Rifle Weight

[1100 Remington Man]

I have not weighted my rifles.
Remington 700 in 6mm Rem 22 inch barrel with steel tubed Weaver, feels light.
Winchester 70 XTR .264 Win Mag 24 inch Barrel wish it was26 inch barrel & scope feels ok
Winchester 70 pre 64 300 H&H 26 inch barrel scoped feels as heavy as I care to carry all day.
I’m a Spot and Stalk hunter out west and walk around 8 miles a day and have put in 10 miles in up by Salmon ID in rough country and with my 300 and that will make you sleep well at night.
I don’t know why but I know I carry to much most days I wear a pack my out west a Eberlstock Just one which weights 7 lbs empty. I carry a light, headlamp two knives, TP, water, Alaska game bags, 10 extra rounds, bone saw, rope, parachute cord, maps, compass,lunch,foam pad to sit on, GPS, and a Down Vest, or my coat and gloves, so if I sit I put it on. I would guess it close to 15lbs loaded. So the rifle is not what is heavy when I hunt.
I did buy a big game blaze orange vest from cabelas last year with a back pocket and am trying to go lighter.
I just hate the idea of shooting something and walking with out it or packing out nothing and having to hike back again to retrieve it. But I might have to I’m 57 now and I don’t know how many more deer I can drag for 4 hours plus. Yes I am getting older.

 

[truck driver]

Gee to be 57 again it sure would be nice. >)
Not making fun of you just reminiscing since I'm 12yrs older then you and still have the desire to get it done though I know I now need help when I kill something way back in.
The days of throwing a 120lb white tail buck on my shoulders and walking out with it has long passed.

 

[Europe]

Gee to be 69 again and know what I know now lol

When this thread started I ask Jamila to post on it, but see she has not, as I know in the past she has commented that carrying a double all day never bothers her. She said they hunt all day ( carrying a double rifle ) and dance all night and I told her I remember those days---vaguely!

 

[Elkman]

I am just a few weeks shy of 73 and again recovering from another self induced injury. However the weight of my rifle is of little concern. Both of my primaries wear, rails, bi-pods, slings, 4.5 X 14 scopes and nylon ammo carriers, so there are a fair amount of hardware to carry. I carry them all day and never give it a thought. Its just another part of hunting.

 

[Anonymous]

A pack is a necessary pretty much all the time here as you need access to a lot of gear, game bags, butcher equipment, emergency camping gear.

I think that's one of the key differences in the discussion, I'd have no issue toting a 10 or 11 pound rifle if I didn't already have 25-50 pounds of gear on my back. Even just my day hunting gear is something like 15 to 20.

Add in some long 45 degree climbs on broken shale and I'll shed every spare ounce I can!

 

[Europe]

A pack is a necessary pretty much all the time here as you need access to a lot of gear, game bags, butcher equipment, emergency camping gear.

I think that's one of the key differences in the discussion, I'd have no issue toting a 10 or 11 pound rifle if I didn't already have 25-50 pounds of gear on my back. Even just my day hunting gear is something like 15 to 20.

Add in some long 45 degree climbs on broken shale and I'll shed every spare ounce I can!

Bear, Mike---is this comparable to walking to school, barefoot, in the snow, uphill both ways LOL

seriously --what mike and bear have said had the same effect on me. In fact I never remember complaining about the weight of the rifle, in fact I dont remember ever even weighing it. But I use to whine like a school girl about the pack---especially when goat hunting or any hunting that required a spike camp.

 

[truck driver]

When I was in the military many years ago I use to hump some rather heavy equipment ( M60 Machine gun and ammo, 90mm recoil-less rifle along with a 50lb pack ) so a light rifle was a blessing and can remember my muscles in my arms feeling like over stretched rubber bands .
What got me thinking about rifle weight was the guys who hunt sheep and said anything over 7lbs was heavy yet they would carry a 25lb pack as minimum load of gear needed.
This prompt me to weigh my 338wm to see just how much total weight I was carrying.
So far it has been a informative and lively discussion.

 

[Elkman]

I would guess my pack is in the 15 to 20 lb range, I carry at least 3 liters of water knives, rope, lunch, rain gear, extra cloths and the like. After a few days I quit noticing it, but I don't scrimp on whats in there, its all important.