How do you carry a heavy cannon?

[ricka0]

My custom Kirby/Lilja 300 RUM with massive 30" Lilja #8 contour and NF 3.5-15x56 driving the .508 BC 155gr SCENAR made quick work of 717 yard buck. Problem is the artillery piece is too heavy for me to shoot off hand. Being the former silhouette champ, and deadly accurate offhand with my 6.5 lbs a-bolt 270 WSM - I planned on carrying the little a-bolt in my hands for deer I jumped then using the artillery for when I was set up at long range. The Kirby gun with Harris bi-pod worked better than I expected at long range, but I jumped several GINORMOUS bucks at close range - and because I couldn't carry the big RUM on my back, I had to leave the little a-bolt in the truck.
My plan for next year is to take one of my old stocks (replaced by custom stocks), fill it with lead (to make it RUM weight + 4lbs ) and use it in my pre-hunt training. Whats the best sling or other mechanism to carry a heavy gun.

 

[ss7mm]

big_b0re:

I don't know what your "musket" weighs, but my little 7mm AM weighs 15 pounds ready to hunt. This includes sling and bipod. I can carry it 2 or 3 hours easy and never sling it, but when I do want it on my shoulder I use a Butler Creek Alaskan Magnum Rifle Sling. I also have a Vero Velini sling that works just as well. Either do the job and make the felt weight seem to be less than actual weight. These are carrying slings and not shooting slings. My sling is mounted with flush mount QD swivels and when seting up for single position, long range shooting, the sling comes off most of the time. I can carry my gun on my shoulder all day if needed and it's not a problem.

I always hunt with Stoney Point sticks when going cross country and I will not take an offhand shot unless it's like 50 yards or less. It's just too easy to use the Stoney Points and I just don't feel that an offhand shot of any kind is the best option for me and the game. I use whatever is available at the time of the shot to put me in the most secure and solid position to allow me to take the shot. This might be sitting, kneeling or preferably, prone but the lower and closer to the ground I get the more solid the shot becomes.

Twice this year, once for deer and once for elk, that meant bipod up front and bean bag in the rear. The Stoney Points come in real handy when ranging or for extended glassing also.

I don't think I'd pack a dedicated long range gun if I was going to be hunting in an evnrionment that dictated jumping deer up close and personal. On the other hand, I also wouldn't use the light weight, packing rifle, if I was in an area that dictated long range shots. Maybe your country contains both types of country and in that case, maybe you have grounds for another new gun. Something inbetween light and heavy. Nope, you'd better not do that or you'll be carrying 3 guns at a time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Jon A]

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe your country contains both types of country and in that case, maybe you have grounds for another new gun. Something inbetween light and heavy.

[/ QUOTE ]
That's the direction I've gone. My 300 RUM should finish just under 10 lbs when finished with a 27" #5 fluted Lilja. Not an ultralight, not a heavy gun, but something in between. I'm sort of surprised more people don't go that way, it seems many go directly from light factory rifles to 15+ pounders without much in between.

I'll second the Butler Creek Alaskan Magnum sling. I loved that thing on my recent elk hunt. I walked more miles than I could possibly count and the weight of the rifle never bothered me at all. That sling really helps.

 

[Guest]

Wheels..my man...wheels!! Like onto this:

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/im...my-vert-web-top

Next best method is find a "hide"....sit on your arse....use good binocs...drink some coffee, look often, wait, enjoy the day and being alive, and let the game move to you!

I don't like hunting with "track shoes" on! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Been there....done that!!

 

[sscoyote]

As a spot and stalk hunter, the sling i use is 1 i designed myself that allows me to tighten the gun on my back or belly for crawling if need be. It also allows me to lengthen the sling quickly for over-the-head shoulder carrying. It's simply some form of wide Wal-Mart or whatever brand i happen to have at the time. But i've installed a Fastex buckle in it with a snap, and it functions just like a backpack waist buckle system, and is set up the exact same way. The snap allows me to move the rig into position once i've arrived at my shooting spot without having to contort to get the sling off if i've been crawling. I've used them for years now without a single hitch.

 

[Brown Dog]

I'd recommend you make/buy something like the AI biathlon sling and wear the rifle like a backpack:

 

[Ronin]

Sorry to lift off your post Brown Dog, but I too recommend the AI biathalon sling.

Here is the link:

http://www.sportingservices.co.uk/accessories.asp

Well worth the expense if you have a heavy rifle, my 6.5x284 weighs in at 12lbs, I can sling that and have two hands free for "scrambling" up steep hillsides or carrying downed deer.

Excellent!

 

[royinidaho]

How much does that thing weigh?

 

[Bob S.]

That biathalon sling looks pretty slick but I usually have a 30-40 lb backpack and shoulder slings tend to not get along. I have used a safari sling and it works pretty well but I usually end up carrying the rifle in my hands, crook of the arm, using the scope as a carry handle, etc.

 

[jro45]

I don't have a custom rifle. I have the 300 RUM witch weights with scope and sling 9.5 lbs. My sling I open for long walks and carry my rifle on my shoulder. This rifle doesn't recoil much at all.

 

[Buffalobob]

The way the pig gunner carried the M-60 was by tying a boot lace around the butt stock and making a loop on the top. He would then take a web belt and with more boot lace and tie on a snap link to each end of the web belt. One snap link went to the front sight structure and the other went to the loop on the butt stock. He would then put on his 50-70 pound butt kicking ruck sack and flop the web belt over his head and his left side shoulder. The machine gun then rode level at the right hip pointing forward at a 45 degree angle. A short belt of about 50 rounds would be balanced on the gun and his left arm. When the SHTF he would go to rock and roll from the hip until he could get to a position to go a prone. Once prone he would unsnap the D links and open the bipods and the ***'t pig gunner would have him a new belt ready to go. This is a very fast technique, and I do mean fast.

This is basically the same theory as SS7MM is trying to tell you. Some kind of quick release snap mechanism on a wide sling


There is a parade field drill team maneuver that I use when I am hunting alone. It is not safe for gun nor user. It goes like this. The gun is slung over the right shoulder (of a right handed shooter) with the gun along the back. Your right hand is kept grasping the sling at the sling swivel on the butt stock. When you want to shoulder the gun you drop your right shoulder and simultaneously jerk the sling forward and upward. This causes the barrel end to rotate backwards and downwards and then you pull the sling back to you hard and the butt stock flies toward your shoulder. You release the sling and with both hands try to "catch the rotating gun". With a long barrel gun if you misjudge and hit a bunch of rocks with the barrel you will need a new crown. If you fail to "catch" the gun and drop it on the $1800.00 Night force scope you will be sorry. If the gun accidentally hits your leg and blows your foot off you will have a long crawl back to your truck.
It is very fast just not very safe

 

[davewilson]

my guess would be if trying to learn this technique one would pick it up quickly as the "learning curve" looks to be possibly expensive, painful, or both.

 

[budlight]

I weigh @175 I've been mountian humping my near 18 pound guns for years. 8.5 pound barrels, 6X24X56X33mm tubes, harris tall bypods, wide slings.

I just keep shifting the gun from hand to hand and shoulder to shoulder. The only problem I've ever noticed is when my 29 inch barrel is on my shoulder and I have to duck under a limb or something. I forget how high it's above my head and I get snagged.

I'm kind of aclimated by living at 5000 feet. I never thought much of it hunting at 7000-10,000+ feet until a sea level friend told me that he just couldn't take another step.

I'm coming up on 49 and I really increase my workouts about 30 days before a big hunt. Just keep shifting the gun around

 

[CAM]

B1G_b0re

I use a gunslinger back pack, it has worked out well after some changes. with the long guns the pack seemed to short and was top heavy so I had a shoe maker add 8" to the bottom pocket! it was too much and the barrel hit my leg when I was walking so back to the shoe maker for a trim. I ended up with about a 4" addition to the bottom and made a big difference. next I had him sew a handle on the right side so when taking the pack on/off it always but my gun rightside up and the zipper side on top also to get to my range finder etc., then I ended up robbing the straps off the top cover and tying them to the hook loop. I run the straps thru the thumbhole in my stock and snap them shut to keep the gun from flopping side to side. I don't us the top cover.

It ended up being very nice and easy to carry and have room for most everything you need for a day outdoors.

I have used it several times and I'm very happy with it and the owner of the company " Glen" is top notch to deal with.

I tryed all kinds or slings and brainstorms but putting it on my back and hiking to my vantage spot works for me. Also take a friend and let them have the close shots and you will be set for long range.

http://eberlestock.com/

CAM