Best non custom mountain rifle

[luke moffat]

What do you mean by cannon. 8lbs? : )

haha no...my 338 is just over 10 and going to soon have a 260 that should be around 8.5-9

 

[Matt W.]

haha no...my 338 is just over 10 and going to soon have a 260 that should be around 8.5-9

Must be building long range stuff?

 

[luke moffat]

Must be building long range stuff?

Recently became inspired

Still hauling the 5.5 pound .308 win to the sheep mountains though

 

[chippewawarrior]

Luke what did you do to that Kimber to get it sub 6lbs?

 

[Where's Bruce?]

45-70 Govt with raised scope so I can use iron sights if being charged by a bear, moose, etc. there's an infinite variety of bullets for every task for everything from bison to deer. Major knockdown power, ammo is easy to find and if the rifle breaks, you can club the animal to death with the bullet. My favorite caliber.

 

[luke moffat]

Luke what did you do to that Kimber to get it sub 6lbs?

-2" shorter barrel (I like short ovarall length rifles for carrying in the alders) so its a 20" barrel and gave up 40 FPS.

-Titanium bolt handle,

-Fluted bolt

-Skelitonized Action

-Topped with a 3-9X33 UL Leupold w/CDS...rifle with just scope and rings is 88 oz or 5.5 pounds...rifle is 4 pounds 13 oz

Just the rifle:


Rifle with scope/rings:

 

[chippewawarrior]

Thanks Luke. I recently appropriated a Kimber .308, and I am pondering just such a project. I hear the Kimbers are hit & miss with out-of-the-box accuracy? I haven't fired mine yet. How was yours prior to the alterations?

 

[luke moffat]

I've owned two Kimbers but been around 8 now....all of them shot well IMO. All were under 1.5" groups if fed right

 

[huntabsarokee]

I would like a light weight gun too but not sure which way I want to go. Would also like a 20" barrel for packing. So far my options are
1 find a used SS model 7 in maybe 7mm-08 or 308 and start there. So far I only found 1 in the 300 SAUM at a decent price but don't really like the caliber
2 buy a Tikka SS lite in 7mm-08 and cut the barrel to 20" and be done
3 buy a Tikka Super Lite from Cabelas in 308 and cut the barrel to 20" and be done.

Do you think you can cut 2 1/2" off the Super Lite since it is fluted. From the pics it looks like there is quite a bit to play with in front of the flutes. Would prefer a 7mm-08 but would have to just get the standard lite version.

 

[Whisky]

I had a Sako Finnlight 308 that shot factory ammo just OK, but shot the right reloads just great! It was a nice rifle. I don't remember what the weight was scoped and loaded, but it was the lightest rifle I had ever owned. Here is the difference between factory ammo and a good reload.

View attachment 12284

 

[chippewawarrior]

I have a Cabela's Tikka Super Lite in .300 Win Mag, and I was only able to have just over 2 inches taken off of the roughly 24in barrel. The website lists it as 22 7/16in barrel, it's not for the mags! I told my smith to go as low as he could go.... Fortunately, it now shoots better for some reason? It also is under 6lbs w/o the scope. I think the smaller calibers come with a 22in barrel though, so 20in is way doable?

 

[huntabsarokee]

I guess it depends if the fluting is the same length on the standard barrel lengths of 22 7/16 as your mag barrel. If it is and you could only get 2 inches off then wouldn't make sense that you couldn't get any off the 22 7/16? Think I will have to run to cabelas and check them out. I heard the 308 in Super Lite weighs closer to 5 3/4 pounds so 2 inches off and I should be good.

 

[eleaf]

I use a modified Rem 700 LSS in 7-08. I took off the stock stock and replaced it with the lighter and tougher B&C Alaskan 700 BDL. On top I have Leupy rings and bases and a Trijicon Accupoint 3-9x with amber triangle reticle. Very light rifle.

 

[huntabsarokee]

Yes many ways to go I now see. This weekend Cabelas is having a sale on the Ruger Americans for 299. They weigh 6.25 pounds. I could lop 2 inches off the barrel and have a fairly light gun for cheap. Probably would come in under 7 with talleys and VX3 2.5-8. Not the prettiest gun though.

 

[Stid2677]

Kimber Mountain Ascent or Winchester Stainless Feather Weight.

 

[Rucker61]

If the Cabela's Tikka Superlite is the same as the one Sportsman's Warehouse sells, there's only a 3 oz delta between that and the regular Tikka T3 Lite, according to the scale at the Loveland SW. That's not much gain for $250-350 dollars.

 

[huntabsarokee]

That helps. The Super Lite is on sale right now for 799 and the Lite is normally in the 675 range at least at Cabelas. I wouldn't pay the 899 regular price for the Super Lite. I assume if its 3 oz of weight savings its all coming from the fluted barrel.

 

[Rucker61]

That helps. The Super Lite is on sale right now for 799 and the Lite is normally in the 675 range at least at Cabelas. I wouldn't pay the 899 regular price for the Super Lite. I assume if its 3 oz of weight savings its all coming from the fluted barrel.

Tikka T3 typically runs $549-$579 at SW. I share the same assumptions on the weight delta.

 

[bmart2622]

Hey Stid, do those Kimbers come with the ported barrels and fluted bolts or did you have that done? Good lookin rifles!

 

[chippewawarrior]

Mr. Stid, I LOVE the digital camo stocks!