Ultra Light Arms Build Cartridge Choice

[YancyW]

I have been putting off ordering a rifle from Mr. Forbes, I certainly hope he is building rifles for many years to come, but I think it is time I get my order in. His Model 24 rifle is 5.5lbs and is based off 30-06 family, it has a 3 3/8" mag box.

I am thinking straight 30-06 or maybe a 35 Whelen. Give me your thoughts.

 

[cpr0312]

You certainly cant ever go wrong with a .30-06!!

 

[YancyW]

You certainly cant ever go wrong with a .30-06!!

That's what Col Whelen said also.

 

[meigsbucks]

.30/06 and .35 Whelen would be great choices. What about a .280 Rem?

 

[YancyW]

.30/06 and .35 Whelen would be great choices. What about a .280 Rem?

A 280 Rem cut for 168gr Barnes LRX would be a plains game hammer.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

My proposition 35Whelen

 

[Ridgewalker]

5.5 lbs! The recoil is going to be substantial!
What is the primary purpose of this rifle? Usually his ultra light rifles are for mountain hunts where weight is critical. Where the primary game would be bighorn sheep or mountain goats.
I would love carrying one of his chambered for 270 Win in the mountains of Colorado!

 

[Von S.]

250-3000 A.I.

.....a built you will wish you did years before and a weapon you will never sell......

 

[Bullthrower338]

280 AI

 

[YancyW]

280 AI

I would do that, but I have a Cooper M92 in 280ai. All in, it weights less than 7lbs and is a sub MOA rifle, hell of a fine rifle.

 

[Hogpatrol]

All I can say is an ought six in a 5 1/2 pound rifle will kill on one end and maim on the other.
Definitely not for me. Oh wait, I could put a brake on it.

 

[YancyW]

5.5 lbs! The recoil is going to be substantial!
What is the primary purpose of this rifle? Usually his ultra light rifles are for mountain hunts where weight is critical. Where the primary game would be bighorn sheep or mountain goats.
I would love carrying one of his chambered for 270 Win in the mountains of Colorado!

I could see me carrying it for elk in the Bob Marshall or PG in Africa. I have not formed a sheep addiction yet.

 

[nztimb]

6.5x57 a perfect cartridge for the light hill rifle

 

[YancyW]

6.5x57 a perfect cartridge for the light hill rifle

Does that need the long action? A 6.5x55 would be a great round for his short action rifle, would come under 7lbs total weight.

 

[BeeMaa]

Does that need the long action? A 6.5x55 would be a great round for his short action rifle, would come under 7lbs total weight.

Exactly where I was going, 6.5x55SE for a light long range rifle.
Although I do like the 30-06 option a little better for the punch, at the price of being a bit snappy with recoil.
You need to determine if the rifle will be carried more than shot or the other way around.
Knowing this will really help make your mind up.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[HWL]

You will have a lot of fun with a 5,5 lbs rifle in .35 Whelen.

HWL

 

[PaulT]

His Model 24 rifle is 5.5lbs and is based off 30-06 family, it has a 3 3/8" mag box.

I would give my left one for a 5.5lbs '06 rifle.
A fella could do a whole lot of hunting in some rough and steep places with a tool like that and enjoy it at the same time. I wouldn't give a second thought to recoil in that cartridge range. You aint going to get beat up shooting packets of ammo at Sheep etc.

Back in the day when my legs were much younger and I was doing annual Tahr hunts on the rugged West Coast blocks of N.Z I packed a 7.5lbs 30/06 and as great as that was I would have eagerly traded another 2lbs off it in a heart-beat !!!

 

[Hoss Delgado]

.30-06 any day and everyday ! It's the caliber that set the standard. I am concerned about the weight though . I have never fired a .30-06 weighing less than 7 pounds. I imagine a 5.5 Lb gun would have stout kick .

 

[Edge]

30-06

I have a Colt light rifle (Melvin’s design) that has been back to Melvin and received his lightweight stock (colt skimped and went with a cheesy plastic one), upgraded trigger and firing pin. With the barrel being 24” and the excellent stock design for recoil mitigation, it is an easy shooter.

The rifle is perfectly balanced and is a joy to shoot and carry.

 

[YancyW]

.30-06 any day and everyday ! It's the caliber that set the standard. I am concerned about the weight though . I have never fired a .30-06 weighing less than 7 pounds. I imagine a 5.5 Lb gun would have stout kick .

The recoil isn't something I am worried about. I have a 280ai in a 5.75lbs rifle, a 300wm 6.6lbs rifle and a 300 rum in a 7.7lbs package, they will all get your attention, but I don't shoot them off the bench very much.

I am leaning to the 30-06. If I ever get a second one in a short action, the 284 Win is his pet chambering, so that would be at the top of the list. That is followed by the 6.5x55 or maybe the 6.5x57 that was mentioned earlier.