Help: light on a budget

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DocRock

DocRock

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During Coronacation I have been doing some coyote hunting with only moderate success: 2 in seven outings. Both taken at between 150 and just over 200 yards with T/C Venture in 270 Win. I've also been out with a sporterized 18" Swede, but no shots . It's a lot of walking

I'm after the unbearable lightness of hunting. I have paired my kit down to minimum and the three heaviest items are water, caller, and rifle. So, I'm using this as an excuse to buy another rifle. :evil:

The parameters are:

6.5 Grendel is the smallest I want to go in cartridge.

Light is the objective.

Under $750

I understand with that budget, I'm not breaking 6lbs, so let's do what we can.

I've been looking at:

Savage Lightweight Storm in 6.5 CM

Howa Mini 6.5 Grendel

Ruger American Predator 6.5 Grendel

By no means do fines to these three nor to bolt actions if an AR with at least an 18" barrel meets parameters .

Thanks for your wisdom.
 
You can get a mauser m18 for $399, holds more rounds, 5 shot moa warranty great trigger, and we'll made. 6.4lbs
Should look at the cz 527 to very light and handy,
Think you can find a kimber hunter for $750.5.5lbs
But get what you want and fits you. I'd be looking at the 243win.
 
Current standings as I lay me down to sleep:

  • Savage is winning on weight

  • Mauser is winning on price

  • Tikka is winning on quality.
 
Granted this is 5.56 but comparing the listed barrel weight from Ballistic Advantage to a 16” Faxon Gunner in 6.5 Grendel there’s a 1 oz difference. If it must be 18” then BA offers one with another 3oz penalty. Tack on an Aero Lightweight Mount and Leupold VX-Freedom 4-12x scope and if my math is correct you’re at roughly 6 1/2 lbs all-in.

On the money side, about $750 for the rifle alone. That’s figuring $110 for the Phase 5 rail which is the best balance of lightweight, good quality, and affordable I’ve found. I paid $95 on sale. Another $80 for an RRA 2-stage 3 1/2 lb Varmint trigger, $230 for the barrel- biggest expense, but again could be found on sale. $60 KVP extension/buffer/spring kit, $80 Anderson upper/lower combo, $40 for a GB & gas tube, $40 for an LPK, add $100 for BCG and CH. That leaves $40 for a minimalist stock, my Strike Industries was $34. Food for thought on an AR option.

Ignoring exotic materials, I’ve still found massive weight differences in 5 primary parts: barrel, hand guard, stock, mount, and scope. I know you’re looking to rifle shop but is there a chance you’re toting a 2 1/2 lb wreck of an optic that could be replaced with an 11 oz Leupold?

My light(er)weight build.
FAF14234-677C-4189-B8F5-7B2C6BF93CDE.jpeg


4C98B6ED-EA0C-4D5D-93A4-F87C5E21F655.jpeg
 
I love my .243 Tikka Lite and have shot it quite a bit on various varmints and one deer, but I don't consider it a "deer rifle" for myself, but a great walk-about rifle. The teen and older grandkids have killed several deer with it and it's been great. I've used it when calling coyotes and shot a few with it.

I'm thinking that I may buy a stainless Tikka in .243, to serve as my longer-range 'farm rifle". I can shoot about 300 yards from the house at coyotes and other pests. The .243 has better wind-bucking ability than the .223 and we're on top of a hill with quite a viewshed. It's usually fairly windy here.
 
So, I have a surprising late entry.

I recently, on a whim, bout a Mossberg Partiot synthetic in 375 Ruger, which was, frankly, daft. But at $325 I couldn't pass. One of the things I noticed about the rifle immediately is that it was silly light weight for that cartidge. There's a thread on how I beefed it up and stiffened the stock etc. It shoots very well. It weighed 6.5 pounds, ie the same as the Tikka t3x Lite and 1.5oz more than the Mauser. It's available in 25-06 for $288...

So:

The Savage still wins on weight at 5.6 lbs

The Mossberg wins on price

And the Tikka and the Mauser are still in the game on quality.
 
you might want to take a look at the ruger american Compact. Those come in right at 6lbs or so.
The standard RAs come in at a couple oz heavier, but you get a slightly longer stock and a longer barrel. Couple that with a light scope in light rings and your under 7lbs....could probably do that for under 700 bucks too.

Personally Id probably go RA, Mauser, Tikka, Mossberg, Savage in terms of balance of cost, accuracy, and quality.

Ive got a Cz527 american in 6.5Grendel, and its 7lbs 2oz out the door with a 24" barrel, and 13oz scope. Which id recommend except rifle set me back 800, and ive got something like 1200 into the whole thing.
 
LoonWulf said:
you might want to take a look at the ruger american Compact. Those come in right at 6lbs or so.
The standard RAs come in at a couple oz heavier, but you get a slightly longer stock and a longer barrel. Couple that with a light scope in light rings and your under 7lbs....could probably do that for under 700 bucks too.

Personally Id probably go RA, Mauser, Tikka, Mossberg, Savage in terms of balance of cost, accuracy, and quality.

Ive got a Cz527 american in 6.5Grendel, and its 7lbs 2oz out the door with a 24" barrel, and 13oz scope. Which id recommend except rifle set me back 800, and ive got something like 1200 into the whole thing.
Click to expand...
There are a few 527 Americans in gunbroker for $662 in 6.5 and x39 think you can get the x39 in 22" that will save some weight.
 
LoonWulf said:
you might want to take a look at the ruger american Compact. Those come in right at 6lbs or so.
The standard RAs come in at a couple oz heavier, but you get a slightly longer stock and a longer barrel. Couple that with a light scope in light rings and your under 7lbs....could probably do that for under 700 bucks too.

Personally Id probably go RA, Mauser, Tikka, Mossberg, Savage in terms of balance of cost, accuracy, and quality.

Ive got a Cz527 american in 6.5Grendel, and its 7lbs 2oz out the door with a 24" barrel, and 13oz scope. Which id recommend except rifle set me back 800, and ive got something like 1200 into the whole thing.
Click to expand...

RA Compact enters the running at 6lbs and @ $350 moving it into second place in weight and price as well as a known quantity for shooting. We have a contender!
 
troy fairweather said:
I've noticed a lot of tikka guys are liking the m18 mauser, I like both but the tikka just seem a little over priced.
Click to expand...
I'd say the Tikkas got a better bolt throw for slow fire, but that's really the only advantage.....well I guess they are a bit lighter. Id have to look but I think my buddies .270wsm came in at 6lbs 3oz bare.

The 6.5prc you have is something like 6.8lbs, and should be the heaviest of all the m18s, since it has the long barrel and smallest bore dia. If it wasn't for that hitch right on bolt close, it would rank #1 for me on sub 800 dollar rifles.
 
troy fairweather said:
There are a few 527 Americans in gunbroker for $662 in 6.5 and x39 think you can get the x39 in 22" that will save some weight.
Click to expand...
The synthetic I saw here had the 18 or 20" tube on it, felt like it weighted close to 5lbs. It didn't feel much, if any different than the Rossi 92 I used as a comparison (since I've actually weighted an r92). I'm still kicking myself for not just buying that gun...... probably gone now, what with the panicking idiots, buying up everything.
 
LoonWulf said:
I'd say the Tikkas got a better bolt throw for slow fire, but that's really the only advantage.....well I guess they are a bit lighter. Id have to look but I think my buddies .270wsm came in at 6lbs 3oz bare.

The 6.5prc you have is something like 6.8lbs, and should be the heaviest of all the m18s, since it has the long barrel and smallest bore dia. If it wasn't for that hitch right on bolt close, it would rank #1 for me on sub 800 dollar rifles.
Click to expand...
I don't notice the bolt much, it seems I be common on the dual ejector guns. I'd bet it would go away if one was removed. The weight seems about right for a normal deer rifle. I think there pretty light considering how chunky the action is. Since this is the first gen m18 maybe they were refine it more, the tikka has been out for years and they keep making improvements.
 
Had a Howa Mini in 6.5 G before my buddy finally talked me out of it. I worked that plastic factory stock down enough that the gun weighed under 6 lbs. without the scope. Fun and accurate.

Savage LW storm won't let you down. Neither will the Tikka but I prefer stainless rifles these days if I can get them.
 
I wo uld lean towards some flavor of Ruger American. The standard and compact 6.5CM are just over 6lbs and have a lighter barrel profile than the Predator. The Ranch 6.5Grendel is also just over 6lbs. The Ranch .300Blk or 7.62x39 is just under 6lbs and would easily cover 200yds with supersonics. Another place to lose a few ounces is the scope and mounts.
 
troy fairweather said:
I don't notice the bolt much, it seems I be common on the dual ejector guns. I'd bet it would go away if one was removed. The weight seems about right for a normal deer rifle. I think there pretty light considering how chunky the action is. Since this is the first gen m18 maybe they were refine it more, the tikka has been out for years and they keep making improvements.
Click to expand...
I trimmed the upper ejector spring on that one.....think I forgot to tell you that. Id actually forgot i did it.

It's not a huge issue, it just annoyed me. As long as you've got forward pressure on the bolt handle as you can it down it pops in with little real resistance. It just balks when running it slow like is common at the bench.

If they gave it a slightly longer cam surface so that the ejectors hit after the bolt handle started dropping, not right before, I'd bet it would be unnoticeable like most spring eject guns.

hopefully they will continue to work with the m18s because I REALLY like the way the gun handles, and if they get rid of that hitch, then there's no flys on that rifle imo.
 
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