Lightweight Bolt Action?

[Franko]

I am getting ready to build a lightweight long action hunting rifle. I am looking at saving weight and am considering the following actions:

1. Defiance Machine Anti-X - 23.4 oz
2. Terminus Kratos Lite - 27.2 oz
3. Bat Machine Vampire - 25 oz

Does anyone have any thoughts on which of these actions they would prefer or any cautionary tales? Are there any other actions I should consider? I am trying to stay away from titanium actions.

Thank you.

 

[butchlambert]

My 280AI is built on a Pierce TI receiver LA 20.8oz and SA 18.5 ox. Great people to deal with.
You can reduce that with the lightweight bolt by 1.5oz.

 

[boltfluter]

A friend has the Defiance AnTi on order. I have heard good things, but have not seen one in person. Sorry.

Paul

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Arc nucleus.

 

[284winner]

As Butch said, John makes some ultralight actions that run with the best of them. Check it out

 

[Dave Way]

I’m putting together a super light 6.5x47L right now. Defiance anTi model seven length action, 19.3 ounces, all stainless and really smooth.



Dave.

 

[Mulligan]

SUMMIT Titanium % - Pure Precision

SUMMIT TI action complements what we started with the CRUX TI action. We kept the base features of the CRUX TI action and expanded on some key features to set the SUMMIT TI above and beyond making one of the LIGHTEST, FEATURE RICH ACTIONS IN THE WORLD! SHORT ACTION WEIGHT: 19 OZ LONG ACTION...

mesaprecisionarms.com

I hear these folks build a dandy action.
CW

 

[Jud96]

Pierce Titanium Featherweight

 

[jackieschmidt]

Now THAT is light.

 

[wedgy]

What cartridge/bullet and how far are you looking to shoot at what animal are the questions you should be asking. Lightweight rifles can be very difficult to shoot for many reasons, the balance being one of them. More info is needed... I have a ~6.7lb scoped 6.5x284 that flies straight up when fired. It is a whole different style to shoot really light rifles. The XLR chassis magnesium is 28oz if you want to go that route and CF stocks can be in the 18 oz range.
A Rem 700 SA is 26 oz so don't think you need a lightweight custom. Hells Canyon and Carbon 6 are much lighter than Proof barrels, for that matter a slim steel barrel will always be lighter than a CF barrel. Don't obsess about Ti bolts and firing pins.... skip breakfast and save 2lbs and $2,000
There are a thousand "lightweight rifle" & "lightweight scope" threads on Long Range Hunting Forum where I think you will find more info.
Been down that rabbit hole and 8lbs is a gun you can pack and hunt to ~1,000 yards if you practice,10lbs is even better.

 

[Franko]

What cartridge/bullet and how far are you looking to shoot at what animal are the questions you should be asking. Lightweight rifles can be very difficult to shoot for many reasons, the balance being one of them. More info is needed... I have a ~6.7lb scoped 6.5x284 that flies straight up when fired. It is a whole different style to shoot really light rifles. The XLR chassis magnesium is 28oz if you want to go that route and CF stocks can be in the 18 oz range.
A Rem 700 SA is 26 oz so don't think you need a lightweight custom. Hells Canyon and Carbon 6 are much lighter than Proof barrels, for that matter a slim steel barrel will always be lighter than a CF barrel. Don't obsess about Ti bolts and firing pins.... skip breakfast and save 2lbs and $2,000
There are a thousand "lightweight rifle" & "lightweight scope" threads on Long Range Hunting Forum where I think you will find more info.
Been down that rabbit hole and 8lbs is a gun you can pack and hunt to ~1,000 yards if you practice,10lbs is even better.

This is going to be a "do it all gun" chambered in 7mm Remington Magnum for deer and elk. I live in California but have friends and family in Montana and Utah so this is going to be open country hunting on public land and I expect to be doing a lot of hiking. I am only comfortable shooting to 400 yards on game right now and because of where I live copper monolithics are going to be the order of the day. As my skills improve I expect to develop a second long ranged load based on the 180gr ELD-M or 190gr A-Tip. I expect the final rifle weight to be in the 8.5 to 9 pound range.

I am going to build it myself as I want a fast twist (1 in 8) and the ability to easily swap out a barrel as I expect to burn out one or two while practicing. I also like to tinker...

Thanks to everyone so far for all the advice.

 

[FeMan]

I agree with Wedgy. I was obsessed with ultra light hunting rifles about 30 years ago. I built one and tried a few more. They were very difficult to shoot with consistent accuracy. I gave up on the idea.

These days, my "light" hunting rifles weigh 9.5 lbs and my every day hunting rifles weigh 12.5 lbs. Even on long backpack trips, the 12 lb rifles end up going with me. I am not about to chance the shot after all that exertion!

 

[Rtheurer]

Nothing worse than a Light rifle with a Heavy trigger... Keep that in mind.

 

[FeMan]

I also live in CA. Two recent builds have been on Tikka T3 actions. I have had the receivers faced and Rem-style recoil lugs put on them. One is 6.5 SAUM with a proof carbon and the other 284 Win with a 4.5 contour. Both shoot lights-out accurate. The SAUM weighs 9 lbs and the 284 weighs 9.5. That seems to meet your target and may be a possibility. The 284 in an 8.5 twist is hard to beat.

 

[butchlambert]

My 280AI has a real lightweight barrel from Stan Taylor at Douglas and Mark Brown (Brown Precision) put together a custom Kevlar stock for it. A wonderful rifle, but not the best to shoot off hand. It does punish you on the bench.

 

[Edd]

I’m putting together a super light 6.5x47L right now. Defiance anTi model seven length action, 19.3 ounces, all stainless and really smooth.

View attachment 1233429

Dave.

Do you have a picture of the bottom of that receiver you could post?

 

[Dave Way]

Do you have a picture of the bottom of that receiver you could post?

Only one I have. It’s at the gunsmiths.

 

[Edd]

That shows what I was wanting to know, thanks.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

Arc nucleus.

Dusty, per ARC web site the LA Nucleus is 34 oz. I didn’t realize they are that heavy.

 

[wedgy]

This is going to be a "do it all gun" chambered in 7mm Remington Magnum for deer and elk. I live in California but have friends and family in Montana and Utah so this is going to be open country hunting on public land and I expect to be doing a lot of hiking. I am only comfortable shooting to 400 yards on game right now and because of where I live copper monolithics are going to be the order of the day. As my skills improve I expect to develop a second long ranged load based on the 180gr ELD-M or 190gr A-Tip. I expect the final rifle weight to be in the 8.5 to 9 pound range.

I am going to build it myself as I want a fast twist (1 in 8) and the ability to easily swap out a barrel as I expect to burn out one or two while practicing. I also like to tinker...

Thanks to everyone so far for all the advice.

I also live in CA and took my wyoming cow at 987 yards last october with a 300 RUM and 227 grain non lead Hammer Hunter, I built it with a $500 stocky's carbon stock(28oz , very similar to an EH1 and they have inventory unlike manner 9 month wait), a 7 twist X-caliber CF barrel with a nut on special $575, an $1100 rebranded defiance from ragged hole barrels, and a 5 port beast from muzzle brakes and more for $110. After all the lightweight items the only scope I had available was a 5-25x56 ATACR which is far from lightweight LOL
You might consider a Sherman cartridge in the 7mm, they have incredible performance, efficiency, and barrel life. You can get a prefit in a sherman from Preferred Barrel Blanks, they have all the reamers. Message me if you have any build question.
If you stick with the 7RM look at the Absolute Hammers, it is a different type of bullets that gets much higher velocity from an ogive that does not touch the rifling = less pressure & higher velocity, like ~3,400 fps with a 140 grain, yes. Conventional load data does not apply as they need much faster powders. As soon as I finish up some 143 Hammer Hunters (3,160 fps with H1000) I will switch it out to the Absolute 140's. This is a friends childhood rifle(wood stock)that the barrel was toast and I rebarreled it with the same profile X-caliber and added a $40 Harrel's Precision brake that I cut the last port off. It shoots great so far !

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