Weight of rifle

[jaeger19]

My long actions always get extended magazine boxes installed, however the LPA action comes that way straight from the manufacturer. So I will be ordering a wyatts windowed extended magazine box. The reason I chose the 338 rum is it is the shortest of the rums's so I can shoot long bullets and still seat them out of the case. And performance is right up there with the other big 338's. It obviously fits the 700 and 700 clone actions perfectly. They feed very well etc. it should make a very user friendly hunting rifle with lots of power.

Pretty much why I chose the 338 rum. It's right in there with the other 338s. It will fit in a 700 action. While the 338 lapua needs a special action to be safe. Brass is not easy to get but it's headstamped correctly unlike the edge. Etc

 

[Litehiker]

My original elk/mulie rifle is a .300 Win mag Browning A-Bolt and 3 -12 x 50 Burris Black Diamond scope weighing in at 12 lbs.

Now I am using a 6.5 Creedmoor Ruger American Predator (slightly heavier barrel) and SWFA 5 -15 x 42 weighing in at 9.5 lbs.

With Hornady ELD-X 143 gr. bullets factory ammo. This ammo has almost identical trajectory to my 180 gr. .300 Win mag. so I feel comfortable with a 500 yard maximum range with those 143 gr. Hornady bullets.

I think I can take buck mules and cow and calf elk, both of which I have tags for this year in Nevada.

Eric B.

 

[KYHILLJACK]

Winchester model 70 in 7mm mag. Weighs about 12 pounds going in on opening day, close to 35 going out on the 5th day.

 

[valleysnyper]

I have a new SS Remington 700 in 300 win mag, I am also interested in how low of weight to go in this rifle for an upcoming Elk hunt. I live in south western Wi, lots of hills and bluffs, you sure don't want to carry a 11 or 12 lb rifle very much here....same in the mountains I would guess. My question is, is 8lbs going to be bad in a 300 win mag ? I can practice with the led sled so not worried about that. Please help a newbie.....Gary

 

[wilkup]

I have a new SS Remington 700 in 300 win mag, I am also interested in how low of weight to go in this rifle for an upcoming Elk hunt. I live in south western Wi, lots of hills and bluffs, you sure don't want to carry a 11 or 12 lb rifle very much here....same in the mountains I would guess. My question is, is 8lbs going to be bad in a 300 win mag ? I can practice with the led sled so not worried about that. Please help a newbie.....Gary

In my personal opinion, it makes more sense to train a little harder in the pre-season and carry a rifle that's easier to shoot accurately, than to shave a couple of pounds off my rifle just to lose my ability to shoot as well. Yea, I know the adrenaline kicks in and the recoil is not "felt", but I think light guns are tough to be accurate with in the best of conditions and prefer to give myself every edge I can obtain. The recoil difference between a 9+ lbs rifle and that lighter <7.5lbs gun can be substantial.
I know all too well how much I'd love my gear to weigh less on the pack out. After several days in the backcountry, the ounces always seems to magically transform into pounds: some sort of scientific anomaly I would give almost anything on those trips out for a lighter gear setup but know that's not rationally possible.
My preferred weight is a 9-10lbs rifle, ready to hunt. I run further and lift harder beforehand to make up for the extra heft of the rifle and the confidence it gives me when it comes time to take my shot. At the very least, I owe that much to the beautiful creature who's life I'm ending.

 

[SansSouci]

My chauffeur carries everything except my walking stick. So i've never really thought
much about weight.

I hope she's good lookin', too! ;-)

 

[SansSouci]

We've all heard stories about elk being the toughest animal in North America to kill. They probably are...if hunters can't shoot their rifles.

My elk rifle is a Sako 7MM Rem Mag with a Leupold Vari-X II 4x12. This rifle weighs every ounce of 10 pounds. It's also the most accurate rifle I own. I'm considering sending that rifle in to hunting retirement.

I'm good with whatever rifles and cartridges other hunters use to hunt. However, hunters will cause synapses in my noggin to crossfire when they tell me that only calibers .338 and up are suitable for elk. But then again, hunters will use cockamamy rationale to justify their choices of rifles and cartridges.

All big game animals need topside oxygenated blood flow to continue living. Destroy the largest elk that has ever lived oxygenated blood making and pumping equipment, and it will die within seconds. Put a .338 RUM bullet in its guts, and be prepared to do a lot of miserable tracking. Hence, that old hunter's bromide of a .243 Win in the boiler room is a whole lot better that an '06 to the guts. Yes, a .243 Win will kill an elk just as dead as a .338 RUM provided that a bullet from a .243 Win destroys a elk's oxygenated blood making and/or pumping equipment.

I have a 40+ year-old .270 Win that's much lighter than my 7MM Rem Mag. It will kill the biggest big game in North America just as dead as a .300 Win Mag, although I wouldn't want to hunt griz with a .270 Win. For that application, I'd want a stoutly loaded .45/70 Gov't.

I've watched well-put-up studly dudes having difficulty shooting .300 mags from benches. Sporter weight rifles in magnum cartridges hurt when bench shooting.

Weight of gun in a gun store is a whole lot lighter than weight of a rifle at Rocky Mountain altitude. Trust me. I've experienced it. A couple years ago on a rut trophy elk hunt, I felt every ounce of my 10 pound Sako while chasing a HUGE elk over I have no clue of how many ridges. After about 2 & 1/2 hours of hard, and I mean total exhaustion hard hunting, I caught my breath long enough to put one 160 grain Partition through his heart. The rub is I could have killed him just as dead with a much lighter .270 Win.

I've learned far too late in life that accuracy trumps caliber every single time.

Biology is always controlling. Nothing living remains in that condition without topside oxygenated blood supply. Elk have no clue of what cartridge launched a bullet that stopped its topside oxygenated blood flow.

Heavy rifles will become heavier and more difficult to hold steady as barometric falls.

Accuracy trumps caliber every single time.

Under absolute perfect conditions, 400 yards is a long way to shoot at any big game animal at Rocky Mountain altitude.

Magnum cartridges in sporter weight rifles hurt when bench shooting. Bench shooting builds confidence. Confidence kills big game. Flinching screws with confidence.

For all big game in North America except the largest bears, I'd take a .270 Win over a bigger rifle. Remember, nothing living remains in that condition without its oxygenating blood making and pumping equipment. What destroys that equipment is immaterial. That they are destroyed is.

The largest bull moose ever killed in North America was killed a couple years ago with a .303 British. Mr. Naef knew that accuracy trumps big calibers: Boone and Crockett Club | Wildlife Conservation | Deer Hunting | Elk Hunting | Big Game Hunting | Wildlife Conservation | Deer Hunting | Elk Hunting | Big Game Hunting

My advice is to go light.

 

[TheFishBox]

my elk rifle is a kirby allen built 338 lapua, ready to go weight is 13 pounds that's scoped nightforce nxs, bi-pod and sling on it. When hiking to spots I put it in my pack which makes a huge difference when climbing up the steep hills by the breaks of the snake river. I imagine all of us could use to lose at least five pounds around our waist but we all seem caught up on the rifle weighing a couple extra pounds. Remember the pounds around your waist don't make you shoot better but a couple extra in the rifle goes a long ways to make you a better shot.lightbulb

Also when you go scouting or hiking around slap 5 extra pounds in your pack then your gun won't feel so heavy.

 

[fmajor]

..... I imagine all of us could use to lose at least five pounds around our waist but we all seem caught up on the rifle weighing a couple extra pounds. Remember the pounds around your waist don't make you shoot better but a couple extra in the rifle goes a long ways to make you a better shot.lightbulb

Also when you go scouting or hiking around slap 5 extra pounds in your pack then your gun won't feel so heavy.

True!!! True!!! True!!!

However, i learned long ago while in my mountain-climbing youth that it's easier for middle-aged men to buy the most expensive light-weight equipment than to loose those extra pounds that would be a better help for them.

I am now that middle-aged guy and can identify with the easier purchases! That said, i'm changing my packing work-out by carrying a 15lb kettle-bell in my hand to simulate my rifle's weight (though my rifle only weighs in around 10lbs all up).

I live at 6,300', but will be hunting at ~10,500' so everything i can do in preparation for elk hunting helps my 50 year-old body remember it's 20's and 30's strength and endurance!

 

[mcseal2]

Should be
Thanks! It's sounds like you have gone for the best components. I looked at doing that very thing except a Pierce titanium l action. And wow.. the expens for the components. Plus the time. I am surprised that it would come in so heavy. But I don't know the weight of the scope. I would think rifle think should be 5 pounds.
Lex at rifles inc says can get me at about 5.5 pounds. But I didn't check about barrel length. I also thought to call melvin forbes from nula.
Most smith's think I am crazy for wanting a lightweigot 338rum
What is you plan for bullet and load? I am hoping to shoot a barnes ttsx 225 at about 3000fps.

I just got a slightly modified lightweight 70 from Rifles Inc. I went with a #3 fluted barrel instead of his standard lighter contour, Jewell trigger, and an extended mag box. I'm not a dedicated long range hunter I get as close as I can. I went with a Swaro Z5 3.5-18x scope with the 4W reticle and have a custom BT also. I'm running 180gr Accubonds at 2950fps. I haven't shot it past 550yds yet but have had it out twice shooting my gong to that distance. Using sandbags on the truck hood (and an old Carhardt under the barrel with the brake to protect the truck paint) I have had no trouble hitting in various winds out to that distance. I shoot a 10" gong and put a fresh spray paint job on it each trip so I can see my bullet impacts. They show my rifle on their site, the second one under pics last time I checked. It has the burnt bronze cerakote and brown camo stock. I'm very pleased with the rifle. With the Swaro in Talley rings but without sling/ammo the rifle weighs 7lbs 4oz. It will be my elk rifle from now on.

 

[SansSouci]

True!!! True!!! True!!!

However, i learned long ago while in my mountain-climbing youth that it's easier for middle-aged men to buy the most expensive light-weight equipment than to loose those extra pounds that would be a better help for them.

I am now that middle-aged guy and can identify with the easier purchases! That said, i'm changing my packing work-out by carrying a 15lb kettle-bell in my hand to simulate my rifle's weight (though my rifle only weighs in around 10lbs all up).

I live at 6,300', but will be hunting at ~10,500' so everything i can do in preparation for elk hunting helps my 50 year-old body remember it's 20's and 30's strength and endurance!

I hear ya. But I'd rather lose weight and carry a lightweight rifle.

I can do everything that needs doing with a .270 Win as long as I put bullets where they need to go.

Hunting magazines never discuss high school biology. They merely proselytize spuriously supported opinions.

If we know what kills, the rest is easy. Once I figured out that what I had learned in high school biology was still true, that every living thing on Earth is subjected to laws of biology, the rest was easy. I don't need a 15 pound mega-magnum that will hurt like hell when I bench shoot it to kill any North American big game. What I do need is an accurate rifle that shoots a bullet appropriate for game I intend to hunt, and, lastly, put one of those bullets where it will permanently interrupt topside oxygenated blood flow. Once any living being is denied topside oxygenated blood flow, it has seconds of life remaining. Biology, not cartridge, is controlling. Hence, an '06 will kill just as dead as a .338 LAPUA provided bullets from either destroy topside oxygenated blood flow equipment.

This is 100% factual. Nothing living is exempt from it. In fact, death is defined as lack of brain activity. Humans will lose consciousness in about 8 seconds at the onset of cessation of oxygenated blood flow to the brain. Wild animals can exist a little longer depending upon their metabolism. However, all will lose consciousness within a minute, tops, and die within five minutes. Since this is factual, why would a hunter want to lug a heavy rifle up & down high ridges of the Rockies?

I'll take an 8 pound .270 Win over a heavier magnum every single time.

What pi$ses me off is that I had refused to acknowledge high school biology facts when they should have controlled my gun purchases.

I don't need or want another big game rifle. I own a beautiful .338 Win Mag that was made by FN around 1968. I've never hunted with it. It's just too heavy, and a .338 won't kill an elk any deader than a 150 grain Partition fired from a .270 Win. However, were I to buy another big game rifle, I'd likely go with a 6.5 Swede.

There was no need for more North American big game hunting cartridges after the US Army introduced hunters to the prowess of the '06. Maybe cartridge development could have stopped with the 7x57. But that wouldn't have been fun. The '06 and 7x57 have done it all including killing elephants. Eskimos and Inuit use the '06 on polar bear.

I like all big game cartridges including mega magnums; however, some I like a lot more than others. For me, and for me only, I like a well fitted rifle that's 100% reliable, and doesn't knock me senseless when I bench shoot it. Bench shooting builds confidence. Confidence kills big game.

I still cannot see logic of hunters' rationale of knocking down elk. This implies disabling skeletal structure, which seems to advocate aiming at places that will cripple elk. I don't want to knock down any big game animal. I want to kill it. Hence, I aim for where a bullet will kill an elk. A heart shot elk will not get up after it falls.

I've never deviated from my belief of hunters using cartridges of their choices. After all, cartridges have to suit them, not me. If a hunter wants to carry a 15 pound .338 LAPUA up & down 10000' Rocky Mountain ridges, who the hell am I to tell him he's wrong? He knows what's right for him, not me.

I will never make a judgement about a hunter's rifle. Hunting is an expensive sport. If the best a hunter can afford is a used promotional rifle, I'd be glad that he's able to buy a rifle within his budget. An inexpensive rifle will probably accord him ability to enjoy the greatest sport on Earth. In fact, Remington's incredible Model 700 success is that it allowed many working class hunters to buy an excellent rifle at a better than fair price. I have no knowledge of newer Remington rifles, but I have fired Model 700's of 60's & 70's vintage. Not many custom rifles were as accurate as an out-of-the-box Model 700.

I'll close with a story of a sage, old hunter of at least partial Indian ancestry with whom I shared a deer camp during my teenage years. He owned two military surplus Mauser rifles. His 7x57 was for deer. He had an 8MM Mauser that he used for everything larger than deer. If those cartridges worked then, they'll work now.

 

[CoachChris]

My main rifle is 10.5lbs

 

[valleysnyper]

Thanks for the replies, looks like my thinking of about 10 lbs is about right...Gary

 

[RevJim]

I like Sporter weight rifles. I can't shoot a very lightweight rifle well past 200yds myself. My current thumper is a Mod 700 in 358 Norma Mag with a 25" #4 Shilen, set in a Brown Precision High country synthetic. With an older Nikon 4x12 AO on it, it still weighs exactly 8.5 pounds. A lot less when I put the Leupold 1.5x5 on it. I once took my old sporterized 1917 Enfield down into a deep, deep canyon, up on Nebo Loop. Since it was on a Forestry trail, it was super easy to get down in it several miles ( it felt like 100 coming out!) . Coming out at the end of the day with a 10# plus rifle was "not enjoyable for me", ha. The day had also turned off hot (for October) about 75 deg. I had ran out of water....cool mountain stream was full of cow pies, no way I was drinking that! ha I was 39 then...I don't do that now at 63! I have had heavier, long range purpose oriented rifles, but I never really hunted that way. I tend to look at 400yds as a long way for me on elk. For long range I think a heavy rifle is the way to go, I know I shoot them better further out. I have not shot game but have shot a lot at rocks at 1000 out in the desert with them and my Sporters. I hit better with the heavyweights.