Ultra light elk rifle suppressed? Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT 300 PRC thoughts?

[jvanderlinde]

I just bought the exact gun but in a 300WM, Hopefully I will like it. Still contemplating scope options.

 

[ImBillT]

I built my first hunting rifles under 10lbs last year and am switching to a 1lb heavier stock on one of them because I don’t shot them as well from shooting sticks as I do with slightly heavier rifles. They both came in around 8lbs. Not crazy light. You might see if you can shoot some different weight rifles the way that you plan to shoot them in the field before you go so light.

 

[ImBillT]

Nice, I appreciate your feedback. I also carry with the gun bearer and agree, the suppressor would rest basically in front of my face blocking my view to some degree and reflecting light. The 300 WSM in a 18 or 20" sounds like a good option as well but the velocities start to drop off and reduce the effective range. I noticed that the gun bearer puts a decent amount of pressure on the action screws and my stock came lose on me last year during my elk hunt. I didn't have an Allen wrench on my and had to head back to the truck and re sight in to make sure everything was zeroed. Have you ever noticed the torque the gun bearer puts on your rifle? I was also a bit considered about rubbing the carbon raw around the barrel or stock wherever the top loop contacts the gun. Any good remedies to protect the barrel or stock at these contact points without changing point of impact or messing with the gun too much...

I’m not sure the gun bearer had anything to do with an action screw coming out.

Just like Brokel, I run the strap under my sling swivel. I put the gun in upside down.

 

[Tikka06]

I’m about to be packing around a ridgeline 300wsm with a YHM Resonator K on it. I’m a little concerned about the overall length but I expect the recoil to be minimal. For most of my hunting in the east I feel like the 20in ridgeline in 308 with a can would be perfect. I screwed the can on a tikka CTR 6.5 the other day with a Vx-5 on it and loaded it was pushing 11lbs.

 

[brymoore]

I just weighed my Kimber Montana 280ai, 24 inch barrel. With a leather sling, leoupold scope with M1s with cover and a Thunderbeast 7, it weighed 7.11.

The rifle you need already exists.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

If you must shoot a mono, that 190 Cx is going to post better numbers than most at range.

That said, a 300 PRC isn’t Magic for a 650 yd shot and a 5.5# one sure as shit isn’t because it’s going to be a handful to shoot accurately in field conditions.

 

[Don Fischer]

Why do people go out of their way to get super light rifles then get every after market product they can find to control the recoil? After you add the reciol butt plate and recoil reducer and put it on your rifle then get some scope that will allow you to think you can shoot 500yds like a pro, just how much does that rifle weigh then?

 

[std7mag]

I'm with Don on this one.

If you want an 8lb rifle, then get an 8lb rifle.
I also don't like the added length & weight of a supressor.
Not so much the weight itself, but it throws off the balance for me.

I had a Forbes 24B in 280 Rem. Rifle bare was 5.5lb.
After EGW base, Vortex rings, Sightron scope, and sling came in just under 7lb.
And shot just fine.

My thought..
That's an extra pound of water, or food i could carry.

 

[Doublegunner]

I find hard kicking cartridges in light rifles to be a bit obnoxious but I don't run muzzle brakes or suppressors. For what you are considering I would go with the 300 wsm. I think that cartridge balances better with the setup you are considering. If I was going to run a 300 prc I would go with a heavier longer barreled rifle so I could squeeze the performance out of that cartridge. To me it doesn't make a lot of sense cutting down a barrel on a cartridge that burns a lot of powder.

 

[kiwi hunter]

Last week I obtained a winchester featherweight in a 300 wsm caliber, it's no featherweight but it's much easier to shoot with the 24 inch barrel. my 22 inch xbolt in same caliber is unfortunately a pig to fire, with a suppressor and all. My other xbolt has a 26 inch pipe in the 300 shorty and it's much better to handle. With the 22 inch I get 2980 fps with 180 gr straight from the manufacturer. A 180 should handle a moose.
Fwiw, the sectional density of the 140 gr in 6.5 in quite high, that's why it's good up to moose in the Nordic countries. A 165 gr 30 cal has a sd of .248, a 125 gr in 6.5 has a sd of .248. I've shot lots of tahr and a young three yr old wapiti in nz with a 125 gr partition, mv of only 2500 fps.

 

[kiwi hunter]

Just checked the sd of the 140 gr in 6.5=.287
The 180 gr in the 30 cal is way back at .271
The sd determines the ability of the projectile in penetration, the higher the sd the better the penetration.

 

[Don Fischer]

Thoughts or first hand experience with the new 2022 Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT in a 300 PRC or similar cartridge. Its a 5.5lb +/- rifle in a 22" barrel (kicks like a mule) right?. I am putting on a thunder beast ultra 7" suppressor, and a Leupold 5HD 3x15x 44. Total weight with scope, rings, and suppressor will be right around 8 lbs. It will be a mountain elk hunting rifle. I like to hike a decent amount and shoot monometal copper bullets (barnes ttsx, Hornady's CX, etc). I like the velocities, authority, and bc's the 300 PRC provides, you need at least 2000 ft per second for proper expansion with these bullets or somewhere close to that. Curious on everyone's thoughts on this setup. I realize it's a little overkill for most of my hunting within 300 yards, and a bit more recoil than the 300 win mag. I won't be traveling overseas with it. Dropping down to the 22" barrel, am I wasting powder? I currently have a 7 rem mag in a 24" barrel and would like to reduce the length of my rifle setup to accommodate the suppressor while maintaining speed at distance. I am also considering a 300 WSM in a shorter barrel. 6.5 is too small for elk in my opinion or I'd go 6.5 PRC. Does anyone have experience with a 22" CA Ridgeline or similar ultra light rifle in a 300PRC or 300 WSM while using a suppressor? Curious what kind of muzzle velocities you are getting with it and your thoughts on the recoil. I also see that CA has a sub Moa guarantee, for about the same price, Fierce Arms is guaranteeing a .5 MOA. Thoughts on the setup, and on Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT. Thanks in advance.

Not sure I'd call an 8# rifle ultra light! Killed three elk with my 30-06 once I started using it. Then got my 6.5x06 home and used it a few years with 140gr Hornady's. Killed three more elk with it and all six elk went down with one shot! From what I saw from these two rifles if I were to hunt elk again I'd probably take either my 260 Rem or 6.5x55 with 140gr bullet's. The point is I don't want to see how much personal abuse I can take getting the job done, prefer to keep things simple and above all, comfortable! That is not to say my 30-06 is not comfortable to shoot but is a bit heavy carrying around. I believe anytime someone buys a can, I think to control recoil, then they should rethink and buy a rifle in a cartridge they can shoot well.

I don't recommend the 243 much for hunting just because I think there are better options but I'd bet a good hunter that's a good shot could kill an elk just as dead and just as fast with a 22 rimfire as a poor shot and poor hunter could with a 50 cal BMG! Why? Because the experienced hunter is far more likely to hit it where he wants to. And he is not likely to try some off the wall shot he knows has little if any ability to work.

Back to the 243. If I were to use my 243 it would be shooting 87gr Hornady spire points. Very very accurate with them and I would get as close as I felt I could and shoot it in the neck. Down goes the elk. I do not recommend doing that though as there are better option's generating lower recoil using bullets that will work with different shot placements. Bear in mind the only shot you have to take anywhere on any animal is the charging dangerous game animal. All other shots we take by choice.