Light Weight Deer Gun?

[duckhunter175]

Not sure what your budget might be but besides the T3 lite I think you might want to look at the new Legendary Arms Works rifles-- They make two models (Closer and Professional) that will fit your bill. Custom stock, timney trigger, bedded, etc. Retailing for $1500 if you can find them. My gun store has a 6.5CM that almost followed me home....

[lancetkenyon]

Conditions, rifle accuracy, and most importantly the SHOOTER dictate if an 800 yard shot is easy or not.

 

On a calm day, with a good prone position and proper supports, and time to work up the ballistics, my 13 year old daughter can shoot my .223 AR-15 out to 850 yards EASILY on an 8" steel.

On a calm day, with a good prone position and proper supports, and time to work up the ballistics, my 13 year old daughter can shoot my 6.5 SLR out to 1300+ easily on an 8" steel.

On a calm day, with a good prone position and proper supports, and time to work up the ballistics, I have made a first round hit on a 12" steel at 1771 yards.

 

I can also make a 600 yard shot pretty easily from a sitting position with a good front rest if I have time to work up my ballistics. 800 yards IS a chip shot when you practice at 1300-1700 yards, with perfect conditions. Even good conditions. But a hit on an 8" or 12" steel is not good enough for hunting either (in my opinion).

 

But in a hunting scenario, it is extremely rare to have perfect conditions. Wind, positioning, obstructions, rests, moving game, etc. all reduce our effective range. So a 1300 yard gun on a range might very well be a 600 yard gun in the hunting world. There are so many variables, the SHOOTER has to know their limitations. The gun might be perfectly capable of making the shot, but the nut behind the bolt has to be the determining factor. I do not think a long range hunting rifle (out to 800 yards) has to weight 16"#. But getting a 7# gun (or any weight for that matter) to reliably hit a 4" target 100% of the time in hunting conditions has way more to do with the shooter than the rifle.

 

After carrying 16+# rifle all over for Taylor's deer hunt, and a 13+# rifle for her elk hunt, I am also in the planning stages for a mid-range (to 600-700 yards) mountain weight rifle under 9# I possible.

 

In all honesty, shots on game over 500 yards are fairly rare. Most of my hunting shots have been under 300 yards over my hunting career. And if you do not practice shooting that far on a regular basis, all year long, for hundreds of rounds, you have no business trying a shot on game at that distance once a year or less.

[STOMP442]

When are the very few shooters who actually can make a good 800 yd shot going to speak up about these posts. 800 yds easily is a joke.

All it takes is a little practice and knowing your equipment and abilities. heck, my wife just whacked her deer last weekend at 824 with a 25-06 and she made it look easy. Now before you say that wasn't ethical she hit him square in the shoulders and he piled up within a few steps. A whole lot quicker and cleanly than if stuck with a sharp stick from a string at 40 yards. I had her shooting from field positions all year long just so she could make this shot if it presented itself and it worked out perfectly. Don't knock someones skills and abilities or hunting style simply because you can't or won't.

 

For the record, I was speaking ballistically, meaning the 6.5 Creedmoor is is capable to that range.

[AZ_SAWBUCK]

Since this is turning into a long range debate I'll chime in.........The gun I posted a picture of in the second post killed a Bull elk at 905 yards first shot hit him in the heart. And NO where the Bull was I couldn't get much closer to shoot. I practiced with my equipment just as I would be using it in a hunting situation. Prone with the bipod and factory ammo. I had my good friend spotting for me and I felt comfortable taking the shot. Was is "easy"? I'd have to say yes. Was learning to shoot at longer ranges? "NO"........took lots of practice trial and error lots of youtube videos from Ryan Cleckner with the NSSF and tons of trigger time.

 

Would I make the same shot with a lightweight rifle? Heck Ya! If I practiced. Don't nock long range shooting until you try it!

 

Hunting the terrain that most of us do for these Coues, Bears and other critters, I'm not sure I would pack a rifle that I wouldn't feel comfortable shooting 600-700 yards. The technology is there why not get used to it and use it. Course I don't have a flip phone any more so I might see things differently than some!

 

 

JS

[ThomC]

My point is that you nimrods have told 777 viewers that all you need is a .??? rifle and you to can do long range shooting. Only a few have mentioned all of the practice and skill it takes to make the shot. You will reap what you sew.

[cactusjack]

Nimrod was the hunter. I believe he asked about equipment, not what is required.

[lancetkenyon]

Reap what you sow.

Or

Rip what you sew.

 

I didn't see too many "Buy this and you can shoot 800 yards" responses. Just a lot of suggestions and examples of what lightweight guns other members carry.

[Guest 300ultramag.]

Tikka all day

[cactusjack]

I have worked in a couple of gun shops over the years and see all types of shooters/hunters. There are those that know everything because its what their dad and grandpa told them or they read it on a website. There are some that have a general idea of what they want but are wanting to get the advice from some other shooters, that have already spent their way into what they now shoot. They do not want to reinvent the wheel. We also get some legitimate long range shooter/snipers. I worked with a guy that was the Commandant of the Army Sniper School. He was a pretty good reference. I like the rule of thumb, "if you dont have anything nice to say, at least don't be a douche."

[Zeke-BE]

Tikka! I have. .270 shooting 1/2 MOA at 3000 fps. Nailed my couse this year right through the heart at 400 yards. I can center plate a 10" plate at 750 yards. ( I haven't shot farther than that). It's light weight but the one thing these savage guys fail to say is the the a tikka bolt is one of the smoothest out there. If your shooting 300 win mag or 7mm get a break and a limbsaver but stock pad. I don't have a break on mine but it's only a .270 but the limbsaver is very nice.

[joeinaz]

Good topic. I'm contemplating the same thing. Love my 700 Long Range in 7mm Rem Mag but a bad knee has me trying to cut weight with all my hunting gear. Thinking of selling it and moving to a lighter set up.

[azhamill]

I shoot a 300wsm Remington 700 sps nothing special. I beaded it, lapped the luges new trigger and put a break. Also got a Leupold vari-x3 6.5x20 50mm scope with the custom CDS turret on it. Worked up a great medium load with imr4350 and a Sierra 168gr TMK. The gun weighs 8.2lb with no bullets my seating is to far out to fit in the magazine. Me and my wife can hit deer and steel plates at 800yrds all day long. The wife just took a coues with it at 720yrds. You don't need a heavy gun just something your comfortable shooting . Good luck!

[lancetkenyon]

I shoot a 300wsm Remington 700 sps nothing special. I beaded it, lapped the luges new trigger and put a break. Also got a Leupold vari-x3 6.5x20 50mm scope with the custom CDS turret on it. Worked up a great medium load with imr4350 and a Sierra 168gr TMK. The gun weighs 8.2lb with no bullets my seating is to far out to fit in the magazine. Me and my wife can hit deer and steel plates at 800yrds all day long. The wife just took a coues with it at 720yrds. You don't need a heavy gun just something your comfortable shooting . Good luck!

Is your scope purged with helium?

700 SPS in .300WSM weighs 7lbs 6oz by itself.

Add a brake (maybe 4-8 oz.)

Add base & rings (4-12oz.)

Add a Leupold 6.5-20x50 (20.4 oz.)

I get 9lbs. 4oz. to 9lbs. 10oz. approximately.

But don't sweat it. Most people underestimate the weight of their rifle. 1lb. is not a deal breaker. But I don't consider a 9+ pound rifle a lightweight either. But a very good weight to carry for 80% of hunting purposes. And it sure beats 16#.

[AZkiller]

Just an fyi, bedding a Tupperware or Rubbermaid stock is a complete and total waste of time or money.

[cactusjack]

I had manners build me a 90% carbon stock for my Tikka t3 lite 300wsm