Ultralite

[ScoutMan]

Does any one know if the Ultralight series scoped and slung but unloaded comes in weighing less than 7 1/2 lbs.? Compact? Frontier?

[flathead]

My walnut compact, Leupold 2X7X33mm, plus leather sling, unloaded comes in at 6#13oz.

My Browning Micro Hunter, same scope and sling is 7#10oz. Compare the specs and the Browning Micros and the Ruger Ultalite are virtually identical.

[3DTESTIFY]

My Ruger M77RL walnut ultralite, 20" barrel with Leupold 4x33mm & leather Montana sling weight #7lbs. even unloaded.

[3DTESTIFY]

F.Y.I. My rifle weights #6lbs. 1oz. & is on the light side. Walnut stock wood density varies from lot to lot & Ruger even has a disclaimer in their catalog stating this fact.  My suspicion is I have a light density stock Due to it's straight grain pattern(very little figure). Ruger's website also lists some of the short action ultralites heavier than their long action counterparts. Go figure!

[ScoutMan]

My Compact comes in at 7# 5 oz. It has the laminated stock.

[3DTESTIFY]

I hear you, the laminated stocks are heavier. Ruger list their compact lam. at #6-1/4lbs & the walnut at #5-3/4lbs. The Frontiers with lam. & barrel rib at #6-3/4lbs. Ruger also lists the walnut Ultralites as follows, SA .308 at #6-1/4lbs, SA .223 & .243 at #6-3/4lbs,  LA .270 & .30-06 at #6-1/2lbs & LA .257 at #6-3/4lbs. Like I said, go figure.

[3DTESTIFY]

ScoutMan, I apologize for getting sidetracked. As to your original question, yes the synthetic or walnut stocked short action Ruger M77 Ultralite with a 8oz. to 9oz. lightweight scope & minimalist sling should weight in under #7lbs 8oz. unloaded.

[Rangr44]

So will a short-stroke (.243/.308) RSI International.
Mine weighs 6lb 3oz, bareback.

[3DTESTIFY]

Your RSI is definitely on the light side. Mount a scope of the 8oz. to 9oz. range, I.E. 1.5x5/20mm Leupold & a minimalist sling and your rig will be under 7Lb. 8oz.

[ScoutMan]

As I observe the "flavor" of the responses to this thead, I come to the following conclusion. At about 7.5 llbs, handiness and friendlleness of the rifle is optimum. Above that the rifle starts to feel clumbsy and awkward. Myself, I've given up the telescope on certain rifles and opted for a ghost ring post in order to get the weight limitation down to that criteria. As Jeff Cooper (RIP) has so aptly stated, a telescope is not needed in about 90% of big game hunting situations.

[Old Griz]

I guess old Jeff could see a whole heck of a lot better than I can! 

[Coyote Hunter]

… Myself, I've given up the telescope on certain rifles and opted for a ghost ring post in order to get the weight limitation down to that criteria. As Jeff Cooper (RIP) has so aptly stated, a telescope is not needed in about 90% of big game hunting situations.

Much as I enjoyed reading Col. Cooper, I often found I disagreed with what he had to say.

The flip side of “a telescope is not needed in about 90% of big game hunting situations” is “a telescope is needed in about 10% of big game hunting situations”.  In 25 years of hunting Colorado big game, I can only think of one situation where a scope hindered my ability to take game.  For me the case is clear – I can go without a scope and miss out on the 10% of the shot opportunities where a scope is needed or have one and miss out on the extremely rare situation where it is a hindrance.

Actually, given my eyes, and comfort level shooting without a scope, I’d have to put MY percentage of shots where a scope is needed at a much higher figure than Cooper’s 10%.  All due respect to the Colonel, I’m keeping my scopes.

[Old Griz]

Maybe what Cooper was talking about, since it was Cooper, and he could - and did -  hunt any and every where (not like most of us), "big game" to him was Africa and large dangerous critters and a PH guiding you. Not a 150 lb. whitetail 200 yards away on the edge of a field.

[Coyote Hunter]

Old Griz -

I dare say that even if you include trips to Africa by North Americans, well over 90% of the time the game is elk and smaller.  I’ll stand by my comments and continue to disagree with the Colonel.

[Skeezix]

This thread got me curious, so I got out my tang safety UltraLight in .250-3000 and weighed it and it tipped the scales at 7 lbs 0 oz.  The sling is an old 1 1/4" wide Hunter Whelen and I took it off and weighed it and it was 12 oz by itself.  I found that hard to believe, so I weighed the rifle without the sling and it was 6 lbs 4 oz., so that sling is quite a bit heavier than I though it would be.  And the scope is a Leupold Vari-X III 2.5-8x38.

This rig's going speed-goat hunting in Wyoming in about 3 weeks.

[3DTESTIFY]

Skeezix, your .250 Savage tang safety Ultra Light is a rare one, so hang on to it. I've seen them on  Gunbroker go for $1,000.00 or more. Wish I had one! My own MKII Ultra Light is in .257 Roberts & it's my favorite rifle.