What would you put on a lightweight long range hunting rifle build?

[MountainHunter]

I'm putting together a light weight hunting rifle that will be used for antelope, deer and elk.

It'll be a Tikka T3 action, 24" Tikka Lite barrel reamed out to a wildcat 6.5x55 that my smith does, similar to the addiction.

I'll end up picking up a Manners or Mcmillan if it saves me weight over the factory stock. Probably use talley light weight mounts/rings unless there's a lighter option I'm not thinking of.

My big question is on the scope, I know that's what will make or break the build from a weight stand point as well as reliable dialing.

I'd prefer mil turrets/reticle and ffp. I don't need a bunch of magnification, 3-12 would be fine. I've got a LRHS 3-12 that would be perfect if it were 10 ounces lighter.

Hopefully there's a better option out there to meet my weight goal.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[W54/XM-388]

How light do you need to be?
I just put together a Tikka T3x CTR in 6.5 CM, with a 24" stainless barrel, S&B 4-16x50 scope

-Edit- Seems my scale was off when I was in a hurry to weigh it, something must have gotten stuck under the lip.

Comes in at 10.75 pounds, with magazine, sling, Mark 4 rings & S&B 4-16x50 scope

You could also try the Barrett fieldcraft which is crazy light but kind of expensive & rather proprietary.

 

[MountainHunter]

Interesting, how'd you manage to get a ctr that low? Is that with mag? What mount/rings?

I'll be pretty happy if I'm under 7 pounds all up but I'm anticipating some major effort on my smiths part to shave off those extra ounces wherever possible.

I'm coming off a Kimber Montana that I set up as a MPBR setup and it was LIGHT! I'm pretty sold on Tikka's now though.

I picked up a donor T3 Lite Stainless in 30-06. I'll be using the action, bottom metal and mag. I'm hoping to be able to push the 147 ELD-M's to 2900 fps but we'll see.

I forgot I'll be running an Ultra 7 so I doubt I'll meet that weight goal with the can but hopefully without it on it'll be below the 7 mark.

 

[Chalkeye]

I'd be looking at the Mark 5 or Mark 6 for sure.

 

[SLG]

NF 2.5-10X42 is only 20oz. More reliable and very good glass compared to almost anything near that weight. You can lose a little lowlight performance and save another 2oz or so if you go to the 2.5-10X24, but for hunting, I prefer the 32 or 42. Perfect hunting scope when something lighter, like a Leupold 2.5-8 is not enough scope.

 

[lennyo3034]

I'm in the same situation as the OP with the same LRHS optic.

One scope I've been looking at is the S&B 3-12x42. There are some versions with the P3(mil dot) or P4F reticles in FFP. I don't think the elevation turret is as robust as the LRHS but it weighs 4 oz less. Downside is a low FOV at 3x.

 

[JFComfort]

I’d go with a Leupold VX-3i LRP, FFP, mil/mil and weighs 20-22 oz.

 

[RTH1800]

NF 2.5-10x24 if you can find one.

 

[MountainHunter]

NF 2.5-10x24 if you can find one.

I can’t even find that one on their site but the 1-8x24 looks interesting at only 17 oz.

8 power is plenty for hunting with most the time too.

http://www.nightforceoptics.com/nx8/nx8-1-8x24-f1

 

[MountainHunter]

I’d go with a Leupold VX-3i LRP, FFP, mil/mil and weighs 20-22 oz.

I’ve always been a big leupold guy but with all the questionable reviews on their dialing I don’t think I’ll risk it. I might be totally off base because I’ve never dialed a leupold.

 

[SLG]

I can’t even find that one on their site but the 1-8x24 looks interesting at only 17 oz.

8 power is plenty for hunting with most the time too.

http://www.nightforceoptics.com/nx8/nx8-1-8x24-f1

The 1-8 is awesome.

If you want a 2.5-10x24, I know there are some vendors that still stock them.

 

[Bender]

Leupold mk 5 3-18 is short and light! Hard to beat price with outstanding glass at that price.

 

[MountainHunter]

Leupold mk 5 3-18 is short and light! Hard to beat price with outstanding glass at that price.

That thing is 26 oz.

The old adage ounces add up to pounds applies significantly to this build and that thing is easily a half pound over where I’d like to be.

Sure it’s a nice scope though.

 

[Bender]

That thing is 26 oz.

The old adage ounces add up to pounds applies significantly to this build and that thing is easily a half pound over where I’d like to be.

Sure it’s a nice scope though.

Lol. That’s light in my book! Mine is 39oz!!!

 

[surgeon260]

Weight was a major concern when picking scopes for my hunting rifles. My two dedicated hunting rifles wear Swarovski scopes (capped turrets) with the BRX reticle. That reticle provides 5 mils of holdover, which should be plenty for a hunting rifle. The Z6 2.5-15 weighs 19 oz and has outstanding glass.

 

[Jmo]

I have an Xtreme Hunter on order with Gap and opted for the LRHS 4.5-18 they are selling at 50% off, couldn't pass on the price.

 

[ykrvak]

Search around and see if you can find a used NXS 2.5-10x32. I have a couple of them on my hunting rifles and really like them.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Good intentions, maybe carried a bit far.

My hunter was a Post-'63 Winchester Model 70 .30-'06 Featherweight glassbedded into a B&C lightweight camo hunter stock, with a Weaver V-16. It had a nice broad M-60 style sling, and that was the entire extent of my Lightweight Hunter Odyssey. That rifle also won the deer rifle matches and placed high in paper sniper matches, too. All I ever fed it (besides some pretty accurate handloads) was 168FGMM and American Hunter.

The rifle now resides in the hands of my next generation, and it's still bagging a bunch of deer each year.

Sometimes a great idea can get carried away.

K.I.S.S.

I have a replacement of sorts, an Axis II .30-'06 in a blem Boyd's Laminated stock, with a simple Tasco 2.5-10x42 Varmint/Target MilDot scope, and another wide sling; it's pretty light to hand. I used to put bipods on my hunters, but these days, let's be serious; I'm not very likely to ever shoot prone again. The scope is a cheapo, and I wouldn't bet a multi-thousand dollar hunt on it; but I've been using several of this model for over a decade, they are lightweight, and they have yet to let me down. I shot the 6-24x42 version of this same model in 1000yd F Open comp for years, same faith in the scope, it's still on my .260 F Class custom rifle.

Maybe $600-$700 in it all up. Still working it up on the range. It's probably not going to get a lot of serious use at my age, but...

But it will shoot before I'm done with it...

Greg

 

[MountainHunter]

I just realized I'm a dumbass and posted this in the observation device section...

Anyways, Greg I always appreciate a simple hunting rifle. My first rifle was a surplus Mauser in 7x57 that my uncle chopped the barrel down on with a hacksaw and shortened the wood stock to fit my brothers and I when we were able to start hunting at 12. It had a no name fixed 10 power on it. It's still sitting in my safe and I'll probably have my kids carry it for a season or two once they're old enough.

Pretty damn simple but hell, these forums would dry up pretty quick if all of us knuckleheads just kept everything simple all the time hahaha

I'm really leaning towards one of the night force options. The one thing I don't like about the current NX8 is the .2 mil click value.

I think I'm going to keep my eyes open for one of the 2.5-10x24 or 32's. They both seem to have .1 mil click values and are under 20 oz. Pretty sure they'll be plenty robust and reliable.

Greg I see you're in Arizona, are you a coues deer hunter or what is your game of choice?

 

[Greg Langelius *]

No, not yet. Age, health, and family have kept me home of late. It will happen.

I would be a rodent eradicator, but the AZ government has shut down all desert shooting this year until the Monsoon begins, due to extreme wild fire hazard.

Last year, we were on alert to evacuate for several weeks, with fire and smoke visible on the overlooking ridge to our West. Hotshot teams were with us for several months.

A couple of years back, I picked up three Mosin-Nagant 91/30's and did a project to add some accessories including Scout scopes, stock packs, handloads, and Limbsaver Slip-on recoil pads. They became a lot more shootable; and I gave one to my Son-in-Law, who used his for whitetails several years in a row. The entire project, all three rifles, cost well under $1000. I have one left, and placed it into an Archangel Stock with a decent Bushnell handgun scope on it. Despite the add-ons, they were still relatively light to pack around.

Greg

 

[ykrvak]

A little hard to see it, but this is one of mine. I like the fact it’s not too “Huble’ish” and is still robust. Not really light, but certainly not in the heavyweight category.