Thoughts on back country rifle.

[ForwardBias]

So I have been toying with the idea of a lightweight back country rifle. As i am a lefty this limits my choices. Even still options exist that have my curiosity. Here are some potential choices, and my initials impressions. Any input would be appreciated, especially from those whom have experience with these models.

Weatherby ultra light: Nice looking rifle, fairly light, and highly regarded in my small circle. I haven't handled one, but have a strong interest in them. As for cartridge available in 257wby, 6.5-300wby, and 300wby. The downsides i see with these units are weatherby cartridges themselves. 257bee burns much more powder than the 25-06 for a gain of roughly 200fps. Same idea with the 6.5. The 300bee is gonna hammer back in the ultralight. I also prefer shorter barrels, actions, and non belted cases. Still a strong contender.

Sako 85 Carbonlight: Available in left hand in standard short action cartridges. Very light from what i understand, and Sako is quality stuff. I dont know very much about this rifle, but like what i see. Light carbon stock, shaved/fluted metal work, and in a 20 barrel. If i did go with one, id buy in a 308 win. Pretty expensive for a factory rifle, as high as 4000 bones from what ive seen. The only thing thus far i dont like is the detach magazine. Im a blind, or hinged floor plate man for hunting rifles. Strong contender.

HS precision PHL: I know of one in province in 300wsm that i may drive out to handle. Very light, accuracy guarantee, reasonable barrel length, and i like the cartridge. The one i know of is priced around 5000 northern pesos, and that is expensive for a production rifle. Two things that concern me are the detach mag, and the hefty price tag.

Fierce edge: Long action only, Sako 85 clone with a M700 top profile. Accuracy guarantee, reasonable priced, and middle for the pack for weight. Pesky detach mag, and long barrels/actions. Chambered in some awesome cartridges. Luke warm on these.

Black ram rifle: I just know the basics on these rifles. Open to any information offered, or personal experience. Sounds like around a month for delivery.

Custom option: Surgeon, stiller, or borden action. 300 WSM, 300RCM, or 300Saum. Manners, or mcmillian stock. Many options, price widely varies. Only downside is the wait time.

Any other considerations?

[fps plus]

I have a feeling you have a good idea of what you want .

I personal would not want anything larger than 300 wsm type cartridge due to recoil . I'm recoil sensitive.

As to action that's your choice. But to get to a 6lb rifle with scope everything need to be tricked out.

Good luck and have fun with your venture.

[Pathfinder76]

New Ultra Light Arms

[fish_e_o]

i would stay away from the detach mag. unless you want to hike in then waste 2 days looking for a mag

[rembo]

Originally Posted by chuck

New Ultra Light Arms

.......in 284 Winchester

[bc8x8]

Take a look at the Howa. Mine is in 6.5, composite stock, 20 inch barrel and Leopold scope,under 7 pounds.

[Desert Eagle]

If you are interested in the weatherby ultralight maybe look at a non magnum 6 lug rifle. They are much lighter than the 9 lug magnums.

[southernman]

I have two mountain rifles, a custom Kimber MT Assent, in .260 , scoped four down, at 5lbs 2 oz, and a cooper backcountry in 300 win, 7lbs all up, with a swarvo Z5, also use a Sako finlight 2506 or 708, quite a bit, for red deer, thar and chamious in New Zealand, 7.lbs chopped 18" scoped and suppressed,
I found ultra light rifles like my Kimber, great to carry, but difficult to consistently shoot well, especially off hand,
The seven lbs all up is about right weight. in my view,
I would stay away from light weight, hard kicking mangum's, rifle fit has considerable influence, on felt recoil, from my experience.
I take the Sako most likely of your choices, but the Cooper is the same price and is a heck of a rifle, I hope they build a short action version.
I've always wanted to put a few shots threw a Nula, but haven't had the chance yet,
Good luck, try and handle your choices, you will know when you have found a rifle that fits well. It will cum up naturally and feel right. M70 featherweights and Sako vixens, do this for me
Cal don't matter much, 6.5 or bigger, up to as much as you can handle.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by bc8x8

Take a look at the Howa. Mine is in 6.5, composite stock, 20 inch barrel and Leopold scope,under 7 pounds.

He is looking for a lefty.

[260 Rem]

You could go to KS Arms in Edm for a custom built on one of their 2 or 3 lug lefty actions, set in their lightweight stock made by Wildcat and be testing loads by May.

[Athabasca1]

Another custom option possibility are Defiance actions. Available in left bolt/left ejection port. Actions are expensive.

[Athabasca1]

Alberta Tactical Rifle Supply indicates they have a SA, left bolt, left port repeater with 0.473" bolt face in stock. As stated in previous post they are expensive actions.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by southernman

I have two mountain rifles, a custom Kimber MT Assent, in .260 , scoped four down, at 5lbs 2 oz, and a cooper backcountry in 300 win, 7lbs all up, with a swarvo Z5, also use a Sako finlight 2506 or 708, quite a bit, for red deer, thar and chamious in New Zealand, 7.lbs chopped 18" scoped and suppressed,
I found ultra light rifles like my Kimber, great to carry, but difficult to consistently shoot well, especially off hand,
The seven lbs all up is about right weight. in my view,
I would stay away from light weight, hard kicking mangum's, rifle fit has considerable influence, on felt recoil, from my experience.

Good luck, try and handle your choices, you will know when you have found a rifle that fits well. It will cum up naturally and feel right. M70 featherweights and Sako vixens, do this for me
Cal don't matter much, 6.5 or bigger, up to as much as you can handle.

I have hefted that Kimber and it is LIGHT!!
Dunno if they make them in a left hand.......
Cat

[Smokinyotes]

Originally Posted by 260 Rem

You could go to KS Arms in Edm for a custom built on one of their 2 or 3 lug lefty actions, set in their lightweight stock made by Wildcat and be testing loads by May.

X2 if I were going the lightweight route this is what I would be doing. I have handled the light weight Wildcat Composite and cannot believe how stiff it is for the weight.

[7mmremmag]

Cooper is making the model 92 Backcountry in a lefty now.
Cooper and Clay have both told me this.
4000$ Canadian is the quote I got.
I have a Mark V ultralight in a lefty 257wby. I really like it. I think it would be a great mountain rifle.
Also I am looking at selling my Mark V Accumark 300wby and the ultralight to fund a model 92.
I am just very nervous about the Cooper, doesn’t seem to be a ton of great reviews on accuracy.
Check out the 92 review on Rokslide. Lots of input from the boys stateside.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

I have hefted that Kimber and it is LIGHT!!
Dunno if they make them in a left hand.......
Cat

They don’t.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Smokinyotes

X2 if I were going the lightweight route this is what I would be doing. I have handled the light weight Wildcat Composite and cannot believe how stiff it is for the weight.

The KS action doesn’t strike me as light.

[ukrainianmudking]

I have 2 sako Finnlights, I had a weathby ultralight and have since switch over. The Magazine does not come out by accident if that helps. The carbon light is a very nice rifle but I would look at the finnlight and maybe save some money.

[Smokinyotes]

Originally Posted by chuck

The KS action doesn’t strike me as light.

I’m not sure what it weighs. It is probably fairly close to the weight of a Rem700.

[Dean2]

I have owned pretty much every light weight and ultra light weight lefty made, but not the newest Cooper. The two I still have are the Weatherby Ultra Light in 257 Bee and a NULA in 308 that I have had for the last 10 years.

The NULA is my got to hunting rifle and will NEVER get sold. Its perfect balance and design make it easy to shoot off hand or from sticks, laying down or any other position I have tried. It weighs 6 Lbs 2 ounces with a Swaro Z5 3.5x18x44 BRX, 4 rounds in the blind mag and a sling.It will lay down half minute 3 shot groups out to 800 yards and it will shoot a 3 shot group made up of 130 TSXBT, 150 Horn SP Interlock and 165 grain Horn SPBT loads into a one minute group at 100 yards.

Nothing I have owned or tried keeps up with the NULA.

[7mmremmag]

Dean, are these NULA’s still available?
Canadian dealer?

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by 7mmremmag

Dean, are these NULA’s still available?
Canadian dealer?

contact prophet river i bet they'll sort you out

[7mmremmag]

What about quality control issues?
This is the same operation that had tons of issues between Forbes & NULA?
I recall hearing of guys getting them from Prophet River and sending them back numerous times. One review IIRC mentioned it looked like a monkey had inletted the stock where the bolt closed?
Anyone know the price point on these rifles?

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by 7mmremmag

Anyone know the price point on these rifles?

if you have to ask...

[260 Rem]

OP —- what do you want the weight of the naked rifle to be? Discussion seems to be wavering between lightweight and ultra-lightweight...neither of which we have ever defined.

[7mmremmag]

Originally Posted by fish_e_o

if you have to ask...

I only ask because if it’s in the same price point as the Cooper than I don’t think there’s any question in my mind I’d buy the Cooper.
Read way to many bad reviews about these NULA’s and Forbes.

[Dean2]

NULA and Forbes are NOT the same rifle. Melvin licensed the pattern for his NULAs to FORBEs and FORBES tried to mass produce the custom rifle Melvin makes. Melvin's sell for $3500 U.S. a pop, Forbes was trying to make and sell them for $1,800. You can guess why that didn't work out. You can find lots of bad reviews on Forbes, I have NEVER seen a bad comment on a true NULA. To Melvin's credit, he fixed a lot of bad Forbes guns after Forbes went broke, despite not having direct involvement with Forbes after the inital setup.

You can order direct from Melvin and have Prophet River import it for you. These are strictly made to order, there is no inventory. There are quite a few of us on this board with true NULAs, many I talked into trying one, and everyone I have ever talked to loves theirs. No one that I know of that bought one from Melvin has ever sold one.

http://newultralightarms.com/

[JustBen]

300 Weatherby in an ultra light is quite manageable. I wouldn’t want to shoot a box of ammo from the bench, but for a day of hunting, you don’t even notice it. Mine shoots very well.

[cowmanbob]

Originally Posted by Dean2

NULA and Forbes are NOT the same rifle. Melvin licensed the pattern for his NULAs to FORBEs and FORBES tried to mass produce the custom rifle Melvin makes. Melvin's sell for $3500 U.S. a pop, Forbes was trying to make and sell them for $1,800. You can guess why that didn't work out. You can find lots of bad reviews on Forbes, I have NEVER seen a bad comment on a true NULA. To Melvin's credit, he fixed a lot of bad Forbes guns after Forbes went broke, despite not having direct involvement with Forbes after the inital setup.

You can order direct from Melvin and have Prophet River import it for you. These are strictly made to order, there is no inventory. There are quite a few of us on this board with true NULAs, many I talked into trying one, and everyone I have ever talked to loves theirs. No one that I know of that bought one from Melvin has ever sold one.

http://newultralightarms.com/

I picked up a five year unfired NULA in 30-06. I also have a 270 and a 280 in a Forbes. They all shoot great.
I think in time the Forbes will be a sought after rifle even with a few cosmetic issues.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by 7mmremmag

What about quality control issues?
This is the same operation that had tons of issues between Forbes & NULA?
I recall hearing of guys getting them from Prophet River and sending them back numerous times. One review IIRC mentioned it looked like a monkey had inletted the stock where the bolt closed?
Anyone know the price point on these rifles?

We are talking about Melvin Forbes not Forbes rifles.