In the market for a new hunting rifle...

P.S. I'm simply trying to see if I've overlooked anything about the above rifles.

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Yes. The new Model 70 is head and shoulders above the others you mentioned. I'd suck it up and learn to like fluted barrels. There's nothing wrong with them (especially at said rifle's weight, which is great for hunting, since you dont' want a rifle with a standard hunting rifle barrel, which is what you call a "pencil barrel").

If you want a full-size stainless rifle, check out Cabela's. They have a clearance sale on the Weatherby Vanguard in stainless, which is being discontinued. $489 for a great rifle, but not an especially light one. IMO it's a pretty big rifle to carry around to get the blah ballistics of a .308, but if ammo supply is your concern, then I suppose you don't mind the round's shortcomings. I wouldn't bother with it in anything but a compact rifle, myself, but I don't have it lying around.

Another possibility if you don't need stainless (which I like, myself), is the Howa Ranchland or the Weatherby Vanguard Carbine.

Don't forget FN if your wallet can support it....

Out of the box the Savage with the accutrigger is the "best" buy going. I have a buddy who does 1,000 yd shoots and he shoots an out of the box Savage .300 win mag and kicks some rump with his competitiors and their "high dollar" custom guns.

I have a FNH PBR xp with a 20 inch fluted barrel, in 308. Great shooter. Not the lightest rifle but with a 20 inch barrel it is very maneuverable. I had the trigger adjusted to about 3 lbs. and got my first sub moa group. Some people don't like the Hogue stock but I like it allot.

Love this rifle!

CDNN has them for about $699.

These are not the standard barrel contour....they are lighter, and often don't do so well if shots are fast and ongoing. (barrel heats up alot and the POI shifts)

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Are you taking out the whole herd? Maybe you should go with an M1A or an AR-10!

Why would you need (or want) a heavy, unfluted bbl for a hunting rifle. The lightweight pencil barrels are perfect for a hunting rifle (other than perhaps a varmint rig). Despite the fluted bbl, I would go with the Model 70 Extreme Weather SS if I wanted stainless. It weighs a whopping 6.5lbs!

I have a Kimber Montana In 308. Mine weighs under 6 lbs with scope and mounts. Once finding a load it likes I have not shot 3 rounds into a group larger than 1" at 100 yards. I do not shoot long distance much but the only time I tried it at 300 yards I put 3 rounds into a 2 1/4" group. At around $1,100 they ain't cheap, but you could not build a 5 lb. custom for half that and get that kind of accuracy. The barrel is thinner than you want, but it works.

A Tikka uses a standard contour barrel and it is possible to come in at just over 7 lbs scoped if you choose your scope and mounts carefully.

Despite the Featherweight name the barrel is not really that thin on the Winchester. In its original form the Featherweight was a little lighter than the competition, but by todays standards it is really only slightly lighter than the competitions standard weight rifles.

I like Rugers a lot, they are good dependable rifles, but you will never get one to come in under 8 lbs ready to hunt.

My experiences with the model 7 is that they are lightweight, short and easy to carry. Accuracy was good enough for woods hunting, but not nearly in the same league as the Tikka or Kimber.

Remington actions are the lightest and it is generally possible to build something pretty light and still be accurate using one. I have an older 700 ADL that I restocked 20 years ago in a lightweight fiberglass stock. It still has the standard barrel, but weighs 7 1/4 lbs including Leupold scope in Talley lightweight mounts. If you have a Remington around that you like this is a good option. If you have to buy the rifle and pay for a 20 oz. stock you will end up with more in the gun and than a Kimber would cost, and still be a over a pound heavier and probably not as accurate.

The new Model 70 is head and shoulders above the others you mentioned.

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Matter of opinion...the two i have shot are excellent rifles but I would not say they are 'better' than some of the others...they are definitely better than Howa's, Vanguards, even the sub MOA one and better IMO than most of the Remington stuff.

If I was going light and tough, I think it would be the Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather...the Savage's are superbly balanced and for a production rifle are just about as good as it gets as far as soundness and accuracy is concerned.

So, IMHO...the Model 70 EW or the Savage 16/16 Accustock/Accutrigger.

Is that stock plastic or what??? Is it rubberized like the Hogue overmolded stock?

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Yes and yes.

I think the Ruger M77 Ultra Light Stainless .308 might fit the bill, still light but I think the barrel is a little thicker due to the shorter length (20").

I don't want a "heavy" barrel...I want a standard contour barrel (not too thick, not too thin...just right)

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Then you want a Savage 16. The barrel contour is excellent, not too long, not too short not too heavy...just right at around 6 3/4 to 7 lbs.

I've shot most of em but my Browning X bolt and A bolt in stainless stalker configuration are without a doubt the most accurate out of the box big game rifles I've ever seen. I actually like the A bolt II more than the X bolt but that just because of the drop out magazine on the X bolt that I'm not real found of. FRJ

Seriously, Uncle Mike, would you compare the Savage 16 plastic molded stock to the B&C composite on the 70? Really?

Yes, the Accu-Stock has made the Savage synthetic stock into an acceptable piece of equipment, whereas the previous version was a throwaway. However, the Winchester in question is a different class of gun (for a higher price, of course).

That doesn't mean the Savage isn't a good working rifle, of course, but it's in a different class.

My Vanguard beats a current CDL in fit and finish, and it's very accurate. I'm not sure what you've seen lately, but again, the ones I've seen are nice guns. They're not in the same class as that Winchester, either, but they're not in the same price class.

Seriously, Uncle Mike, would you compare the Savage 16 plastic molded stock to the B&C composite on the 70? Really?

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Well, I wasn't really comparing the two...the Op was in question to our opinions on the various models.

Nope...I think the B&C stocked Winchester to be a tad ahead of the Savage in the stock department, BUT...I'll bet that Savage will out shoot the Winchester...now this is going on the results of the two different Winchesters I shot.

Both those rifles shot into 1"@100y at their best... they were ammo picky also.

The Accustock is a fine stock but I'll agree the B&C is...well, different.

Both will do a fine job. I hear cheers for the Accustock from some of the customers, but I think, IMO that the B&C is better.

The cost between the two is a factor also...better out of the box accuracy for less coinage often will be the deciding factor...and you can live with the hollow thump of the Accustock...If it bothers you, just look through that better quality scope you bought with the money you saved by buying the Savage...lol

I agree, the Vanguards are MUCH better than the Remington CDL...we just received some Vanguards in...I may have to quit badmouthing them...they look to be a fine rifle...looks I says, I'll have to shoot several of these new ones(not our stock!) before I raise the Vanguard flag in my camp! lol hehehe

I just, well almost finished a Savage 116...still waiting on parts, oh yea! I'll post some pic. when she's done.
I am growing accustomed to the Accustocks...they work, no flex now, still effin ugly, and that mold line...thats gotta go!

But they fit and the balance is good...

If cash aint a factor...get the Winchester Extreme...live with the flutes-
Save some cash...get the Savage, live with the mold line- hehehehe
Save even more cash...Sub MOA Vanguard-

If cash aint a factor...get the Winchester Extreme...

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...or the Coyote Light and rebarrel with a Krieger chambered for .260Rem, and top it with a nice PRH or S&B.

Coyote...holes in the forearm...yuk! I hate that look, fine rifle otherwise!

Savage 14 Classic. Weighs in at 7 pounds plus the scope and rings. So maybe 8.5. Oh, wait, you don't want blued.

If you go to Davidsons they list the Howa and Beretta as being stainless and in your price range. If you go blued you can easily find what you want, except the stainless of course. Or you could suck it up and get a fluted barrel, after all, it's about how it shoots and how it packs.

http://www.galleryofguns.com/genie/...ype=Rifle&cal=308&fin=Stainless+Steel&sit=All

Coyote...holes in the forearm...yuk! I hate that look, fine rifle otherwise!

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I um, kinda like it (as you can see below), and it comes with an extra sling swivel.

Yea, Yea...holes in the forearm is 'A OK' on one of them thar red vs. blue, space trooper, terminator 4, phased 10mm caseless pulse cannon looking rifles...! hehehehe

As for a old world bolt gun.....no! hehehe

Please define what light weight means to you. I don't consider the Winchester in either the Featherweight or Extreme weather to be a lightweight. Either rifle will come in at between 7 3/4 to 8 lbs with the lightest scope and rings you can find. Their barrels are a little thinner than standard, but not as thin as the Remington 7 or the 700 mountain rifle. There is enough weight there to get the job done however.

My Kimber looses most of the weight in the action and stock and uses a barrel about the same diameter as the Winchester. I consider it a lightweight rifle at 5 lbs. 15 oz scoped. To get a light weight sacrafices must be made somewhere. The Tikka is the only rifle I know of that you can get all up at about 7 lbs using a lightweight scope and still using a standard contour barrel. I consider anything under 7 lbs (with scope and mounts) to be a lightweight rifle, 7-8 lbs is pretty much a standard weight rifle and anything over 8 lbs is a heavy rifle. All have their advantages and disadvantages, but you said you wanted a light rifle to carry a lot.

Don't trust what manufacturers list as weights in their catalogs. Get on the net and ask people to actually weigh their guns. You may be surprised. For example Savage has their rifles weights all listed about 1/4 to 1/2 lb lighter than they actually are. They used to use aluminum bottom metal and plastic trigger guards. They have switched to steel in the last few years and have not updated the listed weights for the guns. The aluminum bedding blocks in the accu-stocks ahve also added a lot of weight.

Knowing how much you want to spend will help as well

jmr40- I agree re trusting listed weights. So what is the Extreme Weather's actual weight?

Not knowing what it is, I'll start with the listed weight.

It's listed at 6 lb. 4 oz. Put a Leupold 2-7X scope on it at 10.5 oz. and you get 6 lb. 14.5 oz. If the bases and rings weigh 4 oz., you're all the way up to 7 lbs. 2.5 oz.

I don't think that Winchester's weights are way off, because they claim 8 lbs. for some of their standard rifles. Doesn't sound like a lie. Also, I've lifted some of their guns, and, while I didn't have a scale, I am pretty good at guessing, from wing and clay shooting, where we pay a lot of attention to weight and balance.

Of coures, given the OP's interesting and rigid set of specs, he probably wants a varmint barrel, and a 4-12x50mm scope on his lightweight rifle, but that's beside the point...