Lightweight Rifle Project (Part 1 of 10)

by
posted on September 26, 2011
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
bs_2015_fs.jpg (9)

The Biggest Loser: Rifle Edition

The Myth: Lightweight rifles aren’t accurate

The goal: Build a rifle on a budget (under $2,000) that weighs less than 6 pounds with a mounted scope and will shoot 3-shot 1/2 MOA groups or better.

The Test: In this ongoing project, we will put a hunting rifle on a crash diet—cutting every ounce of weight that we can spare using the lightest components on the market. But will it shoot? We’ll find out.

We’ll start with the action, now that Brownells has new Remington 700 Actions in-stock, I can stop trolling Gunbroker looking for a “donor” rifle. Remingtons aren’t overly beefy from the factory, but I wanted to shed every unnecessary ounce of this thing like a high school wrestler before a weigh-in. Karl Feldkamp of Kampfeld Customs specializes in fluting and skeletonizing 700 actions to get the maximum amount of performance with the least amount of weight.

Our stock action and bolt started at 29.4 ounces. With spiral flutes cut into the bolt body, the bolt handle and knob skeletonized, rolls of fat milled away from the action, and the factory bolt shroud replaced with one made of aluminum, our action tips the scales at 24 ounces. Not a massive savings but ounces make for pounds on a rifle like this, more importantly—it looks cool.

Latest

CZ 600+ ST3 American 2
CZ 600+ ST3 American 2

#SundayGunday: CZ 600+ ST3 American

On this week's #SundayGunday, we are taking a look at the new-for-2026 design of the CZ 600+ ST3 American, the ST3 being the long- and magnum-action model. Built by the legendary Czech company for the American market, this is a rifle adapted perfectly to hunting on this continent.

How Can Hunters Travel Out of State With Suppressed Firearms?

Getting federal and state agencies out of the way of the citizens who wish to use suppressors to make their guns more polite to their ears and to their neighbors’ is an ongoing, complex and multifaceted effort. There is, however, progress being made thanks to the Trump administration.

A Shared Memory Between Life’s Chapters

Check out this memorable hunting story from member William Scott Aldridge.

Hardware Review: Browning BAR MK 4 Hunter

First, the Browning Automatic Rifle addressed in this article is not the renowned 1918 BAR of military fame. I’ve actually seen an American Rifleman editor hunt hogs with a reproduction 1918 BAR. While it was a spectacle to behold, it’s probably not the optimal choice for the deer woods, but hey, who am I to judge? The Browning BAR we’re talking about in this article is the iconic hunting rifle.

Choice Ammunition—Montana’s Handloaded Factory Ammunition.

Today, we have many more projectile options than we’ve ever had. However, there are still some combinations that aren’t readily available, and some of our older cartridges have become all but unobtainable. Enter a boutique ammunition shop from Montana, the brainchild of Mr. Jon Wemple: meet Choice Ammunition.

Improving Buckshot Performance

Buckshot’s downrange effectiveness varies greatly, from stellar to lackluster, depending on the shotgun/choke configuration and specifics of the load. Here is what you need to know to extract its greatness.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.