looking for rifle and caliber advice

Reading Eastmans' hunting journal April May 2012 article on "Lightweight Mountain Rifles" had me looking back on this thread a bit. I've kind of gotten set on getting a 7mm Rem Mag rifle on my gear upgrade list. Looking at the Easmans' list not many offer that caliber. Browning X-Bolt being one on their list. I've shot a Browning X-Bolt already or at least I had one in the 1990's and I'm kind of looking for something more refined like they write but don't really know what, "more refined" means. Has anybody shot the Weatherby Mark V Ultra Lightweight?

The Mark 5 UL is a great rifle, Kevin. A local dealer sells a few new, and I never see them used.

I don't think you shot an x-Bolt in the 90's though, as they didn't exist then. I bet it was an A-bolt. :)

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Originally Posted by Bitterroot Bulls

The Mark 5 UL is a great rifle, Kevin. A local dealer sells a few new, and I never see them used.

I don't think you shot an x-Bolt in the 90's though, as they didn't exist then. I bet it was an A-bolt. :)

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Your right it was a A-bolt. I don't have it anymore. I just remember the "-bolt" part. Thanks for the feedback on the Mark 5. The spider web design on the stock looks a lot like your 7mm Rem Mag project and I'm leaning on that as my backpack rifle now. If I were more gunsmith gifted I'd try tackling a project like what you did but I think I'd be better off just paying for something out of the box instead.

I have shot the Mark Five ultralight. It has the same feel as a regular mark v. It was in .240 weatherby so recoil wasn't too bad. Weatherby stock design is suppose to offset felt recoil. To me, weatherby's (both mark V's and vanguards) are for big guys. I'm 5'8" and smaller stocked rifles just seem to fit better, x-bolt and tikka's are the most comfortable to me.

Also, I went to the NRA annual convention yesterday to check out all the latest rifles. I was unimpressed with the savage light weight hunter that was reviewed in the latest magazine.

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Originally Posted by buckbull

I have shot the Mark Five ultralight. It has the same feel as a regular mark v. It was in .240 weatherby so recoil wasn't too bad. Weatherby stock design is suppose to offset felt recoil. To me, weatherby's (both mark V's and vanguards) are for big guys. I'm 5'8" and smaller stocked rifles just seem to fit better, x-bolt and tikka's are the most comfortable to me.

Also, I went to the NRA annual convention yesterday to check out all the latest rifles. I was unimpressed with the savage light weight hunter that was reviewed in the latest magazine.

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Thanks buckbull for the fit feedback on the Mark V. The x-bolt was another option in 7mm Rem mag that I was looking at. I think I need to make a trip to the gun shop to check them out in person :).

Hey Kevin I have a Mark V Syn SS and I love it. It is a .257wby and I have had it for about 12 years. It is my favorite for deer and antelope. A couple of my friends have the ultralight and they have been very happy. (.280 and 7mm-08) I have shot them both and wouldn't hesitate to get one if I had the money.

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Originally Posted by sjsmallfield

Hey Kevin I have a Mark V Syn SS and I love it. It is a .257wby and I have had it for about 12 years. It is my favorite for deer and antelope. A couple of my friends have the ultralight and they have been very happy. (.280 and 7mm-08) I have shot them both and wouldn't hesitate to get one if I had the money.

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Thanks sjsmallfield. That is some good feedback as well. One of the guys I hunt with likes his Mark V's. I'm not sure if they do it anymore but when my friend got his rifles they shipped with a 3 shot grouping for the rifle.

Mark V's and Vanguard Range Certified all come with proof of the their 3 shot guarantee. I have two Sub-MOA vanguards (replaced with Range Certified) that have the targets. Would have been nice to know what commercial ammo they used however. I don't know if it was Weatherby ammo because both rifles are in non-weatherby calibers.

you gotta try the 6.5-284 for a mountain rifle, savage's long range hunter would be a good choice, high sd's would work well on elk size game

I carried a Remington Model 700 MTN rifle in 25-06 for my mountain goat hunt this year, and on one trip took my sons Winchester Model 70 Extreme Weather SS in 300 WSM along as we were on horses and to keep the gremlins away I took two rifles. Both packed great, and the Winchester Model 70 EW in 280 Remington, 30-06, or 300 WSM would fit your needs as would the same chamberings in a Model 70 Featherweight.

I would include the Remington Mountain Rifle but have just heard too many problems with quality control. I think Tikka builds a great rifle that is very accurate and is also very light. My pick would be either of the Winchester Models in those chamberings or a Tikka for the same cartridges. Only problem is I don't believe they chamber the 280 in the Tikka.