Preferred Plains and NA All-Around Stalking Rifle Weights and Glass - Not a Cartridge/Caliber Question

[CBH Australia]

Blaser R8

If I had my choice, it would be a Blaser K95

Well, buy another Blaser,

take @Bob Nelson 35Whelen spending with you. I’m sure he will be a good influence

 

[DG870]

I use a Tikka T3 with a Nikon 3-9 power scope in 30-06 for spot and stalk mule deer hunting. Not a real pretty rifle but shoots well, has a good trigger and weighs about 7.5 pounds with scope and ammo. With the right bullet selection it will handle any of the game you mentioned.

 

[Andrew62]

Kimber .308, Mountain Ascent in moss green, rifle weighs 4lbs 13oz, with Leupold 2.5x8 or 4.5x14 scope my rifle weighs 5lbs 15oz.

I've said this countless times, if I'm carrying a rifle for miles and miles, I want the lightest rifle I can carry, I'd much prefer a little bit more recoil, that you'll never feel when shooting at an animal, than I would the pain of carrying an 8-9-10 rifle.

My .375H&H, with scope weighs 7lbs 15oz.

 

[Red Leg]

So go anywhere anytime in North America or Europe for deer up through Fallow - and that is what comes to mind when talking a "stalking" rifle - it would be my R8 Success equipped with 25.5" .257 WBY barrel and S&B scope. That is the same as a 22" rifle on a Mauser action. It is right at seven pounds (alloy receiver) all dolled up for a day of - well - stalking, and it is impervious to almost anything. It is also supremely accurate with Weatherby's TTSX factory load.

On the other hand, my current favorite deer stand rifle is my Bradshaw 7x65R. But it is not a rifle for all weathers.

 

[Art Lambart II]

So go anywhere anytime in North America or Europe for deer up through Fallow - and that is what comes to mind when talking a "stalking" rifle - it would be my R8 Success equipped with 25.5" .257 WBY barrel and S&B scope. That is the same as a 22" rifle on a Mauser action. It is right at seven pounds (alloy receiver) all dolled up for a day of - well - stalking, and it is impervious to almost anything. It is also supremely accurate with Weatherby's TTSX factory load.

On the other hand, my current favorite deer stand rifle is my Bradshaw 7x65R. But it is not a rifle for all weathers.

View attachment 718963

Concidering you own a Highland Stalker in 275 Rigby, that a hell of an endorsment for the R8

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Well, buy another Blaser,

take @Bob Nelson 35Whelen spending with you. I’m sure he will be a good influence

@CBH Australia
Chris I would be having having @BeeMaa buying a nice Savage or Weatherby S2 in 25-06 and a nice CVA single shot in 35 Whelen if'n I could but unfortunately he lives his Barbie rifle to much .
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Kimber .308, Mountain Ascent in moss green, rifle weighs 4lbs 13oz, with Leupold 2.5x8 or 4.5x14 scope my rifle weighs 5lbs 15oz.

I've said this countless times, if I'm carrying a rifle for miles and miles, I want the lightest rifle I can carry, I'd much prefer a little bit more recoil, that you'll never feel when shooting at an animal, than I would the pain of carrying an 8-9-10 rifle.

My .375H&H, with scope weighs 7lbs 15oz.

@Andrew62
To me light rifles are all well and good to carry but when it comes to shooting they are a lot harder to master due to the weight. To me they haven't got enough heft to hold steady, that's why I prefer something in the 7.5-8.5# depending on calibre range but that's just me.
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

@CBH Australia
Chris I would be having having @BeeMaa buying a nice Savage or Weatherby S2 in 25-06 and a nice CVA single shot in 35 Whelen if'n I could but unfortunately he lives his Barbie rifle to much .
Bob

He wants another Blaser, do they make the K95 in an approved chambering?

 

[BeeMaa]

He wants another Blaser, do they make the K95 in an approved chambering?

22HORNET to 9.3x74R in a light and convenient package.

Wish they made one in 375H&H.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

He wants another Blaser, do they make the K95 in an approved chambering?

@CBH Australia
They do Chris the 257 Weatherby.
I wonder if JES would rebor a blaser 30-06 barrel to 35 cal.
Bob

 

[pilar]

Sauer 100 in 8x57 or 7-08 , is a good option for a stalker rifle, if you can’t find a CVA Scout

 

[dchamp]

I like the Blaser K95. This one is chambered in 8X57IRS. Barrel length is 23.6"

 

[noafrica4me]

I run 3 separate 16" 308 in different configurations.
All Steyr.
One word stock with 1.6-8 SB
Black synthetic with 1-6 Leupold patrol
Green synthetic with 3-9x50
Oh, 4...
I have a mossy oak camo dipped with an Aimpoint H2.

 

[Bill J H]

I run 3 separate 16" 308 in different configurations.
All Steyr.
One word stock with 1.6-8 SB
Black synthetic with 1-6 Leupold patrol
Green synthetic with 3-9x50
Oh, 4...
I have a mossy oak camo dipped with an Aimpoint H2.

Interesting, I cut, threaded, and cerakoted a Tikka T3x 308 down to 18” ( I didn’t have the guts to go shorter). It is 23” with suppressor. I’m about to work up some loads specifically for it. What bullets are you shooting in your brush guns? Velocities?
Thanks

 

[steve white]

As much as I love and regularly turn to my Mannlicher Schoenauers, it would be HARD to beat a Tikka T3X in the neighborhood of 7mm Rem. Mag. (up to 300 Win. Mag) as the ultimate, accurate, lightweight, all weather rifle, which is why I broke down and got one recently--my only plastic firearm!

 

[BryceM]

Kind of depends on what/where/when you're hunting the most. Guys who hunt from a tree stand in Georgia will probably want something different than guys hunting from a boat in Alaska.

I'm in the Rocky Mountains and most of my hunting is mule deer, elk, pronghorn, and every couple years, a trip to Africa.

For me, the magic answer is an 8 pound rifle in .300 Win Mag with a 21" barrel, ThunderBeast Ultra 5 suppressor, 6.5x20x50 Leupold scope with turrets. I have a synthetic stock, and generally run with a bipod and sling attached. I usually have shooting sticks and 10x42 Swaro Rangefinder Binos with me too. Yes I carry a dope card attached to the rifle and yes, I'll occasionally take a long shot when that's the best option.

For places I can't take the suppressor (Canada, etc.), I use a .260 AI rifle with a similar overall setup.

 

[Bill J H]

As much as I love and regularly turn to my Mannlicher Schoenauers, it would be HARD to beat a Tikka T3X in the neighborhood of 7mm Rem. Mag. (up to 300 Win. Mag) as the ultimate, accurate, lightweight, all weather rifle, which is why I broke down and got one recently--my only plastic firearm!

Steve - I have a couple of other Tikkas besides this one. I have put Bell & Carlson stocks on them. The fit well, look great, and weigh 2.2 lbs, only a few ounces more than the OEM Tikka plastic stock.

 

[steve white]

I run 3 separate 16" 308 in different configurations.
All Steyr.
One word stock with 1.6-8 SB
Black synthetic with 1-6 Leupold patrol
Green synthetic with 3-9x50
Oh, 4...
I have a mossy oak camo dipped with an Aimpoint H2.

Good taste! Do they all shoot lights out?

 

[375Ruger416]

I think right around 8 lbs is perfect with a 22 inch barrel.

My ‘mountain rifle’ is a 6.5 PRC with a 20 inch barrel weighing right at 7 lbs with sling, Nightforce 2.5-10x30mm, and mounts. Probably 8 oz heavier with 3+1 rounds. I’m convinced it would point better and have just a little less muzzle blast with a 22 inch barrel. Lighter rifles than this do not interest me in hunting calibers.

I just finished elk and mule deer hunting for the past 8 days in the mountains of SW BC. Unsuccessfully, though I did have 5 bulls bugle at me (or at least one bull on 5 occasions in vastly different circumstances) and one spike bull come in, no legal bull showed himself. I carried my 9 lb 6 oz (sans ammunition, I need to reweigh) 300 PRC with 24 inch barrel over hill and dale. Rifle weight wasn’t the problem. As of this morning, I am a svelte 289 lbs and 6’3 inch lol. I aim to be 50 lbs lighter by this time next year which should make carrying any damn rifle I like easy. Have decided to exercise some self-restraint and not book a Cape buffalo hunt until I reach my goal.

I did see 4 grizzly bear and a big fat black bear so I wasn’t willing to carry my ‘light rifle’ though I had it with me. A 6.5 PRC is not optimum for elk nor grizzly bear deterrence in my opinion. An 8 lb 30/06 would be perfect, if I had one.

 

[dogcat1]

I have two - one is modeled on the Winchester Model 70 featherweight stock, action and configuration - in .280 Rem

The other is either a Hagn or Parwest single shot in .280 Rem or .275 Rigby.

Light, balanced, quick to point and fun to shoot.