Mountain Rifle Builds?

[Steel Rain]

Has anyone out there built a lightweight long range mountain rifle? I'm thinking about building a 300 Win Mag. In my head it looks similar to the Gunwerks LR-1000. In reality here is the parts list I'm thinking of:
Savage LA staggerfeed
PT&G spiral bolt body .700 diameter
26" .300 WM chambered barrel w/ brake (for range) and thread cap (for hunting). Barrel profile probably magnum sporter and fluted.
Stock trigger if I can adjust to my liking.
B&C Medalist blind mag
Bolt body and handle black nitrided
Action and barrel sniper gray Cerakote

Opinions? Thought? Pics of similar hunting builds?

Thanks

[sixonetonoffun]

Not what I visioned but a nice rifle all the same.

[Steel Rain]

Most people probablt think super light like a Tikka I guess.

[Londerko]

I'm in the process of building an almost identical gun. Same stock, same cartridge. Only difference im doing is a centerfeed action in a blind mag staggerfeed stock (to get a longer OAL) and instead of a brake I'm doing a 27" magnum contour.
If you wanna go lighter you could always do a 300 WSM and a 24".
Your rifle sounds great, but may not be super light.

[Steel Rain]

I'm not particulary concerned with the weight specifically. I want to shoot a long ways but don't want to carry a bench gun.

[Londerko]

We're thinking along the same lines for sure. Just FYI, I had a staggerfeed 300wm and I was only able to load out to 3.4" That's why I'm doing a centerfeed for this build.
I'm still waiting on the barrel, so I may be month or two out, but I'll post up pictures when it's done!

[Steel Rain]

Londerko, what bullets were you shooting? Now you have me worried.

[Londerko]

I was shooting Berger 185 classic hunters, specifically because they are a hybrid bullet I could load them to 3.4" and they shot well. With this new build I'm planning on shooting 208s or 210s that why I'm doing the centerfeed. You can go a lot longer and still have a repeater.

[Steel Rain]

Thanks for that good piece of info. Looks like I'll be looking for a LA CF. Just missed out on a smoking deal in classifieds it looks like.

[Londerko]

That's what I would do. I actually just bought a new trophy Hunter combo, and am selling everything off it, so im basically in it $200 for the action and magazine.
A centerfeed magazine will allow you to load out to 3.52". But what I'm gonna do is use the bell and Carlson medalist staggerfeed blind mag stock and mount the centerfeed magazine in it, then notch the front of the magazine, and I should be able to load out to 3.7" plus.

[cowboybart]

That will be a heavy gun. Might want to consider a 6.5 WSM or 264 WM and a lighter contoured barrel. Even a 6.5-284 will do good at 1K. In a long action you can seat it out a bit.

[TXCOONDOG]

Not to take away from Savage, but when I think super lightweight mountain rifle, Kimber comes to mind.

[Strutnut]

I have the Savage Bear Hunter in 300 win mag. Not that heavy of a rifle but certainly not the lightest either. I did put a 30 oz Nightforce NSX on it. Recoil is very good BUT the gun will jump up on you making it impossible to see your own hits. Maybe it comes back down in time to see a hit at Long Range but certainly not out to 300 which is so far all the farther I could stretch this thing. I do plan on shooting much farther but just something to consider for a true long range rifle, if you want to see where your bullet your hits, you may want to stay heavier. Overall I am going to stick with it as it is very accurate and is pure enjoyment to shoot but if I wanted to have a true long range platform, I would have gotten the LRH at a pound heavier.

[Steel Rain]

The truth is that I'm planning to go on a backcountry elk hunt in a few years. I'm a flatlander. I currently have a 7mm Rem Mag 700 ADL that I used on my last elk hunt. I picked up a Savage .30-06 staggerfeed for basically nothing and was thinking of building a rifle for the hunt. .300 WM might be overkill but I haven't hunted elk enough to know. Buying gear and getting teady for my dream hunt as finances allow. I appreciate everyones input. Thanks.

[sixonetonoffun]

Sounds like your descibing 2 rifles a light weight hunter and a long range hunter.

300wm gets you somewhere in between?

A 338wm might be a good choice and be a bit different from your 7mm Rem Mag.

I just don't see the 300wm bringing anything you can't already achieve with 7mm.

[orcldba]

The 7 or 30 mag will do what you want. Lived in western Colorado & Idaho and had the benefit of going for elk. Flat shooting is handy when you are shooting over a canyon, but most guides don't like to do that. In addition, a lot of 'hunters' are not used to heavier recoil out of a 9 lb rifle, shooting less than 20-25 rounds a year, and even then just on a bench.

I used a 35 Whelen in a Mauser action sighted 2" high at 200 yards, gave me a +3/-8 trajectory out to 300 yards. Took mine at 225 With the Whelen and 320 yards with my 308 Norma Mag; Mauser again, 26" tube. And yes, I'm a firm believer in Nosler Partitions!

If I had it to do again I'd use the 338-06, preferring the slightly larger 338's over the 30's. More velocity than the 35's, larger diameter than the 30's...

[big honkin jeep]

So why not consider a standard factory hunting rig such as a model 11 or 16 and consider a factory chambering like the .338 Federal.
I have no personal experience with the cartridge but from what I have read it is supposed to be a very efficient short action cartridge that is a close match to the 7mag in performance with much less recoil.
Maybe someone who owns a .338 Federal will chime in with an opinion of the cartridge.
Just my.02 but anything over a standard hunting rig of 22" or so is definitely not what I'd consider a "mountain rifle" or want to carry under such conditions.
Something even smaller is what I'd have in mind. Every time someone mentions a carbine, shorty or mountain rifle, I refer them to the amazing performance of the Savage 516 striker handguns. They proved to me before I put together a carbine with a 16" .308 barrel that a much shorter barrel really isn't a handicap. Using the little carbine with a 16" barrel and 37" overall length in the field has proven it to be a blessing not a curse.
Keep in mind the purpose of a "mountain rifle" You're gonna do a lot more carrying over rough terrain and brush busting than shooting.

[romad97]

What you are describing is going to be a lot heavier than you think it is. I would go with a 22 inch barrel in a sporter contour. If its truly a hunting/mountain rifle who cares about having a medium barrel on it.

[theicon2u]

I was thinking of doing a build with the same base rifle! But I want to build a 28 Nosler. I want to be able to load out to 3.6 or so. I was looking at getting the same stock and doing a bling mag to load long but im not sure how the bottom bolt release is going to work with that stock.

[Steel Rain]

If I was going to buy a factory rig then it would be a T3 Lite or Super Lite (Cabelas or Sportmans Warehouse specials). But……I have this action that keeps me awake at night thinking about what I should do with it. When the funds allow my 7RM will probably go to Beanland Rifles in Oklahoma for an overhaul. Decisions and more **** decisions. Thanks for the input guys.