November 20th 2021 – Can a Hunting Rifle be Too Light? Nah… Nah… This lightweight 6.5×57 Lapua weighs in at 4.93 pounds, including scope and rings, thanks to a Defiance ultralight all-steel operation. This rifle is light at just 4.93 pounds including scope and rings. A half-gallon worth of milk weighs in at 4.3 pounds. Here’s the report from the proud owner of the rifle, who built it for a future Kodiak Island, Alaska mountain goat hunt. Forum Member Dave reports on Ultralight Rifle. I decided that I wanted to take on the challenge of a Mountain Goat hunt once I turned 60. It was the perfect excuse for me to build an ultralight, something that I have wanted to do for many years. I wanted to see how light a bolt-action rifle could be. My goal was to keep the rifle under 5 pounds. I did not want to go to Titanium, but I wanted rings and scope. Although I knew it would be difficult, I was able to accomplish the goal. I started with a Defiance and Ti Rem Model 7 short action. This action is extremely smooth and weighs only 19.2 ounces. Carson Lilja from Lilja Barrels programmed a barrel taper to my dimensions for a 6-inch 1:8?-twist stainless 3-groove 22. barrel. The barrel is free-floated as it is fitted into the rifle, except for the first inch or so ahead of the action. Bix n Andy Dakota trigger and aluminum trigger guard, titanium action screws and blind magazine with an aluminium follower. An aluminum adapter was also installed in the foreend to accept a Javelin magnetic mount carbon fiber bipod. My friends at Sportsman’s Outfitters, Knox, Pennsylvania, chambered the rifle in 6.5×47 Lapua. I then sent the barreled rifle to Wayne at Oregunsmithing in Pendleton, OR to have a Kevlar Stock made. The stock is 14 ounces in weight! Everything was Cerakoted when it returned (see bottom photo before coating). This stock was a custom made, built around my barreled action. Wayne’s work was reasonable priced and delivered within three months. Excellent Accuracy — 5/8? Three-Shot Groups at 100 yards
It was now time to shoot the rifle. I was not disappointed. It can shoot both Barnes TTSX 100s and Swift Scirocco II 130s at 5/8? at 100 yards. Three go into 3 from a 400-yard bipod. or so. This thing is insanely light, even though it’s 22? barrel. This 6.5×47 rifle weighed in at just 4.20 pounds (67.2 ounces) without scope and rings before Cerakoting it’s action and barrel. You can see it here:
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