go all modern, my 1960's BSA Featherweight in 270win weighs in at 2.835 Kg, add on a Schmidt and Bender 6x42 at 464g then the total package comes in at 3.299Kg. With an integral muzzle break the recoil is manageable but without one it wouldn't be nice to shoot even in the haze of hunting.

I think that's the problem even with super light rifles by the time you add in all the Barbie kit - scope, moderator and bipod your piling back on weight. Ok your starting off with a light rifle but your back to sqaure one with the extra kit, even going ultra lightweight with up to date materials in bipod and moderator.

If you look up the old time lads hunting mountain tops in America with rifles such as the Winchester Mod 70 that were mostly topped off with 4x38 'ish type scopes, nothing else.

Heavy handed

I’m packing around a sako finnlight for the last 5 years. You’d hardly know your carrying it on your back. It’s great if your out for the day and covering heavy terrain.

cookimonster

Heavy handed wrote: »

I’m packing around a sako finnlight for the last 5 years. You’d hardly know your carrying it on your back. It’s great if your out for the day and covering heavy terrain.

Absolutely, a couple of mates hunt with Sako 75 Finnlights, .243 and '06, great rifles for carrying around. The ergonomics and construction of them aided in the recoil management as neither of them were moderated.

Cass

As someone who used to carry a Remmie action, bull barrel, in AICS stock, NF scope and T8 mod (total weight just under 14lbs) I can appreciate a ight stalking set up.

Is the weight saving the only advantage? IOW are there other advantages or any disadvantages to a super light setup?

Grizzly 45

Cant imagine a lightwieight 30.06 is a pleasure to shoot or any of the bigger cals?Is there heavier recoil,or am I wrong in these setups?

cookimonster

The bumpf says theres 17 + to 20+ foot pounds in free recoil energy for a 8lb 30-06 rifle fireing 150 -180 grain bullets. Others will say that's about the upper limit that most shooters can tolerate with multiple shots.

I don't know if its psychological or factual but the Finnlight always seemed to kick less without a noticeable muzzel climb compared other rifles with the same calibre.
In my opinion I think the '06 and 308 altough noticeable have more of a push to thier recoil rather then the more snappy and aggressive recoil found with the likes of the .243 and 270.

Having shot 7mm Rem Mag, 8x57mm and 9.3×62mm in anger in both sxs and unmoderated bolt action rifles I can say Inever noticed recoil but I wasn't fond of zeroing them off a bench rest.

corelokttikka

Picking out a lightweight rifle is easy enough then you have to add on the scope which can be heavy or light depending on the distance your shooting and if your putting a moderator on. It all adds up

trackerman

cookimonster wrote: »

I picked up a Savage 11/111 Lightweight Hunter in .243 in Adree sports..... that was light - 2.7Kg

https://ardeesports.com/collections/centrefire-rifles/products/11-111-lightweight-hunter

I think that's the problem even with super light rifles by the time you add in all the Barbie kit - scope, moderator and bipod your piling back on weight. Ok your starting off with a light rifle but your back to sqaure one with the extra kit, even going ultra lightweight with up to date materials in bipod and moderator.

My mate carries a Blasser R8 + scope + cheek riser + moderator... that thing really weighs a lot !!! and after a few miles it really starts to show. Every 1/2 pound saved makes a difference... so starting off with a light Rifle is important, even if you add the other bits on afterwards. And of course it makes sense to select relatively light accessories to minimize the additional weight.

trackerman

corelokttikka wrote: »

Picking out a lightweight rifle is easy enough then you have to add on the scope which can be heavy or light depending on the distance your shooting and if your putting a moderator on. It all adds up

It sure does, every 1/2 pound extra starts to feel like 2lbs after a few miles walking... thats why I'm keen to start off with a light base unit, then carefully add lightweight bits... some folk just pile on the bits without weight consideration, but end up regretting it after a 5 mile march.

trackerman

Heavy handed wrote: »

I’m packing around a sako finnlight for the last 5 years. You’d hardly know your carrying it on your back. It’s great if your out for the day and covering heavy terrain.

Thanks, I has not considered the Finnlight, but I see the Finnlight 2 comes in at 3.1kg these days... similar to several other 'light' rifles.

The Sako Carbonlight at 2.39kg seems to be the lightest 'factory' model out there.

clivej

Get yourself a 'Gunslinger' waist belt attachment, takes all the weight off your shoulder. Best thing I ever got, carry a 12lb rifle all day.

tudderone

I had a remmy 700 mountain rifle in .270 and have to say it was not fun to shoot. I had shot bigger calibres and didn't notice the recoil as much as this thing, it was vicious, especially with decent ammo that had a bit of power. Maybe as i am a bit fatter it wouldn't bother me so much now, but i wouldn't like to bet on it.

cookimonster

tudderone wrote: »

I had a remmy 700 mountain rifle in .270 and have to say it was not fun to shoot.......especially with decent ammo that had a bit of power. Maybe as i am a bit fatter it wouldn't bother me so much now, but i wouldn't like to bet on it.

I bought some 150gr for my own feather weight 270, I think I still have half a box left, just a 'taddddd tooo muccch' for my shoulder. The 130gr do nicely and I appreciate the lightness in the rifle when you have to drag one of these out off the mountain.

tudderone wrote: »

M
Maybe as i am a bit fatter it wouldn't bother me so much now, but i wouldn't like to bet on it.

All I know is as my covid waist line increases my cheek weld improves.

steyrman

Hi I went down the light hill/ stalking setup tikka action proof research carbon wrap barrel pse stock bare rifle weighs 5 lb I have a small nightforce brings it up to 6 lb and a Zeiss 6x24x72 for general stalking that adds more along with bipod just 10 lbs muzzle brake for the hill and mod lowland

trackerman

steyrman wrote: »

Hi I went down the light hill/ stalking setup tikka action proof research carbon wrap barrel pse stock bare rifle weighs 5 lb I have a small nightforce brings it up to 6 lb and a Zeiss 6x24x72 for general stalking that adds more along with bipod just 10 lbs muzzle brake for the hill and mod lowland

Nice setup, what's the calibre?
And who did the work?

cookimonster

steyrman wrote: »

Hi I went down the light hill/ stalking setup tikka action proof research carbon wrap barrel pse stock bare rifle .....

Where you able to get the carbon fibre barrel here or did it come in from abroad?

Whew ..... 6x24x72!!!!
I use a 8x56 SxB that's lighter then my previous 3-12x56 Bushnell but that x72 must weigh quite a bit?

steyrman

The barrel was sourced direct from USA and imported by rfd yes the Zeiss is a beast but the rifle is 10 lbs with everything on it I like the nightforce 2.5x10x32 for open hill shooting in the vorn backpack it’s 6 lbs really light weight rig great for meat hunts on the hill

Mellor

trackerman wrote: »

For reference...The T3x superlite is about 2.9kg from factory.

Thanks

I think the superlight may actually be marginally lighter than that.
As they quote the same 2.9kg for the tikka light also. The SL is basically the Lite with a fluted barrel, a few gram shaved off. Could be a case of 2.94 and 2.85 both be rounded to 2.9

The weight also doesn't always change between a 20"and a 24" barrels. So I think the database is basic. Some of the superlites are 2.8g

I don't think that a Proof Research barrels would offer much saving tbh. They claim to be 64% lighter, but that's for the same profile/contour. But they fail to mention that the carbon barrels are thicker.

Maybe it you had a long, heavy existing barrel, then a swap to CF might be significant. But compared to scandi lightweight barrels, there's buttons in it.
Even their carbon stock and and barrel set ups are 2.4-2.85kg, and I'd assume that largely the barrel length that's the causing the biggest range.
https://proofresearch.com/rifles/glacier-ti/

trackerman wrote: »

Thanks, I has not considered the Finnlight, but I see the Finnlight 2 comes in at 3.1kg these days... similar to several other 'light' rifles.

The Sako Carbonlight at 2.39kg seems to be the lightest 'factory' model out there.

I would imagine the carbonstock is the difference between this and the superlite. The numbers suggest the fluted barrel matches the Proof Research barrel for weight.

I would guess that a Superlite with Carbonstock would end up about 2.5kg

Mellor

While looking for my next purchase today, I came across a Howa Ultralite. Reminded me of this thread, so I did a bit of digging on superlight stalking rifles. Sako Carbon is down there, but a few sub-5lb guns I found.


Kimber: 2.18kg
Barret Fieldcraft: 2.15kg
Howa Carbon Stalker: 2.1kg

The Kimber weights apply for short action calibres. Quoted for 6.5 CM. Long action mag calibre adds weight.
The Howa is mini action, in unusual calibres imo