Backcountry rifle weight?

[Macintosh]

Mountain rifle in the northeast is different. Traditionally its either a rem 76 or 7600 pump
Carbine in 30-06 or a savage 99 in 300 savage, with either a peep rear sight or a 1-5-ish scope. This is for tracking deer in the snow, so it gets carried for miles rather than slung, as shots are close and fast in thick woods. My 7600 with a 1.5-4.5 weighs 7lb 13oz. Def NOT a lightweight!
My tikka in 7-08 has a wood stock specifically because synthetic stocks in the brush are LOUD. 7lb 11oz including a 2.5-10 30mm tube scope. Im sure I could lose a little weight on this gun without trying too hard, but I dont mind the weight on this one as much. Wifes kimber 84 7-08 has a vx3 2.5-8, its 6 13 I think.

 

[aheider]

7-7.5lbs seems to be the sweet spot for me. Although I'm personally good with anything less than 8lbs. Once I hit 7lbs and under, my shooting suffers and the 7.5lb range gives you a few rifle options that won't break the bank.

 

[FLAK]

My Marlin 1894 is right at 6lbs.

 

[LaGriz]

Mackintosh,

"Mountain rifle in the northeast is different. Traditionally its either a rem 76 or 7600 pump
Carbine in 30-06 or a savage 99 in 300 savage, with either a peep rear sight or a 1-5-ish scope. This is for tracking deer in the snow, so it gets carried for miles rather than slung, as shots are close and fast in thick woods. My 7600 with a 1.5-4.5 weighs 7lb 13oz. Def NOT a lightweight!
My tikka in 7-08 has a wood stock specifically because synthetic stocks in the brush are LOUD. 7lb 11oz including a 2.5-10 30mm tube scope. Im sure I could lose a little weight on this gun without trying too hard, but I dont mind the weight on this one as much. Wifes kimber 84 7-08 has a vx3 2.5-8, its 6 13 I think."

I have done a fair amount of "big Woods" hunting in Northern Maine. Conditions similar to what you described. Tracking BIG Bodied whitetails in the snow with snap shots 60-70 yards being the most likely result. They have few deer per acre, but partner they are "Wicked Huge" when it comes to body size. I met several local hunters toting pump rifles, lever-actions , and bolt guns that had iron sights. Lower power scopes make a lot of sense in these conditions.

Best days seemed to be; drizzling rain with snow on the ground. Bucks may be uncomfortable to bed with the trees dripping and the temperatures at or near freezing. Scopes often get fogged up in these conditions. Droplets of rain on the ocular lenses doesn't help any when trying to acquire a bounding buck. I'm always been concerned that I will need to make a far poke at one and may need the scope. On one occasion I regretted that I could not operate my scope covers fast enough to get on a huge deer at close range. A heavy dark-antlered beast let me get 35 yards close before he bolted. I got one flip up scope cover and the safety off, only to loose him in the timber before I could get off a shot! The image of this deer is still very clear to me almost 20 years later! Hours later, I met a local guy with a Savage Model 99 equipped with a peep sight. I complemented him on his choice of weapon. He told of a similar event that convinced him this was a good choice for that days hunt.
LaGriz

 

[coiloil37]

My heaviest used rifle is a .338 win mag at 6lbs 10oz. I shoot 250’s out of it and don’t find the recoil an issue. After hunting with five and a half to six and a half pound rifles I despise carrying a 7+lb gun.

 

[luke moffat]

I have had a pile of lightweight rifles.

Though this one is hard not to like. Its only 6.2 pounds even with 20 oz of scope and rings on it and 12 oz of suppressor.

 

[JP100]

I think some where around 7lb is pretty darn good.
Some super light rifles become harder to shoot for a number of reasons.

We have had a few clients turn up with guns in the 10-13lb bracket and they generally have a horrible time haha.

I think you should be able to carry your rifle all day in you hands, if you cant you either need a lighter gun, or bigger arms!

Just weighed my Tikka 300wsm at 7lbs/3.2kg
my guides Tikka .270 is 6lbs 10oz/3kg

Both carbon stocks, fluted barrels and bolts and one has a Zeiss hd5 other a Vx3
Both are pretty handy rifle weights and easy to carry all day and not hard to shoot

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Stock Kimber Mountain Ascent, .270 Win., Talley lightweights and Leupold 3-9x33 VX-2 UL.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I didn’t think the long action would weigh so much more, maybe because the 270 has a smaller bore through the barrel as well. I have a Montana 308, vx3i 2.5-8x36 with talley lightweight low rings, I did install a skelotonized bolt handle but it weight 5lb 11oz all up.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

Mackintosh,

"Mountain rifle in the northeast is different. Traditionally its either a rem 76 or 7600 pump
Carbine in 30-06 or a savage 99 in 300 savage, with either a peep rear sight or a 1-5-ish scope. This is for tracking deer in the snow, so it gets carried for miles rather than slung, as shots are close and fast in thick woods. My 7600 with a 1.5-4.5 weighs 7lb 13oz. Def NOT a lightweight!
My tikka in 7-08 has a wood stock specifically because synthetic stocks in the brush are LOUD. 7lb 11oz including a 2.5-10 30mm tube scope. Im sure I could lose a little weight on this gun without trying too hard, but I dont mind the weight on this one as much. Wifes kimber 84 7-08 has a vx3 2.5-8, its 6 13 I think."

I have done a fair amount of "big Woods" hunting in Northern Maine. Conditions similar to what you described. Tracking BIG Bodied whitetails in the snow with snap shots 60-70 yards being the most likely result. They have few deer per acre, but partner they are "Wicked Huge" when it comes to body size. I met several local hunters toting pump rifles, lever-actions , and bolt guns that had iron sights. Lower power scopes make a lot of sense in these conditions.

Best days seemed to be; drizzling rain with snow on the ground. Bucks may be uncomfortable to bed with the trees dripping and the temperatures at or near freezing. Scopes often get fogged up in these conditions. Droplets of rain on the ocular lenses doesn't help any when trying to acquire a bounding buck. I'm always been concerned that I will need to make a far poke at one and may need the scope. On one occasion I regretted that I could not operate my scope covers fast enough to get on a huge deer at close range. A heavy dark-antlered beast let me get 35 yards close before he bolted. I got one flip up scope cover and the safety off, only to loose him in the timber before I could get off a shot! The image of this deer is still very clear to me almost 20 years later! Hours later, I met a local guy with a Savage Model 99 equipped with a peep sight. I complemented him on his choice of weapon. He told of a similar event that convinced him this was a good choice for that days hunt.
LaGriz

Not sure if they're still around but the "Big Woods Bucks" guys were a wealth of knowledge for hunting all things whitetails S&S. Most of them came out of that country also.... pretty sure their gun of choice was a 7600

edit: Just pulled up their website, hadn't been on it in a couple years... looks like they even started a podcast

 

[AK Troutbum]

I didn’t think the long action would weigh so much more, maybe because the 270 has a smaller bore through the barrel as well. I have a Montana 308, vx3i 2.5-8x36 with talley lightweight low rings, I did install a skelotonized bolt handle but it weight 5lb 11oz all up.

Not a lot heavier but I think about 8 oz. difference between the long and short actions. Here’s my old Montana .280 ai with light wt. Talley’s, same scope, MA style titanium bolt handle and aluminum trigger guard. 6 lbs. 1.75 oz.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Not a lot heavier but I think about 8 oz. difference between the long and short actions. Here’s my old Montana .280 ai with light wt. Talley’s, same scope, MA style titanium bolt handle and aluminum trigger guard. 6 lbs. 1.75 oz.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I must have been tired last night when I typed that, I thought it said 6lb 11oz, not 6.11lb. My scale does lbs and ozs so that makes sense if my short action is 5lb 11oz and your long action set up about the same is 6lb 1.75oz.

 

[plumber1969]

I weighed my fully loaded Ruger M77 Mark 2 with a Leopold VX3 3.5x10x50 and I'm at 9.4 pounds. I put a Hogue overmolded full bed block stock on it and it changed the weight by 2 ounces but the accuracy went up. We only have a couple of weeks to chase elk so I will grin and grunt.

 

[Ndbowhunter]

Best option is a piggy rifle and someone else carries it.

 

[Gutshotem]

I have had a pile of lightweight rifles.

Though this one is hard not to like. Its only 6.2 pounds even with 20 oz of scope and rings on it and 12 oz of suppressor.

Details please?

 

[Kotaman]

My new Weatherby Back Country Ti scoped with a Z6. 6 lbs, 9 oz.

 

[Spiral Horn]

Always felt there are a bunch of factors to consider for Max rifle weight. Is it a mountain or true backcountry rig? = personally willing to lug a a slightly bigger rig in the backcountry than I am in the mountains. What cartridge? = seen a number of “Weatherby Eyebrows” over the years from guys shooting lightweight magnums from odd shooting positions in the mountains.

Like my mountain rig to be under 8lbs fully rigged and loaded - but not lighter 7 - 7.5lbs. Some folks want featherlight rifles but IMO bare rifles under 6lbs begin taking away too much steel and substituting too much material - it’s difficult to do that and maintain equally high levels of accuracy. They are also much more difficult to shoot accurately under field conditions (while not as much from the bench).

I have an H-S Precision PHL in 6.5CM and a Custom Borden in 6.5PRC that are both 7 3/4 fully rigged and loaded. Love then both - shooters, lightweight, and rugged enough for the mountains. Another reason I love both of these rigs is they balance so well - they handle like part of my body and carry lighter than they weigh.

My 2 cents

 

[WCB]

What does the rest of your equipment weigh? What else could you get rid of? Haven't weighed it but the main rifle I carry is 7.5lbs with a 12x Bushnell LRHS @ 28 oz...so i' m at 10lbs+ on the rifle with ammo and sling etc.

I guess I'm in the camp that doesn't concern myself with "every oz". Unless you have a goal of Xlbs get the scope you want and keep the weight at what you think is reasonable. If I was just looking at weight I would Shoot my Brown Custom 7rem mag with a 10x Zeiss conquest on it. But, I shoot the heavier rifle the better out to long distances 8-900yds.

What I don't bring is a bunch of extra crap in my pack that I don't need. Especially on day hunts away from camp.

 

[jfs82]

Seekins element in 6.5 prc, swfa 3x9, seekins low rings, brake. 7lb 1 oz I wanted the reliable dialing more than saving another 6-7 ounces on scope.

 

[rickco]

I have a Forbes 24 (predecessor to the Barrett Fieldcraft) in a 270 with a Vi 3 4.5x14. It weighs 6 lbs 11oz, with a 24 in barrel. It is a shooter and I have taken 2 antelope, one mule deer and 2 elk with the rifle.
For me it is a great gun.

 

[HuntnPack]

My newest backcountry projects: is two part.
Both Seekins Element’s. 1st one is 6.5 PRC,
(just recently received it, ready for load work.)
With 21” bbl., 20 moa integral rail, Seekins low rings, bipod rail, NF 2.5-10x42, 7.33# w/brake.
With Jäger suppressor (at ATF summer camp)
It will weigh in at 7.58# & bbl length at 25.5”

2nd rifle will be a twin big brother 300 PRC.
With 24” barrel.
rifle, scope, & suppressor are all new items yet to come available. That rifle should come in around 8.35# & 8.85# suppressed.