Almost a year, so an update warranted
Got the rifle back from the gunsmith- I was derelict in procrastinating getting it to him.
He put a lighter trigger spring (Ernie the Gunsmith spring) in, now breaking at ~ 3.5 lbs.
He bedded the action; hopefully that pays off a little at the range.
Had him replace the factory pad with a Microcell pad- saved about 2 oz there.
He had to fit the PTG bottom metal; sounds like that par for the course- not sure why they couldn't get it sized to drop in????
I was wrong about the rifle coming from the factory with the stock drilled out- my late father-in-law must have done that. Funny even 50 years ago guys were looking to lighten rifles up
The rifle weighed 6# 14 oz when I got it. It now weighs 6# even, so almost a pound savings- an ounce here, an ounce there.
With the Swaro 3.5-10X42 Z3 (12.6 oz) and Talley Lightweight mounts (2.5 oz), I'll be just under 7 lbs- good enough!