Low cost weight saving tips

[Mt_Medic31]

Hey all,
built my first HP gun on an R700 frame, the smith tells me the rig weighs in at 8lbs 6oz complete with the Lilja barrel, but I havent put on the scope and rings yet. I'm hoping to use this rifle for both classes. Gonna be CLOSE for hunting class. I have an aluminum bolt knob to put on, should save a few oz. Also gonna use a spade bit and drill out some of the barrel channel on the stock. Using a smaller scope, and ready have aluminum rings, bolt shroud, and looking at an aluminum trigger guard/floorplate assembly to maybe save some more. Any other tips are appreciated.

Oh, and I DONT have the money for a carbon fiber stock. I know everyone here loves the pharr stocks and such, but not now. I'm lookin for low cost solutions I can do myself, or parts I can get for around $100.

[Jim T.]

You might want to look at this thread as there were alot of good ideas.

http://www.steelchickens.com/forums/vie ... 453#p40453

[RBriscoe]

You did not mention the contour or length of your barrel or the type of stock you intend to use. Those two things are important in figuring out your options to make weight.

If your budget permits, you can put a light weight striker/firing pin in while you are installing the aluminum bolt shroud. Together those two items are worth a few ounces, but it looks like you need more than that. A typical Leupold 6.5-20 or 24x BR or the newer 25 x is going to weigh about a pound plus rings and base so you are probably looking at 20 ounces or so.

I suggest you weigh the scope/rings/base you intend to use and come up with the weight you need to remove from the rest of the rifle. People might be able to make better suggestions with more information.

All too often the simplest and most cost effective weight reduction plan is to shorten the barrel until you make weight. Alternatively, you could have the 'smith "flute" the action. This actually involves cutting some flats on the side of the action. I have an old Nesika 700 short action clone that weighs 25-26 ounces with the flats compared to about 32 ounces for the typical 700 short action. You only have to do this once for the life of the action instead of spending a lot getting a barrel fluted and then that goes down the drain when you replace the barrel.

Many stock have very heavy recoil pad assemblies and that would be one thing to look at. "Hogging out" the fore end of the stock is commonplace, but you have to take out a lot of material to get much weight out. The same is true for the butt stock.

Let us know the particulars on your rifle and see if there are any other suggestions people can make.

Good luck

Rick

[Mt_Medic31]

The rifle:
Remington 700xhr, 40x adjustable trigger
- Lilja #5 SS barrel, fluted, .260 caliber
- Greybull precision fiberglass stock
-Changed the bolt shroud and firing pin to aluminum Calahan from Midway
- Burris xtr aluminum rings, steel 2-piece picatinny bases (looking at going to a 4 screw weaver ring instead of 6)
- Vortex viper 6.5-20x50 scope ( had I known I'd be this close, I would have gone with 44mm instead of 50)
- Going to change to aluminum bolt handle

Would changing from stock trigger guard assembly to an aluminum one save much? That, and hogging out the barrel channel are about the only things I can think of. Butt pad may be kind of heavy, but not sure.

I pick up the rifle tomorrow from the gunsmith, I will put it together as I will shoot it and weigh it, then I will know how much I have to lose. How far over am I just screwed? If it's 20oz or more over, should I just say heck with it and shoot standard only?

[Jason]

You could go to aluminum bases and lighter rings or even a 1-piece base/ring setup like Talley makes. Hard to get the perfect height there, though. You could also lose an inch or two of barrel. Hollowing out the barrel channel probably won't do much unless it has had weight added there before. I'm not sure what triggerguard comes on that stock. If it's steel and heavy, you might save an ounce or two with a lighter one. I have a couple of the really good recoil-absorbing pads that are very heavy, several ounces at least. I don't think they're necessary on a silhouette right and you can use the foam shoe sole material (Evelio will hopefully see this and give more specific info) and lose several ounces. You probably already know this, but that's a really heavy scope at 21.6 ounces. You could save anywhere from 5 to 7 ounces using a Weaver T24 or Leupold FX-3 silhouette scope.

[RBriscoe]

Unless you have an exact copy of the recoil pad it is difficult to know exactly what it weights without removing it, but one of the 'smiths may know from experience. Some of them have a steel plate in them that can be removed and the pad reinstalled.

If you go the way of foam, there is a neoprene called "cloud" which is the softest one I have found. It comes in various thicknesses and can be shaped to nearly any form you can imagine. Evelio may have some of this.

It is commonly used to make the soles of shoes for people who need one shoe thicker than the other because of problems with one leg being shorter than the other. You might ask around for a source of supply in your area.

Just take all your stuff in to the 'smith's shop and start weighing things. to see how much you are over 9 pounds and what weighs how much. Weaver 4x4 rings are generally light and sturdy and the base doesn't weigh much. Some of the 'smiths make custom rings to any height you want that are light, but probably out of your budget. Definitely get the aluminum bottom metal...check with a benchrest 'smith if there is one in your area. They frequently have a box of 'parts'.

One of the reasons you tend to see the same small group of scopes, especially on hunter rifles, is weight. See how close you come to making weight before making a decision about cutting the barrel or changing scopes. Just for future reference, unless Dan Lilja has changed the fluting he does there is not much weight to be saved by having it done. This is true of most barrel makers. If you can come up with the right combination in advance just order the contour barrel that makes weight in the first place.

As you undoubtedly know, one of the reasons the carbon fiber stocks are popular is their weight. Most of the silhouette 'smiths know what combinations make weight with them and can reproduce the result with them or can make weight with other stocks with different contour barrels (a number 4, for example). That is not to try to talk you into one, but a number 5 contour barrel is difficult to make weight with without a light weight stock and/or scope.

Unless you intend to go to a registered match where the rifles are weighed, just do the best you can and shoot the rifle. Most clubs are not that particular at their club matches. If you need to get it to weight take care of everything you can and then have your 'smith turn the metal termites loose on the barrel or action. (Cutting the barrel and having it recrownded is probably cheaper than machining the flats on the action and rebluing or plating it, but ask what he can do for you.)

Rick

[bwilliams]

i built a new stock modeld after the robertson rts and used a rem ss 700 short action chamberd for 260 using a #5 @ 24". i knew weight would be an issue so lightned where i could. removing wood, forend, and a hollow butt, you will need to remove alot of wood to gain weight. The Pachmayr recoil pads weigh around 5 oz and are heavy. Keep complete stock to under 2 lb you should be ok. Keep an eye on the stock balance though, as to light in backend can make rifle to front end heavy. You will need light weight scope as mentiond above (14-15 oz) light weight bolt schroud and firepin save 1-2oz, light weight rings. I swiss cheesed the ss mag and lightend the follower, every gram helps. I now have 3 oz to spare.
good luck
b

[Jerry G]

You do have to remove a lot of wood to make a difference. A flip-flop from the dollar store makes a good recoil pad and can be put on with contact cement. It does give you good grip between your gun and the vest and is very light. If you are worried about reducking recoil with it, you have way too much gun for competivite shooting.

[Mt_Medic31]

Well, thank you everyone for the advice, but I think I'm SOL, the gun all together weighed in at 10lbs 1oz. I don't think I can shave 17oz off the gun without drastic changes I can't afford right now. Shooting standard only wont kill me, and eventually I will buy another gun for hunter class.

[Bob259]

Well, thank you everyone for the advice, but I think I'm SOL, the gun all together weighed in at 10lbs 1oz. I don't think I can shave 17oz off the gun without drastic changes I can't afford right now. Shooting standard only wont kill me, and eventually I will buy another gun for hunter class.

HP is 9 1/2 pounds for Hunter, so if that was with your scope your close, if not... agree on the SOL.

I'd talk to Evelio or Mark Pharr and see what, if anything, can be done within your budget also you maybe surprised.

[nomad]

Medic,

I'm out of town right now but I'm pretty sure that I have a Rem 700SA stock -- the cheapie factory fibreglas one for an ADL -- sitting in the closet that you can have. I can weigh it when I get home in a week and you can figure the weight difference. If it works, you're welcome to it.

(At least, this way, if I'm handling tech somewhere, I won't have to argue with you about your stock! LOL)

[lone ringer]

[/quote]

HP is 9 1/2 pounds for Hunter, so if that was with your scope your close, if not... agree on the SOL.

[/quote]

HP is 9 lbs and SB is 8.5 lbs

[RBriscoe]

Medic,

My inclination is to say just shoot it and enjoy it the way it is for the time being.

When Ernie weighs his stock at home that might give you a basis for reconsidering your options.

The other thing that comes to mind is possibly returning the scope for a lighter one if you have not mounted it and/or gotten some ring marks on it. Otherwise, just keep an eye peeled for a lighter scope that you might be able to do a little horse trading on or whatever.

Rick

[Bob259]

HP is 9 1/2 pounds for Hunter, so if that was with your scope your close, if not... agree on the SOL.

[/quote]

HP is 9 lbs and SB is 8.5 lbs[/quote]

Oops... your right Tony

[Mt_Medic31]

yeah, it's 10lbs 1oz with the scope, rings and all. And HP in my rule book is 9lbs even for Hunter, I don't think I can shave the 17oz without a new scope and stock, which I can't afford at the moment. It's ok, and thanks for the offer of the stock and such. Much appreciated. I really want to keep the stock I have on it, as this will be my deer/hog/elk/coyote rifle too. Again, Thanks all!