New ultralight rifle

[blackbeard]

Both whitetails were around 200, antelope were 100 and 150.

 

[std7mag]

My longest deer harvest was with my Stevens 200 in 7mm-08AI. 413 yards.
While rifle isn't an ultra light, it's not heavy either.

And i do shoot some target/steel out to 1,000 yards with most of my rifles.
The majority of which have 24" sporter barrels.
My Ruger 77 MKIIs being the exception with 22" barrels.

I'm planning on adding a Gentry brake on my 7mm Rem Mag over the winter. Making total barrel length 26". Just without the added 50 fps +/- of an actual 2" of rifled barrel length.

Those worried about "whippy" barrels haven't seen any ELR or ULR shooting. 34" barrels are the norm.
And if you don't think 50 BMG cases make a barrel whippy, well....

 

[338win]

Have a ca ridgeline TI in 300 wm and couldn't ask for more of a gun. I know 3 people who have them in 6.5 whatever and that's all they use now. Another friend with a tikka and another with a fieldcraft. You can't go wrong with any of the above. If I was going budget a tikka is impossible to beat and for 2000-2500 you can't beat the CA ridgeline TI

 

[SilverDollars]

Howdy. I have a Tikka T3 Lite in a 270 WSM. It shoots sub .5 MOA or better. Sweet action and accurate. It'll pack in the woods and mountains, no problem!

 

[blackbeard]

Howdy. I have a Tikka T3 Lite in a 270 WSM. It shoots sub .5 MOA or better. Sweet action and accurate. It'll pack in the woods and mountains, no problem!

How's the trigger on that tikka?

 

[lifesupport4u]

I have a Ridgeline in 280 AI and would not consider it ultralight at all. It's light considering barrel length but not a lightweight rifle IMO. Barret Fieldcraft and Kimber offerings are indeed very light weight. When I think of "ultra" light I'm looking at compact rifles sub 6 pounds (usually low 5lbs range with shorter barrel). I have a 20" Rem 700 in 7mm-08 that falls into this category. Small, light rifles are a joy to carry but have limitations to consider.
If you're looking for a rifle in the low 6 lbs. range the Ridgeline is a nice one to consider. I'm still getting used to the bulk and length of barrel but the rifle shoots very well.

Agree. I have a Ridgeline (granted it’s 300wm) and it’s not ultralight at all.

Barrett is no longer making the fieldcraft and they are very hard to find unfortunately.

The Tikka Superlight is 5.9lbs and the Sako Carbonlight is like 5.25lbs but costs about $2200 more. ($350 per ounce! Yikes!!)

 

[SilverDollars]

How's the trigger on that tikka?

Sweet, light, crisp. I don't recall what my trigger's poundage is though.

 

[TheJason]

Sweet, light, crisp. I don't recall what my trigger's poundage is though.

Granted it’s an older Tikka, but my wife’s rifle is right about 3 1/2 to 4 pounds as I recall on the factory setting. Very good trigger

 

[Deleted member 16014]

How's the trigger on that tikka?

Tikka's are the best factory trigger that I've used. With a YoDave spring mine are set at 1.5 lbs. I like them light, without the replacement spring you can get 2.0-4.0 lbs, very crisp across the range.
I personally like Tikka triggers better than the Timney Calvin Elite on my 700.

 

[Brian in Montana]

I really like the factory trigger that comes with the T3X. Very crisp, consistent, single stage trigger that can easily be adjusted down to 2.5lb (I think, or maybe it's 2; been a long time since I've messed with the triggers on my Tikkas.)

 

[ImBillT]

Also remember your short actions weigh less than long actions. A .308 is hard to beat for options. The Kimber hunter is a great choice and has mods that can make it even lighter to pack.

A Remington 700 L/A weighs 3oz more than a 700 S/A BUT the magazine cutout, and action inletting in the stock are larger, which results in a lighter weight stock. An Remington 700 L/A rifle is almost identical in weight to a Remington 700 S/A rifle. Other brands are similar.

Personally, if my target calls for more than a 115gr 6mm bullet, I’d rather add 1-3oz to the rifle using a medium or long action cartridge than sacrifice performance by sticking a large bullet onto a short action case.

 

[pilsner]

Surprised that no one has mentioned the Howa Carbon Stalkers yet.

+1 for a Kimber Hunter. Love mine in 3006 except I'd like to take 3/4" off of the LOP.
It's somewhere around ~6.75# with a Leupold VX3-I scope in 3.5-10x and a 550 cord sling. Although I should have gotten it in 280AI instead. #Oops

 

[stk]

Very happy with both my Seekins HAVAK Element and my Sako Finnlight.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

I may have accidentally ordered in of these on Black Friday. Too good a deal…

A buddy has one and it is a lot of rifle for the $$$. Shoots lights out too…

https://seekinsprecision.com/havak-bolt-rifles/havak-ph2.html

 

[rjthehunter]

Buy a tikka and put a 3x9 scope on it if you're not going to shoot past 400 yards. That'll be light enough and shoot good enough to kill anything. Personally, I'd go 7mm rem mag for caliber and put a brake on it. Light rifles aren't very fun to shoot. I'd rather carry a 9 or 10lb rifle and know I'm good to 600-700 yards and have something comfortable to shoot. Too light and you're not going to want to shoot it.

 

[std7mag]

Buy a tikka and put a 3x9 scope on it if you're not going to shoot past 400 yards. That'll be light enough and shoot good enough to kill anything. Personally, I'd go 7mm rem mag for caliber and put a brake on it. Light rifles aren't very fun to shoot. I'd rather carry a 9 or 10lb rifle and know I'm good to 600-700 yards and have something comfortable to shoot. Too light and you're not going to want to shoot it.

All fine, except...
Blackbeard is looking for a hunting rifle, not a 6lb F-Class rifle.

I've owned a sub 7lb rifle, that i didn't mind taking to the range, and shoot 800-1,000 yards.
Not just one or 2 rounds per session, but 20-50. No break either.

While not knowing him, or his shooting habbits, i doubt that he'd have any issues with up to 5 rounds taken at distance.

 

[blackbeard]

All fine, except...
Blackbeard is looking for a hunting rifle, not a 6lb F-Class rifle.

I've owned a sub 7lb rifle, that i didn't mind taking to the range, and shoot 800-1,000 yards.
Not just one or 2 rounds per session, but 20-50. No break either.

While not knowing him, or his shooting habbits, i doubt that he'd have any issues with up to 5 rounds taken at distance.

Usually don't shoot past 800 yards. A good day at the range is my guns and shooting 50+ rounds

 

[elkduds]

This is my Stevens 200, 270 win, 22" barrel, Leupold VariX III 2.5 x 8x scope, weight is 7# 5 oz. Timney trigger installed, original trigger included. 25 round count. Easy to rebarrel w Savage barrel nut. Price $700 including 50+ rounds of factory hunting ammo, 130-160 gr. @ least MOA accurate, very light, more of a hunter than a looker. Barrel is 1-10 twist, this rifle shoots 160 gr Doubletap factory ammo as accurately as 130-150 grains. Buyer pays FFL, shipping. Rifle is in Canon City, CO. Posting it here instead of classifieds because of discussion in this thread.

 

[blackbeard]

This is my Stevens 200, 270 win, 22" barrel, Leupold VariX III 2.5 x 8x scope, weight is 7# 5 oz. Timney trigger installed, original trigger included. 25 round count. Easy to rebarrel w Savage barrel nut. Price $700 including 50+ rounds of factory hunting ammo, 130-160 gr. @ least MOA accurate, very light, more of a hunter than a looker. Barrel is 1-10 twist, this rifle shoots 160 gr Doubletap factory ammo as accurately as 130-150 grains. Buyer pays FFL, shipping. Rifle is in Canon City, CO. Posting it here instead of classifieds because of discussion in this thread.
View attachment 203718View attachment 203719

Great looking rifle, not sure I need another 270 though

 

[std7mag]

Appearantly, all my local gun shops don't know that a 280AI exists.


Options are 6.5 Manbun or 350 "Legend".