Float Pilot
Member
I was digging around my rifle collection today and dug out three rifles which I consider good all-around functional light-weight hunting rifles.
I do not mean some super light-weight fragile special purpose rifle.
For me a high-powered rifle that weighs less than 8 pounds with a scope and sling is a light weight hunting rifle.
Mine are ::
1. A 1957 vintage Husqvarna Light weight hunter (1640 type action) in 30-06. It has a 21.5 inch barrel, holds a full 5 rounds of 30-06 ammo and weighs 7.80 pounds with a 3x9 Burris scope and a leather sling. It will shoot 0.75 inch groups with 180 to 190 grain boat-tail bullets (or 200 grain flat base) at 100 yards. This one has double set triggers. The trigger pull is 3/4 a pound when set. The bolt on this rifle is a standard Mauser type design, yet it is lighter than the M-70 bolt....
2. A 1987 vintage Winchester Model 70 Featherweight, (push feed) in 6.5x55mm.
It has a 22 inch barrel, holds 5 rounds in the magazine and weighs 7.90 pounds with a Leupold 4 x 12 power VXII scope and a Montana sling. The scope is a little large for this rifle and I will replace it with something smaller when time allows. This rifle needed lots of modifications to work right. There is a reason Winchester went belly-up. It is now full length glass bedded and has a 3.75 pound trigger pull. It will now shoot 120 and 140 grain boat-tails into 0.75 inch groups with proper cooling time for the barrel.
3. A 2007 vintage Remington Titanium Mountain rifle in 30-06. It has a 22 inch barrel, holds only 4 rounds in the BLIND magazine. It weighs 7.5 pounds with a Leupold 3x9 30mm Euro model scope and a sling. The original trigger and stock broke. Remington sent a free stock in the mail and I replaced the trigger with a Rifle Basix type set for 3 pounds. It is very picky about which loads it likes. basically I am stuck using 165 grain boat-tails or 180 grain flat based bullets in this rifle. It will group them less than an inch at 100 yards as long as I do my part.
I do not mean some super light-weight fragile special purpose rifle.
For me a high-powered rifle that weighs less than 8 pounds with a scope and sling is a light weight hunting rifle.
Mine are ::
1. A 1957 vintage Husqvarna Light weight hunter (1640 type action) in 30-06. It has a 21.5 inch barrel, holds a full 5 rounds of 30-06 ammo and weighs 7.80 pounds with a 3x9 Burris scope and a leather sling. It will shoot 0.75 inch groups with 180 to 190 grain boat-tail bullets (or 200 grain flat base) at 100 yards. This one has double set triggers. The trigger pull is 3/4 a pound when set. The bolt on this rifle is a standard Mauser type design, yet it is lighter than the M-70 bolt....
2. A 1987 vintage Winchester Model 70 Featherweight, (push feed) in 6.5x55mm.
It has a 22 inch barrel, holds 5 rounds in the magazine and weighs 7.90 pounds with a Leupold 4 x 12 power VXII scope and a Montana sling. The scope is a little large for this rifle and I will replace it with something smaller when time allows. This rifle needed lots of modifications to work right. There is a reason Winchester went belly-up. It is now full length glass bedded and has a 3.75 pound trigger pull. It will now shoot 120 and 140 grain boat-tails into 0.75 inch groups with proper cooling time for the barrel.
3. A 2007 vintage Remington Titanium Mountain rifle in 30-06. It has a 22 inch barrel, holds only 4 rounds in the BLIND magazine. It weighs 7.5 pounds with a Leupold 3x9 30mm Euro model scope and a sling. The original trigger and stock broke. Remington sent a free stock in the mail and I replaced the trigger with a Rifle Basix type set for 3 pounds. It is very picky about which loads it likes. basically I am stuck using 165 grain boat-tails or 180 grain flat based bullets in this rifle. It will group them less than an inch at 100 yards as long as I do my part.