Builds getting heavier and heavier

Yes, I have no interest in sub 8 pound anything anymore.

I've honestly noticed I'm shooting my 9.5 lb 300prc less too, which I hate because I love that rifle, but I'm enjoying more rounds down with less recoil and easier spotting shots.

My shooting is improving and it's making me look at recoil differently. I've never had a problem with pain or flinching in hunting scenarios from fear, but after watching impacts with heavier rifles or smaller calibers I'm tired of not watching impacts with the lighter boomers.
 
Joefrazell said:
I've got ultra light options and heavier options. Let's just put it this way. On
My spring bear hunt next month we will be backpacking in for 4 days and doing about 2k ft of vertical and about 3 miles. I'll be taking my custom 300 prc suppressed that weight just under 12 lbs. why? Because long shots are the norm. A 800 yard shot is much more doable with a 12lb gun than a 7 lb gun. Also, I can take a follow up shot much quicker/accurately with a heavier platform. Also, we're only packing one rifle between 3 of us.
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Best of success on your hunt. I would be nervous only packing one rifle for 3 hunters. My luck would probably cause a malfunction or a drop into a rock filled ravine.
 
There are a lot of other factors that come to play when rifle weight becomes a question. My lunch weighs more than my rifle for one. 😂 The persons stature, age, physical condition, mentality and possible ailments can affect the total weight a person feels comfortable carrying. I still hunt with a Sendero that I feel is perfect balance of weight to range I shoot. I think this is where a really good pack comes to play that has exceptional rifle carrying capability to allow you to use trekking poles to assist walking and carrying. I still prefer ~11lb rifle for all the reasons everyone has already stated. I started carrying rifle in pack about 10 years ago when I was still a youngster at 62 and remove it once I am in territory that I feel might require faster acquisition. My last 2 builds were 11 and 12lbs so still like the weight. A person's stature may or may not affect the rifles weight depending upon the other factors above. I am 6'4" 260 have physical ailments typical for 72 but I still like my Sendero. Hopefully I will continue until body or mind breaks down. Not sure which will be first!😂

IMO the rifle weight can be a moving target as external influences affect the factors above.
 
Muddyboots said:
There are a lot of other factors that come to play when rifle weight becomes a question. My lunch weighs more than my rifle for one. 😂 The persons stature, age, physical condition, mentality and possible ailments can affect the total weight a person feels comfortable carrying. I still hunt with a Sendero that I feel is perfect balance of weight to range I shoot. I think this is where a really good pack comes to play that has exceptional rifle carrying capability to allow you to use trekking poles to assist walking and carrying. I still prefer ~11lb rifle for all the reasons everyone has already stated. I started carrying rifle in pack about 10 years ago when I was still a youngster at 62 and remove it once I am in territory that I feel might require faster acquisition. My last 2 builds were 11 and 12lbs so still like the weight. A person's stature may or may not affect the rifles weight depending upon the other factors above. I am 6'4" 260 have physical ailments typical for 72 but I still like my Sendero. Hopefully I will continue until body or mind breaks down. Not sure which will be first!😂

IMO the rifle weight can be a moving target as external influences affect the factors above.
Click to expand...
I gotta pretty good idea what's going to go first on you and it ain't your body....
 
Huntnful said:
Anyone else intentionally switch from "lightweight" builds, to heavier builds? Once I started really wanting true long range CONSISTENT performance, I realized my lightweight, ultra packable rifles were much more of a hinderance than help. Started at 7.5 lbs scoped, then 8.4lbs, then 9.3lbs and my next build will be pushing 10.5-11lbs scoped if all goes well. The increase in shootability and recoil management by adding just one pound to a build is pretty noticeable.

I've just slowly cared less and less about weight, and more about ability and consistency. 1000+ yards is no chip shot, especially in field conditions haha. No more TI actions, no more carbon barrels, bigger more dependable scopes and mounts, heavier and sturdier bipods, are just some things I've slowly switched over to. So my guns are technically getting cheaper, and easier to shoot. Kind of a win win haha. I do mostly pack-in type hunts, and I would say that the rifle and spotting scope is probably the only thing where I'm not thinking about the weight this season. Everything else is pretty light.

Of course 13lbs or 15lbs would be even easier shoot yet, maybe I'll get there one day, but that seems excessive 🤣.
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Yup. Always carried heavier rifles and tried to start building a couple "LW" hunting rifles. 8lbs-ish and weren't much fun to shoot. 308's probably 10lbs now and 7RM is around 11-12. Braked with a litte weight and theyre much better to shoot. It's a comprise between weight / shootability. To light you sacrifice shootability and too heavy and they eat your lunch in hills. Gotta find that middle ground.
 
StanleyActual said:
Yup. Always carried heavier rifles and tried to start building a couple "LW" hunting rifles. 8lbs-ish and weren't much fun to shoot. 308's probably 10lbs now and 7RM is around 11-12. Braked with a litte weight and theyre much better to shoot. It's a comprise between weight / shootability. To light you sacrifice shootability and too heavy and they eat your lunch in hills. Gotta find that middle ground.
Click to expand...
Exactly dude. The heaviest rifle I've packed around is 9.3-9.4lbs to date. This next one will be 11-11.5 after crunching the numbers. That's a big jump, so I'll really get a feel if I like it or not. But I'll commit to it for a year. It won't kill me and I might like it.
 
How I am planning on carrying my rifle certainly affects what I think it should weigh. If it is going to be in my hands a lot, like when hunting timber, lighter is better. If I am carrying it in a Kifaru Gunbearer, I don't like more than about 8.25 pounds because of the pull on my shoulder strap. If I am carrying it strapped to the side of my pack, I am fine with my 9.5 pound rifle and I don't think there would be any issue with that carry method if it were a couple pounds heavier.

As mentioned above, I have found that there is some conflict between portability and shootability. I find it difficult to get steady in field conditions, with heavy breathing and my heart rate up, with my 6 pound 6 ounce 270. It is much easier for me to get the crosshairs to settle down with my 7.75 pound 6.5 Creedmoor.
 

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