The "Perfect" Lightweight Stalking Rifle

[ejg]

If I think back offhand I shoot better with a slightly nose heavy rifle. I have shot running game with a heavy barrelled tactical rifle in a plantation. Shot badly with an ultralight 243 sporter. Picked up a clone of Franz Albrecht's rifle who does them driven boar videos, it was around 26" heavy barrel with a very long LOP stock. He seems to handle it well.... very well.
edi

 

[welshwarrior]

I must agree I prefer a rifle to balance slightly further forward than most and a long stock partly due to being 6’4” There is light and too light.

 

[NigelM]

Balance point 5 1/2" in front of the trigger with the rifle set up as you would shoot it (includes scopes, mods, brakes, mag, sling etc.).

 

[Southern]

A relatively light rifle with weight forward which I regret not buying was a Remington Model 7 in 7mm SAUM, with a 22-inch barrel and open sights.

 

[Tremplin du Chante]

K95 in 7x65R is my favourite lightweight mountain stalking rifle.

 

[mchughcb]

Nice setup.

 

[alberta boy]

 

[alberta boy]

Here's a new candidate ^ , not what you would normally see in the UK , but a slick little unit . It's a Kimber Montana 84M in 7/08 . It weighs just under 5.5 pounds as you see it . Not my usual rifle , but if you don't try them , you can't really talk about them . I have no idea how it shoots yet , and until it warms up , I won't be trying to find out . When I think about light weight rifles in North America , this is what comes to mind . When the air gets thin and the tree's run out , this is what I'll carry .

AB
My apologies for the messed up post , new computer …...… or an old brain , samie same .

 

[NigelM]

Here's a new candidate , not what you would normally see in the UK , but a slick little unit . It's a Kimber Montana 84M in 7/08 . It weighs just under 5.5 pounds as you see it . Not my usual rifle , but if you don't try them , you can't really talk about them . I have no idea how it shoots yet , and until it warms up , I won't be trying to find out . When I think about light weight rifles in North America , this is what comes to mind . When the air gets thin and the tree's run out , this is what I'll carry .

AB
My apologies for the messed up post , new computer …...… or an old brain , samie same .

Mate of mine has the same gun. Wonderful hill rifle with the chambering well matched to the weight of the gun. His shoots inside MOA providing he does his bit.

 

[alberta boy]

Mate of mine has the same gun. Wonderful hill rifle with the chambering well matched to the weight of the gun. His shoots inside MOA providing he does his bit.

They do have a very good reputation for being an accurate rifle . What surprised me the most was how such a light rifle still points quite well . It's a very well built little thing .

AB

 

[Redneck]

I had a Kimber like that in the same 7mm-08 . It had a short 18" barrel that was done before I bought it. A bit lively with the heavier bullets but accurate enough, hunted in Africa with it , took reds and roe here in Scotland. Very nice Mauser style action.

Only changed it to a Tikka T3X Lite so I could get a left hander, put that in one of Ejgs PSE stocks. Joyful thing

 

[alberta boy]

I had a Kimber like that in the same 7mm-08 . It had a short 18" barrel that was done before I bought it. A bit lively with the heavier bullets but accurate enough, hunted in Africa with it , took reds and roe here in Scotland. Very nice Mauser style action.

Only changed it to a Tikka T3X Lite so I could get a left hander, put that in one of Ejgs PSE stocks. Joyful thing

It won't see anything heavier than about 140 gr bullets , I'd imagine it would be a bit snappy with 160/175 gr loads . It really is a small action , almost a cross between a Pre-64 Winchester M70 and a M98 Mauser , only down sized .
The Tikka T3 Lite is a very nice rifle, it'll do anything the Kimber will , and for less cash . Putting it in one of Edi's stocks would only make it better , nice .

AB

 

[Southern]

I know several deer hunters, men and women, who have the Kimber 84 in 7mm-08, with small scopes, and just love them. They are light, handy, accurate, very slick.

I loaded some ammo for a co-worker about 5 years ago, a Kimber 84M in .308 Winchester. I used two loads which work for me: the 150-gr TTSX over 40.0 gr of H-4895, and the Hornady 150-gr flat base over the same powder, and Federal 210 match primers. Both loads shot ragged hole groups at 100 yards, letting the barrel cool a few minutes between shots. He took a whitetail with it at about 180 yards just a week or so later. Again, you could not pry this rifle from him.

They are handsome, too. All these rifles have beautiful, figured French Walnut stocks.

 

[6pt-sika]

K95 in 7x65R is my favourite lightweight mountain stalking rifle.View attachment 146393

I’d really like to own a K95 with a pair of barrels in 6.5x57R and 6.5x65R RWS .

 

[scrumbag]

For me it's my 257 Roberts on an FN Commercial. Loves 117gr Sierra Gamekings.

Scrummy

 

[Smellydog]

For me it's my 257 Roberts on an FN Commercial. Loves 117gr Sierra Gamekings.

Scrummy

I never understood why the 1/4" bores never got established in the UK.

 

[scrumbag]

I never understood why the 1/4" bores never got established in the UK.

No I'm not so sure. Guess smallest legal is 6mm so tends to be popular.

.25-'06 seems to have something of a following

Scrummy

 

[alberta boy]

For me it's my 257 Roberts on an FN Commercial. Loves 117gr Sierra Gamekings.

Scrummy

Nice . I've always been a big fan of the "Bob " . It has a small following of fanatics out here , that and the 250 Savage , both great White-Tail rounds . I've been looking for a Savage 99A , or any other model to be honest , in 250 Savage for a number of years . They're fairly common around these parts , but no one wants to sell them , selfish barstewards .

AB

 

[Smellydog]

No I'm not so sure. Guess smallest legal is 6mm so tends to be popular.

.25-'06 seems to have something of a following

Scrummy

Yeah, the 25-06 keeps popping up but there as the shorter rounds that would be ample like yours and AB just mentioned.
I think to many study charts and conclude more is better. They are missing out on some sweet pleasant to shoot rounds.

 

[scrumbag]

That "bob" is pleasant to shoot. Stock keeps the recoil coming back fairly flat too which helps.

Also a bit more choice in lead free hunting bullets than in 6mm too. (Try getting a 100gr lead free hunting bullet that stabilises in most .243W rifles...)

ATB,

Scrummy