Lightweight 308 hunting rifle

[theothermike]

Hello everyone, being the family "gun enthusiast" I have been tasked with finding a new rifle for my uncle as a Christmas gift from my aunt. She is tired of him borrowing her Remington 600 Mohawk and wants to find him a similar 308 rifle. What would you recommend for a short lightweight and reliable option? I was thinking of something a little more modern but not to "tactical". Price range of about $1000. Thanks in advance!

 

[Nature Boy]

Ruger M77 Hawkeye

http://www.ruger.com/products/Hawkeye/overview.html

Savage 14 American Classic

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/14AMERICANCLASSIC

 

[Mr. Hill]

Remington model 7 in .308 Winchester seems like a good option. Or a Winchester featherweight.

 

[Sunray]

A Remington 600 weighs 5.5 pounds. That the weight limit?
A Savage M11/111 Lightweight Hunter(pretty Walnut stock) weighs that. 40.25" long. 20" barrel. MSRP is $991.
Same rifle(called a Trophy Hunter XP) with a synthetic stock and a Nikon 3-9x40 scope runs $629.
Best tell your aunt her M600 is worth a bit over $1600 too.

 

[S&W629]

CZ550FS...

CZ-USA.com

 

[ZGunner]

I have two Ruger M77 Compacts in .223 and .260. Love them! Would recommend them to anybody looking for a short hunting rifle. Only negative is the muzzle flash in the .260... not a deal breaker, just the nature of the beast.

 

[Deaf Smith]

I use a Ruger 77 Compact all weather MK2 in .308 with Leopold 1.25-4x 30mm scope. Super light weight and with handloaded 165 gr SPs at an honest 2650 fps (chronoed using CFE-223 powder). 6.5 lbs and good well past 200 yards. And stainless with laminated wood stock.

Used it for years.

Deaf

 

[Elkins45]

Tikka T3 lightweight. End of discussion. My 308 lefty is the most accurate rifle I own.

 

[dh1633pm]

Ruger GSR in 308 with the Synthetic Stock. It has everything one would need. Accuracy, light weight, and lots of scope mount options.

 

[GAF]

I second the CZ 550 Full Stock option in caliber of choice.
I own one in .308 and it is a great rifle.

 

[stoky]

Ruger GSR in 308 with the Synthetic Stock. It has everything one would need. Accuracy, light weight, and lots of scope mount options.

You forgot to mention American made and classy.

 

[Dr T]

I would go with the Ruger Hawkeye compaxt, but with a Leopold 2.5 - 8 variable scope. I use a Ruger Frontier, which is very similar except that it has a scout scope rail in addition to the receiver mount.

 

[1stmarine]

Something a bit different for a 308..

The savage hog hunter is very accurate and versatile and for around $450 will give you room to add a premium stock
and decent hunting scope and still have money to buy some ammo. But even with the factory stock and perhaps some
minimum bedding will provide accuracy challenging other very expensive bolt actions. And it is a time tested and battle
proven action all around the world.
It is not eye candy as others but one could add a nice wood stock if wanted. It is more like a versatile utilitarian with amazing
accuracy out of the box.

For a more conservative and classic style I would look into the Winchester model 70 featherweight, possibly one of the most
refined Mauser type actions of all times.

I like the CZ's too as mentioned already above.

 

[Corn-Picker]

Would your uncle be OK with stainless and synthetic or is he more of a walnut and blue steel type of guy?

The original Mohawk was very light (5.5 pounds), but had a full sized length of pull. I think the modern equivalent would be the Savage Lightweight Hunter. Wood stock, weighs 5.5 pounds, 20" barrel, and 40.25" overall length. MSRP is just under $1000. The Ruger Hawkeye compact is close, but it has a short length of pull (12.5").

I may have forgotten about a rifle, but all the lightweight ones I'm aware of are either plastic stocks (which may or may not be OK depending on your uncle), have short lengths of pull (e.g. Ruger Hawkeye Compact, Winchester featherweight compact or Browning Micro Midas), or are more than $1k (e.g Kimber).

 

[horsemen61]

Tikka T3 lite

 

[goldpelican]

Tikka T3. Action is as smooth as butter.

 

[1stmarine]

I forgot, Bergara B14, possibly the best value around on a Remington 700 action...
These include features only found in expensive aftermarket Rem 700 actions.

 

[HKGuns]

Sako A7 Synthetic / Stainless.

 

[Legionnaire]

Remington model 7 in .308 Winchester seems like a good option.

This. Been my go to hunting rifle for 20 years. Mine rides in an HS Precision sporter stock.

 

[Armed 24/7]

Tikka T3 lite without a second thought. Very light and extremely accurate.
If he Is a walnut and blue kind of guy a Winchester 70 lightweight or something from CZ.

 

[Speedo66]

Browning BLR lever action in .308 makes a nice light rifle.

 

[theothermike]

Thanks for all the advice and yes he is more of a traditional wood and blue kind of guy. Im leaning towards the m77 Hawkeye compact but i think this warrents a trip to cabellas so I can do some side by side comparison. (And maybee pick up some reloading components)

 

[T.R.]

GUNS magazine recently produced an article for the Mossberg Patriot rifle in .308 that peaked my interest. The rifle is well built, accurate, and competitively priced. Any good gunsmith can cut the barrel down to 20 inches and re-crown the muzzle for you.

TR

 

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got two I really like. A stainless model 7 308 and a Kimber montana 308. The Kimber is lighter and does it with a 22 inch barrel but isn't cheap.

 

[Captcurt]

Take a look at the Kimber Hunter. 5 1/2 pounds and it is affordable.