Thread: Lightweight Hunting Rifles

G'Day Fella's,

I have been designing and building these types of rifles, for more decades than I care to remember.
What do you blokes have that is Lightweight but isn't as it came from the factory?
Here is an image of a few of these types, that I still have (see actual weights taped on each rifle).


From L to R is;
A Yard Stick (36" Long), for comparison
Rem M-763 .350Rem Mag, Aimpoint Comp-C3.
Rem M-600 .308 Win, Leupold 2.5 -8.
Win M-70 Classic, 7mm Rem Mag, 3-9 Swarovski (Not that light! This rifle has an aluminum floor plate, that I machined up and fitted).
Jongmans .284 Win, 2-7 Leopold.
Kimber M84 Montana. .223 Rem. (This is a customers New rifle, that I threw in for comparison).

What examples, have you blokes got to show?

Doh!
Homer

The first two need circumcising.

Sorry tahr, there Muslim!

Doh!
Homer

Currently my Mod 7 SAUM is 3.2kg but looking at dropping weight on the bolt, scope to start with then new fluted barrel when this one is starting to wear and a few other spots... Still not to bad with a dialup side focus scope and 1000 yrd capable round

My current light LR rifle weighs just over 8lb, or 3.6kg. Has a 700g scope on it though, 26 inch barrel and brake. Doesn't really need to be any lighter given its pushing a 180gr pill at basically 3,300fps...



tui_man 2 has my Model 7 at the moment, putting it on a weight loss program... Fluted bolt, milling out handle, light bolt guts and shroud, chopping the barrel, fluting the barrel, light supressor, light Senator stock... Should end up about 2.7kg (6lb) scoped and supressed...

How's re recoil on that beast?

Originally Posted by DAF

How's re recoil on that beast?

Slightly more than the Lunatic. Quick recoil rather than a push though. If that makes sense?

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Originally Posted by The Claw

Slightly more than the Lunatic. Quick recoil rather than a push though. If that makes sense?

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Whats your thread size Sam ?

I could send you down a brake to try, so you can calm it down.......

G'Day Fella's,

The Claw, Nice lookin rifle!
What chambering is the above M700 and also your M7 at Tui_Man 2 doing the "Jenny Craig" thing!

Not a lot of lightweight rifle in NZ or is there just a Don't Acknowledge Homer's Posts, going on?

If the latter is the case, that's fine by me!

Doh!
Homer

I think it might have something to do with the number of LR shooters here as well, they seem to want a bit of weight in those rigs to control them.

Originally Posted by Homer

G'Day Fella's,

The Claw, Nice lookin rifle!
What chambering is the above M700 and also your M7 at Tui_Man 2 doing the "Jenny Craig" thing!

Not a lot of lightweight rifle in NZ or is there just a Don't Acknowledge Homer's Posts, going on?

If the latter is the case, that's fine by me!

Doh!
Homer

few nice bangers there homer, what classes light weight?

sub xxxkgs?

Shes been on the 'jenny craig' alright, im sure claw will post some pics when he gets it back

Light weight is good but all the go fast bits cost, how do you find the hi tech stocks? i have broken mine an know someone esle who has also, an found they require abit of fiddling to get to fit nice, i like painted rifles when they are new but give them some abuse an they look like shit

G'Day Tui_man 2.

Thanks for the kind words!
Good question on what qualifies as Lightweight, maybe 3Kg, what do you and others think?

Yeah, I like the HTS stocks!
I have given a couple of them some hard work over the years and they have come up OK.
I haven't had any of them fail or break on me but then I haven't used any rifles fitted with one, in Westland, Fiordland etc......
That country is hard on both men and equipment!!!
When they get banged up, when I get a chance I'll patch them up and re-Cerakote them and Da Dah, like new again!

The main reason for this post, was to get a look any other forum participants custom hunting rifles and in my experience, most of these are lightweight!
We all know what a factory Rem Mod 7 looks like, so I was I was hoping to see some other variations on these and other rifles.

Doh!
Homer

Originally Posted by tui_man2

few nice bangers there homer, what classes light weight?

sub xxxkgs?

Shes been on the 'jenny craig' alright, im sure claw will post some pics when he gets it back

Light weight is good but all the go fast bits cost, how do you find the hi tech stocks? i have broken mine an know someone esle who has also, an found they require abit of fiddling to get to fit nice, i like painted rifles when they are new but give them some abuse an they look like shit

Me maybe??...

Originally Posted by Homer

G'Day Fella's,

The Claw, Nice lookin rifle!
What chambering is the above M700 and also your M7 at Tui_Man 2 doing the "Jenny Craig" thing!

Not a lot of lightweight rifle in NZ or is there just a Don't Acknowledge Homer's Posts, going on?

If the latter is the case, that's fine by me!

Doh!
Homer

Reply from the maimai...

700 is a 7mm/338 Norma Improved & M7 is a 6.5*47L...

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Originally Posted by The Claw

Reply from the maimai...

700 is a 7mm/338 Norma Improved & M7 is a 6.5*47L...

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Sam - Just out of interest what are you doing with the Model7 6.5x47L. What barrel length are you going down to and what are your suppressor diemensions and specs likely to be?

I am running a finnlight with a 19" barrel, fluted True-Flite No2 in 6.5x47L and a gunworks duralium. (4" forward, 5" back, 375grams). Set up as a bush/gen purpose with a VX3 1.5-5 Leupold and Conetrol mounts... total weight no suppressor, ammo or sling 3.3 kgs.

Running Barnes TTSX 100gr @ 3030. Nice accurate but hardly low weight. Considering turning it into a varmint/multi purpose rig with a dialing scope and 123/140 amaxs, and building a dedicated bush suppressed shorty.

Thinking about a real light weight shorty something like what you are doing with a carved Model 7 or maybe one of the new Pierce titanium actions, 16" barrel, light stock and suppressor.... do you reckon would get enough ooomph out of a 16" 6.5x47L, or am I better to go 308 with a 130g TTSX like Mr Duley..??

What do you hope to get from the Model 7 weight wise after carving it up. What will you use for projectiles and scope options..... are you going to Longe range it with a dial scope or is it going to be a dedicated SR rifle?

Cheers