Dalton Caribou rifle. What’s too heavy?

[Elkhntr08]

2lbs on your gut is not the same as 2lbs in your hand or pack.

It’s a start and that’s the point.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

It’s a start and that’s the point.

I agree and I don’t think he should do anything with his gun but just gets old seeing that advice given time and time again. I’ve been 260lbs carrying an 11lbs gun and 190lbs carrying the same gun, it felt just as heavy both times.

Dropping a few pounds will always help but it’s in no way the equivalent of dropping gear weight.

 

[Elkhntr08]

I agree and I don’t think he should do anything with his gun but just gets old seeing that advice given time and time again. I’ve been 260lbs carrying an 11lbs gun and 190lbs carrying the same gun, it felt just as heavy both times.

Dropping a few pounds will always help but it’s in no way the equivalent of dropping gear weight.

Congratulations on loosing the 70# body weight.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Said it before, you can drop 2# on the rifle or 2# on your gut, the later will do you more good.

This is the best advice.

Back in college I worked in a high end bicycle shop, these overweight rich guys would come in and want me to weigh every damn bike, they would complain about a bike being 1/2 or 1 pound heavier than others, they would drop even more on ultralight parts from expensive boutique companies but they never bothered to trim the 30+ lbs off their mid sections. Most of them would be trying to sell that bike back a year later in nearly new condition.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I agree and I don’t think he should do anything with his gun but just gets old seeing that advice given time and time again. I’ve been 260lbs carrying an 11lbs gun and 190lbs carrying the same gun, it felt just as heavy both times.

Dropping a few pounds will always help but it’s in no way the equivalent of dropping gear weight.

Improved fitness, less weight to carry on your frame is much better than getting lighter gear and it’s not even a close comparison.

If you weigh 260lbs and you’re packing an 80lb back that’s 340lbs you have to move with every step, if you’re 190lbs with that same 80lb pack, that’s 270 lbs. so in reality if you’re 260, that’s the same as being leaner with a pack.

Take that 70lb weight difference and add it to every step you take for the duration of a hunt. Varying a 10lb rifle sucks no matter what but you can’t honestly believe that dropping gear weight is better than dropping body weight.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Improved fitness, less weight to carry on your frame is much better than getting lighter gear and it’s not even a close comparison.

If you weigh 260lbs and you’re packing an 80lb back that’s 340lbs you have to move with every step, if you’re 190lbs with that same 80lb pack, that’s 270 lbs. so in reality if you’re 260, that’s the same as being leaner with a pack.

Take that 70lb weight difference and add it to every step you take for the duration of a hunt. Varying a 10lb rifle sucks no matter what but you can’t honestly believe that dropping gear weight is better than dropping body weight.

I agree with you, I think my point got lost. Being lighter causes less wear and tear on the body no doubt, I know from experience. I’m saying every time a thread comes up it’s not an extreme case like mine was, it’s 2lbs off a rifle or 5 lbs off your pack.

Losing 2-5lbs off your body is not noticeable, you can lose that in a day of hunting. I’m sure it makes a near imperceptible improvement, more so long term. Dropping 2lbs from your rifle or 5lbs off your pack is immediately noticeable. Everyone should do both but a heavy rifle is a heavy rifle.

All that being said I think the OP should use what he has and I’ll be wagging a 10lbs rifle around this year as well unfortunately

 

[HuntHarder]

5 miles thru Tundra sounds miserable....
- guy who had to pack his caribou out 4+ miles thru a bunch of tundra.

 

[sniper61]

If you were my buddy I would loan you a rifle made for carrying. 2 lbs ha ,have you ever packed big loads of meat many miles? You can shave 5 lbs or more with a good pack that you will need for ever .

 

[PackIn]

I was just faced with this dilemma when I was buying a new rifle. I decided the extra 1k was not worth 1 pound. The rifle was basically for alaska, but this trip is already pricey. I dont worry too much about a couple pounds when im not packing a camp.

 

[DAULT1]

Late reply but figured I’d chime in since I did this hunt last August. At a minimum I would make sure you are packing a light load. My group found that walking with 30ish pounds of total additional gear we could cover 2-2.5 mph across the tundra. Once we had 60-70 pounds on our back that pace slowed down to sub 1 mph. If you don’t cut down rifle weight I would advise having a good way to strap it to your pack and cut weight in other areas of your camping gear.

 

[craymond406]

It’s easier on the wallet to just lose 2 pounds of fat.

 

[mb6355]

I have done this hunt twice killing both times with 2 other people (6 caribou packed out total). Cut every pound you can. If you kill, you will push 30 miles across the tundra by the time it is over minimum. Once you step off the road there are no easy steps, it is all muck, tussocks, and water. Get in the best shape you can. Have boots that don't leak and rain gear that works. Count on walking about 1.5 mph light and less than 1 heavy.

 

[Alaska27]

Thread 'Ideal Weight and Size for Backcountry Hunting Rifle?' https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/ideal-weight-and-size-for-backcountry-hunting-rifle.445609/

Thanks!