I want a lightweight walking around rifle

[Freezer]

    I think I own the rifle he wants.  It's a custom Rem Model 7 chambered in 7 TCU!  Lite, accurate, lite recoil, and can drop deer out to 200yrds no problem.  It wears a 2x7 leupold and weighs about 6 1/2 lbs maybe 6 even.

[mannyrock]

Hmmmmm,

    If you are thinking of a .223, then better first check to make sure that it is legal to hunt deer in your state with a .223.  In most states, it is not legal.

   I know that lots and lots of folks who have never tried it may disagree, but out to 100 yards, the .357 mag is a very very good choice.  I have seen two Marlin model 1894s, with compact 3x scopes, consistently shoot 1.5 inch groups at 100 yards, from a bench, using just the plain, factory PMC 158 grain softpoints.  In other words,the .357, in the 1894, can be very very accurate.  And, the recoil is almost nothing! It is a wonderfully light, quick, versatile rifle, and it will absolutely hammer a 100 pound animal out to 100 yards.

   I know you are a bolt guy (I am too) but my advice would be to just try a Marlin 1894.  They are much much better carrying guns than the average lightweight bolt gun.  You can find a very good used 1894 at most big gunshows for about $375 to $425.  Unlike most lightweight bolt guns, they are not butt-heavy.  They are perfectly balanced.

   If that is out of your price range, then I would also suggest that you just try an NEF Handirifle, in .357 mag (or .223 if you prefer).   I never thought that I would like a rifle like this, but my brother has one, and after shooting and handling it for just an hour or so, I fell in love with it. It is the ultimate "carry around"  "knock-about" in the woods rifle.  Even with a scope, it carries and feels like a small .410 shotgun, and it brings back great memories when you crack open the action and eject that nice brass shell.

   In my humble opinion, the .223 (although it is a great long range varmint round) is a very bad round for knocking around in the woods, or small fields and woods.  It is very very loud, it will probably travel 2 miles if you have an errant shot, it is a very poor deer round compared to a .357 mag with a core-bon hunting load (out to 100 yards), and it is far more expensive than the .357 round.  After 100 yards or so, the .357 round is loosing steam really fast, and probably doesn't travel much farther than a sabot round in black powder rifle.

      If you are really dead set on a bolt gun, then I would respectfully say that what you are asking for (accurate gun, with scope/rings, under 6 pounds) does not exist in any bargain or economy rifle.  Don't waste your time trying to find one.  This combo is the "Holy-Grail" of bolt gun hunters, and requires very very expensive engineering and design, for which people routinely pay $1,000 to $2,000..  The Ultra-Light Arms version is a perfect example. A great rifle, and a high price to match.

    Just my thoughts.

Regards,

Mannyrock.


   

[Brithunter]

This combo is the "Holy-Grail" of bolt gun hunters, and requires very very expensive engineering and design, for which people routinely pay $1,000 to $2,000..  The Ultra-Light Arms version is a perfect example. A great rifle, and a high price to match

?

   Whilst it might be YOUR Hoy Grail it certainly is not mine  as for $1000 rifles well that just the normal price of the over rated Remington 700 here in fact the BDL retails at around $1200. Me I managed perfectly well with standard weight rifles most of the time although I do have a few that are light in weight like a couple of the Majestci Featherweights, one in 270 Win and the other in .243 Win, mainly because I collect BSA rifles  . Most of the others weigh 8lbs+ without scopes and mounts and though I may not be the fittest person it does not make it difficult to hunt with. Of course the density of the wood varies and so does th weight of the rifle, one a bespoke (custom) rifle has very well figured walnut on it that weighs as much if not more that the ,metalwork on the rifle, another a Parker-Hale 1200 Super has light coloured walnut that is very light.

[Freezer]

    For some folks weight means a lot.  Where I hunt in N. Cal the hills are very steep, the brush can be very heavy and the temperature hot.  That said I carry a Savage 99f (308) and a model 7 (7 TCU).  I also own a Rem 700 (280) but I don't carry it unless I plan on a long shot and won't be walking more than a mile.  Most of my shots range from 25 feet to 200 yards.  Big bore rifles are not required.  None are expensive or fancy but all will hold sub moa.   IMHO a gun for walking around doesn't need fancy wood that's going to get beat up.  For the man who started this post 50 rounds of 243 is too much but he doesn't say what he wants to shoot at while walking with this gun.  Caliber choice is critical but I'd just stop shooting so many 243's or switch to liter bullets to cut the recoil more, a better recoil pad might also solve his problems for allot less than a new gun.

[Brithunter]

IMHO a gun for walking around doesn't need fancy wood that's going to get beat up.

No it does not but then again with normal care it should not get beat up sure it will get some marks but that's the beauty of an oil finished stock it can be maintained and small marks removed quite easlily as is in the case with this :-









As you can see it's used for hunting and before you ask yes the Doe is fully grown  that's a Reeves Muntjac Doe and they are very fine eating  . This rifle weighs probably nearer to 9lbs due to the walnut being dense and heavy, oh it's chambered for 30-30 Winchester. Now this one is much lighter and proably weighs a shace under 8 lbs the walnut is very light on this one :-



It's a Parker-Hale 1200 super in 7.92mm (8x57) with Leupold QR lever rings and a 2.5-8 vari X 111 with 196 grain European ammo recoil is stout.

  Yes the Original Poster was lacking in information in their opening post  as for 50 rounds of 243 being enough perhaps more practice would help and improving their techinque and it's often a technique problem which causes discomfort whilst shooting especially the lighter chamberings like 243 win. A decent recoil pad certainly cannot hurt and is a very good suggestion  .

[243dave]

Brithunter, that is a beautiful 30-30 boltgun. And that doe sure is big !!  Not really, but you could make a big sandwich out of it.     Dave

[Brithunter]

Ahhh Dave not big but beautifully formed  the meat on these is very fine and I mean fine grained with no fat a bit like the tender lions of a Whitetail but it's darker than that of a Whitetail. Needs careful cooking though as beign so free of fat it is eay to dry it out 

Thank you I am rather partial to that 30-30 

[Freezer]

    Beautful rifle!  As for the size of your deer, its not the size its the hunt!  I hunt Coastal Blacktail in N Cal.  Their not very big but is one of the hardest animals to hunt.  Average sucess rate in Cal is one deer every nine years.  I've gotten one every year and some times two.  Alas we're not permitted to shoot doe  
    As for nice wood, not where I hunt!  I had refinished a nice Savage 99f and on my first hunt with it I slipped on a shale slide, it isn't as pretty now and will stay that way as a reminder to me. 

[Brithunter]

Here in the UK female deer have their own seasons, those that have seasons that is, Red Hinds have a season as do Fallow Does, Sika does, and Roe Does in fact they have just extended the Roe Doe season by a month as we have too many deer. Modern argriculture and milder winters have caused a population explosion with the results that traffic accidents are way up involving deer. Of course the rising number of cars on the roads and the exploding population though immigration and breeding of people is also a factor but one thta's never mentioned in the media  . Regardless of that there are certainly more deer and in more places now. We are getting urban deer like unrban foxes which the townies think is cute  they have not learnt that the foxes are problems and the deer will be the same.

  It will not be until some kids or folks have been attacked by a Roe Buck a few times before the screams start and the cuddly bit is forgotton  ;)as it is there are about 60 recorded attacks on people by deer here a year already but the media supresses that.

   We have deer hunting all year round here what with Six huntable species of deer, two of which have no close season due to ther breeding cycle. Muntjac breed all year round and the Doe will mate again within a week to 10 days of birthing.

[Cabin4]

Reasonabally priced bolts under 6lbs
Browning A Bolt Ti
Kimber 84m Montana
Rem M700

In a lever gun I like the Win 94 or the Puma 92 with the 16 inch bbl. Not sure if there under 6lbs but they will be close.

[lucky guy]

Hard to beat the CZ 527 American, I don't know the exact weight but really easy rifle to live with and very accurate.

[Cabin4]

Hard to beat the CZ 527 American, I don't know the exact weight but really easy rifle to live with and very accurate.

The CZ's come in at 8lbs. Another good one I forgot is the Tika T3 Lite. At 6lbs 3oz, its close enough and they are great very reasonably priced gun for the money. Around $500! My next bolt gun will likely be a Tika T3 Lite Stanless in 25-06.

[243dave]

Its the CZ 550 that comes in at 8lbs. The 527 American is 6.3lbs.  Check out the 527 carbine at 5.9 lbs in 7.62x39 and 223.  http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=15

[Cabin4]

Its the CZ 550 that comes in at 8lbs. The 527 American is 6.3lbs.  Check out the 527 carbine at 5.9 lbs in 7.62x39 and 223.  http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=15

My mistake. Thanks for pointing that out. Then these CZ's both should be on the list of affordable guns in the 6lb ish range at an affordable price. The 527 carbine is a very cool little gun. I handled one of those at a gun shop a few years back when I was living in PA. I remember it being a really neat package but did not remember how light it was.