Mountain rifles

[WAB]

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Would a thumb-hole stock like on this M70 work for your wrist? I can ask the doctor where he got it. Shot this 7x8 elk in NV.

Absolutely, please do.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Model 307™ Alpine™ CT - Weatherby, Inc.

The Alpine™ CT is built on Weatherby®’s newest bolt action rifle platform, the Model 307™. Meant to complement the historic Mark V® and Vanguard® lineups, the Model 307 action is a 2-lug, fully cylindrical action compatible with many aftermarket accessories. Model 307 is designed to accommodate...

weatherby.com

Take a look at the Weatherby mountain rifle. It’s nice to support a company that took the risk and pulled stakes from the anti firearm state of California and put new roots in Wyoming.

 

[Green Chile]

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I love the tiny 10 up in the mountains...I will be chasing klippies this fall and making plans for Vaal rhebok and mountain reedbuck later. I agree that the 257 Wby is fantastic for that and I bought a barrel for my R8 after reading your comments and others in the archives.

 

[Scott CWO]

Absolutely, please do.

www.mpicustomstocks.com

 

[375Ruger416]

The lightweight rifles are an interesting and somewhat polarizing subject. Some of them don't feel right to me. I have found the Gunwerks to be easy to shoot with their stock design and balance. I have a friend with a NULA and it doesn't feel right to me. It's light to the point of being whippy...it doesn't really settle in...or I have to fight to settle it down with lots of muscle tension if that makes sense. I think rifles can be too light.

I’ve got very similar rifles to you - a Nexus 300 prc and a recently bought Gunwerks Clymr in 6.5 PRC for my lightweight rifle with a 20” barrel.

I’d buy another Clymr in 7 PRC (or 7 SAUM if I was a hand loader) if I wanted a little more bullet weight and diameter for moose. I wholeheartedly agree that there is a point of diminishing returns where a lighter rifle becomes less shootable and accurate in my hands. My Clymr feels like the perfect balance of weight and shootability. TBH, it hasn’t made it to the range yet

 

[Saul]

I’ve got very similar rifles to you - a Nexus 300 prc and a recently bought Gunwerks Clymr in 6.5 PRC for my lightweight rifle with a 20” barrel.

I’d buy another Clymr in 7 PRC (or 7 SAUM if I was a hand loader) if I wanted a little more bullet weight and diameter for moose. I wholeheartedly agree that there is a point of diminishing returns where a lighter rifle becomes less shootable and accurate in my hands. My Clymr feels like the perfect balance of weight and shootability. TBH, it hasn’t made it to the range yet

Not to derail the conversation, but have you found the Gunwerks to be worth the money?

I remember eyeing their LR-1000 a while back when they came out with the 7 LRM, but it seemed awfully pricey.

 

[375Ruger416]

Not to derail the conversation, but have you found the Gunwerks to be worth the money?

I remember eyeing their LR-1000 a while back when they came out with the 7 LRM, but it seemed awfully pricey.

Yes, for my purposes. I’ve done a few of their courses so have shot a number of their rifles and have a great deal of confidence in every one of them. I am selling off rifles that are less often used to defray the cost and to declutter. When you find a rifle or two that shoot very well, fill you with confidence, and fit you DON’T sell them no matter the brand. Very little I can’t hunt with a 300 PRC or a 6.5 PRC, will mostly depend upon the terrain and the size of the game which I carry.

I’ve had enough rifles over the years to know what I like and selling a safe full of $800 to $2000 rifles to fund one Gunwerks makes a lot of sense for me. Their Clymr comes to my shoulder and feels more comfortable for me in field positions than any other hunting rifle I own or have tried.

On another topic, that new Weatherby rifle looks great, but for me the fun of buying, trying, and getting new rifles to shoot well has passed. I simply want a small number of rifles that I shoot very well and am confident in. I like shooting and hunting more than I do -)/&3!! around with rifles.

 

[Scott CWO]

Whoa, whoa, whoa...you can't just drop a bomb saying 130" Coues without a photo. I have to see it. I was proud of this 100" Coues at 520 yards. I worked my butt off for that Coues after a week in the cactus.

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Got home now so sending pictures you and @WAB requested! The pictures are from 2005 & 2004 before digital cameras on cell phones so I took pictures of the 35 mm pictures so not the best quality for posting. I hunted Sonora quite a bit back then. Took the heavy 6x5 130” Coues deer on the first evening of a 2005 trip and a 36” wide mule deer scoring 197” the very next morning. Deer hunt of a lifetime with two B&C deer! Please don’t hate me LOL. Also took a 113” Coues deer in 2004.

 

[Fatback]

Holy smokes @Scott CWO, that first coues deer looks like it has the mass of a Canadian whitetail and that mulie buck is impressive as well. Those are impressive deer for sure.

 

[Wyfox]

Does anyone know of a lightweight vertical grip option, in either a stock or chassis, for a M70 WSM?

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[bobdahunter84]

I have what I consider a premier mountain rifle listed for sale right now. You're not going to find a flatter shooting rifle than 26 nosler. Pair that with the McMillan stock on the Browning Hells Canyon--and you have a tack driver ready to reach out and touch something.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1052185177

 

[Green Chile]

Got home now so sending pictures you and @WAB requested! The pictures are from 2005 & 2004 before digital cameras on cell phones so I took pictures of the 35 mm pictures so not the best quality for posting. I hunted Sonora quite a bit back then. Took the heavy 6x5 130” Coues deer on the first evening of a 2005 trip and a 36” wide mule deer scoring 197” the very next morning. Deer hunt of a lifetime with two B&C deer! Please don’t hate me LOL. Also took a 113” Coues deer in 2004.

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That’s insane. Wow…wow…and in the first 2 days. That is crazy good luck as you WELL know! Fantastic.

 

[Bbturbo_]

The hnt26 are awesome for the lightweight factor. However a few things to keep in mind.

No "bag rider" and I find the stock to be too small to comfortably use with a rear bag.

Second thing is many folks have problems with "shifting zero" due to the recoil lug design. There is a fix out there. Soldier Mountain Arms does an aluminum block that allows the front recoil lug to be glass bedded. This helps tremendously.

 

[mdwest]

The closest things I have in the safe to being "mountain" rifles are a Kimber Mountain Ascent, a Kimber Adirondak, and a recently acquired Christensen Mesa in 300 PRC..

all have stainless barrels, lightweight carbon fiber stocks, etc.. and are pitched by their manufacturers as "mountain" rifles.. but none are really fully "there" IMO compared to what others consider to be proper/correct for high elevation hunting..

The Adirondak is super lightweight (4lbs, 10 oz bare).. I think it meets all the criteria there.. but its also super short and compact and in 308 (18" barrel, and 37 OAL)... so its range is limited compared to someone shooting something like a full length barrel 7mm Rem Mag or other common "mountain" calibers..

The Mountain Ascent in 300 WM comes in at 6lbs 7oz bare.. and with the scope, mounts, rings, loaded, etc.. weighs in at 7lbs 9oz.. so it might qualify.. but it is certainly heavier than some of the other options Ive seen out there.. it does have a full length fluted barrel though and is in a caliber that a lot of mountain hunters seem to prefer.. so I am thinking its the closest thing I've got..

The Mesa is a 300 PRC.. and is the "titanium" edition.. and comes in at 6.1 lbs bare.. but with the scope, mounts, rings, etc. I have selected for the rifle.. and with it loaded, its a bit on the porky side I think for what most people want to carry in the mountains.. it weighs in at 8lbs 8oz.. 300 PRC is definitely capable of taking longer shots that are often required in mountain type scenarios.. and it is what Im taking with me to Idaho in October for elk.. which wont really be a "mountain" hunt per se.. but the place we're going is between 5500-8000 elevation in most of the area... so its a lot more mountainous than what I typically experience in East TX lol..

 

[WAB]

The hnt26 are awesome for the lightweight factor. However a few things to keep in mind.

No "bag rider" and I find the stock to be too small to comfortably use with a rear bag.

Second thing is many folks have problems with "shifting zero" due to the recoil lug design. There is a fix out there. Soldier Mountain Arms does an aluminum block that allows the front recoil lug to be glass bedded. This helps tremendously.

I am at about 1,000 rounds with my 6.5 PRC in the HNT26 chassis. I have had no issues with shifting zero.

I’m not sure I understand your comment on the bag? If it is regarding a pack, I use Eberlestock packs with the built in gun sleeve. The chassis slides in perfectly and Carrie’s well. The gunrunner is my favorite, but if the load is likely to get heavy I use the one pack.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

30-06 Springfield WWII. It spent a lot of time the last sixty years above timberline. Must weigh close to 9 lbs loaded. I shot a huge bull elk and two mule deer bucks (in one shot) just over this ridge in 1980 and '84 respectively.

1982 I shot a spike bull at a waterfall as far as is visible up and left in the canyon of this photo. Almost killed my brother and one horse getting that one out.

At this point I am about three miles above the road below.

 

[7MAG]

Idk how you feel about Remington but you can ask them to build you the kuiu rifle, look it up if you haven’t seen it, otherwise I’d use something like a terminus/BAT titanium action with carbon barrel and peak44 carbon stock, nightforce ultra lite rings and leupold mark 5hd 3.6-18x44

 

[Corey0372]

I went with an XLR Element 4.0 Magnesium.
Pulled my Bergara HMR Pro in 6.5 Creedmoor out of its factory stock (which was nice, but this is much lighter and folds).

Coming in at about 11lbs with Trijicon Tenmile 4.5-30 and the YHM Resonator K. 11lbs may be a little on the heavy side for a "mountain rifle". But this thing is very accurate, and having plenty of scope is nice.

Planning on taking it on a Mule Deer hunt into the Frank Church this Fall. I'm thinking of building something else to put in the chassis though.

Maybe a Titanium action from Defiance in 300WSM, and a 20 inch carbon fiber barrel....

 

[yfarm]

Cooper M92 280AI

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Cooper M92 280AI

A "Backcountry" rifle with a bolt that doesn't lock when safety is engaged is, in my opinion, an oxymoron. I'm reading on other forums that this is an issue with the Cooper M92. My 03A3 Springfield had a defective aftermarket scope relief safety that would release when the bolt was jiggled and unlock the bolt. Besides being inherently unsafe, I lost ammo on more than one occasion when I discovered the bolt open while hunting in the "backcountry." This was especially a problem when my right hand rifle was slung on my left shoulder. The bolt handle would get caught in my jacket pocket. My 98 Mauser 404J is fitted with a Winchester 3-position safety. Position 2, where bolt is unlocked but rifle on safe, is only used on the bench or when reloading. I would never use position two in the field! Springfield's military safety in position two unlocked the bolt and allowed the round in chamber to be ejected while rifle on safe (but rifle could not be cycled). Good for parade ground inspections I guess.

Perhaps the Cooper rifle retains safety if bolt is inadvertently opened (a trigger block safety?) but I would still not consider it "safe" if hunting where there's dangerous game (e.g. grizzlies). Stopping a charging animal with an open bolt and empty chamber could be a difficult proposition.

One would think a $4K rifle would have had this issue resolved on the design table.