Thread: Light weight rifle options

Greetings Dusty Fog and Akaroa1,
Yes quite right that is 3kg. I really must check my posts a bit better before sending. All the other bits seem to be OK though, hopefully.
Regards and apologies Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by Nick-D

Kimber hunter is the best $$ for gram rifle available. Cost close to a tikka and a full pound lighter. Take the goop out of the stock(easily done in 10 mins), pair with a nice light scope like a vx3 2.5-8 and you'll have a sub six pound shooter.

@Nick-D got any photos/instructions on how you did it?

Originally Posted by outdoorlad

@Nick-D got any photos/instructions on how you did it?

Sorry, no photos but it's pretty easy.

Take the buttpad off (2 screws)

Pop the use a screwdriver to loosen up the edge of the goop and get some lubricant in there, I just used crc.

I wound a long screw into the middle of the goop then just a bit off pulling and prying and it pops out.

Theres a bit more in the pistol grip so pop the cap off and repeat the process.

I squished a bit of super light foam (was about 5g) into the end to keep the knock down, but only bothered as it's a bush gun.

The trickiest part of the whole thing was epoxying the buttcap back on

Youd struggle to beat tikka, I have 3. Value for money vs weight they are pretty hard to beat on paper, including paper targets. Here's 2 examples
223


308
Note the weight is extremely similar. Both 16inch, with suppressors

Originally Posted by Nick-D

Kimber hunter is the best $$ for gram rifle available. Cost close to a tikka and a full pound lighter. Take the goop out of the stock(easily done in 10 mins), pair with a nice light scope like a vx3 2.5-8 and you'll have a sub six pound shooter.

And thats by far the cheapest and easiest way to get a very light rifle. You'll struggle to get anything else anywhere near that light.

The Tikka 3 Superlite is my pick. Keep the optics to bare minimum and avoid ruining the balance by fitting a can.

Originally Posted by 25 /08 IMP

Just buy the tikka.260 off here and chop to 18" fit a DPT job done.

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What he said.

Tikka T3. Good value

I changed from tikka t3 to xbolt carbonlites (.223 and 308) . Was definitely huge improvement xbolt are considerably lighter nicer action and newer trigger is super smooth. Both have been tack drivers with factory hunting ammo. .223 is 3.6kg with 6 baffle dpt and 4.5-14 burris and .308 touch more with vx5hd 3-15 and dpt 6 baffle and one s/s baffle. Both reasonably heavy scopes.


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Originally Posted by jamesgn8

I changed from tikka t3 to xbolt carbonlites (.223 and 308) . Was definitely huge improvement xbolt are considerably lighter nicer action and newer trigger is super smooth. Both have been tack drivers with factory hunting ammo. .223 is 3.6kg with 6 baffle dpt and 4.5-14 burris and .308 touch more with vx5hd 3-15 and dpt 6 baffle and one s/s baffle. Both reasonably heavy scopes.


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Considerably lighter….


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Originally Posted by jamesgn8

...xbolt are considerably lighter...

I see.

So these Brownings of yours are listed as 2.7kg bare, with a 16” barrel.

A Tikka T3x Lite with a regular 20” barrel is 2.9kg. Allowing approx 30g per inch of barrel, a 16” unfluted Tikka will weigh around... 2.78kg.

So your “considerably” equates to ~80g, at the most.

If you compare apples with apples, and select a fluted Tikka at 16”, e.g. the Superlite, the Tikka will be slightly lighter than your Browning.

You’ve been getting a bit of a hard time these past 12 hours or so but I think you’ll learn from it.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

I see.

So these Brownings of yours are listed as 2.7kg bare, with a 16” barrel.

A Tikka T3x Lite with a regular 20” barrel is 2.9kg. Allowing approx 30g per inch of barrel, a 16” unfluted Tikka will weigh around... 2.78kg.

So your “considerably” equates to ~80g, at the most.

If you compare apples with apples, and select a fluted Tikka at 16”, e.g. the Superlite, the Tikka will be slightly lighter than your Browning.

You’ve been getting a bit of a hard time these past 12 hours or so but I think you’ll learn from it.

Tikka is listed as 2.8kg with 570mm/22.4” barrel


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Originally Posted by Flyblown

I see.

So these Brownings of yours are listed as 2.7kg bare, with a 16” barrel.

A Tikka T3x Lite with a regular 20” barrel is 2.9kg. Allowing approx 30g per inch of barrel, a 16” unfluted Tikka will weigh around... 2.78kg.

So your “considerably” equates to ~80g, at the most.

If you compare apples with apples, and select a fluted Tikka at 16”, e.g. the Superlite, the Tikka will be slightly lighter than your Browning.

You’ve been getting a bit of a hard time these past 12 hours or so but I think you’ll learn from it.

I was comparing the T3 not T3x. T3x definitely improved. Probably didnt word that right. In terms of free hand shooting x-bolts are more balanced which makes feel lot lighter and easier to shoot.


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Originally Posted by jamesgn8

In terms of free hand shooting x-bolts are more balanced which makes feel lot lighter and easier to shoot.


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....insert subjectivity here....

Again, too subjective @jamesgn8.

X-Bolts come in a huge variety of shapes / sizes / styles. Try shooting offhand with a suppressed X-Bolt Hell’s Canyon.

The main difference in balance and feel in offhand shooting is all in the short barrel, and what may or may not be hanging off the end. Not because it is specifically an X-Bolt vs a Tikka or anything else. Simple physics.

Rifle fit and feel is highly subjective and varies from one person to another. I don’t like the X-Bolt feel at all because the narrow forend feels all wrong in my hands, that’s just how I feel about it. But it does not make another brand that fits me better necessarily superior. I don’t like the Kimber either. And I’ve changed my Tikka stock to a lightweight chassis, which is a perfect fit and is a vast improvement in felt recoil. For me. Not necessarily for you.

This is the problem with so many of our forum comparisons. Rifles are like shoes, or cars, or smartphones. They all do the same thing, but what’s best in terms of fit, bling, price or condition is very much an individual preference.

I’ve always thought that when you’re trying to sell something, it’s best to leave the comparisons out of the pitch, because it automatically gives reason for a whole bunch of smart arses like me to argue with you (which we enjoy). The best sales pitches for used items such as this are straightforward factual ones with no room for quibbling. We all know what it is and don’t need Used Car Salesman to make an assessment.