So I need a lighter rifle. I currently have a Howa 1500 with a 24” heavy barrel. It’s wearing a Bell and Carlson M40 stock. It’s definitely a shooter, with me doing my part it will do .6-.7moa with plain ol 40gr Winchester varmintX factory ammo. I’m sure it can do better, between me practicing more and eventually hand loading when I finally get everything set up.
BUT…. The rifle weighs over 13lbs.
so I thought about it…. Modify an already great shooting rifle, or sell it (I don’t have much use for it outside shooting predators and varmints) and buy a similarly priced, lighter rifle.
I do already have another short action 308 Howa, so both my rifles can share stocks and most parts. That’s a plus for keeping it. I figure the first orders of business is to replace the obnoxiously heavy barrel with something shorter and lighter, and replace the heavy stock. But pricing barrels, I could get a carbon wrapped barrel, chambered and rifled how I want, in the length I want would cost a little over $1000 installed. And I still gotta replace the stock.
or, I could sell the rifle and stock, and use that cash to buy another rifle. My criteria is that it needs to be 18” barrel or less, threaded for when I hopefully get a suppressor, and at least close to as accurate as what I have. I was considering a CZ600, a CZ527, a Winchester XPR stealth SR, or a Ruger American Ranch. None are easy to find right now, the CZ527’s have skyrocketed in price from what I’ve found, and my concern with the Ruger is that it’s chambered in 556, which typically means a further jump into the lands and a very generous amount of freebore, eg typically less accurate.
thoughts? What would you do?
BUT…. The rifle weighs over 13lbs.
so I thought about it…. Modify an already great shooting rifle, or sell it (I don’t have much use for it outside shooting predators and varmints) and buy a similarly priced, lighter rifle.
I do already have another short action 308 Howa, so both my rifles can share stocks and most parts. That’s a plus for keeping it. I figure the first orders of business is to replace the obnoxiously heavy barrel with something shorter and lighter, and replace the heavy stock. But pricing barrels, I could get a carbon wrapped barrel, chambered and rifled how I want, in the length I want would cost a little over $1000 installed. And I still gotta replace the stock.
or, I could sell the rifle and stock, and use that cash to buy another rifle. My criteria is that it needs to be 18” barrel or less, threaded for when I hopefully get a suppressor, and at least close to as accurate as what I have. I was considering a CZ600, a CZ527, a Winchester XPR stealth SR, or a Ruger American Ranch. None are easy to find right now, the CZ527’s have skyrocketed in price from what I’ve found, and my concern with the Ruger is that it’s chambered in 556, which typically means a further jump into the lands and a very generous amount of freebore, eg typically less accurate.
thoughts? What would you do?
