Lightweight, Quality Bolt Rifle Suggestions..

[hawk45]

I have more 12-15lb bolts than I need, so I'm looking for a nice light bolt rifle for some varmint hunting. I want something sub 6.5lbs without optics and is good quality w/o going over $800 ($650 really but I know how it goes.. start at $650 and boom.. your at $1000). I prefer a wood stock over synthetic even though the syntectic is better in the weather.. or laminate works too. I'm thinking either .223 or .308 as I already reload for those.. but caliber isn't a big concern at this point. Just trying to get in the right ballpark first.

I just started research but here are a few I've seen come up quite a bit. Other options/suggestions are welcome.

Browning A-Bolt / X-Bolt
Tikka T3 Hunter
Savage 11

Thanks,
Hawk

 

[unwise11]

Howa 1500, mine totals at 10 pounds with a 1 pound scope. a padded sling, and a 9" swivel bipod.

 

[desidog]

You might want to take a look at CZ.

 

[mbogo]

Savage 11FNS.

mbogo

 

[Abel]

Wood? Winchester M70 Featherweight comes in 22-250 & is 6.5lbs.

http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=001C&mid=535109

 

[lobo9er]

one those cz 7.62x39 look pretty cool

 

[unwise11]

dont overlook a 700 sps tactical, I would love one of those puppys.

 

[lobo9er]

just looked up the Mauser CZ 527. seems to fit all your criteria price wieght and stock. comes in 223 or 7.62x39 that I saw .

 

[unwise11]

Still, I think the Howa has to be one of the best bolt rifles in the price range, I have a 22"
'sporter' barrel M1500 in .308
shot a sub minute group, looking to reproduce that.

 

[armoredman]

CZ 527M carbine, ultralight, accurate, fun, handy, iron sights but also scope ready, it's what you need. Comes in 7.62x39mm or .223.
Mine is awesome.

 

[huntershooter]

6.5 # varmint gun is going to be difficult (if super accuracy is a requirement).
I've a Kimber (.22-.250) 84 (something) with a medium heavy fluted barrel, wood stock, good (easily adjusted) trigger that's a shooter. It probably weighs close to 7#'s without optics.
I bought it as a "walking varmint rifle". I was tired of lugging my 700 V(whatever) Remington; it shines as a "fixed position rifle", in my opinion.

 

[Coal Dragger]

Ruger M77 Hawkeye compact rifle fits the bill. 16.5" barrel, 6.25lbs, or the M77 Hawkeye Ultralight with a 20" bbl that comes in at 6.75lbs.

 

[Bird Dog II]

I cast another vote for the Howa 1500. I have one with Hogue stock and it shoots and handled great.

 

[viking499]

Lightweight = Tikka T3

 

[Abel]

6.5 # varmint gun is going to be difficult (if super accuracy is a requirement).

Even a 2MOA rifle should have a better than good chance of killing a groundhog at 300 paces.

 

[HOOfan_1]

Lightweight = Tikka T3

This is what I was thinking
Or CZ 527

 

[rbernie]

The Tikka is your best option. You can get their 223 in 1:8 twist, and they have both Hunter (wood) and Lite (synthetic) stocked models from which to choose.

 

[TonyAngel]

I can't comment here except to say that the SPS Tactical ain't light.

I'm actually looking for some ideas myself. I'd like to have a small caliber light varmint rig that's a tack driver.

 

[heeler]

Used Remington 600 in 243 or 6mm or 308.
Have all three and they are light(6lbs.),short(18.5 inch barrel,total length around 37 inches),and deadly accurate.
They came equipped with iron sights too.
An older Remington model seven will work as well.

 

[snowninja]

i have a .308 tikka t3 lite stainless/synthetic and i can carry it all day long and it never gets heavy. i find it very accurate as well, after almost a year of not shooting it i set up target at 100yds and was able to get a 2" group on my first 3 shots.. if i recall was around $650 and i put a nice leupold scope on it..

 

[cmdc]

I know you said you preferred wood, but the Savage and Tikka rifles are great shooters and in your price range. I have both, and they are both lightweight and very accurate out-of-the-box.

 

[coloradokevin]

Tikka T3 lite.

Made by Sako, priced around $520-630 (blued vs stainless), and guaranteed to shoot 3-shot groups sub MOA.

 

[Clipper]

Ruger compact

 

[jmr40]

Wood stocked and under 7 lbs is tough. Tikka is a good option as is the Remington Mountain Rifle or Model 7.

If I wanted a tack driving lightweight with an $800 budget I'd keep my eye out for a good deal on an older Remington 700 ADL that I could get for around $300. The ADL will save you about 1/4 lb over BDL. Short action will save you another 3-4 oz. Either way you will have a light rifle so if I wanted a long action caliber I'd not worry. I'd order a 21 oz. McMillan Edge stock for it for around $500 and call it good. This will give you a rifle that weighs less than the Tikka or Remington Mt rifle, but with a standard contour barrel for better accuracy. It will probably end up cheaper than a new Mt rifle as well. I did this to one of my rifles back in 1982. It is a 30-06 and it weighs just a hair over 7 lbs including scope and mounts.

To build a lightweight rifle you have to use lightweight components. A Remington action is the lightest, and as good as anything else. The Howa/Weatherby actions are good, but weigh over a pound more than Remington.

If you want a light rifle there are only 3 stocks to consider. McMillan builds a 21oz. stock. Brown Precision will build you a 16 oz. stock and Bansners will go even lighter. All are good, but McMillan is the only one that will sell you a finished stock that drops in and fits. The others require you to do the final fitting and finishing.

Forget about HS-Precision, Bell and Carlson, or Hogue if you want a light rifle. They work OK in heavy tactical rifles, but are just too heavy for hunting rifles. The lightest stock Bell and Carlson makes is 30 oz and they only offer it for 2 rifles. Everything else is 36-40 oz. HS and Hogue stocks are even heavier. The Hogue I took off one rifle weighed 50 oz.

 

[slush]

CZ 527 would/is my choice.