Thread: Lightweight hunting Rifle

Anyway say I was wanting a light weight hunting rifle in the 6 to 7 mm range, short action preferred, faster twist barrel, good standard trigger, fuss free magazine, able to burn powder in18inch barrel, easy to supply rail or talleys. Wanting 2800 fps with a minimum 100 grain projectiles, Factory ammo available in emergency.
I'm thinking a Kimber or Howa superlite but maybe there is a sleeper out there I've overlooked. Not looking at extreme budget either just a normal man's rifle.
What's around?

isn't there a stainless mod 7 7mmsaum currently listed here ? seems that would tick most if not all boxes

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....4/#post1757009

Thanks Danny, thinking in the 30 to 40 grain load range. 6mm CM upwards, have some big boomers tucked away. A back pack rifle more or less is what I'm after.

Originally Posted by nor-west

Thanks Danny, thinking in the 30 to 40 grain load range. 6mm CM upwards, have some big boomers tucked away. A back pack rifle more or less is what I'm after.

@Ryan_Songhurst had a 6mm C.M built on a howa lightweight, but that would run you the cost of a howa lightweight plus a barrel plus smithing....that 7saum is starting to look like a bargain.....or just buy a howa lightweight in 6.5C.M and call it good...the howa lightweights are stupidly light, but for me they were not the smoothest for the price bracket. To make what you want your gonna spend a lot more for little if any gain....just my 2 cents and certainly no judgement...sometimes an itch needs to be scratched

You’re sort of painting yourself into a corner arent you ?
18” barrel
2800 fps …
Fast twist …
<40gr powder …
>= 6mm …
Everyman pricing .

Will be interesting to see what people come up with .

Originally Posted by Bagheera

You’re sort of painting yourself into a corner arent you ?
18” barrel
2800 fps …
Fast twist …
<40gr powder …
>= 6mm …
Everyman pricing .

Will be interesting to see what people come up with .

Yes, I have a plan along with @Tentman with a Kimber and a Criterion barrel but there are rifles and cartridges that may be overlooked .

Tikka .243 in 1:8 or 6.5 cm. Easy. Light, shoot pretty well, available, proven, utilitarian


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Originally Posted by nor-west

Yes, I have a plan along with @Tentman with a Kimber and a Criterion barrel but there are rifles and cartridges that may be overlooked .

You might be crammed for mag length if you go 6mm Creed? 2.8" mag oal.

My kimber 6cm is a good fit in the mag, was a bit short for the original 6.5 cm. It has a 16 inch truflight barrel and am running the 108 eldm at around 2880.

Originally Posted by Benj

My kimber 6cm is a good fit in the mag, was a bit short for the original 6.5 cm. It has a 16 inch truflight barrel and am running the 108 eldm at around 2880.

What powder are you using?

Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst

What powder are you using?

Using rl26, I tried 2209 but this was very slow. ADI data would suggest around 2800 should be possible with 2209 but I was about 150fps off this. I might retry when it’s had a bit of use.

Love my Super lite in 6cm. It started its life as a 308 and then whilst removing some talley rings from the action one fateful day one of the screws just snapped off leaving half of it in the action. No worries thinks me, I have a drill press... So put it in the press and set up a drill bit with a bit of tape around it so I knew exactly how far to drill down to remove it. My grand idea was working excellent untill it went "pop" and the drill bit was now getting a taste of fresh air, inside the chamber.... hadn't noticed the tape had slid up the drill bit and I had drilled right down through the action, and through the barrel into the chamber. Insurance said they'd cover a new one so I bought a new one in 308 and the original one sat in the parts bin for a while untill another fateful day came along and I started watching YouTube videos about the 6 creed. Sent it off and it came back with a 18.5" truflite 8 twist barrel profiled down to match the original superlite profile. It is an excellent little rig with very good manners when shooting. The Howa action is quite agricultural compared to my other rifles but it has slicked up nicely with time and I did the cut spring trigger mod to it and now I quite like the two stage trigger. I bedded it, not that it needed it because it shot great but the fit to stock is not the best attempt for a factory rifle so now it looks great even close up with no niggly gaps around stock tonaction areas etc. I got one of HG Precisions aluminium bottom metals for it which really makes the rifle and run one of the excellent little Hausken 151 suppresors. It shoots excellent especially since it is actually comical how light and trim it is when you pick it up and I struggle to think of a scenario where it wouldn't actually do everything I need and I should just sell all my other rifles. I've only shot the factory 108gr match ammunition through it although ive recently started reloading again for my 223 and 7prc so I may get motivated enough one day to have a tinker with the creedmoor also. All my other rifles were more expensive, have triggertech triggers etc but its still my favorite little rig to shoot, really puts a smile on my dial. Would be good to see more factory rifles chambered in the 6 creed

Originally Posted by Benj

Using rl26, I tried 2209 but this was very slow. ADI data would suggest around 2800 should be possible with 2209 but I was about 150fps off this. I might retry when it’s had a bit of use.

Anyone tried Hodgdon Superperformance powder it works well in 6.5 creedmoor and .243 so should be a great powder.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

You might be crammed for mag length if you go 6mm Creed? 2.8" mag oal.

No,
That 2.8" is perfect for the 6mm creedmoor with 103gr eldx, bearing surface above the "donut". My kimber 18.75" 6cm doing 2920fps with 2209.

Just waving the flag for a Kimber, if you can find a Montana 84M you are 99% of the way there for a lightweight rifle

I use a 16" chopped 708 with a dan can, a halfcock mod and a Swaro 1.7-10 in talley one piece rings - load is 120 grain TTSX doing 2930fps

I have other rifles but I could probably get rid of them all as this one seems to do everything I need and I'll never part with it. Light, short, quiet, goes bang and things fall over. You adapt to the light weight, lovely to carry but also less inertia for freehand shots so your technique needs to be solid. Second nature for me now, and a lighter trigger weight helps. Only criticism I have is the feed/action is a bit clunky but not to a point that I have been bothered to do anything about it. I like the blind mag - nothing to fall out, and smoother in the palm for carrying. I cant stand the big sticky out mags on some rifles balance point, its like they're designed to be awkward!