I want a lightweight walking around rifle

[Old Hunter]

Lets say about 6 lbs with scope and rings in either 223  or 243 or even 357 mag.  I had a 243 Sako Forrester and at the range after say 50 rounds or so it became very tireing on my shoulder, I just don't need that pounding any more, so I'm  leaning twords the 223 or 357. I'll be hunting game under 100 lbs. Please let me know what you think. I know some of the guys use a 357 handgun to hunt deer , so I figure a rifle ought to be even better.

[burntmuch]

Id go with a 223 with a synthetic stock.  OR a Nef single shot 357 max. Ive got one with a 18 inch barrel & love it.

[cgoff]

  your gonna pay alot of money to get a rifle that light.  None of the major gun companies make a rifle light enough to make that happen, most of thier light weight rifles start at around 6.5 lbs.

[trotterlg]

This rifle weighs in at 6 1/4 pounds just like you see it, 3-9X40 scope, a light weight scope would probably get it to 6 even and a little more work on the barrel would get it to 5 3/4 I would say.  This one is in 17 Remington FB, but it would be easy to duplicate it in .223, 30 Carbine, .32 H&R Mag or 38, or? ?.  Larry

[whiskey101]

The Marlin 1894C in .357 is a fine gun that weighs only 6 pounds without a scope. However, you posted this in bolt action rifles, so I am guessing you want to stay with a bolt gun. Before moving on, I will say that I have carried an 1894C around the woods and the balance makes it feel even lighter than it is. With the XS sights systems Scout Scope mount and an EER compact scope you could have about the perfect walking around / fast action brush gun.

For a litte smaller bolt gun you could check out the Youth rifles by Savage and Remington. The Savage website list the 11 series Youth with scope at 6.5 pounds and available in .223.

I just bought a Remington 700 SPS Youth in .243 and with a Bushnell Elite 3200 Short Action Compact Scope it weighs in just barely over 7 pounds. This is light enough for me in .243

[Chilachuck]

The only rifle I know that qualifies is the Kel-Tec Sub-2000, and that's a semi auto. There's four configurations, 9mm or .40S&W and Glock or "not-Glock". The 9mm +P is supposed to pick up enough steam to be in the .357 class. I don't recall anything about the 40S&W ballistics, but that's a more powerful cartridge, IIRC, so the extra barrel probably makes it more powerful than a .357mag. I don't know.

People keep trying to sell them in Auction Arms for over $300 (figure $50 more for shipping and ffl assistance), with few buyers. You might find one near you without the $50 extra that's worth buying.

The part I like best is that it folds in half (make certain the gun is unloaded first or you can break the extractor), making the gun very easy to store and safe to handle, as the chamber is separated from the firing pin. No way in the world for it to fire while folded unless you really work at it.

There's a Kel-Tec forum here, with little activity. This one is pretty active:

http://www.ktog.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?board=102

My .40S&W Sub-2000 needed a bit of clean up, casting flashings sticking out, a little warpage, etc, but it's shaping up fairly well.

[WyoStillhunter]

Remington Model Seven CDL in .223 or .22-250 with an ultra light scope would come close to your wishes.

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire_rifles/model_seven/model_seven_CDL_specs.asp

[243dave]

OH,  CZ makes the 527 carbine chambered for the 7.62x39 and the 223, these are nice little rifles under six pounds with a detachable magazine and 18'' barrel . For in between 5 & 6 hundred one can be yours !!! I'd like to have one in the 7.62 for a stand gun where shots on deer are under 100yds. I think I can load it to be a 30-30. Of course I don't need it I got a 45colt in a winchester trapper. I load it with 300gr bullets and enough h-110 for 150yd shots and enough power too penatrate a deer length-wise. But my plinking load is 250gr. hard-cast bullets at around 900fps, recoil is nothing and is about as loud as a 22 hornet, my 11yr old boy likes to shoot this one. I would shoot a deer to 75 yds with this combo. Dave 

[ftlupton]

I just bought a Savage 340 in 30-30, very light, $150 range and you can load the 30-30 anyway you want from light to heavy with cast. It just might replace my 336 for a woods rifle. They are fairly common on the used racks and really accurate.

[Rangr44]

A weight of 6lbs, including scope & rings, is an unreasonable expectation in an affordable, readily-available bolt-action .223 repeating rifle.

A NULA is about 5lbs bareback - but it will have to be ordered, and financed as well, probably.

OTOH, however, there are a few that run just about 6lbs bareback, to which a lightweight scope & mount can be added.

The .223 CZ-527 is a mini-Mauser; and Savage recently unveiled a new, miniature turnbolt for 2008 in .223 called the Model 25 Classic Sporter (they make heavier varmint M-25's as well).

Scroll down in this hyperlink for a pic of the Savage Sporter:

http://www.savagearms.com/2008_pressrelease.htm

.

[tanoose]

The Browning mountain TI comes in 243 at around 5.8 pounds you'll be 6 1/4 to 6 1/2 with a scope They sell for around $1500 Or you can pick up a ruger ultra light model 77 stainless  which has a stock weight of around 2 pounds  for a total weight of 6 1/2 pounds and then have a custom stock made . I have seen custom stocks weight in at 1 pound . this would give you a 5 1/2 pound rifle .I'll send you the stock manuf. when i find it.

[tanoose]

Old Hunter , i like the 223 in the ruger 77 with an ultra light stock , the following sight has 1 pound stocks ,but take a long look at there summit xl it weights in at 12 ozs .This would give you a rifle weight of 5 pounds 4 ozs  put on a set of alum.leupold rifleman rings and a leupol ultralight scope and your at 6 pounds if not just under . Good luck   www.lonewolfriflestocks.com

[kyelkhunter3006]

There's been a lot of good ideas posted here, but I'll ask the #1 question.... How much do you want to spend on it?  If money is not an object, then New Ultra Light Arms is the way to go in a bolt action.  At the other end of the spectrum, (about 10% of the cost of the NULA) if you can handle 7-7.5 lbs, you could probably get a Stevens 200 in .223 and put a light scope and mounts on it and stay under 7.5lbs.

If the single shot works for you, then you've got the T/C G2 at around 6lbs or less, depending on the barrel.  Also the NEF/H&R single shots too.

If you aren't going to be taking any shots past 100 yds, maybe 150yds, then the Marlin 1894 would probably be close to ideal, but you're still looking in the 7lb range scoped and loaded.

[Chilachuck]

I'll be hunting game under 100 lbs.

I'd wonder what sort of game animal that might be?

Sounds like you really want two firearms, one for carry and the other for the target range.

[woodchukhntr]

A CZ 527 Carbine in .223 or 7.62x39.  It is an accurate, light carbine adequate with the 7.62 for large deer.  Mine is just about perfect with a 1.5 - 4.5 X scope.

[Brithunter]

Hi All,

     Not sure where in the world the poster is located

I'll be hunting game under 100 lbs. 

    but there is plenty of game that weigh less than 100lbs, here in the UK we have three species of Deer that weigh under 100 lbs.

    As for lightweight rifles, the idea is nothing new, in fact it seems to be a recuring cycle that pops up every now and then , one such time was the late 1950's. I have a BSA Majestic Featherweight chambered in 270 Win with walnut stock that weighs 6 1/4lbs made in 1959. Not quite the 6lbs wanted by Old Hunter but this is a long action, all steel with a proper wood stock. I fitted it with an alloy tubed Lisenfeld scope in alloy Parker-Hale rings and it has prooved very effective on Deer although recoil is noticably sharper due to lack of weight.

[jeclif]

make that 3 for the CZ 527 in 762x32   and the ammo is cheap

[FourBee]

  Old Hunter;   I know this is about Bolt Actions, but when it comes to a light weight walk around type rifle that's fun to tote and more fun to shoot, the .357 , '92' lever action comes to mind, of course it has open sights too.  If you don't find a bolt gun to fit the bill, you might consider something in this line...

[woodchukhntr]

If I could have only one rifle, I would probably stick with my CZ 527 carbine.  By reloading, I have loads from small game, varmints and big game.  The only shortcoming that I see is the external magazine,  Lose that and you are screwed since it is extremely difficult to single load since you have to feed the cartridge up thru the magazine cutout and into the extractor.  I have a T/C Contender carbine with a .30-30 barrel that would fit the same role and is even lighter.  Its only shortcoming is that it is a single shot (big deal).  With a .17 HMR barrel it is my summer walking rifle.

[kyelkhunter3006]

The CZ 527 Carbine is a fine rifle for this purpose.  I used to have one (yeah, traded it, I'm dumb) it shot MOA with Wolf (ugh) 122 gr HP ammo.  I'm actually planning on getting another one very soon, and this one I'll keep.     Compact, accurate, good trigger, and well built.  It's worth every dollar.  I'll put a compact scope on it and shoot the devil out of it.

[Freezer]

    I know this is the Bolt Forum but I'm gone do it anyway,  Ruger mini 14

[Brithunter]

Yes it is the Bolt action forum, it's also the forum for rifles where the bullets hit the targets by more than chance which is more than one can say about the Mini 14 

[woodchukhntr]

Yes it is the Bolt action forum, it's also the forum for rifles where the bullets hit the targets by more than chance which is more than one can say about the Mini 14 

Not true!  I had one that would shoot  8" 100 yd. groups all day long!

[kyelkhunter3006]

LOL.  I'll have to be the one that's in the defense of the Mini, I guess (Lord help me), I don't own one, but my buddy's Ranch rifle will shoot in the 3"- 4"range with a couple of different loads.  Of course, he also has a couple of Bushmaster's that'll shoot groups better than that at 300 yds.   

[Freezer]

   I haven't shot one latly but according to GUN DIGEST MAGAZINE Ruger addressed the accuracy problem last year.

[jhm]

Well I guess I will have to throw my choice into the mix and let him decide!!  The Remington 700 TI in 7mm-08 has become one of my favorite rifles I believe it is 5.25 Lbs. + a bushnell 2X7 3200 scope a bit on the pricey side but it really dont cost that much more to go 1st. class  JIM

[WyoStillhunter]

How about a new Remington Model Seven in 22-250...replace the barrel with 250-3000 (250 Savage)?  That would be a "classic" solution to the question.

[Brithunter]

Yes it is the Bolt action forum, it's also the forum for rifles where the bullets hit the targets by more than chance which is more than one can say about the Mini 14 

Not true!  I had one that would shoot  8" 100 yd. groups all day long!

Ahh but shooting 8" groups at 25 yards is not very good is it  in fact I am surprised they put sights on them when a shotgun bead would have been more appropriate  .

[beemanbeme]

I've been following this thread with only half an eye but it seems it's two questions or problems let's say.  Old Hunter can't handle over 50 rounds of .243 from a bench.  That is one problem which is easily taken care of.  The simplest is don't shoot more than 50 times at a sitting. However, they have the Pact recoil pad that you put on your shoulder and the Packmyr (or whatever) recoil pads for the magnums that really do soak up the recoil that could be fitted on a lessor rifle. And then there are the obnoxious looking muzzle brakes that are said to work.  So he needn't go to a lesser cartridge since he won't be shooting it at game 50 times at one go. 
But then, he also wants a rifle that is super light weight. Of course, felt recoil from any cartridge is gonna increase with any reduction in weight but he will have addressed that with his recoil pads and muzzle brakes and such.  Whilst I have scopes on all my hunting rifles, one way to remove almost a pound of fat from any hunting rifle is to take the scope off.  And mount a good set of receiver(peep) sights on the rifle. Forget the awkward and ineffective back Vee or Buckhorn and front bead. I have watched GI shooting teams shoot possibles at 1000 yards with M14's using peep sights so you can't say they don't work. You have to practice with them just like with a scope but the eye automatically aligns with the center of the peep and you place the front bead where you want the bullet to hit and wha-la. They are fast and effective.  And they work in the rain.
A Marlin M336 in .35Rem passed thru my hands at one time and, being a romantic, I put a tang mounted peep on it.  My first try at 100 yards yielded a 3" group. (I did have extensive practice whilst in the service but that was a loooong time ago) 

[gstewart44]

It isn't a bolt but my walking-around-lightweight rifle is a pre-64 Winchester 94 in 3030 that my grandfather passed down.   Weighs 6 lbs even and balances perfectly at the receiver.   I can carry it all day without complaint and it is one of my most accurate rifles.   Taken many hog, deer and varmints with it.