Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow
member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2007
- Messages
- 13,146
This is gonna be pretty random, as I'm just piecing together different ideas for this future build, so any and all help/experience you can offer in the way of lightweight turnbolt rifles will be helpful, custom or otherwise:
The caliber is going to be .280 Rem, or possibly .280 Rem AI. The barrel length will be 24". The weight will be "as light as posible while still retaining quality and accuracy, given these constraints of long action and 24" bbl."
The action, barrel, optics and everything else are up for grabs.
1. First off, is there any high-quality or very-high-quality 3-9x40 optic LIGHTER WEIGHT than the Trijicon Accupoint? If so, what are my options in 3-9x40 or 2.5-10x40 ish scopes with a very light weight? I really don't think there's any way I'm gonna beat the Accupoint for quality / weight, etc., but chime in if you have an alternative.
2. Next, what in the HELL is the deal with Kimber and their website vis a vis and their supposed upcoming/current 84L model? Their website is all over the place and incomplete - sometimes it doesn't mention this at all being offered in .280 AI, but one place that it does. Is this gun reality or vaporware? If reality, is it just the OTHER 84Ls that are reality, or even the .280 AI one too? At one point the Kimber website actually says that the 84L's barrel is made "from aluminum" (kid you not), not steel barrel with aluminum shroud - what in the heck? I filed this under "can't be true", but what's the real deal here? Aluminum-shrouded steel barrel "sleeve", I'm guessing. Obviously, if the barrel is steel, and these are really as as light as they are supposed to be, then I'm very very interested. Not the original 84 mind you but the new 84L, in the .30-06 family of cartridges and similar. [[If the barrel is really aluminum, then "good luck with that", Kimber, lol.]]
3. Can you even get Talley base/ rings for the Kimber 84 L (maybe same as 8400 specs?)? If not what are the highest quality base/rings which are very lightweight (i.e. high quality aluminum)? If I don't go with the Kimber, and if not Talley, then what other rings are out there with this description I might consider? If Talley, then which Talley rings for which receiver? (consider Kimber, Remington, Savage, Winchester, Browning, etc.) Believe it or not, the base/ring weight and choice could potentially actually swing my rifle choice, given potential compatibility issues. Want to have as light as possible, and the base rings are a big component here in shaving off that last quarter to half pound.
4. What other off the shelf, custom, and semi-custom ideas do you have for me, trying to keep it under $2250 -$2500 for everything including scope if possible? Remington, Browning, Savage, Winchester, etc. Maybe I should shell out for the Remington Alaskan Ti in .280, since it's already very close to what I want, and ditch the Kimber idea. Or go full-custom - if so, what specific action/barrel/gunsmith/etc. combo do you recommend for this specific project? If you recommend custom or factory for that matter, which lightweight, high-quality base & rings will I actually be able to find that fit the rifle action you recommend? (PS. The Remington Alasakan Ti would be a no-brainer here but for the fact that I prefer the refinements in safety and elsewhere on the Kimber).
5. Finally, got to ask the caliber question (again) - all other factors being equal (which they're not I recognize), which would you pick - .280 rem or .280 rem AI? Evidently/allegedly, Kimber is trying to cause a standardization of .280 AI with their new offering, but I've yet to see any proof that it's not still vaporware at this point. Leaning toward the regular .280 rem.
Oh, the rifle only need carry 2 in the mag (2+1) to make me happy. Now 3+1 or more wouldn't hurt, but it's not needed, if it's the difference in weight savings or not. As you can see, given the $$ constraint, the chambering, rifle, and base/ring choices all become intertwined here, since a true custom .280 AI would be that much more expensive to have made. Although, heck, maybe not - maybe a Stevens 200 / .280 AI barrel / gunsmith/ Talley gear / Accupoint will still come in under weight and budget easily (I guess depending upon exactly what weight I'm happy with here). I'm keeping an open mind, and I don't *have* to have the finish / refinements of the Kimber, Winchester, or similar, though that would be preferred. And the "extra weight savings" which stems from the Remington Ti action or this new Kimber 84L action / bbl combo would be highly preferred, obviously.
Full custom receiver is out of the question due to budget, it appears. Cooper of Montana probably blows budget too.
I'm gonna do stock choice later. I'm gonna get the rifle with whatever stock it comes with, then probably later go with full on custom stock, so the $2500 need not include nice stock. Obviously, if going with the Kimber or Alaskan Ti, it will already come with a nice stock. But consider the stock a possible changeable afterthought here, for purposes of my questions and the $2500 budget. I'm focusing on action, barrel, base/rings, and scope at the moment - those 4 categories.
The caliber is going to be .280 Rem, or possibly .280 Rem AI. The barrel length will be 24". The weight will be "as light as posible while still retaining quality and accuracy, given these constraints of long action and 24" bbl."
The action, barrel, optics and everything else are up for grabs.
1. First off, is there any high-quality or very-high-quality 3-9x40 optic LIGHTER WEIGHT than the Trijicon Accupoint? If so, what are my options in 3-9x40 or 2.5-10x40 ish scopes with a very light weight? I really don't think there's any way I'm gonna beat the Accupoint for quality / weight, etc., but chime in if you have an alternative.
2. Next, what in the HELL is the deal with Kimber and their website vis a vis and their supposed upcoming/current 84L model? Their website is all over the place and incomplete - sometimes it doesn't mention this at all being offered in .280 AI, but one place that it does. Is this gun reality or vaporware? If reality, is it just the OTHER 84Ls that are reality, or even the .280 AI one too? At one point the Kimber website actually says that the 84L's barrel is made "from aluminum" (kid you not), not steel barrel with aluminum shroud - what in the heck? I filed this under "can't be true", but what's the real deal here? Aluminum-shrouded steel barrel "sleeve", I'm guessing. Obviously, if the barrel is steel, and these are really as as light as they are supposed to be, then I'm very very interested. Not the original 84 mind you but the new 84L, in the .30-06 family of cartridges and similar. [[If the barrel is really aluminum, then "good luck with that", Kimber, lol.]]
3. Can you even get Talley base/ rings for the Kimber 84 L (maybe same as 8400 specs?)? If not what are the highest quality base/rings which are very lightweight (i.e. high quality aluminum)? If I don't go with the Kimber, and if not Talley, then what other rings are out there with this description I might consider? If Talley, then which Talley rings for which receiver? (consider Kimber, Remington, Savage, Winchester, Browning, etc.) Believe it or not, the base/ring weight and choice could potentially actually swing my rifle choice, given potential compatibility issues. Want to have as light as possible, and the base rings are a big component here in shaving off that last quarter to half pound.
4. What other off the shelf, custom, and semi-custom ideas do you have for me, trying to keep it under $2250 -$2500 for everything including scope if possible? Remington, Browning, Savage, Winchester, etc. Maybe I should shell out for the Remington Alaskan Ti in .280, since it's already very close to what I want, and ditch the Kimber idea. Or go full-custom - if so, what specific action/barrel/gunsmith/etc. combo do you recommend for this specific project? If you recommend custom or factory for that matter, which lightweight, high-quality base & rings will I actually be able to find that fit the rifle action you recommend? (PS. The Remington Alasakan Ti would be a no-brainer here but for the fact that I prefer the refinements in safety and elsewhere on the Kimber).
5. Finally, got to ask the caliber question (again) - all other factors being equal (which they're not I recognize), which would you pick - .280 rem or .280 rem AI? Evidently/allegedly, Kimber is trying to cause a standardization of .280 AI with their new offering, but I've yet to see any proof that it's not still vaporware at this point. Leaning toward the regular .280 rem.
Oh, the rifle only need carry 2 in the mag (2+1) to make me happy. Now 3+1 or more wouldn't hurt, but it's not needed, if it's the difference in weight savings or not. As you can see, given the $$ constraint, the chambering, rifle, and base/ring choices all become intertwined here, since a true custom .280 AI would be that much more expensive to have made. Although, heck, maybe not - maybe a Stevens 200 / .280 AI barrel / gunsmith/ Talley gear / Accupoint will still come in under weight and budget easily (I guess depending upon exactly what weight I'm happy with here). I'm keeping an open mind, and I don't *have* to have the finish / refinements of the Kimber, Winchester, or similar, though that would be preferred. And the "extra weight savings" which stems from the Remington Ti action or this new Kimber 84L action / bbl combo would be highly preferred, obviously.
Full custom receiver is out of the question due to budget, it appears. Cooper of Montana probably blows budget too.
I'm gonna do stock choice later. I'm gonna get the rifle with whatever stock it comes with, then probably later go with full on custom stock, so the $2500 need not include nice stock. Obviously, if going with the Kimber or Alaskan Ti, it will already come with a nice stock. But consider the stock a possible changeable afterthought here, for purposes of my questions and the $2500 budget. I'm focusing on action, barrel, base/rings, and scope at the moment - those 4 categories.
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