How light can I get with a short fat barrel?

[Burr]

It will probably be a year down the line before I start putting this together, just starting to think about the details. I've always been a long barrel guy, and recently been impressed enough with fat aftermarket barrels that I'm thinking about a short varmint contour barrel on a short actions, ending up with something that is still light to carry hunting. Don't know what ending weight I could expect?

There are some threads on 18" barrels - but I'm thinking about going down to minimum 16" barrel. Something like a 12 FV, thinking about 7-08 or one of the 6.5 flavor short action cartridges. I'm leaning toward the 7-08 more than the 6.5's at this time. When I start thinking about the 6.5's my mind wanders to the quarter bore as well. Anticipate scoping it with the Leupold 2.5-8 VX III that I have on the shelf. Since I'm thinking about heavy short barrel to get a light(ish) gun, I might pop for a McMillan Edge stock as well.

So anyone have an idea what weight I would end up at either bare or scoped? Can I keep the weight down by chopping the barrel and maintain a heavier profile? Not looking to get into the 6's, but would like to be in the 7's, if possible?

I'm not looking to end up with a featherweight gun - just a manageable weight hunting rifle without using a sporter barrel. As stated, I have 0 experience with short barrel guns - what are some thoughts?

[big honkin jeep]

Why so opposed to a sporter barrel?
You'll be cutting off the skinny tapered end anyway.
I cut a .308 factory sporter down to 16" and I love it.( also threaded and braked it) It wouldn't hurt to measure a sporter at 16" and at least see what It looks like.
I've never weighed it but I also cut the length of pull way down by chopping he synthetic stock about 3-4" as well.
I cant tell you how light it is, but it's the same length and nearly the same dimensions (a little taller at the scope) as a Ruger 10/22.
It is light, handles like a dream, and still really accurate. I never had much luck with light bullets in the past, but this one loves the .30cal 130gr ttsx.
Just something to double check and see what you think,
Good luck with your project.

[Burr]

I'm not really opposed to a sporter barrel. But I KNOW the gun won't get too heavy to carry if I go with a short sporter weight barrel, no weight concern with that configuration.

I may very well go with both barrels, given time. Easy enough to swap out with the Savage.

What would be ideal is if I had more convenient access to the range. Then I could build up a short sporter barrel gun, shoot it twice, put it away, come back the next day, shoot it once or twice on the same target, put it away.... - get to the point I have 10 shots on a target that were all fired on cold or one shot barrel temps. More of a simulation of hunting use.

I've been impressed with the heavier barrel that my groups are smaller than I can achieve with sporter barrels - but that is shooting sessions that involve 10,12,15, or 20 shots on the same visit to the range. Hunting won't ever be that many shots in a single day. I'm extremely guilty of only putting 1 cartridge in my gun and 2 in my pocket when hunting - then walking miles from my vehicle. If I can't fill my tag in 1-3 shots, well, I guess I don't feel the need to carry more bullet weight for no purpose.

So it's kind of a long winded answer to why not a sporter barrel. My after-market varmint contour long barrel groups better than any of my sporter barrels, but none of that is shooting 1 or 2 shots on a cold barrel experience.

Plus - maybe the improved accuracy is a result of a quality difference between factory and after-market barrels - having nothing to do with profile?

So I was thinking about taking a short, fat girl to the prom instead of a tall, skinny girl - maybe they both weigh the same anyway?

[Roach68]

I cut a .204 12FV barrel from 26" to 20" and it went from 4lb 12oz to 3lb 12oz. I imagine going down another 4" would likely cut close to another pound off. Weights may vary due to caliber.

[big honkin jeep]

Sorta a long story you might find relevant, if not forgive my ramblings
Over the decades I've been blessed to have been able to trade, collect and shoot Savages in just about every factory contour and length imaginable from varmint, tactical and magnum, to medium and standard sporters. Some were fluted some were threaded and some were braked with the adjustable brake. My all around favorite rifle is a 116FLCSAK that has a medium heavy barrel that's fluted and has the adjustable brake. A couple of decades ago Savage made all their rifle offerings in right and left handed versions, but they don't any longer.
Yeah this stinks because I shoot left handed.
Most of my rifles are factory with some to most of the standard Savage shooters DIY improvements/ tinkerings and over the years as my tinkering ability's and confidence grew, the improvements I was able to do myself became a little more involved. I always seemed to be one of the guys that wanted to improve and maximize the potential of factory parts I had on hand rather than running out and buying aftermarket plug and play.
Way back in the day such activity was called "customizing" but now apparently "custom" seems to mean something different to most of the "modern" guys depending on who you ask, So I guess in modern terminology most of my rifles would be considered "rat rigs" and as such probably labeled "uncool" or "junk". They will however usually hold their own and then some in the accuracy department and will most often hang with or out shoot many rifles that are considered "customs" and have the name and price tag to prove it. LOL. I attribute much of the accuracy to hand loading and not giving up until I find a load that stacks bullets.
After looking around and seeing what the "striker centerfire rifle caliber handgun" guys were able to achieve as far as incredible accuracy and power with their really short barrels, I decided I wanted something with the following attributes.
First left handed, really small, handy, lightweight. compact, powerful,accurate and economical that would carry and handle nicely be it on a tractor, 4 wheeler, in a vehicle, or over my shoulder or whatever easy to point and shoot from most any position. I realized if I wanted all this especially in a left hander I was going to have to make it happen myself. I wanted something to knock around the farm with, basically a companion rifle to go where I go and for stuff that might need shooting on short notice.

I had an older flatback model 10GL on hand in .243 that I decided to use as a donor because I had other rifles that could easily fill the role of this particular rifle in my collection. it was an older used rifle that I picked up really cheap long ago. The only non Savage factory gun part I used on this "build" was a brake I found in a box of junk behind the counter at a local gun shop because I couldn't find a used factory adjustable unit at the time which i would have much preferred.
I started with a takeoff 3 screw trigger and and made a lighter spring for it from some piano wire and installed it and adjusted it down to about 2#. I found a synthetic stock with a detachable box magazine in the classifieds here and decide to give up a few ounces saved with a blind magazine stock for the versatility the DBM offered.
I cut several (probably close to 4) inches off the length of the buttstock, rebuilt out of JB weld epoxy the anchor points that the screws went into and reshaped the recoil pad on a belt sander. I relieved the recoil lug mating surface, stripped down the action, and bedded it to the stock (JB weld again) for a perfect stress free fit. I painted it with Rustoleum camo paint in Khaki and OD green using the sponge method and then sealed everything using Testors clear dull coat spray paint from the hobby shop. Also went ahead and painted the nylon sling with the sponges.
I picked up a factory sporter barrel in .308 from the classifieds here. I wanted a common, versatile, easy to load for easy to find ammo for caliber and it doesn't get much more versatile than .308 Win.
Because I wanted it threaded and don't have the tools on hand to do it at my kitchen table I had a buddy at a local shop cut it to 16" and thread it for me.
I made a bolt lift kit from a .38spcl casing and a ball bearing and made a spacer for the bolt assembly screw from a piece of galvanized pipe so that the geometry remained the same. I also polished the cocking ramp.
I had a Vortex diamondback 3-9x40 sitting on the shelf in my shop so I put it on there just to go shoot it fully intending to replace it with a Leupold VX2 3-9x33 ultralight (8 oz) but it's been on there a couple of years now and I haven't gotten around to it. The base is an EGW picitinny and I fully intend on replacing it as well with lighter 2 piece that will also provide better access to the ejection port. Because of the height of the optic setup I wound up ordering a sheet of kydex online and picking up some knobs and elevator bolts from a local hardware store and making an adjustable cheek rest. Then I painted the cheekrest to match. It works well but in the name of saving weight I still want to remove the cheek rest and change out the optic and the base. It is set up where I can close my eyes, shoulder the rifle, open my eyes and i'm looking down the center of the scope.
I am really tickled with the resulting rifle and wish I had put something this practical together a long time ago. It's as close to perfect for my needs as I think I can get and I haven't found anything else yet from any of the manufacturers that compares. Overall length is 37" with the brake and I have never gotten around to weighing it but it carries super easy, handles like a dream, swings and points quickly in a small space and is really accurate. It has shot well with about any ammo I have tried from 180 Accubonds down to 130TTSX and has plenty of giddy up out past most practical hunting ranges.
What's not to love.
Anyway here's what the profile of a factory sporter barrel cut down to 16" looks like.

[Burr]

Thanks Jeep. In many respects - also what I have in the back of my mind to put together.

A few of my thoughts - while similar in origin - are just different choices.

I'm lefty too - so understand the mindset.

Thanks for posting. Lots of consistency in my thoughts. Kind of interesting - but makes sense - when you cut down a sporter barrel - the profile left is not what first comes to mind when I envision a "sporter" barrel. Have to remember the whole taper thing huh....

[pisgah]

My thoughts -- if light weight is any part of your concerns, stay with a sporter-weight barrel, especially is you go with the stock as from my experience the McMillan, while great, will add to the freight, too. Don't get me wrong -- something about "short and heavy" can be pleasing as well if it is well-balanced, but light can sure be nice.