Light weight rifle chambering

[CurtOKC]

Thinking about building a light weight(under 7 1/2lbs with scope) rifle and am torn between the readily available 243Win and the 6.5x47 Lapua.
Any thoughts?

 

[flashhole]

221 Fireball

 

[Art Eatman]

My L579 Sako Forester carbine .243, 19" barrel, "fully dressed" with a Leupold 2x7 weighs seven pounds. Tack driver. Tagged some two dozen bucks with it.

 

[jakk280rem]

Why not split the difference and go 260 Rem? Or better yet, 6.5 Creedmoore.

 

[PowerG]

7mm-08.

 

[Savage99]

I would not 'build' a rifle these days when so many excellent rifles are right here.

I have hunted with centerfires since 1953 and had Featherweights since the mid 1960's. Of late I saw even lighter rifles being offered and I wanted stainless steel and a syn. stock.

The Kimbers have served me very very well and in fact have become my most accurate hunting rifles. I have Montanas in the WSM's, 243, 7-08 and 308.

I shot the Kimber 7mm WSM today to confirm it's zero. It put two shots right on at 200 yds where I wanted it with the 168 gr Berger VLD's!

The two bullet holes overlapped and became one hole. I walked down range to confirm it.

These Kimber Montana's don't even kick!

This rifle has shot like that right out of the box.

 

[mnrivrat]

I realy have a fondness for the 243 cartridge and have seen it perform in many different rifles with above average accuracy and better killing power than most would expect from this medium cartridge.
I see no reason to try to replace it with chamberings that are uncommon, and no more effective.
That said, I have had some thoughts about the 7-08 but wouldn't trade off a 243 to get one.

 

[jim243]

Go with the 243.

Jim

 

[ColtPythonElite]

7mm-08

 

[jmr40]

Getting a rifle under 7 1/2 lbs with optics isn't much of a trick. There are quite a few factory rifles under $400 that will do that.

Unless you just want to spend money buy a Kimber. Mine is in 308, but they offer 243, 7-08 and several other calbers. Even at under 6 lbs including a Leupold 2.5-8X36 scope recoil is very tolerable because of the excellent stock shape and recoil pads.



Pretty accuarte too.

 

[DM~]

Personally, i'd go with the 260 Remington, decent power level with low recoil...

It's a BIG advantage to have cheeep factory brass ect. available, and the 260 is plenty for blk. bear or even elk if you hold the ranges reasonable...

DM

 

[rem1858]

In my opinion a 7mm-08 if you are a bit recoil sensitive.
A step up would be the good ol .308
Both will take anything on this continent and accuracy is astounding.

Clarence

 

[moxie]

If you're not a reloader, the .243.

 

[ETXhiker]

Always wanted a .257 Roberts. Yep. That's my vote.

 

[MCMXI]

Another Kimber Montana vote here too. Kimber dropped the .260 Rem but you can't go wrong with a .308 Win or 7mm-08 Rem. I ordered a .308 Win a few weeks back and it should be here soon. It'll join the two Kimbers I already have, a Montana in .300 WSM and a Talkeetna (Montana on steroids) in .375 H&H Mag. The Kimbers are simply awesome rifles for the money. They're incredibly well made, very accurate and the Montana series are among the lightest hunting rifles available. The .308 Win model is just 5lb 2oz.

Kimber 8400 Montana .300 WSM

Kimber 8400 Talkeetna .375 H&H

 

[BluegrassDan]

Since this is turning into a Kimber love fest...



Here's what mine in .308 Win can do with factory ammo at 100 yards.



Here's what she does at 200 yards with handloads.



Scope, rings, and all, mine weighs exactly 6.25 lbs. A joy to carry all day.

 

[stubbicatt]

I too am looking for the 6.5x47L, and may have found my "choice." But this is a handloader's cartridge. If you do not handload, you may wish to consider the 243. Lots of excellent ammunition available for it off the shelf.

 

[jmorris]

7-08

 

[Dr T]

Depends on the game. But for availability, 243. Even the cheap stuff from walmart groups decently with both of mine.

 

[Kachok]

Anything in the 308 family should do just fine (358 Win, 338 Fed, 308, 7mm-08, 260 Rem, 243 Win depending on the game) as would the WSSMs and 6.5 Creedmore, but my lightest rifle is my T3 Stainless 6.5x55 it is a real pleasure to carry, 6.25lbs and every bit as accurate and deadly as any of my heavier guns.

 

[bpl]

Is this rifle for hunting? If so, what game?

 

[The_Armed_Therapist]

Hard to argue against the .243 if the other option is something of which I've never heard.

 

[CurtOKC]

The 308 and 7/08 both have to much recoil for my damaged spine. I had forgotten about the 250 Savage. That would be an excellent choice.

 

[Abel]

243

 

[Savage99]

My Kimber 243 has been extremely accurate since it was new.

I shot it yesterday with a new load using the Sierra 55gr SBT over 3031 and it hit two inches high at 200 yds with a one hole group.

That's just a little higher than I want so I lowered it two clicks.