Walk Around/ Mountain Rifles

Originally Posted By: brdeano

This is my "BIG" 243. 22" Mountain Rifle contour in a McMillan Mountain Rifle stock. It weighs just over 7# all up with the leupold 3.5-10x40. A 6x42 drops it to just under 7#'s all up.

It's a joy to carry and shoot. with that rifle I have no issues holding MOA sized groups out to 500 under field condition shooting. It doesn't take a heavy rifle to shoot accurately, a good barrel and (especially) a good trigger brings out the best in lightweight rifle.


Yep,, In celebration of recently turning 60,, I sold my 300Wby. LOL
My 243's the largest caliber I own these days,, and It's more than adequate,, although that 20" tube doesn't make any friends for ya at the range..
I like my heavy Gopher Guns,, but nothing beats a nice little repeater for a walking varminter..


FWIW,,, I had a Blue Heeler once. He was great with my horses but gun-shy. First time I fired a gun around him he took off. We were five miles from the house at the time and he was setting on the porch when I got home..
That B&T's a real beauty, but that's a whole different topic..
Maybe even a different forum.
 
I've got a Kimber 84M in 243 loaded up with Swift Sciroco
90 grainers. Thats as about as light as I want to go. I've yet to kill anything with it, Grizz.
 
Here's my mtn rifle. Sako action, whip thin shilen bbl., early synthetic stock (no memory recall on the brand), and Leupy 2.5 x 8 in 6mm Remington.

100_3205.jpg


It shoots both hornady and nosler partition 100 grainers to .5 inch at 100 yards. Not too shabby at 300 either..

This rifle had downed more game than you could pull with a Dodge Cummins...Haha P.S. Tips the scales at 6lb 3oz w/empty magazine.

Silvertp
 
Last edited:
I love my Win Featherweight in 6.5x55 but I liked carrying around my Rem 660 in 308 better. I think a good carry rifle should weight 7# but not less than about 6 1/2# and be on a 308 case of some type. I can't imagine a better choice than a featherweight in 260 with a 20" barrel. Don't have one and likely never will as I have more than I need now and have already gone thru a ton of rifles.

I don't see any cartridge on a 06 case or bigger especially a mag case as a canidate for a light rifle. To violent! Of course just to accomidate the recoil of these you could use a limbsaver and muzzle brake. I couldn't do that. I don't really care fo much of a recoil pad in the first place and I shot a rifle with a brake on it once. I only thought I was deaf till I fired that thing now I know I'm not!

Maybe Steve Timm will get in here and show us a photo of the 257 AI he has. He wrote it up years ago in Varmit Hunter and sounded like he might never let it go!
 
Last edited:
I've got a Browning X-bolt .243 that I picked up for my "mountain" rifle. It's a dream to shoot and carry. I'll try to remember to weigh it tonight, but it is very light. I've got an old Nikon 3-9x40 scope on it.
 
Yep. That was what it was inspired by. It was literally a 1-2 minute paint job after the black was laid down. Just free-handed it. Was kinda drunk at the time, too......grins. Here are some better pics. Good shootin' little rifle. Replaced the j-lock with a Gre-Tan unit. Factory trigger also sucked. Would not go under 3 lbs. Karl fixed that with a replacement "old style" that he tuned up nicely.......

100_0169-1.jpg


100_0180.jpg
 
Interesting take on "Mountain Rifles"

I hunt in the Colorado mountains and I shoot a Remington Sendero in 300 Win Mag. Total weight loaded with 4-20x scope, bi-pod and sling, about 14#'s.

The thing that is more important than weight when carrying these guns is the sling. A good sling will make the weight dissappear. I use a neoprene sling and that14# gun disappears cross slung on my back. A cheap nylon or leather sling and you feel every step with even a 5# gun.

Sometimes a good sling is all that is needed to make a "Mountain Rifle"

BTW, the furthest I've carried by rifle was just over 20 miles in 1 day.
 
Originally Posted By: ColoradoOspreyInteresting take on "Mountain Rifles"

I hunt in the Colorado mountains and I shoot a Remington Sendero in 300 Win Mag. Total weight loaded with 4-20x scope, bi-pod and sling, about 14#'s.

The thing that is more important than weight when carrying these guns is the sling. A good sling will make the weight dissappear. I use a neoprene sling and that14# gun disappears cross slung on my back. A cheap nylon or leather sling and you feel every step with even a 5# gun.

Sometimes a good sling is all that is needed to make a "Mountain Rifle"

BTW, the furthest I've carried by rifle was just over 20 miles in 1 day.

I only use the term mountain rifle because thats how many people call light rifles these days, to me its a walk-about gun or an "easin around" gun. Totally agree with ya on the sling though.
 
Originally Posted By: 2muchgunFor the smaller stuff, my Rem 7 in 204:

100_0023.jpg


For bigger stuff, Sako Finnlight in 7-08:

100_0379.jpg

What about the real big stuff???
 
Originally Posted By: sscoyoteThis was my mountain "rig"--7-08 XP--

img017.jpg


Went to this--6.5-284 XP--

LRram.jpg


now this--7-270 WSM XP--

025_25.jpg

Dang I was proud of my rifle only weighing 6 and a half lbs, that thing is the epitamy of lightweight, what do they weigh?
 
Originally Posted By: CaligaterI've got a Browning X-bolt .243 that I picked up for my "mountain" rifle. It's a dream to shoot and carry. I'll try to remember to weigh it tonight, but it is very light. I've got an old Nikon 3-9x40 scope on it.

It weighed in right at 7 pounds unloaded without a sling. It's a very light rifle.
 
Originally Posted By: mountain stateMy favorite Woods and/or lightweight is a Rem. Model 7 in 7mm-08. I have a Win. Mod 70 Featherweight .270 , but it's not realy all that light in my opinion. I guess the Model 7 has spoiled me.

my vote as well model 7 7mm-08 to me about the perfect carrying/mountain rifle my 7 has the synt. stock very handy and lite Ron
 
Cowboy--the 7-270 is the heaviest at ~4.5 lbs. These rigs are not nearly as easy to shoot. U basically need a rest and running shots aren't the easiest proposition. But for portability they can't be beat really. Put it in your pack or slung any way u want. Buddy of mine and i competed with these rigs at the ITRC in '04 and placed about 50% against many semi-automatic rifles. So they will work. I guess he was in the top 20% this past year--amazing! Here's another 1 243 WSSM Savage Striker and 450-yd. doe antelope-

img015.jpg


 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: sscoyoteCowboy--the 7-270 is the heaviest at ~4.5 lbs. These rigs are not nearly as easy to shoot. U basically need a rest and running shots aren't the easiest proposition. But for portability they can't be beat really. Put it in your pack or slung any way u want. Buddy of mine and i competed with these rigs at the ITRC in '04 and placed about 50% against many semi-automatic rifles. So they will work. I guess he was in the top 20% this past year--amazing! Here's another 1 243 WSSM Savage Striker and 450-yd. doe antelope-
Who did you order your WSSM Savage Striker from?
 
I'm building myself I lightweight sporter right now.

Currently I am predator hunting with a cz 527 varmint .223 that comes in at 9lbs even with the sling etc. I love it when I can park close to the truck and in meadow areas. When I have to walk far or in thick brush I need something else.

My new build will be a rem 660 .222 with 18 inch barrel. I weighed the gun and its 6lbs 10oz. Not as light as some guns these days but its free from dad and like brand new so I can't complain about a few ounces. Going to put it in a synthetic ramline stock and spray it camo. Top it off with a sightron 1.25-5x20. I hope the synthetic stock takes off a few ounces. I guess its the same gun as the model 7 just less fancy. I noticed someone at the begining liked the model 7. This is going to be a great brush gun for western oregon and the chapparel here in So Cal. It will also be a tough call to carry this gun or my 17hm2 when busting jack rabbit.

If I had more money I'd buy a tikka t-3 lite in .243 with teh same scope and be done with it. I don't keep fur anyways and then I would be set out to distances much further then I have the skill to shoot. Could take some big game if I ever wanted to try that too. One day I'll just tell the wife I have a hankering to try deer or bore hunting and convince here I have to have a .243 for the job lol.

SOmeday I gotta get T/C contender pistol with a few barrels for hunting!
 
Last edited:
Back
Top