A light, short, bolt carbine... the quest...

Your suggestions for light carbine bolt action rifle

  • Ruger Hawkeye compact

    Votes: 14 13.6%

  • Win M-70 compact

    Votes: 15 14.6%

  • Old Browning Micro Hunter

    Votes: 2 1.9%

  • Rem Model Seven

    Votes: 10 9.7%

  • Tikka T3

    Votes: 22 21.4%

  • Sako Finnlight

    Votes: 4 3.9%

  • Kimber Montana

    Votes: 5 4.9%

  • Other

    Votes: 31 30.1%
  • Total voters
    103
  • Poll closed .
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Float Pilot

Float Pilot

Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
3,154
Location
Kachemak Bay Alaska
I own or have owned lots of rifles over the last 50 years or so. These days I do not hunt so much with rifles as I do with a camera. Often I am in remote locations where I have flown out with clients who are taking wildlife photos themselves. So I become a bodyguard in those instances. The same when I am helping pack moose meat back to the plane, except I am a bodyguard to myself.

So I opened one of my safes, ( the one the wife had not barricaded with boxes.) and then I weighed and measured the lighter rifles in that one safe. With slings magazines and scopes attached.

SAMPLES ..Shortest to longest inside safe number one

Polish AK under-folder.....7.5 lbs ......26 to 35.25 inches. OK to carry but underpowered and not accurate enough.


AR 5.56mm carbine with Israeli pencil barrel upper. 5.8 lbs...32.5 to 36 inches. DREAM to carry, but underpowered.


Swede m/94 6.5x55mm carbine. 7.5 pounds 37.5 inches..... great to carry, but heavy for a borderline cartridge and no scope.


M1A shorty 7.62mm.......9 pounds and 37.75 inches......good length for me, but super heavy. wish I could sell it.


Browning 1886 45-70 carbine.....7.25 pounds.....40. inches long... Ok length, ergonomically not so swell for me, packs a good punch, too nice to take out in the rain and mud. Not sure I trust a lever action all that much.


Husqvarna lightweight 30-06 model 1640 circa 1956. ....7.5 lbs......40.5 inches.... accurate old classic, has enough power for Alaska, too nice for mud, rain and salt water exposure.


Ruger M77MKII 350 Rem Mag stainless (modified to Sourdough rifle) ..8.25 lbs and 42.0 inches... Has lots of power, accuracy and corrosion resistance. A bit heavy and long for my intended purpose.


AR Long heavy 24in barrel in 6.8mm...8.1 pounds.....42.25 inches....not enough stopping power even from long barrel, too long and heavy. Great varmint or winter caribou rifle.



Win Model 70 featherweight in 6.5x55mm.....7.75 pounds,....42.5 inches. Borderline power, shoulders and points like a dream, too long and heavy for a walk-about rifle. Also it is too nice to take out in the mud, rain and salt air.


So it looks like I am looking for something around 36 to 38 inches long, and less than or right at 7 pounds with a sling and medium power scope. Also it should be stainless or heavily corrosion resistant. The minimum cartridge power should be 308 win. Even that is borderline up here.

Any ideas ???
 

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You live there and are probably better qualified than me, but If I were going to Alaska I'd carry a SS CRF bolt rifle most likely in 30-06. Everything I read says that a 30-06 loaded with 200-220 gr bullets works as well as anything short of 375 at SD ranges on big stuff. There isn't a lot of data on 308, but they can be loaded with heavier bullets too. Who knows, there might be less difference than we think, but 30-06 is proven with lots of history behind it on bigger stuff.

I've spent 40+ years in a quest for the ultimate featherweight rig to hunt with in steep rugged terrain. For the features you get the Kimber 84M is a lot of gun. Mine is in 308 and comes in a touch under 6 lbs including the 2.5-8X36 scope and Talley mounts. But I consider it a special purpose rifle, not the best choice all around. They offer it in 30-06 too, weight is about 1/2 lb more.

I know you said UNDER 7 lbs. But in my experience around 7.25-7.5 all up just works better. I have no interest in an 8-10 lb rifle, but find 7.5 or a bit less no handicap. Of the rifles you have I'd take the Husky and consider any rust or dents as character marks.

If buying another rifle I'd pick the Ruger Hawkeye or Winchester 70. I think I'd probably leave the barrel at 22", but cutting to 20" would make it more handy and save a few oz. I don't think the velocity lost is much of an issue at close range.

Another option to consider is the Savage Hog hunter in 338 WM. It is a little overweight at 7.25 lbs unscoped, but it comes with a 20" barrel and irons. Left unscoped it would be close to your weight limit and 338 might be a better option. I'm not convinced it is significantly better than 30-06, but it sure isn't worse.

Of the rifles in my safe I'd take this 30-06. With the Edge stock and aluminum bottom metal it is 7.25 lbs as pictured. A lighter scope and 2" less barrel would probably make your 7 lb limit. I'd likely change the scope to a 2-7X or 1-4X for your use, but leave the barrel as is.

guns1008.gif
 
Sounds like A job for the Marlin 1895 Guide gun in .45-70. Don't understand the lack of faith in A lever action?

37" and 7 lbs
 
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Tikka t3 I have one in 308 that is An amazing for long treks my 308 can do it all but for you I suggest 30 06 or 300 win mag
 
.
Steyr Scout, and although I don't think it's available in stainless I'd think with minimum maintenance it'd fare just fine.

If you're on the fence about .308 being enough cartridge, simply use heavier boolits. Again, you're talking about a lightweight-but-capable rifle, not a dangerous game rifle. And on that note, why can't you trust a lever action? (.45-70)

Good thread! Good luck!

:)
 
Mosin Nagant M44 carbine, always works in extreme weather,
ask the russians or the fins or Caribou
Even have the bayonet as a last resource

Noice alone would scare away most dangers,

just kidding

ever consider a high power revolver?
 
Ruger Scout?

How about that Ruger Scout Rifle in .308?

Decent iron sights, lightweight and handy. Ten round magazine. I don't own one but have fired a friend's and I like it.

Just my two cents.
 
why can't you trust a lever action? (.45-70)
Don't understand the lack of faith in A lever action?
Click to expand...

Long ago Nixon was the prez I was left back at moose camp with a Win M-94 because I was sick. A small brownie (400 pounds) showed up to ravage the camp. While trying to slowly and quietly lever a round into the chamber I had the live round go into the lever mechanism and jam up the works. Years later when I worked in a village 12 miles north of the Arctic Circle, the locals brought me several M-94s with the same problem. Four years ago my buddy down the road jammed up his Marlin Guide Gun trying to do a slow cycle to the chamber. While I like to shoot lever guns at cowboy matches, I think they need tools for dis-assembly and have more moving parts than a bolt gun.

338 might be a better option
SS CRF bolt rifle most likely in 30-06.
Click to expand...

I have owned a few 338 Win Mags and sold them all. The 358 Norma is a much better round.
I do own a few 30-06s, the Husqvarna and CZ 550 Full stock both having CRF.
I had a Remington 700 Titanium in 30-06 for a few years, but I never could learn to love it. It was not very consistent and the factory trigger sucked so bad I replaced it with a Rifle Basix.

My M77MKII Stainless 350 Remington Mag is a good all around HUNTING rifle. It is just a wee bit heavy and loaded with 280 grain A-Frame bullets it recoils a good bit.

I also have a 375 Ruger and a 416 Taylor. Since both only weigh around 8 pounds, neither are very fun to shoot. In fact my eye doc told me to knock it off when I started seeing double in my right eye.



Where did you find that EDGE stock..???.. That really gets my attention.
For some reason Winchester no longer makes the Featherweight in stainless.

I think a stainless compact M-70 featherweight in 338 Federal or 358 Win would be very cool. Maybe a 18 to 20 inch barrel, But of course nobody makes one. I heard that Kimber made some Montana's in 338 Federal but nobody I know has ever see one.

But this would be more of a walk about rifle.
 
I have owned dozens of guns. After a great deal of looking,and researching I picked up a stainless Tikka T-3. I think it is perfect. Very accurate, light smooth action. Well made.
Mine is in 7-08 and it hardly kicks to me. I assume you may want a stouter cartridge.
 
I voted for Sako because they are my current favorite. I think they are tough and light and accurate.

BUTTT...

If it were me, I'd skip the optic and look into Tikka Battue Lite with no optic. 300 WSM or 30-06 at 2.8 kilos/6.17 LBS

I know people like Kimbers but they don't do anything for me (but this isn't about me, I know)

Howa makes the the new Alpine Mountain rifle in .308 and weighs 5.7 LBS
 
I have a .30-06 Savage Axis that I cut back to 17"...

5 rounds of .30-06, short (38.5" OAL) and light (6lbs, 13oz with 5rds 180gr loads, a sling, and an Aimpoint micro)... Not a high end rifle by any means, but it would make a fine walkabout rifle... No worries dinging it up, has been completely reliable, and the new ones come with AccuTriggers. The plastic stock is what keeps the weight down.
 
A Kimber Adirondack will weigh about 5-1/2 lb with a scope. Currently offered in 7mm-08 Rem, .308 Win, 300 BLK and 6.5 Creedmoor. The barrels are 18" on all but the 300 BLK which is 16". The rifles are short, light and accurate.
 
You seem to want synthetic, short, stainless and power. I had a few bolt rifles in mind, but after checking their specs, they all seem too long, some too heavy for your taste; that is, of course, without any modification, straight from factory. So, I do not have the answer you are looking for, sorry.

I would suggest, however, some .729 caliber 38.5" long and weighting 6 lb 4 oz, with a five shots magazine, drilled and tapped for scope mounts, which can double as a small game getter for survival needs just by switching ammo, but it is not a rifle, it is a $400 shotgun. The only thing it could not possibly do of what you have mentioned is cycle a round quietly: it is a pump action. That action surely is reliable, though.

My understanding of your need is that it is more of a defensive rig than a quiet hunting weapon, maybe you should think about it. It can even shoot flairs 600' in the air if you need it. I know, publicity...

Then, while not a rifle either, there are bolt shotguns which can be cut down. Hope you find what you are looking for, good luck!
 
I've been shooting a Ruger Scout in .308 lately and have been really impressed with it. I removed the rail on the barrel and use the conventional rings on the receiver. It shoots really tight groups and is just a real neat rifle.
 
For the folks who want to talk about shotguns. I have a few. PHOTO ATTACHED. I do occasionally carry my old M-1100 riot gun stuffed with Brenneke Slugs. I can hit a pie pan at 75 yards with it.
So it is OK for pure defense. But I am not looking for pure defense, I am looking for a light general use hiking carbine.

The same idea as the old Mannlicher-Schönauer 1903 carbines. Light, short, easy to shoulder and point.

I had forgotten to look at the Steyer Scouts. They are a tad spendy but I found a couple places that have them for around $1400-$1500. I can live with that.

I hate Scout Scopes. My eyes are equal so if I have both eyes open I see two sets of cross hairs. So I have to close one eye. In that case I might as well use a regular scope.
 

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For many years now mine has been a Ruger model 77 tang safety RSI in 308 caliber.

In Alaska I carry a marlin guide gun in 45-70.

At 72 years of age I've had ample opportunities to spend a lot of time in the bush. I am happy with my choices. Your mileage may vary.
 
Im not sure which rifle is best, I guess that is up to you, But I remember watching a show about this town somewhere up in the Artic and the Polar Bears were real bad, The hunters who went out after the Bears were shooting 308s, It seems to me if they were after Bears that were after them, And they were using 308s then it would be enough bullet. Is there a big difference between Polars and Brown Bears, I don't have any idea that's why Im asking. I can fully understand the want of enough gun to get the job done.
 
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