A real lightweight..

[GatCat]

A few years ago I bought an H&R Model 58, .30-30, made in '83 (  #AX..). Anyway, it has the tapered 22" barrel, which is a pound lighter then the current .30-30. I replaced the wood, straight-grip stock set with Handi plastic, pistol-grip, straight comb ( lighter then monte-carlo ). Took off the open sights, put on a Grim-reaper scope mount ( looks heavy, but is milled aluminum, and though kind of bulky, is lighter then H&R base and weaver rings. Mounted a used Leupold compact 4X ( no longer made, I believe ). Replaced the butt-stock bolt with a titanium bolt ( you can see things are getting out of hand !!). And finally put a plastic butt-plate in place of recoil pad. With a chambered round, it is 5 lbs, 13 oz. FWIW.
Once it was done, I couldn't help but laugh at myself, thinking of what a gunsmith said in " The Book of the Springfield" about lightweights, something to the effect that people who worry about such things should first wash the dirt from behind their ears!!
It is kind of neat, though. Shot good before, no reason it shouldn't be as good, now.
Mark

[Spanky]

You could always put the sights back on and remove the scope. Then cut the barrel down to 18" or so and you would have a real lightweight!! A 4.5# hunting rifle sounds good doesn't it.

My 12 gauge shorty weighs in at just under 5 pounds. It's a joy to carry but shooting it with 3" magnums isn't fun!!


Spanky

[GatCat]

Spanky, I've got a .44mag handi that I cut down to 16 1/2", turned the barrel down, and IT has open sights. But, with spitzer bullets the old .30-30 is an adequate 250 plus yard deer masher, and I need a scope for that potential. Without going nuts, I"m about at the end of the scale. The only other thought, pending gunsmith approval and participation, is the following: The barrel is much thicker in diameter then needed in the chamber area. Rather then turn in down,it should be able to be seriously fluted, like deep splines, at least to the depth of the factory tapping for scope mounts, for 4 or 5 inches in lenght. Also, the underlug "should" be able to have  lightening holes drilled through it, swiss-cheesed, without comprimising strength. It would be kinda fun to do, but I think I'll stop while I'm ahead, and maybe concentrate on taking weight of ME instead!! I should weigh it with the 20 gauge barrel it also came with; it would be a feather for sure!!
Mark