Thread: Needing advice for a new lightweight rifle

I currently run a Bergara B14 in 6.5 Creedmoor, cerakoted but no fluting. I have a DPT Mk2 Suppressor on it and an Element Optics 2-16x50 scope.

I've recently weighed it in at 4.3kgs, which is well and truly on the heavy end of things for me. I love the way it shoots but I really want to be running a lighter gun. The majority of my hunting is bush based, with the occasional slip shooting.

Does anybody have any advice on how I can lighten this rifle up effectively, or if it's going to be better to start a new build? Ideally I want to end up around 2.8-3.2kgs. I'm open to running different calibers if a rifle change is recommended.

Thanks in advance.

Carbon stock
dump the scope and get a vx3 3.5-10

Comes down how much spare cash you have. That's with all light weight hunting gear

Perhaps easier to wait for a short bbl Tikka T3 or REM M7 to come up 4 sale. 308, 708, 260, or similar. They’ll all work very well for your hunting situation and good to 400+.

Originally Posted by chainsaw

Perhaps easier to wait for a short bbl Tikka T3 or REM M7 to come up 4 sale. 308, 708, 260, or similar. They’ll all work very well for your hunting situation and good to 400+.

or a Howa Lightweight jobby like Phil just sold perhaps

generally though more lighter = more lighter wallet!!

also more lighter generally more difficult to shoot well repeatibly.

The more variable a scope is, the heavier/more expensive it is.

Your most obvious options are as follows


Lighter stock (carbon fiber) probably loose half a kg here.
Lighter scope (2.5-8 or a 3.5-10) you can loose nearly half a kg here.
Shorter barrel, assuming you are currently running a 22 inch barrel, you could go to 18 inch and loose most of what you need to to get it over the line without upsetting the balance since you still have a DPT.

Or as chainsaw points out, buy a Tikka or similar, those lightweight Tikkas are surprisingly light. If you buy a new rifle, you have spent similar money to modding what you have, but you haven't thrown two wild cards at a rifle that currently shoots well. Keep the good heavy shooter for drive around farm hunting, or sell it.

By a kimber, job done

Doesn't get much lighter than a Howa mini after wingman's done his job on the barrel and it's dropped into the Elude stock. 6.5 Grendel shoots very well from a 14" carbon wrapped barrel.

Keep what you have,as it is and make something else do the bush n shorter range type work. Plenty of great rifles second hand for sale at fraction of new price.

Funnily enough was pretty much having same discussion with mate yesterday...the 6.5x55 wouldn't make a bad bush rifle and can be found cheap enough that hacking one up to suit won't make you cry with advantage of component sharing. But really what your saying is you want to buy a short n light 308 somehow I can't argue with that.

Scope: vixen 3-12 at 12 Oz and a Kimber.

Originally Posted by Trav-6mmrem

By a kimber, job done

I believe there are still some Kimber Hunter's in 6.5 Creedmore with the supplier (Pro Delsove Blak)

Doesn't sound like anymore will be coming in so if you like the 6.5 Cr and 5lb,7 oz sounds good to you that would be at the top of my list.

My newphew has a previous model, shoots ity bity clover leafs with factory ammo

Originally Posted by SmokeyJason

Scope: vixen 3-12 at 12 Oz and a Kimber.

What he says!

Bush hunting? Everyone has their scope preferences, but surely 3-9x would be plenty?

As for rifles, all the obvious options for a factory(ish) superlite rifle have been mentioned. The Howa Superlite that everyone seems to have fallen in love with is worth considering, but not all reviews are positive. Other contenders are the Howa/Elude stock and Kimber. Kimbers are not easy to track down though. I recently went through the same thing and ended up with a Tikka because it ticked most of my boxes. It's light enough at 2.6kg (16" barrel), but it doesn't compete with the other rifles in this respect.

One option.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rx4uTfl3iY