Best way to Lighten a Rifle?

[Off in the Bushes]

What is the best way to lighten up a rifle with out affecting it shooting ablilities.
What is the most cost effective method, in the end is it best to just purchase a light wieght rifle?
I am looking to dump some weight so it is not so heavy to pack when hunting.

[Dick284]

The lightest rifles out there are not a be all or end all.

It was once written that dropping 5 pounds on your own person is akin to dropping a pound or two in rifle weight.

All that aside, look a your sling choice, scope mount choice, scope choice, etc. etc.

The next choice would be retroing out a wood stock (if that's what you have) for a lighter option like a fiberglass, or kevalr stock, this option is pricey, and good stocks take time to get. Drop in tupperware is cheap and often available off the shelf if your really want to go that route.

Metal work is expensive and takes a while to get done, if your looking to have it ready for this season your not going to get your wish.


Good luck

[Pathfinder76]

What kind of rifle is it?

[Homesteader]

Dick makes some good points, but my vote for cheapest way to lighten a rifle is usually to sell it, and just buy the light one you want. If you start changing barrels, fluting existing, high end stocks you will go thru $1,000 in the blink of an eye. You may get a nicer rifle, or the custom you always wanted, but you will pay for it.

[LongDraw]

Shorten barrel
Lighter contour barrel
lighter stock

[timsesink]

For the price involved I would simply look at a new rifle. A good stock will set you back around 300-500 then you start to factor in barrel work, etc.. and it gets pricey. I'd like to buy a Montana for just mountain huting in a bit. However if thats not an option I think a new lighter stock is the best bang for your buck

[double gun]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

What is the best way to lighten up a rifle with out affecting it shooting ablilities.
What is the most cost effective method, in the end is it best to just purchase a light wieght rifle?
I am looking to dump some weight so it is not so heavy to pack when hunting.

-Cheapest way to lose little bits of weight: your mounts - go to a lightweight style like the Talley lightweights, change out your recoil pad for a lightweight, consider losing some barrel length - fairly cheap but you will lose velocity.

-Best way to lighten the rifle considerably is to replace the stock with a quality aftermarket composite.

-more expensive (for less gain): skeletonize the bolt handle, slab the action, flute the bolt and barrel, aluminum swivel studs....etc.

Depends very much on your goal weight, and caliber choice. If you are going to buy a rifle and alter it - consider the resale value and desirability of the take off parts. ie, some factory take off stocks are sought after and bring top dollar, some you cant sell for any amount.

[Off in the Bushes]

To answer a few question it is a Winchester Model 70 (wood stock) and it fells like a ton, but it shots really well and I am worried that by changing alot of the gun to lighten it up that it might change the way it preforms. But I want some thing lighter and don't have the $ to purchase a light one, but if the expense is the same I will carry it for alot of miles if it cost hundreds of dollar to lighten, or get a new rifle.

[Homesteader]

Anything you do to lighten it up, could very well change the way it shoots, especially the stock or the barrel.

[Traps]

Cut off the barrel about an two inches up from the lands, get rid of the scope, rings, and bases, replace the stock with a pistol grip.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

To answer a few question it is a Winchester Model 70 (wood stock) and it fells like a ton, but it shots really well and I am worried that by changing alot of the gun to lighten it up that it might change the way it preforms. But I want some thing lighter and don't have the $ to purchase a light one, but if the expense is the same I will carry it for alot of miles if it cost hundreds of dollar to lighten, or get a new rifle.

I've made some extensive changes (including severely turning down barrels) on Model 70's with no noticeable changes in accuracy. In fact, I'm in the middle of putting a Model 70 on a diet right now. But......by the time I'm done a Kimber Montana would be cheaper. It's expensive.

[double gun]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

To answer a few question it is a Winchester Model 70 (wood stock) and it fells like a ton, but it shots really well and I am worried that by changing alot of the gun to lighten it up that it might change the way it preforms. But I want some thing lighter and don't have the $ to purchase a light one, but if the expense is the same I will carry it for alot of miles if it cost hundreds of dollar to lighten, or get a new rifle.

If you arent willing to spend hundreds - and cant do the work yourself - looks like your options are limited. Since its a model 70 talk to Chuck, for some reason he likes to play with them and should be able to point out a few possibilities, and their weight savings.

[Pathfinder76]

I just got this back in my hands yesterday. I had the factory sporter barrel swapped out for a factory fwt barrel on my 30-06. This is a fairly significant weight savings for around $250. But it is only the beginning.

[BallCoeff.435]

Originally Posted by Off in the Bushes

What is the best way to lighten up a rifle with out affecting it shooting ablilities.
[...]

That's an unresolvable contradiction right there, because rifle weight is an integral part of how they work. It's not just a matter of making it lighter so you could carry it easier.

All things being equal, heavier weight makes it easier to be accurate at longer ranges because you don't get banged around quite as much. So, the way that you shoot can be better. But heavier weight also allows you to put things onto a rifle that make it behave much better, such as thicker stiffer barrels. So, most of the time I'd prefer a heavier setup that's been worked on, rather than any light rifle whether stock or modified. Psychologically, you train yourself to feel good about a little extra weight, like the feel of pressing weights at the gym.

For quick, fast shooting at short ranges, you simply need a different rifle altogether. Which, as other writers have already noted here, will probably be better than chopping something down that you have already.

[Ruger1022]

I had to take a couple things off mine to make it lighter, this was the before shot...

[209x50]

LOL!! good one Ruger!

[nanuk-O-dah-Nort]

Originally Posted by Homesteader

Dick makes some good points, but my vote for cheapest way to lighten a rifle is usually to sell it, and just buy the light one you want. If you start changing barrels, fluting existing, high end stocks you will go thru $1,000 in the blink of an eye. You may get a nicer rifle, or the custom you always wanted, but you will pay for it.

Kifaru sells one that is around 4#??? don't they?

[AB2506]

Originally Posted by nanuk-O-dah-Nort

Kifaru sells one that is around 4#??? don't they?

Haven't seen the Rambling Rifle on the Kifaru website for a couple of years. Not sure if they are still offered. Writer, Ron Spomer, still uses and recommends them.

[IR_mike]

Kill 2 birds with 1 stone...........carry it unloaded and empty.

It will be lighter and you will increase your odds of seeing game exponentially.

[deanmc]

Originally Posted by Dick284

It was once written that dropping 5 pounds on your own person is akin to dropping a pound or two in rifle weight.

Excellent advice. I have 25 extra pounds so if I lost that my rifle will almost carry itself. lol

Originally Posted by Dick284

It was once written that dropping 5 pounds on your own person is akin to dropping a pound or two in rifle weight.
Good luck

Dick... well said... we spend all kinds of money to reduce equipment weight when we would probably be better off exercising and shedding a few unwanted pounds..

One of the easiest places to shed weight on a rifle is replacement of the steel rings and bases with a good 7075 alum set.

[Okotokian]

Work out.

I stopped smoking and started getting serious about my health last fall. My backpack was 10 pounds lighter this summer.

[roger]

start by using a smallish caliber, (like 10 2506 with 75gr bullets,) is much liter than a 10 180gr 300ultramag.
hey Dick284, how much did those 300um reloads you built weigh???

this is like building a 7 second dragracer from a 16 second factory car, for every second you make it faster, the 'expense' ramp goes up exponentially.
then oddly enough, the comfort, actual usage, versatility or ordinary practicality seems to be sacrificed in purpose built creations.

start with a silk purse, and not worry about a sows ear.
.....Bushrat has a variety of silk purses!

[roger]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

I stopped smoking.

best news ever
good for you, thumbs up.

[PoppaW]

I was just thinking that after you flute the barrel you can take some oz's off the inside of the gun too. Re chamber for a bigger cartridge. Then you have to remove some metal from the bolt face for the bigger case. And lastly remove some metal on the rails to make it feed. It all counts.
I would just buy a light rifle and keep the extra $ in my pocket.

[philthygeezer]

Put a smaller scope on it.

[bobinthesky]

Probably the cheapest way would be to sell it and buy a lighter rifle.

Frankly, unless your hauling a rifle up and down mountains, I don't see what difference a pound or two makes.
We carried stock M70's all over the place before light weight rifles came to be!