Weight vs shootability

[308_Branden]

What do y'all think is a good blend between weight and shootability. I shoot my 300 wm which weighs 10 lbs with a suppressor and I'm just on the cusp of being able to shoot it and still see impacts down range. What do you guys think for a backpack elk gun? I hear some dudes go sub 8 and sub 7 lbs with magnums and some shoot between 10-15lbs with magnums.

 

[nmarth88]

I carry between 8.8 and 9.6 for my rifles. Average between 10-12 miles a day depending on location. To me it's no problem.

 

[slv hunter]

My magnums weigh about 10.5 lbs with 26" barrels. My all day carry rifle is a 280ai at about 8.5 lbs

 

[memtb]

I, when I was younger and in pretty darn good shape…..was running sub 3 hr. marathons 6 years before. I did a 10+ mile (each way) backpack hunt, carrying an 11+ pound rifle. That one trip convinced me that a lighter rifle would be in my near future.

Presently, the past 34 years, I've found that 9 pounds is a decent compromise between portability and shootability was a rifle of fairly heavy recoil (60 ft/lbs). This is total weight, scoped, loaded, & slung….never use a brake or suppressor!

At distance, I seem to be able to spot impacts….maybe not so much on close shots. memtb

 

[dogz]

I'm only concerned to shooting to 700 on most days, have plenty of ops to go longer but for me at some point the critter wins.

That said, I want a gun "all up" (scoped, sling, rounds, can, bipod etc) or 8 lbs at most and have no issues with good conditions doing it with my 7 lbs "all up" ULA/270.

Long as the weight is out front of the gun and not in the middle of the gun I'm golden.

This is by the way for my mountain rigs and not for open country rigs. Open country I'll carry up to 9 or so "all up"

 

[308_Branden]

Great to hear I want to build up a 300 prc or a 7 prc and my goal is right around 10lbs. What got me last year is having a 26 in barrel plus a 6 in suppressor it made for a very long set up still not too bad though

 

[Hand Skills]

I've been hunting backcountry a lot longer than I have been shooting LR, so my perspective is a little different. I came at this one the other way, and my rifles have been slowly getting heavier.

For me, 8.5-9lb is about the middle of the road these days.

If you are serious about backpacking, check out this thread by someone who's been there and done that;

My perfect Wyoming Mountain rifle build thread

After going through a few different rifles, trying to figure out my wants and needs for what I consider the perfect rifle for the way I hunt, I think this will finally be the one, so I'm starting another build thread. Some people won't like this rifle, and I don't care, not even a little...

www.longrangehunting.com

 

[marksman1941]

All depends on the terrain and the need. My .300 win weighs 11 pounds all set. That includes a Burris Veracity 3-15, 26" barrel and brake, sling and bipod. Heavy but not the absolute worst. I packed this with the intent to cross-canyon a bear, and it worked beautifully. It sucked to carry out but I wouldn't have gone any other way for that hunt. That build (for me) was definitely one to tie to my pack for most of the hunt, as it is a nose heavy rifle and tiring to carry in hand through brush.

My all day carry around rifle is a BSA Majestic in .308. Loaded, scoped and slung it weighs 6 pounds 1 oz. Incredibly quick to point, carries like a dream, kicks more than it has any right too. For the heavy timber that we deer hunt in, it's a perfect rifle.

 

[ButterBean]

I'm only concerned to shooting to 700 on most days, have plenty of ops to go longer but for me at some point the critter wins.

That said, I want a gun "all up" (scoped, sling, rounds, can, bipod etc) or 8 lbs at most and have no issues with good conditions doing it with my 7 lbs "all up" ULA/270.

Long as the weight is out front of the gun and not in the middle of the gun I'm golden.

This is by the way for my mountain rigs and not for open country rigs. Open country I'll carry up to 9 or so "all up"

X-2

 

[akmtnhnt]

My backpack up a mountain gun is 5lbs all up, but it's not in a magnum caliber. Magnums are largely not needed since we have range finders.

Are you hunting past 500 yards? Because a 308(or anything in the 308 case family) will get you there and now you can spot the shots if suppressed or braked. A 7lb 308 is very shootable, a 8lb 300wm is not. All the 300wm does is extend distance, that most people don't hunt at anyways. So why take the recoil and reduced precision if you don't need it?

 

[dogz]

My Montana .308 is a bit over 6 lbs "all up" but it's a tough bugger to shoot well much beyond 300 yds...operator issues I'm sure

I had another 84M rebarreled with a Lilja 8 twist in 22/250 Ack cut to 23". Goes .617" at the muzzle. Now this one I can go to 500 with ease. Lean mean fricken killing machine. Still less than 7 lbs "all up". I can take out any game I wish to here in my home state to a long darn ways with this little bugger.

70 Hammers are a freakin drill in it! As are the 73 Bergs

 

[Mark37082]

Every rifle I consider will be under 9 lbs ready to hunt. 8.5 is the sweet spot for me. I understand that heavy magnum rifles are easier to control when shooting at the range, but no thank you once you get a couple of miles or more from the truck.

 

[308_Branden]

Every rifle I consider will be under 9 lbs ready to hunt. 8.5 is the sweet spot for me. I understand that heavy magnum rifles are easier to control when shooting at the range, but no thank you once you get a couple of miles or more from the truck.

I hear you on that it's all fun and games till you get deep in there and start realizing you shouldn't have packed those extra mountain houses lol

 

[HuntnPack]

I too have dialed my rifle weights into the 9#
Carry weight range. My 7 SAUM is 8.6# all up including suppressor. My current 300 SAUM "in process" build will come in a few ozs. heavier but still 9# suppressed. I've gone to a bit shorter bbl lengths as well. I find this still maintains a good balance of weight, length, stability, handling, and shootability. I don't shoot lighter rifles quite as well & won't carry heavier/longer if I can avoid it.